Systems and methods for reducing online content delivery latency

Abstract

A computer-based method for asynchronously requesting content items to a user computing device is described. The method is implemented using a user computing device in communication with a memory. The method includes receiving a content management response, generating a plurality of content request messages for requesting at least one content item from a plurality of content providers based on the plurality of links, asynchronously transmitting a first content request message to a first content provider and a second content request message to a second content provider where the first and second content request messages are transmitted based on the at least one transmission rule, receiving a content response message including a content item from at least one of the first and the second content provider, determining the content item to display on the user computing device, and displaying the determined online content item on the user computing device.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A computer-based method comprising:
 transmitting, by a computing device, at a first time, a first request for content to a first content provider;   determining, by the computing device, that a first content item selected responsive to the first request for content is not presented within a predetermined length of time from the first time;   generating, by the computing device, responsive to determining that the content item is not presented within the predetermined length of time from the first time, a plurality of second requests for content;   transmitting, by the computing device, to a plurality of second content providers, the plurality of second requests for content;   receiving, by the computing device, responsive to at least one second request for content of the plurality of second requests for content, from a second content provider of the plurality of second content providers, a second content item; and   displaying, at the computing device, the second content item received from the second content provider.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein transmitting the first request at the first time comprises transmitting, by the computing device, at the first time, a plurality of first requests for content to a plurality of first content providers, the plurality of first requests comprising the first request for content and a third request for content, the plurality of first content providers comprising the first content provider and a third content provider. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein determining that the first content item is not presented comprises determining, by the computing device, that the first content item and a third content item selected responsive to the plurality of first requests for content are not presented within the predetermined length of time from the first time. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein transmitting the plurality of second requests for content is defined by a transmission rule, the transmission rule defining a period of time between transmitting each second request for content of the plurality of second requests for content. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the transmission rule defines a priority of each second content provider of the plurality of second content providers, wherein each second request for content of the plurality of second requests for content is configured to be transmitted to a higher priority second content provider prior to a lower priority second content provider. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein each of the plurality of second requests for content comprises a link defining a transmission priority and one of the plurality of second content providers, wherein a higher priority link is configured to be transmitted prior to a lower priority link. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein transmitting the plurality of second requests for content comprises transmitting, asynchronously by the computing device, to the plurality of second content providers, the plurality of second requests for content based on the transmission rule and the link of each of the plurality of second requests for content. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein generating the plurality of second requests for content and transmitting the plurality of second requests for content, further comprises:
 receiving, by the computing device from a content management system, responsive to determining that the content item is not presented within the predetermined length of time from the first time, a list of the plurality of second content providers, wherein each of the plurality of second content providers is assigned a priority;   generating, by the computing device, responsive to receiving the list, the plurality of second requests for content; and   transmitting, by the computing device, based on the priority of each of the plurality of second content providers, the plurality of second requests for content to the plurality of second content providers.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein receiving, from the second content provider of the plurality of second content providers, the second content item, further comprises:
 receiving, by the computing device, responsive to the at least one second request for content of the plurality of second requests for content, from the second content provider and a third content provider of the plurality of second content providers, the second content item and a third content item; and   selecting, by the computing device, the second content item in response to determining that the third content item from the third content provider is received subsequent to the second content item from the second content provider.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein selecting the second content item comprises:
 identifying, by the computing device, a first characteristic of the second content item and a second characteristic of the third content item, each of the first characteristic and the second characteristic comprising a content impression;   comparing, by the computing device, the first characteristic and the second characteristic; and   selecting, by the computing device, for display at the computing device, the second content based on the comparison between the first characteristic and the second characteristic.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the predetermined length of time refers to a first predetermined length of time, wherein transmitting the plurality of second requests for content and receiving the second content item comprises:
 starting, by the computing device, a timer responsive to transmitting the plurality of second requests for content at a second time;   determining, by the computing device, that the second content item selected responsive to the second request of the plurality of second requests is not presented within a second predetermined length of time from the second time; and   presenting by the computing device, an online content on the user device responsive to determining that the second content item is not presented within the second predetermined length of time from the second time.   
     
