Comprehensive global information network broadcasting system and methods of distributing information

• US 6,434,609 B1
• Filed: 03/15/1999
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cidera, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cidera, Inc.
• Inventors: Humphrey, Douglas Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US09/267,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20020129116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/202, 709/203, 709/204, 709/232, 709/235, 709/230, 711/100, 711/117, 711/118, 711/119, 711/122, 711/124, 711/136, 711/137, 711/141
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18578 Satellite systems for providing broadband data service to individual earth stations for selecting H04W; provisions for broadband connection, H04Q11/0478
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18582 Arrangements for data linking, i.e. for data framing, for error recovery, for multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• 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 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The comprehensive global information network broadcasting system and implementation thereof is designed to be used to provide a plurality of, what is commonly referred to as, Internet service providers with updated information through the use of high speed satellite links directly to the local Internet service provider from a centralized location. The satellite broadcasting system is combined with servers known as caching or proxy servers located at the client site which serve to store web and other data until the end user needs to access the data and a master cache center which coordinates the selection and transmission of information to those client sites via the satellite broadcasting system. The caching of data objects as close to the end user as possible will require less data to transit the backbones networks. The client site cache communicates to the master cache center via a connection to the Internet and the client site cache receives from the master cache center via the satellite broadcasting system and, in some cases, the Internet connection. Upon the receipt of a request from an Internet service provider, the information at the master cache will be transmitted from a ground station to a satellite and will be broadcast to all receiving Internet service providers using the broadcast system which overlays a capability onto the existing Internet that will allow real broadcast so that the data object can be transmitted once and received at all subscriber locations.

Claims

1. An information distribution method in a master caching system, comprising:

receiving information from one or more local caching systems, said received information reflecting user interest in information content;

inferring, based at least in part on said received information, a level of interest by users served by a local caching system beyond said one or more local caching systems;

retrieving said information content; and

distributing said information content to said second local caching system via a satellite broadcast linking system when said level of interest has reached a threshold level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said information content is retrieved via the Internet.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said retrieving occurs prior to said level of interest reaching said threshold level.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said retrieving occurs after said level of interest reaches said threshold level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said received information is information regarding a local caching system miss.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said threshold level is a predetermined level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said distributing occurs prior to a request by said second local caching system.

8. An information distribution method in a master caching system, comprising:

receiving, from one or more local caching systems, messages indicative of user interest in information content at said one or more local caching systems;

determining a level of user interest based on said received messages; and

distributing said information content via a satellite broadcast linking system to at least one local caching system beyond said one or more local caching systems when said determined level of user interest has reached a threshold level.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising retrieving said information content via the Internet after said determined level of user interest has reached a threshold level.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising retrieving said information content via the Internet before said determined level of user interest has reached a threshold level.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said receiving comprises receiving information regarding a local caching system miss.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said threshold level is a predetermined level.

13. A caching system, comprising:

a satellite broadcast system; and

a master cache connected to a plurality of local caches, each of said plurality of local caches being connected to a respective plurality of users, said master cache being operative to receive a communication from a first local cache regarding a cache miss, retrieving information content referenced by said communication from said first local cache, and distributing said retrieved information content to a remaining plurality of local caches via said satellite broadcast system upon a determination that a level of interest in said information content has reached a threshold level.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said retrieving is via the Internet.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said distributing occurs after said determination.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said distributing occurs prior to a request by said remaining plurality of local caches.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said distributing occurs before said determination.

18. A network caching method, comprising:

receiving cache miss information from a first local cache at a master cache;

determining, at said master cache, a level of user interest based on said received cache miss information; and

retrieving, in response to said received cache miss information, information content identified in said cache miss information from the Internet;

storing said retrieved information content in said master cache; and

transmitting said retrieved information content from said master cache to a plurality of local caches beyond said first local cache when said determined level of user interest has reached a threshold level.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said retrieving occurs in response to said determination.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said transmitting occurs prior to a request by said plurality of said local caches.

21. A network caching method, comprising:

receiving, from a master cache via a satellite broadcast system, information content for storage at a local cache of a first internet service provider, said information content being forwarded by said master cache when a level of interest in said information content, as determined by said master cache, has reached a threshold level, said forwarding occurring prior to a request for said information content by said local cache.