Forward cache management between edge nodes in a satellite based content delivery system

• US 7,130,908 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intelsat Corporation (Reorganized ISA SA)
• Original Assignee: Intelsat Limited (Reorganized ISA SA)
• Inventors: Ruffin, Laura, Pecus, Vivian
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US09/960,636
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/231, 370/401
• US Class Current: 709/226
• 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 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture

Abstract

A method and system for storing data at edge nodes that receive content, such as video, from an uplink center, such as a network operation center (“NOC”), via a satellite for redelivery to a last mile service provider. Data is stored at the edge nodes in caches along with metadata, which determines how long data is to be kept. The NOC also sends messages to the edge nodes to require deletion of files and data.

Claims

1. A method for processing an incoming package at an edge node that has been pushed to the edge node, the method comprising:

determining if enough space exists at a storage device of the edge node to decompress the package;

if enough space does not exist, removing one or more previously stored files from the storage device;

if enough space exists, either after the determining or after the removing of one or more previously stored files, extracting from the package, a package information listing comprising information describing the package'"'"'s contents;

analyzing the extracted package information listing to discover if the edge node is an intended recipient of the package;

if the edge node is an intended recipient, ascertaining if the package is a content package or a command package;

if the package is a command package, executing at least one command included in the package; and

if the package is a content package, extracting the files and storing the files contained in the package.

2. A method for processing an incoming package at an edge node, comprising:

determining if enough space exists at a storage device of the edge node to decompress the package;

if enough space does not exist, identifying all previously stored files in the edge node'"'"'s storage space that are expired or marked for forced deletion;

deleting all previously stored files in the edge node'"'"'s storage space marked for deletion;

Ascertaining whether the edge node has enough storage space to decompress the package and if not then deleting one or more previously stored files in the edge node'"'"'s storage space that are expired;

Iteratively performing the ascertaining and deleting of one or more previously stored files that are expired until the edge node has enough storage space to decompress the package or no previously stored files that are expired exist;

if enough space exists, either after the determining or after the removing of one or more previously stored files, extracting a package information listing from the package;

analyzing the extracted package information listing to discover if the edge node is an intended recipient of the package;

if the edge node is an intended recipient ascertaining if the package is a content package or a command package;

if the package is a command package, executing at least one command included in the package; and

if the package is a content package, extracting the files and storing the files contained in the package.

3. The method of claim 2, where the package is a command package and is transmitted through a back channel connected the edge node and the NOC.

4. The method of claim 2, where a message describing the status of the edge node is transmitted to a Network Operations Center (NOC) through a back channel connected the edge node and the NOC.

5. The method of claim 2, where the extracting of the files further includes entering information from the extracted files in a database.

6. The method of claim 2, where the package is a command package that includes a command to request for the edge node to upload its logs to a Network Operations Center (NOC).

7. The method of claim 2, where the package is a command package that includes a command to request for the edge node to update its operational software.

8. The method of claim 2, where the package is a command package that includes a deletion command and is sent from a Network Operations Center (NOC).

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising verifying successful receipt of the package prior to extracting the package information listing.

10. A system for processing an incoming package at an edge node that has been pushed to the edge node, the system comprising:

a storage device containing one or more previously stored files;

a database containing information related to the one or more previously stored files in the storage device; and

a data manager linked to the storage device and the database;

where the data manager determines if enough space exists at the storage device to decompress the package;

where, if there is not enough space, the data manager retrieves information related to the one or more previously stored files from the database and deletes one or more previously stored files based on the retrieved information;

where, if there is enough space, the data manager extracts a package information listing from the package comprising information describing the package'"'"'s contents and analyzes the extracted package information listing to determine if the edge node is an intended recipient of the package;

where, if the edge node is an intended recipient, the data manager ascertains if the package is a content package or a command package;

where if the package is a command package, the data manager executes at least one command included in the package; and

where if the package is a content package, the data manager extracts the files contained in the package and stores the extracted files at the storage device.

11. A system for processing an incoming package at an edge node comprising:

a storage device containing one or more previously stored files;

a database containing information related to the one or more previously stored files in the storage device, said information comprising for each previously stored file, an indication of whether the respective previously stored file is marked for forced deletion and an indication of whether the respective previously stored file is expired;

a data manager linked to the storage device and the database;

where the data manager determines if enough space exists at the storage device to decompress the package;

where, if there is not enough space the data manager retrieves information related to the one or more previously stored files from the database and deletes one or more previously stored files by removing each previously stored file having an indication that it is marked for forced deletion, checking if there is enough space to decompress the package, and if there is not, removing a previously stored file having an indication that it is expired until there is enough space to decompress the package or no previously stored file exists having an indication that it is expired;

where, if there is enough space, the data manager extracts a package information listing from the package, said package information listing comprising information describing the package'"'"'s contents, and analyzes the extracted package information listing to determine if the edge node is an intended recipient of the package;

where, if the edge node is an intended recipient the data manager ascertains if the package is a content package or a command package;

where if the pace is a command package the data manager executes at least one command included in the package; and

where if the package is a content package, the data manager extracts the files contained in the package and stores the extracted files at the storage device.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a back channel connecting the edge node and a Network Operations Center (NOC).

13. The system of claim 12, where the NOC transmits a command package to the edge node through the back channel.

14. The system of claim 12, where the edge node transmits a message describing its status to the NOC through the back channel.