Control method and system for information delivery through mobile communications network

• US 7,222,169 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2002
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Koshimizu, Takashi, Sasada, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US10/043,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20020094813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,954 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/226, 709/224, 709/238, 709/218
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2885 Hierarchically arranged intermediate devices, e.g. for hierarchical caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A control method and system for information delivery in a mobile communications network in which, as a mobile terminal moves from a communication area to another, a cache node in a delivery channel which delivers cache information to the mobile terminal is switched to another cache node in another delivery channel to reduce information traffic in the network utilizing the cache function of the cache nodes. After a portion of cache information is delivered by a cache node to the mobile terminal, only the remaining portion of cache information is delivered by another cache node.

Claims

1. An information storage method for a mobile communications network in which a mobile terminal receives information through a plurality of delivery channels, wherein

in response to a delivery channel through which the information is delivered to the mobile terminal being switched to another as the mobile terminal moves from a communication area to another, a communication node in a delivery channel through which the information has been delivered to the mobile terminal registers a portion of the information which has been stored therein;

wherein, if there is a first cache node in which a portion of the information is registered in a delivery channel which is established in response to an information delivery request from a mobile terminal, the first cache node delivers the portion of the cache information to the mobile terminal; and

wherein,

if a second communication node is included in the delivery channel established in response to an information delivery request, the first communication node informs the second communication node that the first cache node has delivered a portion of the information, and the second communication node delivers a remaining portion of the information except for the portion which has been delivered by the first cache node to the mobile terminal through the delivery channel.

2. An information storage method for a mobile communications network in which a mobile terminal receives information through a plurality of delivery channels, wherein

in response to a delivery channel through which the information is delivered to the mobile terminal being switched to another as the mobile terminal moves from a communication area to another, a communication node in a delivery channel through which the information has been delivered to the mobile terminal registers a portion of the information which has been stored therein;

wherein

a second cache node storing a portion of the requested information exists in the delivery channel established in response to the information delivery request,

the first cache node informs the second cache node that the first cache node has delivered the portion of the requested information; and

the second cache node delivers, through the delivery channel established-in response to the information delivery request, the remaining portion of the information except for the portion of the cache information which is delivered from the first cache node to the mobile terminal.

3. A method of delivering information to a mobile terminal through a mobile communication network including a plurality of communication nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a first cache node caching the information in a first delivery channel established based on a delivery request for the information from the mobile terminal;

identifying a second cache node caching the information in a second delivery channel established as the mobile terminal moves;

sending delivery information from the first cache node to the second cache node, the delivery information indicating a portion of the information that has been delivered to the mobile terminal by the first cache node; and

delivering a remaining portion of the information from the second cache node in response to receipt of the delivery information.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein

in the step of sending delivery information, a communication node located in the first delivery channel and the second delivery channel acquires the delivery information from the first cache node and transfers the acquired delivery information to the second cache node.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein

when the mobile terminal receiving the information through the first delivery channel is handed over from a first wireless communication node to a second wireless communication node, the second delivery channel including the second wireless communication node is established and the second cache node in the second delivery channel is identified.

6. A mobile communication network, comprising:

a mobile terminal;

a server that stores information; and

a plurality of cache nodes that caches at least a portion of the information stored in the server, wherein

a first one of the cache nodes in a first delivery channel established based on a delivery request from the mobile terminal for the information stored in the server sends delivery information to a second one of the cache nodes in a second delivery channel established as the mobile terminal moves, the delivery information indicating a portion of the information that has been delivered to the mobile terminal by the first one of the cache nodes, and

the second one of the cache nodes delivers a remaining portion of the information in response to receipt of the delivery information from the first one of the cache nodes.

7. The mobile communication network as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a plurality of communication nodes, wherein

a communication node located at a diverging point of the first delivery channel and the second delivery channel acquires the delivery information from the first one of the cache nodes via the first delivery channel and transfers the acquired delivery information to the second one of the cache nodes via the second delivery channel.

8. The mobile communication network as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a plurality of wireless communication nodes that wirelessly communicates with the mobile terminal, wherein

when the mobile terminal receiving the information through the first delivery channel is handed over from a first one of the wireless communication nodes to a second one of the wireless communication nodes, the second delivery channel is formed and the second one of the cache nodes is identified.