Content caching in the Radio Access Network (RAN)

• US 8,576,744 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Movik Networks, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kovvali, Surya Kumar, Raghavan, Ramji, Ramakrishnan, Krishnan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/339,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20120099533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/352, 370/401, 370/466
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2866 Architectures; Arrangements
• 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 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0231 based on communication conditions dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition based on channel quality criteria H04W72/54

Abstract

A system and method to intercept traffic at standard interface points as defined by Cellular/Wireless networks (GSM/GPRS, 3G/UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA, CDMA, WIMAX, LTE), emulate the respective protocols on either side of the interception point, extract user/application payloads within the intercepted packets, perform optimizations, and re-encapsulate with the same protocol, and deliver the content transparently is disclosed. The optimizations include but are not limited to Content Caching, prediction & pre-fetching of frequently used content, performance of content-aware transport optimizations (TCP, UDP, RTP etc.) for reducing back-haul bandwidth, and improvement of user experience. An additional embodiment of the current invention includes injecting opportunistic content (location based, profile based or advertisement content) based on the information derived while monitoring control plane protocols.

Claims

1. A method of inserting communications to a user on a RAN network, wherein said network comprising a plurality of components, comprising:

logically inserting a device between a first and second component in said RAN, said device comprising a storage element, control logic and two interface modules, such that said device communicates with both said first and said second component;

using a first of said interface modules to emulate said first component to said second component, wherein said first component is disposed between said device and said user;

using a second of said interface modules to emulate said second component to said first component;

using said control logic in said device to interpret a communication from said first to said second component, wherein said communication comprises a plurality of protocol layers and said protocols define a control plane and a user plane;

saving information from said control plane and associating it with said user;

creating new packets at said control plane destined for said user, based on said saved control plane information; and

injecting said new packets with communications from said second component toward said user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said new packets comprise a new user session to said user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said new packets comprise protocol messages in said control plane for said user to create an additional user-plane session for said user.

4. A method of monitoring communications to a user on a RAN network, wherein said network comprising a plurality of components, comprising:

logically inserting a device between a first and second component in said RAN, said device comprising a storage element, control logic and two interface modules, such that said device communicates with both said first and said second component;

using a first of said interface modules to emulate said first component to said second component, wherein said first component is disposed between said device and said user;

using a second of said interface modules to emulate said second component to said first component;

receiving a communication from said first component to said second component;

using said control logic in said device to interpret said communication from said first to said second component, wherein said communication comprises a plurality of protocol layers and said protocols define a control plane and a user plane;

saving information from said control plane and associating it with said user;

decomposing said communication to determine an underlying higher layer message;

passing said communication to said second component; and

creating a copy of said underlying higher layer message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said device identifies said user and QoS attributes for said user.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting said copy to an external device.

7. A method of modifying communications to a user on a RAN network, based on user specific information, wherein said network comprising a plurality of components, comprising:

logically inserting a device between a first and second component in said RAN, said device comprising a storage element, control logic and two interface modules, such that said device communicates with both said first and said second component;

using a first of said interface modules to emulate said first component to said second component;

using a second of said interface modules to emulate said second component to said first component;

using said control logic in said device to interpret a communication from said first to said second component, wherein said communication comprises a plurality of protocol layers and said protocols define a control plane and a user plane;

determining a wireless sector in which said user resides from said control plane;

determining congestion of said wireless sector, based on number of other users determined to reside in said wireless sector;

modifying communications at said user plane destined for said user, based on said determined congestion; and

transmitting said modified information toward said user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said device modifies communications to specific user device types.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said device modifies communications by limiting multimedia streams.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining quality of service (QoS) parameters for said user, based on said control plane.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said device modifies traffic to specific users based on said determined QoS parameters.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

reporting said determined wireless sector and congestion in said wireless sector to an external device.

13. A method of modifying communications to a user on a RAN network, based on user specific information, wherein said network comprising a plurality of components, comprising:

logically inserting a device between a first and second component in said RAN, said device comprising a storage element, control logic and two interface modules, such that said device communicates with both said first and said second component;

using a first of said interface modules to emulate said first component to said second component;

using a second of said interface modules to emulate said second component to said first component;

using said control logic in said device to interpret a communication from said first to said second component, wherein said communication comprises a plurality of protocol layers and said protocols define a control plane and a user plane;

saving information from said control plane and associating it with said user;

inserting JAVA scripts at said user plane destined for said user, based on user plane and said saved control plane information; and

transmitting said JAVA scripts toward said user.