Server-machine-driven hint generation for improved web page loading using client-machine-driven feedback

A method for improving web page loading time in a communications network, the method comprising:

• first communicating, from a client page renderer to a content server over a communications network, a page request for a web page comprising a plurality of page objects, the page request initiating a web page transaction;
• receiving a page response at the client page renderer from the content server over the communications network in response to the page request, the page response comprising a first page object and a hinting script, the hinting script indicating a network address of a hinting processor;
• in response to the client page renderer executing the hinting script, second communicating, from the client page renderer to the hinting processor, a request for hints;
• receiving a hinting response at the client page renderer from the hinting processor in response to the request for hints, the hinting response comprising hints indicating an anticipated set of page objects that might be needed by the client page renderer during the web page transaction corresponding to the web page to render the web page;
• third communicating, by the client page renderer and based on the hints, a plurality of object requests for the page objects;
• rendering the web page by the client page renderer by receiving the plurality of page objects from the content server in response to the object requests;
• monitoring hinting feedback indicating a set of rendered page objects used to render the web page;
• and
• fourth communicating the hinting feedback from the client page renderer to the hinting processor.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions for a hinting processor stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to cause a processor to:

• receive a request for hints from a client page renderer in response to the client page renderer executing a hinting script that identifies a network location of the hinting processor, the hinting script communicated to the client page renderer by a content server in response to the client page renderer communicating a page request to the content server for a web page comprising a plurality of page objects;
• generate a hinting response in response to the request for hints, the hinting response comprising hints indicating an anticipated set of page objects that might be requested by the client page renderer during a web page transaction corresponding to the web page to render the web page, the hints based on hinting information maintained by the hinting processor;
• communicate the hinting response to the client page renderer in response to the request for hints, thereby causing the client page renderer to render the web page at least according to the hinting response;
• receive hinting feedback from the client page renderer subsequent to the client page renderer rendering the web page at least according to the hinting response, the hinting feedback indicating a rendered set of page objects used to render the web page;
• and
• update the hinting information according to the hinting feedback.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to cause a processor to:

• first communicate, to a content server over a communications network, a page request for a web page comprising a plurality of page objects, the page request initiating a web page transaction;
• receive a page response from the content server over the communications network in response to the page request, the page response comprising a first page object and a hinting script, the hinting script indicating a network address of a hinting processor;
• in response to executing the hinting script, second communicate, to the hinting processor, a request for hints;
• receive a hinting response from the hinting processor in response to the request for hints, the hinting response comprising hints indicating an anticipated set of page objects that might be needed by a client page renderer during the web page transaction corresponding to the web page to render the web page;
• third communicate, based on the hints, a plurality of object requests for the page objects;
• render the web page by receiving the plurality of page objects from the content server in response to the object requests;
• monitor hinting feedback indicating a set of rendered page objects used to render the web page;
• and
• fourth communicate the hinting feedback to the hinting processor.