Prefetching using a chain of fetch operations

Abstract

A method includes issuing, by an application running in a user device, a request to fetch over a network content that includes multiple content items. The request is received by a software agent running in the user device and, in response to the request, a chain of fetch operations is executed for fetching the requested content. Each of the fetch operations in the chain includes (i) receiving from the application an identification of one or more additional content items identified by the application within a content item fetched in a preceding fetch operation in the chain, (ii) evaluating a criterion, and (iii) deciding, depending on the criterion, whether or not to fetch the one or more additional content items.

1 . A method, comprising:
 issuing, by an application running in a user device, a request to fetch over a network content that comprises multiple content items; and   receiving the request by a software agent running in the user device and, in response to the request, executing a chain of fetch operations for fetching the requested content, wherein each of the fetch operations in the chain comprises (i) receiving from the application an identification of one or more additional content items identified by the application within a content item fetched in a preceding fetch operation in the chain, (ii) evaluating a criterion, and (iii) deciding, depending on the criterion, whether or not to fetch the one or more additional content items.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising pre-rendering one or more of the content items in a background mode. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein issuing the request comprises prefetching the content, not in response to a user accessing the content. 
     
     
         4 . A user device, comprising:
 an interface for communicating over a network; and   a processor, configured to:
 issue, by an application running on the processor, a request to fetch over the network content that comprises multiple content items; and 
 receive the request by a software agent running on the processor and, in response to the request, execute a chain of fetch operations for fetching the requested content, wherein each of the fetch operations in the chain comprises (i) receiving from the application an identification of one or more additional content items identified by the application within a content item fetched in a preceding fetch operation in the chain, (ii) evaluating a criterion, and (iii) deciding, depending on the criterion, whether or not to fetch the one or more additional content items. 
   
     
     
         5 . The user device according to  claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to pre-render one or more of the content items in a background mode. 
     
     
         6 . The user device according to  claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to prefetch the content, not in response to a user accessing the content.