Network caching for hierachincal content

• US 20090307332A1
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Litwin, Louis Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/918,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20090307332A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A method and apparatus for caching content are described including storing content on a content server, differentiating between pieces of content and storing a portion of the differentiated content at a cache server proximate to a user.

Claims

1. A method for caching content, said method comprising:

storing content on a content server;

differentiating between pieces of content; and

storing a portion of said differentiated content at a cache server proximate to a user.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from a user for differentiated content stored at a proximate cache server; and

downloading said differentiated content from said proximate cache server to a local storage device of said user immediately or based on bandwidth availability.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from a user for differentiated content stored at said content server;

downloading said differentiated content from said content server to a proximate cache server immediately or based on bandwidth availability; and

further downloading said differentiated content from said proximate cache server to a local storage device of said user immediately or based on bandwidth availability.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising determining if additional differentiated content is required by said user.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising determining if additional differentiated content is required by said user.

6. An apparatus for caching content, comprising:

means for storing content on a content server;

means for differentiating between pieces of content; and

means for storing a portion of said differentiated content at a cache server proximate to a user.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for receiving a request from a user for differentiated content stored at a proximate cache server; and

means for downloading said differentiated content from said proximate cache server to a local storage device of said user immediately or based on bandwidth availability.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for receiving a request from a user for differentiated content stored at said content server;

means for downloading said differentiated content from said content server to a proximate cache server immediately or based on bandwidth availability; and

means for further downloading said differentiated content from said proximate cache server to a local storage device of said user immediately or based on bandwidth availability.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising means for determining if additional differentiated content is required by said user.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising means for determining if additional differentiated content is required by said user.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said means for differentiating content is provided by a service provider.

12. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said means for differentiating content is provided via a user interface by a user.

13. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said means for differentiating content is provided by a content provider.