Content Engine for Mobile Communications Systems

• US 20100241761A1
• Filed: 06/01/2010
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hu, Q. James, Lee, Bo
• Granted Patent: US 9,270,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/242
• 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 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

An exemplary content engine includes a content gateway configured to analyze and route content requests to a content server. The content server can be a cache server or a mobile content server. The cache server can be configured to receive and store cacheable web content from a controller that is configured to receive the cacheable web content from at least one cacheable web content provider, such as a web server, and route the content to the cache server. The mobile content server can be configured to receive, from the controller, and store the digital media content. The controller can be further configured to receive the digital media content from at least one external content server and route the content to the mobile content server. The content gateway can be further configured to receive non-cacheable web content from at least one non-cacheable web content provider.

Claims

1. A method for content provisioning via an intra-network content engine, the method comprising:

receiving a content request;

analyzing said content request to determine to which content server said content request should be routed, wherein said content server is one of a cache server and a mobile content server;

routing said content request to said cache server, if the requested content is cacheable web content;

routing said content request to said mobile content server, if the requested content is digital media content;

routing said content request to a non-cacheable web content provider, if the requested content is non-cacheable web content;

retrieving the requested content from the appropriate source; and

sending the requested content to the requesting mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said content request is compared to a lookup table to determine if the requested content is cached, said lookup table being stored within a content gateway and updated by said cache server.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sending the requested content to a content format modifier to modify the content in accordance with specifications of the requesting mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said specifications are provided by an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said specifications are provided by at least one of a make, model, and revision number of the requesting mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more rules are used to determine the routing scheme.

7. An intra-network content engine configured to process content requests from a plurality of mobile devices, the content engine comprising:

a content gateway configured to analyze and route content requests to the appropriate content server, wherein the content server is one of a cache server and a mobile content server;

said cache server being configured to receive cacheable web content from a controller and store said cacheable web content;

said controller being configured to receive said cacheable web content from at least one cacheable web content provider and route said cacheable web content to said cache server;

said mobile content server being configured to receive digital media content from said controller and store said digital media content;

said controller being further configured to receive said digital media content from at least one external content server and route said digital media content to said mobile content server; and

said content gateway being further configured to receive non-cacheable web content from at least one non-cacheable web content provider.

8. The content engine of claim 7 further comprising a content format modifier, said content format modifier being configured to format digital media content to adhere to specifications of the requesting mobile device.

9. The content engine of claim 8 wherein said specifications are provided by an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).

10. The content engine of claim 9 wherein said specifications are provided by at least one of a make, model, and revision number of the requesting mobile device.

11. The content engine of claim 7 wherein said non-cacheable web content provider is a web server.

12. The content engine of claim 7 wherein said cacheable web content provider is a web server.

13. The content engine of claim 7, wherein said content request is compared to a lookup table to determine if the requested content is cached, said lookup table being stored within said content gateway and updated by said cache server.

14. The content engine of claim 7 wherein one of said cache server and said content gateway comprises one or more rules to determine the routing scheme.

15. The content engine of claim 7 wherein one of said cache server and said content gateway comprises one or more rules to determine if the requested content is cacheable.

16. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed, perform the steps of:

receiving a content request;

analyzing said content request to determine to which content server said content request should be routed, wherein said content server is one of a cache server and a mobile content server;

routing said content request to said cache server, if the requested content is cacheable web content;

routing said content request to said mobile content server, if the requested content is digital media content;

routing said content request to a non-cacheable web content provider, if the requested content is non-cacheable web content;

retrieving the requested content from the appropriate source; and

sending the requested content to the requesting mobile device.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein said content request is compared to a lookup table to determine if the requested content is cached, said lookup table being stored within a content gateway and updated by a cache server.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 further comprising the step of sending the requested content to a content format modifier to modify the content in accordance with specifications of the requesting mobile device.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein said specifications are provided by an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein said specifications are provided by at least one of a make, model, and revision number of the requesting mobile device.