Prefetching Using Dynamic User Model To Reduce Latency

A method of operating a device, the method comprising:

• receiving a content page including one or more links each associated with selectable content;
• collecting data associated with the content page, wherein the collected data includes at least one of (i) first data indicative of respective relationships between each of the links and a viewport of the device and (ii) second data indicative of characteristics of the viewport;
• assigning, using a prefetching model, respective scores to each of the links based on the collected data;
• and
• selectively generating, based on the assigned scores, a request to prefetch content associated with at least one of the links.

A device, comprising:

• a display including a viewport and a touchscreen interface;
• a memory that stores a prefetching model;
• and
• a control module that
• receives a search query input to the device by a user,
• provides the search query to a search engine;
• receives, in response to the search query, a search engine result page including one or more search results, wherein at least a portion of the search engine result page is visible within the viewport of the display,
• collects data associated with the search engine result page, wherein the collected data includes (i) first data indicative of respective relationships between each of the search results and the viewport of the device and (ii) second data indicative of characteristics of the viewport, wherein at least one of the first data and the second data includes dynamic data that changes in response to user interaction with the viewport,
• assigns, using the prefetching model, respective scores to each of the search results based on the collected data, and
• selectively generates, based on the assigned scores, a request to prefetch content associated with at least one of the search results.