Optimizing server delivery of content by selective inclusion of optional data based on optimization criteria

1. A method of optimizing content delivery to a client device, the method comprising:

storing content including a plurality of optional selectable content;

communicating with the client device over a communications network, different optimization constraints being associated with different classes of client devices, and the classes of client devices being associated with different performance capabilities;

determining an optimization constraint associated with the client device by determining a class of the client device to which the client device belongs based on an attribute of the client device, and by determining an optimization constraint based on the determined class; and

in response to a request for data received from the client device, determining which of the optional selectable content to transmit to the client device based on the optimization constraint by (i) employing a set of selection rules mapping optimization constraints to the optional selectable content and (ii) selecting which of the optional selectable content to deliver to the client device based on the optimization constraint associated with the client device and the selection rules, thereby selectively reducing or increasing the amount of content to be transmitted to the client device, and automatically selecting at least one of the plurality of optional selectable content based on the optimization constraint.

2. The method as in claim 1 further including:

communicating with a plurality of client devices;

determining respective optimization constraints associated with the client devices; and

determining which of the plurality optional selectable content to transmit to each of the client devices based on the corresponding optimization constraint.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein determining an optimization constraint associated with the client device includes determining an optimization constraint based on an attribute of the client device.

4. The method as in claim 3 wherein the attribute includes a bandwidth of a connection with the client device.

5. The method as in claim 3 , wherein the attribute includes a type of web browser running on the client device.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein storing content includes storing files that include a plurality of optional selectable content representing different versions of content.

7. The method as in claim 6 wherein determining which of the optional selectable content to transmit includes automatically selecting at least one of the plurality of optional selectable content based on the optimization constraint.

8. The method as in claim 1 wherein determining which of the optional selectable content to transmit includes, in an event the class of the client device is a class associated with a low-performance capability, selecting optional selectable content that requires a least amount of bandwidth to be transmitted.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for use in a system having a server for storing content data, and which is connected to a plurality of client devices, the non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which cause the server to:

store non-optional content data and optional content data, the optional content data including a plurality of optional content items, each optional content item being associated with an operating characteristic corresponding to operating characteristics of client devices;

receive a request for content data from a client device;

determine a class of client device to which the client device belongs based on the request, classes of client devices being associated with optimization constraints;

associate one of the optimization constraints to the received request for content data based on the determined class of client device to which the client device belongs;

automatically select the non-optional content data, and automatically select at least one of the plurality of optional content items that corresponds to the received request for content data by selecting a content item corresponding to the optimization constraint; and

transmit the selected non-optional content data and the selected optional content item to the client device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 9 wherein (i) optimization constraints are associated with each content item, (ii) the optimization constraints index classes of client devices, (iii) each class of client device has different operating characteristics, and (iv) the stored instructions further cause the processor to:

associate one of the optimization constraints with the received request for content data based on the operating characteristics of the client device; and

select a content item based on the optimization constraint.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 10 wherein the stored instructions further cause the processor to:

determine a connection type in use by the client device; and

associate with the received request for content data an optimization constraint based on the connection type.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 9 wherein the client device operating characteristics are selected from the group consisting of:

client device operating system, client device browser type, connection type, connection speed, central processor type, graphics processor type, amount of main memory, amount of graphics memory, user preferences, display size, and software installed.

13. A method of optimizing content delivery to a client device, the method comprising:

accessing content including a plurality of optional selectable content in files representing different versions of content;

communicating with a plurality of client devices over a communications network;

determining respective optimization constraints associated with the client devices based on attributes of the client devices, the attributes including a bandwidth of a connection with the client device or a type of web browser running on the client device; and

in response to a request for data received from the client device, determining which of the optional selectable content to transmit to each of the client devices based on the corresponding optimization constraint by (i) employing a set of selection rules mapping optimization constraints to the optional selectable content and (ii) selecting which of the optional selectable content to deliver to the client device based on the optimization constraint associated with the client device and the selection rules, thereby selectively reducing or increasing the amount of content to be transmitted to the client device, and automatically selecting at least one of the plurality of optional selectable content based on the optimization constraint.

14. A method of optimizing content delivery to a client device, the method comprising:

accessing content including a plurality of optional selectable content;

communicating with the client device over a communications network, different optimization constraints being associated with different classes of client devices, and the classes of client devices being associated with different performance capabilities;

determining an optimization constraint associated with the client device by determining a class of the client device to which the client device belongs based on an attribute of the client device, and by determining an optimization constraint based on the determined class; and

in response to a request for data received from the client device, determining which of the optional selectable content to transmit to the client device based on the optimization constraint by (i) employing a set of selection rules mapping optimization constraints to the optional selectable content and (ii) selecting which of the optional selectable content to deliver to the client device based on the optimization constraint associated with the client device and the selection rules, thereby selectively reducing or increasing the amount of content to be transmitted to the client device, and automatically selecting at least one of the plurality of optional selectable content based on the optimization constraint.