Delivery network, server, and delivery method

• US 9,602,621 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rakuten, Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ozawa, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Parry, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): STILTNER, WEIWEI YE
• Application Number:
  US14/344,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20150012586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-204
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64738 Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0231 based on communication conditions dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition based on channel quality criteria H04W72/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0247 based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network central resource management H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

In a delivery network system, deliver a server that holds requested content is determined, using information included in a content request message from a communication terminal. A file or stream of the requested content is read from the determined server. When the content is moving image content, a bandwidth of a mobile network is estimated, based on a response signal or a congestion state notification signal from the communication terminal. The moving content is transmitted by controlling a timing of transmitting the read file or the read stream so as not exceed the estimated bandwidth.

Claims

1. A delivery network system comprising:

a plurality of servers arranged on a mobile network, each of the plurality of servers being configured to function as a cache server or a proxy server, a first server among the plurality of servers comprising;

at least one memory operable to store program code;

at least one processor operable to read the program code and operate as instructed by the program code, the program code including;

storage code configured to cause the at least one processor to temporarily store, in a storage, a replica of at least a portion of contents held by a delivery server, the delivery server being configured to deliver content on the Internet;

determination code configured to cause the at least one processor to receive a list of the content stored in the first server or a list of content stored in a second server, different from the first server, among the plurality of servers and determine a server that stores requested content, using information included in a content request message from a communication terminal;

securing code configured to cause the at least one processor to read a file or a stream of the requested content from the determined server; and

delivery code configured to cause the at least one processor to estimate a bandwidth of the mobile network, based on information on a transmitted packet and a response signal or a congestion state notification signal from the communication terminal, and transmit moving image content by controlling a timing of transmitting the read file or the read stream based on a comparison between a bit rate of the read file or the read stream and the estimated bandwidth so as not to exceed the estimated bandwidth, when the requested content is the moving image content,

wherein the delivery code causes the at least one processor to generate an instruction to reduce the estimated bandwidth when receiving the congestion state notification signal from the communication terminal, and control the timing of transmitting based on a comparison between the bit rate of the read file or the read stream and the reduced estimated bandwidth.

2. The delivery network system according to claim 1, wherein the program code further includes:

reception code configured to cause the at least one processor to receive a packet of the response signal from the communication terminal through a predetermined node on the mobile network and transmit information of the packet of the response signal;

bandwidth estimation code configured to cause the at least one processor to receive information on the transmitted packet and information on the packet of the response signal, associate the transmitted packet and the packet of the response signal to measure a response time of an nth packet (n being a predetermined positive integer), and estimate a bandwidth of the nth packet, the bandwidth of the nth packet being set to zero when receiving a congestion state notification signal by the reception code;

content acquisition code configured to cause the at least one processor to receive a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the content, receive an instruction to deliver the content based on a result of determination by the determination code, and search the storage for the requested content to acquire the file or the stream and bit rate information associated with the requested content;

transmission timing control code configured to cause the at least one processor to receive the bandwidth estimated by the bandwidth estimation code, receive the file or the stream of the requested content and the bit rate information of the content acquired by the content acquisition code, and control the timing of the transmission, based on a magnitude relationship between the bandwidth and the bit rate; and

transmission code configured to cause the at least one processor to store the content in a packet and transmit the packet to the communication terminal during a first time segment where the content is to be output and not to transmit the packet during a second time segment, under control by the transmission timing control code.

3. The delivery network system according to claim 1, wherein when the server that stores in the storage the content requested from the communication terminal is determined to be the first server as a result of the determination, the determination code configured to cause the at least one processor to issue read and delivery instructions to the storage and the delivery code;

when the content requested from the communication terminal is stored in the second server among the plurality of servers, the determination code causes the at least one processor to inform the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the content requested from the communication terminal and an IP address for the second server to the securing code, issue to the securing code an instruction to secure the content from the second server, and the securing code causes the at least one processor to store the replica of the requested content secured from the second server in the storage; and

when neither of the first server and the second server stores the content requested from the communication terminal, the determination code causes the at least one processor to inform the URL of the content requested from the communication terminal and an IP address for the delivery server to the securing code, issue to the securing code an instruction to secure the content from the delivery server, and the securing code causes the at least one processor to store in the storage the replica of the requested content secured from the delivery server.

4. The delivery network system according to claim 1, wherein the first server is connected to one of:

a serving GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) support note (SGSN);

a gateway GPRS support node (GGSN);

a node into which the serving GPRS support node (SGSN) and the gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) are integrated;

a serving gateway (S-GW);

a packet data network gateway (P-GW);

a node into which the serving gateway (S-GW) and the packet data network gateway (P-GW) are integrated; and

the delivery server.

5. A server arranged on a mobile network and configured to function as a cache server or a proxy server, the server comprising:

at least one memory operable to store program code;

at least one processor operable to read the program code and operate as instructed by the program code, the program code including;

a storage configured to cause the at least one processor to temporarily store in a storage, a replica of at least a portion of contents held by a delivery server, the delivery server being configured to deliver content on the Internet;

determination configured to cause the at least one processor to receive a list of the content stored in storage of the server or a list of content stored in a second server, different from the server, among a plurality of servers and determine the server or the second server that stores requested content, using information included in a content request message from a communication terminal;

securing code configured to cause the at least one processor to read a file or a stream of the requested content from the determined server; and

delivery code configured to cause the at least one processor to estimate a bandwidth of the mobile network, based on information on a transmitted packet and a response signal or a congestion state notification signal from the communication terminal and transmit moving image content by controlling a timing of transmitting the read file or the read stream based on a comparison between a bit rate of the read file or the read stream and the estimated bandwidth so as not to exceed the estimated bandwidth, when the requested content is the moving image content,

wherein the delivery code causes the at least one processor to generate an instruction to reduce the estimated bandwidth when receiving the congestion state notification signal from the communication terminal, and control the timing of transmitting based on a comparison between the bit rate of the read file or the read stream and the reduced estimated bandwidth.

