Preview pre-generation based on heuristics and algorithmic prediction/assessment of predicted user behavior for enhancement of user experience

摘要

System and methods for determining if a preview of a file uploaded to a web-based collaborative environment is likely to be requested. For a file that is likely to be previewed, the system pre-converts the input format of the file to a target format suitable for providing the preview to minimize the time a user waits to be presented with the preview after making the request. The present disclosure includes a method of determining whether an intermediate format of a file generated during the conversion of an input format to the target format should be stored to be used later or discarded.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
collecting data on user activity for a plurality of files uploaded to and stored in a web-based collaboration environment, wherein each of the stored plurality of files has a specific input format; collecting frequency data on how frequently a plurality of classes of input formats are previewed and a preview generation duration data, wherein the preview generation duration is an amount of conversion time it takes to generate a preview for each of the plurality of classes of input formats; analyzing the collected user activity data, frequency data and preview generation duration data to determine at least one criterion that a preview is likely to be requested for a subset of the plurality of files; upon determining that a given file meets the at least one criterion, pregenerating, from the specific input format of the given file, a target format suitable for providing a preview of the given file; and upon receiving a preview request for the given file from a requesting user, using the pregenerated target format to provide the preview of the given file to the requesting user.