Throttling Ajax request for autocomplete

throttling-ajax.js

//populate lists with autocomplete suggestions based on project names on the server
        dom_list.on('listviewbeforefilter', function (e, data) {

            console.log('typing');

            var $ul = $(this);
            var $input = $(data.input);
            var value = $input.val();
            var html = '';

            //wait a fifth of a second the user stops typing
            var request_delay = 200;

            $ul.html('');

            //trigger request with more than 2 chars
            if (value && value.length > 2) {

                autocomplete_spinning_loader.removeClass('hidden');

                $ul.html('<li class="autocomplete-spinner"><i class="fa fa-spinner fa-spin"></i></li>');
                $ul.listview('refresh');

                /* Throttle requests as the user is typing on a phone. We want to send as fewer requests as possible:
                 * Typing a new char will stop the previous ajax request, not tapping for a third of a second will let the request go through
                 */
                clearTimeout(request_timeout);
                request_timeout = setTimeout(function () {

                    console.log('requesting');

                    $.ajax({
                        url: 'http://plus.epicollect.net/' + 'projects?q=' + value + '&limit=25',
                        dataType: 'json',
                        crossDomain: true,
                        success: function (response) {

                            autocomplete_spinning_loader.addClass('hidden');

                            $.each(response, function (i) {
                                html += '<li class="h-nav-item">' + response[i].name + '</li>';
                            });
                            $ul.html(html);
                            $ul.listview('refresh');
                            $ul.trigger('updatelayout');

                        },
                        error: function (request, status, error) {
                            autocomplete_spinning_loader.addClass('hidden');
                        }
                    });

                }, request_delay);
            }//if
        });