Method and system for caching streaming multimedia on the internet

• US 7,398,312 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2000
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hofmann, Markus A., Paul, Sanjoy, Zhang, Hui, Guo, Katherine H., Ng, Tze Sing Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): England; David E
• Application Number:
  US09/538,351
• Time in Patent Office: 3,023 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/223, 709217-219, 709/226, 375354-358, 725 86-153, 711/118, 711/161, 711/154
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• 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 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

An apparatus and method to enhance existing caches in a network to better support streaming media storage and distribution. Helper machines are used inside the network to implement several methods which support streaming media including segmentation of streaming media objects into smaller units, cooperation of Helper machines, and novel placement and replacement policies for segments of media objects.

Claims

1. A method for caching streaming multimedia (SM), comprising:

calculating a helper hotness rating at a helper server (HS) for each of a plurality of SM objects that are hosted at a content server connected to the HS in a network, each helper hotness rating being a total number of client requests for a particular SM object divided, by a time period during which the client requests are received;

categorizing each SM object into one of a plurality of helper hotness categories based on the calculated helper hotness rating; and

pulling, for each SM object, a fraction of the SM object by the HS from the content server, said fraction being determined according to the helper hotness category, the HS caching the fractions of each SM object for distribution to a plurality of clients, the HS being interposed between the content server and the clients.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a helper hotness rating at each of a plurality of helper servers (HSs) for each of a plurality of SM objects that are hosted at a content server connected to the HSs in a network, each helper hotness rating being a total number of client requests for a particular SM object divided by a time period during which the client requests are received;

calculating a server hotness rating at the content server for each SM object, each server hotness rating for the particular SM object being a sum of the calculated helper hotness ratings received from all of the HSs;

categorizing each SM object into one of a plurality of server hotness categories based on the calculated server hotness rating; and

pushing each SM object from the content server to a fraction of HSs, each fraction being determined according to the server hotness category, the HSs caching the fractions of each SM object for distribution to a plurality of clients, the HSs being interposed between the content server and the clients.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein pulling by said HS is in response to client requests.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a deterministic cache placement and replacement policy is implemented at the HSs.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a random cache placement and replacement policy is implemented at the HSs.

6. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein pushing by said content server is in response to client requests.

7. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein a deterministic cache placement and replacement policy is implemented at the HSs.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein a random cache placement and replacement policy is implemented at the HSs.