     
         33 . A computing device including at least one processor communicatively coupled to at least one memory device, the computing device configured to:
 transmit, at a first time, a first request for content to a first content provider;   determine that a first content item selected responsive to the first request for content is not presented within a predetermined length of time from the first time;   generate, responsive to determining that the content item is not presented within the predetermined length of time from the first time, a plurality of second requests for content;   transmit, to a plurality of second content providers, the plurality of second requests for content;   receive, responsive to at least one second request for content of the plurality of second requests for content, from a second content provider of the plurality of second content providers, a second content item; and   display the second content item received from the second content provider.   
     
     
         34 . The computing device of  claim 33 , wherein to transmit the first request and determine that the first content item is not presented, the computing device is further configured to:
 transmit, at the first time, a plurality of first requests for content to a plurality of first content providers, the plurality of first requests comprising the first request for content and a third request for content, the plurality of first content providers comprising the first content provider and a third content provider; and   determine that the first content item and a third content item selected responsive to the plurality of first requests for content are not presented within the predetermined length of time from the first time.   
     
     
         35 . The computing device of  claim 33 , wherein to transmit the plurality of second requests for content is defined by a transmission rule, the transmission rule defining a period of time between transmitting each second request for content of the plurality of second requests for content. 
     
     
         36 . The computing device of  claim 35 , wherein the transmission rule defines a priority of each second content provider of the plurality of second content providers, wherein each second request for content of the plurality of second requests for content is configured to be transmitted to a higher priority second content provider prior to a lower priority second content provider, wherein each of the plurality of second requests for content comprises a link defining a transmission priority and one of the plurality of second content providers, wherein a higher priority link is configured to be transmitted prior to a lower priority link. 
     
     
         37 . The computing device of  claim 36 , wherein to transmit the plurality of second requests for content, the computing device is further configured to transmit, asynchronously to the plurality of second content providers, the plurality of second requests for content based on the transmission rule and the link of each of the plurality of second requests for content. 
     
     
         38 . The computer device of  claim 33 , wherein to generate the plurality of second requests for content and transmit the plurality of second requests for content, the computing device is further configured to:
 receive, from a content management system, responsive to determining that the content item is not presented within the predetermined length of time from the first time, a list of the plurality of second content providers, wherein each of the plurality of second content providers is assigned a priority;   generate, responsive to receiving the list, the plurality of second requests for content; and   transmit, based on the priority of each of the plurality of second content providers, the plurality of second requests for content to the plurality of second content providers.   
     
     
         39 . The computing device of  claim 33 , wherein to receive, from the second content provider of the plurality of second content providers, the second content item, the computing device is further configured to:
 receive, responsive to the at least one second request for content of the plurality of second requests for content, from the second content provider and a third content provider of the plurality of second content providers, the second content item and a third content item; and   select the second content item in response to determining that the third content item from the third content provider is received subsequent to the second content item from the second content provider.   
     
     
         40 . The computing device of  claim 39 , wherein to select the second content item, the computing device is further configured to:
 identify a first characteristic of the second content item and a second characteristic of the third content item, each of the first characteristic and the second characteristic comprising a content impression;   compare the first characteristic and the second characteristic; and   select, for display at the computing device, the second content based on the comparison between the first characteristic and the second characteristic.   
     
     
         41 . The computing device of  claim 33 , wherein the predetermined length of time refers to a first predetermined length of time, wherein to transmit the plurality of second requests for content and receiving the second content item, the computing device is further configured to:
 start a timer responsive to transmitting the plurality of second requests for content at a second time;   determine that the second content item selected responsive to the second request of the plurality of second requests is not presented within a second predetermined length of time from the second time; and   present an online content on the user device responsive to determining that the second content item is not presented within the second predetermined length of time from the second time.