Predicting user navigation events

Abstract

A method and system for predicting a next navigation event are described. Aspects of the disclosure minimize the delay between a navigation event and a network response by predicting the next navigation event. The system and method may then prerender content associated with the next navigation event. For example, the method and system may predict a likely next uniform resource locator during web browsing to preemptively request content from the network before the user selects the corresponding link on a web page. The methods describe a variety of manners of predicting the next navigation event, including examining individual and aggregate historical data, text entry prediction, and cursor input monitoring.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method for predicting a user navigation event, comprising:
 receiving, using one or more processors, information regarding a navigational intent associated with a client device;   identifying, using the one or more processors, a prediction indicator correlating to the navigational intent, the prediction indicator indicating one or more given navigation events;   receiving, using the one or more processors, a resource indicator indicating an amount of available network resources for use by the client device in order to prerender network data; and   prerendering, using the one or more processors, one or more selected navigation events as one or more likely next navigation events by applying at least the prediction indicator and the resource indicator.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the navigational intent is associated with a web browser at the client device. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the navigational intent includes one or more previous navigation events in a navigation history associated with the web browser. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more previous navigation events are identified in an order that each of the one or more previous navigation events were visited. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising determining a confidence value for the one or more selected navigation events using the navigation history, the confidence value representing a probability of the one or more likely navigation events. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 determining whether the confidence value for a given navigation event meets a threshold value; and   when the confidence value meets the threshold value, identifying the given navigation event as the likely one or more next navigation events.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein determining the confidence value includes determining a number of times a given navigation event has occurred from a source URL to a destination URL. 
     
     
         28 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:
 receiving, using the one or more processors, information regarding a navigational intent associated with a client device;   identifying, using the one or more processors, a prediction indicator correlating to the navigational intent, the prediction indicator indicating one or more given navigation events;   receiving, using the one or more processors, a resource indicator indicating an amount of available network resources for use by the client device in order to prerender network data; and   prerendering, using the one or more processors, one or more selected navigation events as one or more likely next navigation events by applying at least the prediction indicator and the resource indicator.   
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 28 , wherein the navigational intent is associated with a web browser at the client device. 
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 29 , wherein the navigational intent includes one or more previous navigation events in a navigation history associated with the web browser. 
     
     
         31 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one previous navigation event is identified in an order each of the at least one previous navigation events were visited. 
     
     
         32 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 31 , further comprising determining a confidence value for the one or more selected navigation events using the navigation history, the confidence value representing a probability of the one or more likely navigation events. 
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 determining whether the confidence value for a given navigation event meets a threshold value; and   when the confidence value meets the threshold value, identifying the given navigation event as the likely one or more next navigation events.   
     
     
         34 . A system for predicting a user navigation event, comprising:
 a memory storing a plurality of navigation events; and   one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being configured to:   receive information regarding a navigational intent associated with a client device;   identify a prediction indicator correlating to the navigational intent, the prediction indicator indicating one or more given navigation events;   receive a resource indicator indicating an amount of available network resources for use by the client device in order to prerender network data; and   prerender one or more selected navigation events as one or more likely next navigation events by applying at least the prediction indicator and the resource indicator.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the navigational intent is associated with a web browser at the client device. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the navigational intent includes one or more previous navigation events in a navigation history associated with the web browser. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the one or more previous navigation events are identified in an order that each of the one or more previous navigation events were visited. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine a confidence value for the one or more selected navigation events using the navigation history, the confidence value representing a probability of the one or more likely navigation events. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , he one or more processors are further configured to:
 determine whether the confidence value for a given navigation event meets a threshold value; and   when the confidence value meets the threshold value, identify the given navigation event as the likely one or more next navigation events.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein determining the confidence value includes determining a number of times a given navigation event has occurred from a source URL to a destination URL.