Content distribution using ad hoc mesh networks.

• US 20170359412A1
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Published: 12/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Haebler, Marcus, Marquart, John
• Granted Patent: US 10,051,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1044 Group management mechanisms management of multicast group membership H04L12/185; reconfiguring of node membership in a computing system to eliminate errors G06F11/1425
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1059 Inter-group management mechanisms, e.g. splitting, merging or interconnection of groups
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1076 Resource dissemination mechanisms or network resource keeping policies for optimal resource availability in the overlay network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/231 Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers, prioritizing data for deletion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23103 using load balancing strategies, e.g. by placing or distributing content on different disks, different memories or different servers storage management G06F3/0604; allocation of resources considering the load in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/505; techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system G06F9/5083; access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. load balancing, in data networks H04L67/1001
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 4/42 for mass transport vehicles, e.g. buses, trains or aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Aspects discussed herein relate to systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing content distribution via a breadth-first approach for peer-to-peer file sharing in a temporary ad hoc mesh network. For example, a peer-to-peer orchestrator may receive requests for the same asset from multiple mobile devices, determine which of the mobile devices are likely to travel along the same route at the same time, group them together and cause transmission of different asset parts of the requested asset to different mobile devices in the group. If the mobile devices in the group lose connection with the peer-to-peer orchestrator, they may form an ad hock mesh network and retrieve asset parts from one another. If the group reconnects with a peer-to-peer orchestrator, additional asset parts of the asset may be transmitted to the group and the process may repeat so that each mobile device may obtain each of the asset parts.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device and from a plurality of mobile devices, a plurality of requests for an asset;

determining a plurality of predicted paths for the plurality of mobile devices;

determining a first group of one or more mobile devices of the plurality of mobile devices based on the plurality of predicted paths, wherein each of the one or more mobile devices in the first group have a same predicted path portion;

determining, for the asset, a plurality of asset parts;

causing transmission, via an access point and to each of the one or more mobile devices in the first group, of a different asset part of the plurality of asset parts; and

transmitting, to each of the one or more mobile devices in the first group, one or more instructions for the first group to form an ad hoc network with other mobile devices in the first group and to retrieve missing asset parts from the other mobile devices in the first group using the ad hoc network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the one or more mobile devices in the first group, download status updates, wherein each download status update identifies the respective asset part transmitted to that mobile device;

generating a map indicating an association between each of the one or more mobile devices in the first group and the respective asset part transmitted to that mobile device; and

transmitting, to each of the one or more mobile devices in the first group, the map.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a predicted next access point the first group is most likely to encounter based on the predicted paths of each of the one or more mobile devices in the first group;

determining one or more asset parts that have not yet been downloaded by the first group; and

causing transmission of the identified one or more asset parts to a memory location associated with the predicted next access point.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the memory location associated with the predicted next access point is an edge server that is closest to the predicted next access point.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining that the first group has connected to the predicted next access point; and

causing transmission of the identified one or more asset parts from the memory location to the first group.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, to each of the one or more mobile device in the first group, authentication credentials to form the ad hoc network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, an indication that the computing device is a predicted next access point for a second group of mobile devices;

determining that the second group of mobile devices has connected to the computing device; and

adjusting the second group of mobile devices based on a plurality of predicted paths of each mobile device in the second group of mobile devices.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, from each mobile device of the second group of mobile devices, a status update of which of the plurality of asset parts that mobile device has obtained.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

updating a map based on the adjusted second group of mobile devices and the status updates received from one or more mobile devices in the adjusted second group of mobile devices.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device and from a plurality of mobile devices, a plurality of requests for an asset;

determining a plurality of predicted paths for the plurality of mobile devices;

determining a first group of one or more mobile devices of the plurality of mobile devices based on the plurality of predicted paths, wherein each of the one or more mobile devices in the first group have a same predicted path portion;

determining, for the asset, a plurality of asset parts;

causing transmission, via an access point and to each mobile device in the first group, of a different asset part of the plurality of asset parts;

determining a predicted next access point the first group is most likely to encounter based on the predicted paths of each of the one or more mobile devices in the first group;

determining one or more asset parts that have not yet been downloaded by the first group; and

transmitting the identified one or more asset parts to a memory location associated with the predicted next access point.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting, to each of the one or more mobile devices in the first group, one or more instructions for the first group to form an ad hoc network with other mobile devices in the first group and to retrieve missing asset parts from the other mobile devices in the first group using the ad hoc network.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, from the one or more mobile devices in the first group, download status updates, wherein each download status updates identifies the respective asset part transmitted to that mobile device;

generating a map indicating an association between each of the one or more mobile devices in the first group and the respective asset part transmitted to that mobile device; and

transmitting, to each of the one or more mobile devices in the first group, the map.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

updating the map based on additional status updates received from the one or more mobile devices in the first group.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, from a particular mobile device in the first group, a user preference to permit sharing of the asset parts stored on the particular mobile device if a battery level of the particular mobile device is greater than or equal to a minimum battery level and to block sharing of the asset parts stored on the particular mobile device if the battery level of the particular mobile device is less than the minimum battery level.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the first group has connected to the predicted next access point; and

causing transmission of the identified one or more asset parts from the memory location to the first group.

16. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a computing device and to an orchestrator, a request for an asset;

receiving at least one asset part of a plurality of asset parts of the asset;

receiving a map comprising a list of mobile devices and an indication of which asset parts of the asset are stored on which of the mobile devices; and

in response to determining that the computing device has lost a connection to an access point associated with the orchestrator for at least a minimum time period, forming an ad hoc network with one or more of the mobile devices in the list and retrieving asset parts missing from the computing device from the one or more of the mobile devices in the list using the ad hoc network.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

in response to receiving an asset part of the asset using the ad hoc network, transmitting, to the mobile devices in the list, a notification that the computing devices has the received asset part.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

in response to obtaining a connection with a particular access point, notifying an orchestrator associated with the particular access point of the connection with the particular access point.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, a plurality of user preferences associated with sharing asset parts stored on the computing device;

permitting sharing of the asset parts stored on the computing device in accordance with the plurality of user preferences; and

transmitting the plurality of user preferences to at least one of an orchestrator or a mobile device in the list.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a user preference, of the plurality of user preferences, permits sharing of the asset parts stored on the computing device if a battery level of the computing device is greater than or equal to a minimum battery level and blocks sharing of the asset parts stored on the computing device if the battery level of the computing device is less than the minimum battery level.