System and method for precaching information on a mobile device

Abstract

A system and method for precaching information on a mobile device. A precaching strategy is built for a mobile device. The strategy defines a forecast of data types a user is predicted to request after the occurrence of one or more data refresh conditions. The precaching strategy is built by recognizing data usage patterns in data requested by the user or a group of users over a time period. The data usage pattern comprises data types and events that are correlated to the usage of the data. The events are used to define at least one refresh condition within the precaching strategy. The precaching strategy is executed. When the occurrence of the data refresh condition is detected, data is then retrieved from a data source, wherein the data is retrieved according to the precaching strategy. The retrieved data is transmitted to a user device cache.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method comprising:
 building, by a computing device, a precaching strategy for a mobile device, to define a forecast of a data type a user is predicted to request after occurrence of a data refresh condition, the precaching strategy being built by recognizing, by the computing device, a data usage pattern in data requested by the user using the mobile device over a time period, the data usage pattern comprising the data type and an event that is correlated to the usage of the data, the event used to define the refresh condition within the precaching strategy;   executing, by the computing device, the precaching strategy;   detecting, by the computing device, that the data refresh condition has occurred;   retrieving, by the computing device over a network, data from a data source, wherein the retrieved data is retrieved according to the precaching strategy; and   transmitting, by the computing device over the network, the retrieved data to a mobile device cache accessible to an application program executing on the mobile device.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the data usage pattern is obtained from the user's social network. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the data type in the data usage pattern is used to select a predefined precaching strategy for the data type. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the predefined precaching strategy for the data type was determined by recognizing, by the computing device, a data usage pattern in data requested by a plurality of users, wherein the data usage pattern comprises the data type. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the data type in the data usage pattern is used to select a predefined precaching strategy for a data type which represents a generic data type that encompasses the data type. 
     
     
         30 . A method comprising:
 building, by a computing device, a precaching strategy for a mobile device, to define a forecast of a data type a user is predicted to request after occurrence of a data refresh condition, the precaching strategy being built by determining, by the computing device, data needs of the user over a time period;   executing, by the computing device, the precaching strategy;   detecting, by the computing device, that the data refresh condition has occurred;   retrieving, by the computing device over a network, data from a data source, the retrieved data being retrieved according to the precaching strategy; and   transmitting, by the computing device over the network, the retrieved data to a mobile device cache accessible to an application program executing on the mobile device.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein a data usage pattern comprises an event that is correlated to usage of the data, wherein the event is used to define the refresh condition within the respective precaching strategy. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the data type is selected from a group of data types consisting of spatial data, temporal data, social data, or topical data. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the refresh condition is selected from a group of refresh condition types consisting of a social event, a topical event, and a user interface event. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the determining of the data needs of the user further comprises determining a user type associated with the user. 
     
     
         35 . A system comprising:
 a processor;   a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising:
 building logic executed by the processor for building a precaching strategy for a mobile device, to define a forecast of a data type a user is predicted to request after occurrence of a data refresh condition, the precaching strategy being built by determining, by the processor, data needs of the user over a time period; 
 executing logic executed by the processor for executing the precaching strategy; 
 detecting logic executed by the processor for detecting that the data refresh condition has occurred; 
 retrieving logic executed by the processor for retrieving data, over a network, from a data source, the retrieved data being retrieved according to the precaching strategy; and 
 transmitting logic executed by the processor for transmitting the retrieved data, over the network, to a mobile device cache accessible to an application program executing on the mobile device. 
   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35  wherein a data usage pattern comprises an event that is correlated to usage of the data, wherein the event is used to define the refresh condition within the respective precaching strategy. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the data usage pattern is obtained from the user's social network. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the data type in at the data usage patterns is used to select a predefined precaching strategy for the data type. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the data type in the data usage pattern is used to select a predefined precaching strategy for a data type which represents a generic data type that encompasses the data type. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 35  wherein the data type is selected from a group of data types consisting of spatial data, temporal data, social data, or topical data. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 35  wherein the determining of the data needs of the user further comprises determining a user type associated with the user. 
     
     
         42 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions executed by a processor, the computer-executable instructions comprising:
 building, by the processor, a precaching strategy for a mobile device, to define a forecast of a data type a user is predicted to request after occurrence of a data refresh condition, the precaching strategy being built by determining, by the processor, data needs of the user over a time period;   executing, by the processor, the precaching strategy;   detecting, by the processor, that the data refresh condition has occurred;   retrieving, by the processor over a network, data from a data source, the retrieved data being retrieved according to the precaching strategy; and   transmitting, by the processor over the network, the retrieved data to a mobile device cache accessible to an application program executing on the mobile device.   
     
     
         43 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 42  wherein a data usage pattern comprises an event that is correlated to usage of the data, wherein the event is used to define the refresh condition within the respective precaching strategy. 
     
     
         44 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 42  wherein the data type is selected from a group of data types consisting of spatial data, temporal data, social data, or topical data.