Anycast transport protocol for content distribution networks

• US 9,712,648 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2016
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Spatscheck, Oliver, Lee, Seungjoon, Rabinovich, Michael, Van der Merwe, Jacobus E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Homayounmehr, Farid
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsang, Henry
• Application Number:
  US15/185,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20160294985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A cache server for providing content includes a processor configured to receive a first datagram from a client system sent to an anycast address, send a response datagram to the client system in response to the first datagram, receive a request datagram from the client system sent to the anycast address, and send a batch of content datagrams to the client system. The first datagram includes a universal resource locator corresponding to the content. The response datagram includes a content identifier for the content. The request datagram includes the content identifier, an offset, and a bandwidth indicator. The batch of content datagrams includes a portion of the content starting at the offset.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory that stores instructions;

a processor that executes the instructions to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving, from a client system, a first request datagram sent to an anycast internet protocol address, wherein the first request datagram includes a bandwidth indicator that is provided based on occurrence of a timeout; and

transmitting, to the client system and in response to the first request datagram, a first content datagram including a portion of content.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, in response to a second request datagram sent to the anycast internet protocol address, a second content datagram including another portion of the content.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, from the client system, the second request datagram sent to the anycast internet protocol address.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the bandwidth indicator is based on a recent bandwidth for the another portion of the content.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining if the content is complete.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining if the timeout has occurred while waiting for the portion of content.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise calculating a recent bandwidth for another portion of the content that has been received by the client system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise resetting the bandwidth indicator to a base rate if the timeout occurred based on a packet buffer overflow.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise increasing the bandwidth indicator by an amount if all content datagrams of a batch are received correctly.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first request datagram includes a content identifier and an offset.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting a content identifier to the client system.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving the first request datagram via a connectionless protocol.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving an updated bandwidth indicator.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a client system, a first request datagram sent to an anycast internet protocol address, wherein the first request datagram includes a bandwidth indicator that is provided based on occurrence of a timeout, wherein the first request datagram is received by utilizing instructions from a memory that are executed by a processor; and

transmitting, to the client system and in response to the first request datagram, a first content datagram including a portion of content.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting a batch of content datagrams to the client system.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising resetting the bandwidth indicator to a base rate if the timeout occurred based on a packet buffer overflow.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting, in response to a second request datagram sent to the anycast internet protocol address, a second content datagram including another portion of the content.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting a content identifier to the client system.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising increasing the bandwidth indicator by an amount if all content datagrams of a batch are received correctly.

20. A computer-readable device comprising instructions, which, when loaded and executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving, from a client system, a first request datagram sent to an anycast internet protocol address, wherein the first request datagram includes a bandwidth indicator that is provided based on occurrence of a timeout; and

transmitting, to the client system and in response to the first request datagram, a first content datagram including a portion of content.