System and method for energy efficient data prefetching

A method for performing energy efficient data prefetching in conjunction with a client computer system, comprising:

• predicting, in accordance with a prefetch prediction model having energy usage parameters, an impact on energy usage by the client computer system that would result from prefetching specified files;
• evaluating the specified files with respect to prefetch criteria, including energy efficiency prefetch criteria;
• generating a prefetch decision with respect to each file of the specified files;
• storing in a queue entries identifying each specified file for which an affirmative prefetch decision was generated;
• and
• fetching files identified by entries in the queue.

A computer system comprising:

• at least one processing unit for executing procedures containing executable instructions;
• a prefetch prediction model including energy usage parameters for predicting an impact on energy usage by the computer system that would result from prefetching specified files;
• a prefetch prediction engine, executable by the at least one processing unit and coupled to the prefetch prediction model, for evaluating the specified files with respect to prefetch criteria, including energy efficiency prefetch criteria, and generating a prefetch decision with respect to each file of the specified files;
• memory, including a queue for storing entries identifying each specified file for which the prefetch prediction engine generates an affirmative prefetch decision;
• and
• a download module, executable by the at least one processing unit, having instructions for fetching files identified by entries in the queue.

A computer system comprising:

• at least one processing unit for executing procedures containing executable instructions;
• a server module, executable by the at least one processing unit, for responding to a request from a client computer for a specified file and for generating a reply to the request, the reply including a content portion comprising the specified file;
• and
• a prefetch predictor, executable by the at least one processing unit, for identifying additional files for possible prefetching by the client computer;
• the server module including instructions for including in a supplemental portion of the reply to the request from the client computer prefetch hint information identifying at least one of the additional files, wherein the supplemental portion is distinct from the content portion of the reply.

A computer program product for use in conjunction with a client computer system having at least one application having instructions for specifying files to be fetched from a server, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:

• a prefetch prediction model including cost parameters for predicting an impact on monetary charges incurred by the client computer system that would result from prefetching specified files;
• a prefetch prediction engine coupled to the prefetch prediction model for evaluating the specified files with respect to prefetch criteria, including cost efficiency prefetch criteria, and generating a prefetch decision with respect to each file of the specified files;
• instructions for storing in a queue entries identifying each specified file for which the prefetch prediction engine generates an affirmative prefetch decision;
• and
• instructions for fetching files identified by entries in the queue.

A method for performing energy efficient data prefetching in conjunction with a client computer system, comprising:

• predicting, in accordance with a prefetch prediction model having cost parameters, an impact on monetary charges incurred by the client computer system that would result from prefetching specified files;
• evaluating the specified files with respect to prefetch criteria, including cost efficiency prefetch criteria;
• generating a prefetch decision with respect to each file of the specified files;
• storing in a queue entries identifying each specified file for which an affirmative prefetch decision was generated;
• and
• fetching files identified by entries in the queue.

A computer system comprising:

• at least one processing unit for executing procedures containing executable instructions;
• a prefetch prediction model including cost parameters for predicting an impact on monetary charges incurred by the computer system that would result from prefetching specified files;
• a prefetch prediction engine, executable by the at least one processing unit and coupled to the prefetch prediction model, for evaluating the specified files with respect to prefetch criteria, including cost efficiency prefetch criteria, and generating a prefetch decision with respect to each file of the specified files;
• memory, including a queue for storing entries identifying each specified file for which the prefetch prediction engine generates an affirmative prefetch decision;
• and
• a download module, executable by the at least one processing unit, having instructions for fetching files identified by entries in the queue.