Dynamic bandwidth allocation

• US 20070067424A1
• Filed: 08/01/2005
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Limelight Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Limelight Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Gordon, Michael, Raciborski, Nathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,214,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs

Abstract

According to the invention, a content delivery network (CDN) for delivering content objects from a content provider to a recipient is disclosed. The CDN includes a dynamic pricing engine and a second web location. The dynamic pricing engine is coupled to a first web location. The first web location, which is associated with a content provider, allows the recipient to order a content object. The delivery quote is solicited by the first web location for delivering a content object one or more times. The second web location delivers the content object to a recipient system of the recipient. The second web location is associated with the dynamic pricing engine. The dynamic pricing engine automatically produces the delivery quote, which is affected by at least one of the content object or a web location of the recipient system.

Claims

1. A method for bidding delivery of a content object with a content distribution network (CDN), wherein the content object is provided by a content provider, the method comprising steps:

receiving a delivery request from the content provider, wherein the delivery request includes at least one of a network address associated with an intended receiver or information characterizing the content object;

analyzing the delivery request according to a cost model for the CDN;

automatically determining a delivery quote for delivering the content object one or more times according to the delivery request, wherein the delivery quote is affected by at least one of the IP address of the intended receiver of the content object or the content object itself; and

sending the delivery quote to the content provider.

2. The method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of determining a terminal network of the Internet that is coupled to the intended receiver.

3. The method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of selecting from a plurality of delivery options, wherein the selecting step is performed after the sending step.

4. The method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN as recited in claim 1, wherein the CDN is integral to the content provider.

5. The method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of receiving a request for the content object from the intended receiver.

6. The method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN as recited in claim 1, wherein the analyzing step includes a step of:

determining a routing path throughout the Internet, and

analyzing the routing path against the cost model.

7. The method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN as recited in claim 1, further comprising steps of:

determining a URI that allows the intended receiver to request the content object from the CDN; and

sending the URI to the intended receiver.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN of claim 1.

9. A computer system adapted to perform the computer-implementable method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN of claim 1.

10. A method for delivering a content object with a distribution network, wherein the content object is provided by a content provider, but delivered with the distribution network, the method comprising steps:

receiving a request for the content object from an intended receiver at a content originator;

sending a delivery request to the distribution network, wherein the delivery request includes at least one of a network address associated with the intended receiver or information characterizing the content object;

analyzing the delivery request;

selecting from a plurality of delivery options, wherein the selecting step is performed after the sending step;

determining a URI that allows the intended receiver to request the content object from the distribution network; and

sending the URI to the intended receiver in response to the request.

11. The method for delivering the content object with the distribution network as recited in claim 10, further comprising a step of analyzing the delivery request according to a cost model for the distribution network.

12. The method for delivering the content object with the distribution network as recited in claim 10, further comprising a step of receiving a delivery quote for delivering the content object one or more times according to the delivery request.

13. The method for delivering the content object with the distribution network as recited in claim 10, wherein the selecting step is affected by the IP address of the intended receiver of the content object.

14. The method for delivering the content object with the distribution network as recited in claim 10, wherein the selecting step is autonomously performed by the distribution network without consulting the content provider after the sending the delivery request.

15. The method for delivering the content object with the distribution network as recited in claim 10, further comprising a step of automatically determining a delivery quote for delivering the content object one or more times according to the delivery request, wherein the delivery quote is affected by the IP address of the intended receiver of the content object.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for delivering the content object with the distribution network of claim 10.

17. A computer system adapted to perform the computer-implementable method for delivering the content object with the distribution network of claim 10.

18. A content distribution network for delivering content objects from a content provider to a recipient, the distribution network comprising:

a dynamic quote engine that is coupled to a first web location, wherein;

the first web location allows the recipient to order a content object,

the first web location is associated with the content provider, and

a delivery quote is solicited by the first web location for delivering the content object one or more times; and

a second web location that delivers the content object to a recipient system of the recipient, wherein;

the second web location is associated with the dynamic quote engine,

the dynamic quote engine automatically produces the delivery quote, and

the delivery quote is affected by at least one of the content object or a web location of the recipient system.

19. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient as recited in claim 18, wherein:

the dynamic pricing engine automatically produces a first delivery quote for electronic delivery of the content object to a first recipient system,

the dynamic pricing engine automatically produces a second delivery quote for electronic delivery of the content object to a second recipient system,

the first recipient system uses a first terminal network that has peering arrangements with the distribution network, but a second terminal network does not have peering arrangements with the distribution network, and

the first delivery quote is less than the second delivery quote.

20. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient as recited in claim 18, wherein:

the dynamic pricing engine automatically produces a first delivery quote for electronic delivery of the content object to a first recipient system,

the dynamic pricing engine automatically produces a second delivery quote for electronic delivery of the content object to a second recipient system,

the first delivery quote is different from the second delivery quote, and

the first delivery quote is valid for a same time period as the second delivery quote.

21. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient as recited in claim 18, wherein the dynamic pricing engine determines at least one of serving costs or delivering costs for the content object.

22. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient as recited in claim 18, wherein the first and second web locations are associated with a single content originator.

23. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient as recited in claim 18, wherein the delivery quote is based upon delivering the content object a plurality of times to various recipient systems.

24. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient as recited in claim 18, wherein the dynamic pricing engine considers at least two of a following factors:

a size of the content object,

a time of day,

a day of the year,

network routing to recipient,

a terminal network associated with the recipient,

a level of QoS for delivery of the content object, and

a streaming protocol of the content object.

25. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient as recited in claim 18, wherein the second web location is chosen in a real time bidding process among a plurality of distribution networks.

26. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient as recited in claim 18, further comprising a distribution clearinghouse coupled to a plurality of distribution networks, wherein the second web location is associated with one of the plurality of distribution networks.