Local distribution node in a content distribution network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015188921-A1
Application number	US-201314144917-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 31, 2013
Priority date	Dec 31, 2013
Publication date	Jul 2, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems to improve the efficiency of a content delivery system. A local distribution node is introduced to the network, between the content provider and the end user device (i.e., the leaf node). The local distribution node is responsible for servicing a localized subset of the leaf nodes that would otherwise be serviced by a conventional server of the content delivery system. Requests for content are received at the local distribution node from leaf nodes, and content is received at the local distribution node for transmission to the leaf node(s). Content may be cached at the local distribution node to allow faster service of subsequent requests for this content. Caching may also be used to make the channel surfing process more efficient. If demand is high, a leaf node may be promoted to serve as an additional local distribution node. Leaf nodes may also share content among themselves. Bandwidth may be allocated and reallocated by the local distribution node for the local population of leaf nodes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for distributing content, comprising:
receiving, at a local distribution node in a content distribution node, a request for content; receiving, and the local distribution node, user information for a requesting user; determining if the user is permitted to access content; caching the content at the local distribution node if caching requirements are met; and distributing the content to a leaf node of the user if access is permitted.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising authenticating communications between the leaf node and the local distribution node.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
encrypting the content before said distribution of the content to the leaf node.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the caching requirements comprise one or more of the following:
the content is predesignated as content to be cached; the content is, or expected to be, in high demand; the volume of data constituting the content exceeds a large volume threshold; and the local distribution node has sufficient cache capacity.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein demand is measured by the number of requests received for the content in a defined time interval.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
releasing the content from the cache when the demand for the content falls below a predetermined low demand threshold.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the access permission is granted according to a predetermined access policy.

8 . A computer program product for distributing content at a local distribution node, including a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program logic stored therein, the computer program logic comprising:
logic for receiving, at the local distribution node in a content distribution node, a request for content; logic for receiving, and the local distribution node, user information for a requesting user; logic for determining if the user is permitted to access content; logic for caching the content at the local distribution node if caching requirements are met; and logic for distributing the content to a leaf node of the user if access is permitted.

9 . The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:
logic for authenticating communications between the leaf node and the local distribution node.

10 . The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:
logic for encrypting the content before said distribution of the content to the leaf node.

11 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the caching requirements comprise one or more of the following:
the content is predesignated as content to be cached; the content is, or expected to be, in high demand; the volume of data constituting the content exceeds a large volume threshold; and the local distribution node has sufficient cache capacity.

12 . The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein demand is measured by the number of requests received for the content in a defined time interval.

13 . The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:
logic for releasing the content from the cache when the demand for the content falls below a predetermined low demand threshold.

14 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the access permission is granted according to a predetermined access policy.

15 . A system for distributing content, comprising:
a processor; and memory in communication with said processor, said memory for storing a plurality of processing instructions for directing said processor to:
receive, at a local distribution node in a content distribution node, a request for content;
receive, and the local distribution node, user information for a requesting user;
determine if the user is permitted to access content;
cache the content at the local distribution node if caching requirements are met; and
distribute the content to a leaf node of the user if access is permitted.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the processing instructions further direct said processor to:
authenticate communications between the leaf node and the local distribution node.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the processing instructions further direct said processor to:
encrypt the content before said distribution of the content to the leaf node.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the caching requirements comprise one or more of the following:
the content is predesignated as content to be cached; the content is, or expected to be, in high demand; the volume of data constituting the content exceeds a large volume threshold; and the local distribution node has sufficient cache capacity.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein demand is measured by the number of requests received for the content in a defined time interval.

20 . The system of claim 15 wherein the processing instructions further direct said processor to:
release the content from the cache when the demand for the content falls below a predetermined low demand threshold.

21 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the access permission is granted according to a predetermined access policy.

Assignees

• Sonic Ip Inc

Inventors

• Amidei William
• Chan Francis
• Grab Eric
• Kiefer Michael
• Mcdaniel Aaron
• Mickus John
• Mombourquette Ronald
• Popov Nikolai
• Zuill Fred

Classifications

• H04L63/10 Primary

  for controlling access to devices or network resources · CPC title

• H04L63/20 Primary

  for managing network security; network security policies in general (filtering policies H04L63/0227) · CPC title

• H04L67/568

  Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching · CPC title

• H04L63/102

  Entity profiles · CPC title