6. The server according to claim 5, wherein the program code further includes:

reception code configured to cause the at least one processor to receive a packet of the response signal from the communication terminal through a predetermined node on the mobile network and transmit information of the packet of the response signal;

bandwidth estimation code configured to cause the at least one processor to receive information on the transmitted packet and information on the packet of the response signal, associate the transmitted packet and the packet of the response signal, measure a response time of an nth packet (n being a predetermined positive integer) and estimate a bandwidth of the nth packet, the bandwidth of the nth packet being set to zero when receiving the congestion state notification signal;

content acquisition code configured to cause the at least one processor to receive a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the content, receive an instruction to deliver the content based on a result of determination by the determination code, and search the storage for the requested content, to acquire the file or the stream and bit rate information associated with the requested content;

transmission timing control code configured to cause the at least one processor to receive the bandwidth estimated by the bandwidth estimation code, receive the file or the stream of the requested content and a bit rate of the content from the content acquisition code, and control the timing of the transmission, based on a magnitude relationship between the bandwidth and the bit rate; and

transmission code configured to cause the at least one processor to store the content in a packet and transmit the packet to the communication terminal during a first time segment where the content is to be output and not to transmit the packet during a second time segment, under control by the transmission timing control code.

7. The server according to claim 5, wherein when the server is determined to store in the storage the content requested from the communication terminal as a result of the determination, the determination code causes the at least one processor to issue read and delivery instructions to the storage and the delivery code;

when the content requested from the communication terminal is stored in the second server different from the server at which the determination has been made, the determination code causes the at least one processor to inform the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the content requested from the communication terminal and an IP address for the second server to the securing code, issue to the securing code an instruction to secure the content from the second server, and the securing code causes the at least one processor to store the replica of the requested content secured from the second server in the storage; and

when neither of the server and the second server stores the content requested from the communication terminal, the determination code causes the at least one processor to inform the URL of the content requested from the communication terminal and an IP address for the delivery server to the securing code, issue to the securing code an instruction to secure the content from the delivery server, and the securing code causes the at least one processor to store in the storage the replica of the requested content secured from the delivery server.

8. The server according to claim 5, wherein the server is connected to one of:

a serving GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) support note (SGSN);

a gateway GPRS support node (GGSN);

a node into which the serving GPRS support node (SGSN) and the gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) are integrated;

a serving gateway (S-GW);

a packet data network gateway (P-GW);

a node into which the serving gateway (S-GW) and the packet data network gateway (P-GW) are integrated; and

the delivery server.

9. A delivery method by a server configured to function as a cache server or a proxy server, a plurality of the servers being provided on a mobile network, the method comprising:

temporarily storing a replica of at least a portion of contents held by a delivery server, the delivery server being configured to deliver content on the Internet;

receiving a list of the content stored in a first server or a list of content stored in a second server, different from the first server, among the plurality of servers and determining a server that stores requested content, using information included in a content request message from a communication terminal;

reading a file or a stream of the requested content from the determined server; and

when the requested content is moving image content, estimating a bandwidth of the mobile network, based on information on a transmitted packet and a response signal or a congestion state notification signal from the communication terminal and transmitting the moving image content by controlling a timing of transmitting the read file or the read stream based on a comparison between a bit rate of the read file or the read stream and the estimated bandwidth so as not to exceed the estimated bandwidth,

wherein the estimating comprises generating an instruction to reduce the estimated bandwidth when receiving the congestion state notification signal from the communication terminal, and the controlling the timing of transmitting comprises controlling the timing of transmitting based on a comparison between the bit rate of the read file or the read stream and the reduced estimated bandwidth.

10. The delivery method according to claim 9, wherein the first server is connected to one of:

a serving GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) support note (SGSN);

a gateway GPRS support node (GGSN);

a node into which the serving GPRS support node (SGSN) and the gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) are integrated;

a serving gateway (S-GW);

a packet data network gateway (P-GW);

a node into which the serving gateway (S-GW) and the packet data network gateway (P-GW) are integrated; and

the delivery server.

11. The delivery method according to claim 9, comprising:

receiving a packet of the response signal from the communication terminal through a predetermined node on the mobile network or receiving the congestion state notification signal from the communication terminal;

associating a transmitted packet and the packet of the response signal, thereby measuring a response time of an nth packet (n being a predetermined positive integer) and estimating a bandwidth of the nth packet, while setting the bandwidth to zero when receiving the congestion state notification signal from the communication terminal;

receiving a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the content, receiving an instruction to deliver the content, and searching the storage for the requested content, thereby acquiring the file or the stream and bit rate information associated with the requested content;

receiving the estimated bandwidth, receiving the file or the stream of the requested content and a bit rate of the content, and controlling the timing of the transmission, based on a magnitude relationship between the bandwidth and the bit rate; and

storing the content in a packet and transmitting the packet to the communication terminal during a first time segment where the content is to be output and not transmitting the packet during a second time segment.

12. The delivery method according to claim 11, comprising:

issuing an instruction to read from the storage and a delivery instruction when the server that stores the content requested from the terminal is determined to be the first server as a result of the determination;

when the content requested from the terminal is stored in the second server among the plurality of servers, issuing an instruction to secure the content from the second server based on the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the content requested from the terminal and an IP address for the second server, and storing the replica of the requested content secured from the second server in the storage; and

when neither of the first server and the second server stores the content requested from the terminal, issuing an instruction to secure the content from the delivery server based on the URL of the content requested from the terminal and an IP address for the delivery server, and storing in the storage the replica of the requested content secured from the delivery server.