Server-side suggestion of preload operations

• US 8,626,763 B1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wolfe, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Leslie
• Application Number:
  US13/487,964
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/727, 707/748, 707/736, 707/E17.108, 707/999.108, 707/999.003, 707/999.01, 707/999.107, 707750-751, 711/3, 711118-144, 709/203, 709/219
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

An improved information retrieval system is provided that uses profile information indicating one or more possible destinations associated with a web page to assist in preloading. In one aspect, in response to detecting that the user has interacted with a display element in a first web page browser window, the system retrieves information from a second web page before the user requests that the second web page be displayed within the web browser window. This retrieval enables rapid access to various features of web pages in the web browser window.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for identifying one or more web pages as preloading targets, the method comprising:

storing, in a memory, profile information associated with at least one web page, the profile information indicating one or more possible destinations from the at least one web page;

receiving a request from a client device, the request associated with the at least one web page;

selecting, with a processor, at least one of the one or more possible destinations as one or more preload targets, the one or more preload targets being selected by the processor based on the profile information;

performing, using the processor, a preload operation by retrieving information from the one or more preload targets, wherein retrieving the information from the one or more preload targets is carried out without providing the one or more preload targets in a visible browser window, and where the retrieved information comprises at least a portion of content from the one or more preload targets;

determining whether the retrieved information associated with the one or more preload targets is partially preloaded; and

when the information is partially preloaded, retrieving updated information from the one or more preload targets that is different from the partially preloaded information.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the profile information comprises statistical data for how often each of the one or more possible destinations is selected from the at least one web page.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising gathering the profile information by monitoring a frequency with which requests for the one or more possible destinations are selected from the at least one web page.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the profile information further comprises a historical percentage of users that have selected each of the one or more possible destinations.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing the at least one web page in response to the request from the client device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising updating the profile information in response to the request.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the profile information further comprises an order in which the one or more preload targets are to be preloaded by the client device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the order is based on a historical percentage of users that have selected each of the one or more preload targets.

9. A tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium recorded with instructions, that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

storing profile information associated with at least one web page, the profile information indicating one or more possible destinations from the at least one web page;

receiving a request from a client device, the request associated with the at least one web page;

selecting at least one of the one or more possible destinations as one or more preload targets, the one or more preload targets being selected based on the profile information;

performing, using the processor, a preload operation by retrieving information from the one or more preload targets, wherein retrieving the information from the one or more preload targets is carried out without providing the one or more preload targets in a visible browser window, and where the retrieved information comprises at least a portion of content from the one or more preload targets;

determining whether the retrieved information associated with the one or more preload targets is partially preloaded; and

when the information is partially preloaded, retrieving updated information from the one or more preload targets that is different from the partially preloaded information.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the profile information comprises statistical data for how often each of the one or more possible destinations is selected from the at least one web page.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising gathering the profile information by monitoring a frequency with which requests for the one or more possible destinations are selected from the at least one web page.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the profile information further comprises a historical percentage of users that have selected each of the one or more possible destinations.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises providing the at least one web page in response to the request from the client device.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises updating the profile information in response to the request.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the profile information further comprises an order in which the one or more preload targets are to be preloaded by the client device.

16. A processing system for identifying one or more web pages as preloading targets, the processing system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory, coupled to the at least one processor, for storing profile information indicating one or more possible destinations from the at least one web page;

the at least one processor configured to;

receive a request from a client device, the request being associated with the at least one web page;

provide the profile information in response to the request to assist a client with selection of at least one of the one or more possible destinations as one or more preload targets, the one or more preload targets being selected based on the profile information;

perform a preload operation by retrieving information from the one or more preload targets, wherein retrieving the information from the one or more preload targets is carried out without providing the one or more preload targets in a visible browser window, and where the retrieved information comprises at least a portion of content from the one or more preload targets;

determine whether the retrieved information associated with the one or more preload targets is partially preloaded; and

when the information is partially preloaded, retrieving updated information from the one or more preload targets that is different from the partially preloaded information.

17. The processing system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to gather the profile information by monitoring a frequency with which requests for the one or more possible destinations are selected from the at least one web page.

18. The processing system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to provide the at least one web page in response to the request from the client device.