Optimizing server delivery of content by selective inclusion of optional data based on optimization criteria
View Patent ↗Optimization constraints are used to select an appropriate content item from an available group of content items which are ordered in a specific manner to facilitate the proper selection of the content item, even if the exact item desired is not present. The server is then able to insert the selected content item into the outgoing content page requested by the client. The optimization constraints can be, but are not limited to, any one of the following: communication channel performance (bandwidth), client operating system, client processor, client display capabilities, client installed software (video or audio codecs for example), and/or user preferences. A software product and method enable selective delivery of content to client devices of varying performance characteristics, including varying bandwidth, by selective filtering and inclusion of markup language content using tags demarcating optional content. An optimization constraint is used to select one of the items.
1. An electronic storage medium on which is stored data, comprising:
content for display on a display device in a markup language comprising:
at least a portion of said content comprising data which is required to be displayed when viewing the content;
at least a portion of said content comprising a group of content items for optional inclusion with said data required to be displayed when displaying the content; and
tags demarcating each of said portions to distinguish said content required to be displayed from said group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data;
software, utilizing said tags, for selecting said content required to be displayed and for selecting from said group at least one of said items for transmission together to the display device, said content being formatted for display on the display device; and
software for determining an optimization constraint related to transmission of the content to the display device, and for providing such determination to said software for selecting such that the item of the group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data is selected based upon said determination.
2. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said software for selecting selects said portion of said at least one of said group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data based upon the optimization constraint.
3. The electronic storage medium of claim 2 , wherein said optimization constraint is communication channel performance.
4. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data is hierarchically arranged based on the optimization constraint.
5. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data is hierarchically arranged based on the communication channel performance required to transmit said optionally displayed content.
6. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data is hierarchically arranged based on the system performance required of the display device in order to display said optionally displayed content.
7. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said portion of said content comprising data which is required to be displayed when viewing the content is stored in a first file and said group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data is stored in a second file.
8. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said optimization constraint is the communication channel performance required to transmit said selected item of the group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data.
9. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said optimization constraint is the system performance required of the display device in order to display said selected item of the group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data.
10. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said optimization constraint is the class of device on which said selected item of the group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data will be displayed.
11. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said optimization constraint is the processor type which operates the display device on which said selected item of the group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data will be displayed.
12. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said optimization constraint is the connection type over which the content is transmitted to the display device on which said selected item of the group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data will be displayed.
13. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said content is formatted for display by a web browser running on the display device, and wherein said optimization constraint is the web browser type running on said device.
14. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said optimization constraint is the amount of memory required of the display device in order to display said selected item of the group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data.
15. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said optimization constraint is the type of display required of the display device in order to display said selected item of the group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data.
16. The electronic storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said optimization constraint is the size of display required of the display device in order to display said selected item of the group of content items for optional inclusion with said required data.