Method and Apparatus for Hierarchical Selective Personalization

Abstract

A technique for delivering content in a client-server system based on a request received at a computing device from a client includes determining a current load on a next-level computing device of a hierarchy. When this current load is such that a response time for delivery of the request from the next-level computing device would increase above a given threshold, a client type associated with the request is checked and, when the client type indicates that the client is below a given priority level, content to be delivered to the client in response to the request is personalized at the receiving computing device. When the current load is such that the response time would not increase above a given threshold, the request is sent from the receiving computing device to the next-level computing device and the content to be delivered is personalized at the next-level computing device.

1 . A method of delivering content in a client-server system based on a request from a client, comprising the steps of:
 receiving the request at a computing device, the receiving computing device being part of a hierarchy of one or more caches and one or more servers in the client-server system;   determining a current load on a next-level computing device of the hierarchy;   when the current load on the next-level computing device of the hierarchy is such that a response time for delivery of the request from the next-level computing device would increase above a given threshold, checking a client type associated with the request and, when the client type indicates that the client is below a given priority level, personalizing content to be delivered to the client in response to the request at the receiving computing device;   when the current load on the next-level computing device of the hierarchy is such that a response time for delivery of the request from the next-level computing device would not increase above a given threshold, the request is sent from the receiving computing device to the next-level computing device and the content to be delivered to the client in response to the request is personalized at the next-level computing device; and   sending the personalized content to the client.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein personalizing the content to be delivered to the client in response to the request comprises selecting a level of personalization from a plurality of levels of personalization. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selection of the level of personalization is based on at least one personalization preference. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein personalizing the content to be delivered to the client in response to the request further comprises creating a personalized Web page based on the selected level of personalization. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein delivering content in a client-server system comprises delivering content in the World Wide Web. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein delivering the content comprises delivering one or more Web pages. 
   
   
       7 . A computing device for delivering content in a client-server system based on a request from a client, the computing device being part of a hierarchy of one or more caches and one or more servers in the client-server system, the computing device comprising:
 a memory; and   one or more processors coupled to the memory and operative:
 to receive the request; 
 to determine a current load on a next-level computing device of the hierarchy; 
 when the current load on the next-level computing device of the hierarchy is such that a response time for delivery of the request from the next-level computing device would increase above a given threshold, to check a client type associated with the request and, when the client type indicates that the client is below a given priority level, to personalize content to be delivered to the client in response to the request; 
 when the current load on the next-level computing device of the hierarchy is such that a response time for delivery of the request from the next-level computing device would not increase above a given threshold, to send the request to the next-level computing device such that content to be delivered to the client in response to the request is personalized at the next-level computing device; and 
 to send the personalized content to the client. 
   
   
   
       8 . The computing device of  claim 7 , wherein personalizing the content to be delivered to the client in response to the request comprises selecting a level of personalization from a plurality of levels of personalization. 
   
   
       9 . The computing device of  claim 8 , wherein the selection of the level of personalization is based on at least one personalization preference. 
   
   
       10 . The computing device of  claim 8 , wherein personalizing the content to be delivered to the client in response to the request further comprises creating a personalized Web page based on the selected level of personalization. 
   
   
       11 . The computing device of  claim 7 , wherein delivering content in a client-server system comprises delivering content in the World Wide Web. 
   
   
       12 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein delivering the content comprises delivering one or more Web pages. 
   
   
       13 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the computing device is one of a cache or a server. 
   
   
       14 . An article of manufacture for use in delivering content in a client-server system based on a request from a client, comprising a computer readable storage medium containing one or more programs which when executed by a computing device, the computing device being part of a hierarchy of one or more caches and one or more servers in the client-server system, implement the steps of:
 receiving the request;   determining a current load on a next-level computing device of the hierarchy;   when the current load on the next-level computing device of the hierarchy is such that a response time for delivery of the request from the next-level computing device would increase above a given threshold, checking a client type associated with the request and, when the client type indicates that the client is below a given priority level, personalizing content to be delivered to the client in response to the request;   when the current load on the next-level computing device of the hierarchy is such that a response time for delivery of the request from the next-level computing device would not increase above a given threshold, sending the request to the next-level computing device such that content to be delivered to the client in response to the request is personalized at the next-level computing device; and   sending the personalized content to the client.   
   
   
       15 . The article of manufacture of  claim 14 , wherein personalizing the content to be delivered to the client in response to the request comprises selecting a level of personalization from a plurality of levels of personalization. 
   
   
       16 . The article of manufacture of  claim 15 , wherein the selection of the level of personalization is based on at least one personalization preference. 
   
   
       17 . The article of manufacture of  claim 15 , wherein personalizing the content to be delivered to the client in response to the request further comprises creating a personalized Web page based on the selected level of personalization. 
   
   
       18 . The article of manufacture of  claim 14 , wherein delivering content in a client-server system comprises delivering content in the World Wide Web. 
   
   
       19 . The article of manufacture of  claim 18 , wherein delivering the content comprises delivering one or more Web pages. 
   
   
       20 . The article of manufacture of  claim 14 , wherein the computing device is one of a cache or a server.