Caching content at a cell site

• US 7,801,530 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Iyer, Jayaraman R., Oswal, Anand K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brandt; Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US11/117,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20060246914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,973 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/408, 455/411.2, 455/426.2, 455/414.2, 455/414.1, 455/436, 455/438, 455/441, 709/225, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/229, 370/332, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/026 Multicasting of data during hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

Caching content includes receiving at a cell site a content request for content. The cell site is associated with a cell, and the content request is received from a mobile node present in the cell. The content is retrieved in response to the content request. The content is cached at the cell site and sent to the mobile node. One or more recipient cell sites are identified. The content is distributed to the one or more recipient cell sites while the mobile node is present in the cell.

Claims

1. A method for caching content, comprising:

receiving at a cell site a content request for content, the cell site being a base station located in a cell, the content request received from a mobile node present in the cell;

retrieving the content in response to the content request;

caching the content at the cell site;

sending the content to the mobile node;

assessing historical data describing a plurality of past mobile nodes that had visited the cell in the past;

determining that the historical data indicates that the past mobile nodes have a higher probability of visiting a plurality of neighboring cells after visiting the cell, the neighboring cells neighboring and distinct from the cell;

dynamically selecting a plurality of neighboring cell sites of the neighboring cells as a plurality of recipient cell sites selected according to the historical data, a neighboring cell site being a neighboring base station located in a neighboring cell; and

distributing the content from the cell site to the plurality of recipient cell sites selected according to the historical data while the mobile node is present in the cell prior to moving to a next cell and prior to identifying the next cell and initiating handover from the cell to the next cell.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing the content to the one or more recipient cell sites further comprises:

establishing a multicast group of one or more addresses, an address of the one or more addresses corresponding to a recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites; and

multicasting the content to the multicast group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically selecting the neighboring cell sites further comprises:

assessing a condition of the mobile node; and

identifying the one or more recipient cell sites in accordance with the assessed condition of the mobile node.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically selecting the neighboring cell sites further comprises:

sending a message regarding the content to a plurality of neighboring cells;

receiving one or more responses from neighboring cells; and

identifying the one or more recipient cell sites in accordance with the one or more responses.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites is operable to pre-load the content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically selecting the neighboring cell sites further comprises:

establishing a plurality of cell sites comprising a first cell site and the one or more recipient cell sites; and

selecting the one or more recipient cell sites, a recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites operable to share the content with the first cell site.

7. A cell site being a base station located in a cell, the cell site comprising:

an interface operable to;

receive a content request for content, the content request received from a mobile node present in the cell; and

a cache manager coupled to the interface and operable to;

retrieve the content in response to the content request;

cache the content at the cell site;

send the content to the mobile node;

assess historical data describing a plurality of past mobile nodes that had visited the cell in the past;

determine that the historical data indicates that the past mobile nodes have a higher probability of visiting a plurality of neighboring cells after visiting the cell, the neighboring cells neighboring and distinct from the cell;

dynamically select a plurality of neighboring cell sites of the neighboring cells as a plurality of recipient cell sites selected according to the historical data, a neighboring cell site being a neighboring base station located in a neighboring cell; and

distribute the content from the cell site to the plurality of recipient cell sites selected according to the historical data while the mobile node is present in the cell prior to moving to a next cell and prior to identifying the next cell and initiating handover from the cell to the next cell.

8. The cell site of claim 7, wherein the cache manager is further operable to distribute the content to the one or more recipient cell sites by:

establishing a multicast group of one or more addresses, an address of the one or more addresses corresponding to a recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites; and

multicasting the content to the multicast group.

9. The cell site of claim 7, wherein the cache manager is further operable to dynamically select the one or more neighboring cell sites by:

assessing a condition of the mobile node; and

identifying the one or more recipient cell sites in accordance with the assessed condition of the mobile node.

10. The cell site of claim 7, wherein the cache manager is further operable to dynamically select the one or more neighboring cell sites by:

sending a message regarding the content to a plurality of neighboring cells;

receiving one or more responses from one or more neighboring cells; and

identifying the one or more recipient cell sites in accordance with the one or more responses.

11. The cell site of claim 7, wherein each recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites is operable to pre-load the content.

12. The cell site of claim 7, wherein the cache manager is further operable to dynamically select the one or more neighboring cell sites by:

establishing a plurality of cell sites comprising a first cell site and the one or more recipient cell sites; and

selecting the one or more recipient cell sites, a recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites operable to share the content with the first cell site.

13. A cell site being a base station located in a cell, the cell site comprising:

an interface operable to;

receive a content request for content, the content request received from a mobile node present in the cell; and

a cache manager coupled to the interface and operable to;

retrieve the content in response to the content request;

cache the content at the cell site;

send the content to the mobile node;

identify a plurality of recipient cell sites, a recipient cell site being a recipient base station located in a recipient cell; and

distribute the content to the plurality of recipient cell sites while the mobile node is present in the cell and prior to moving to a next cell and prior to identifying the next cell and initiating handover from the cell to the next cell, the content distributed by;

establishing a multicast group of one or more addresses, an address of the one or more addresses corresponding to a recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites; and

multicasting the content to the multicast group, each recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites operable to pre-load the content; and

the cache manager further operable to identify the one or more recipient cell sites by;

identifying a plurality of cell sites of a plurality of predetermined neighboring cells;

assessing a condition of the mobile node;

identifying the one or more recipient cell sites in accordance with the assessed condition of the mobile node;

sending a message regarding the content to a plurality of neighboring cells;

receiving one or more responses from one or more neighboring cells;

identifying the one or more recipient cell sites in accordance with the one or more responses;

establishing a plurality of cell sites comprising a first cell site and the one or more recipient cell sites; and

selecting the one or more recipient cell sites, a recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites operable to share the content with the first cell site.

14. A system for caching content, comprising:

means for receiving at a cell site a content request for content, the cell site being a base station located in a cell, the content request received from a mobile node present in the cell;

means for retrieving the content in response to the content request;

means for caching the content at the cell site;

means for sending the content to the mobile node;

means for assessing historical data describing a plurality of past mobile nodes that had visited the cell in the past;

means for determining that the historical data indicates that the past mobile nodes have a higher probability of visiting a plurality of neighboring cells after visiting the cell, the neighboring cells neighboring and distinct from the cell;

means for dynamically selecting a plurality of neighboring cell sites of the neighboring cells as a plurality of recipient cell sites selected according to the historical data, a neighboring cell site being a neighboring base station located in a neighboring cell; and

means for distributing the content from the cell site to the plurality of recipient cell sites selected according to the historical data while the mobile node is present in the cell prior to moving to a next cell and prior to identifying the next cell and initiating handover from the cell to the next cell.

15. A network operable to cache content, comprising:

a first cell site being a first base station located in a first cell; and

a plurality of recipient cell sites, a recipient cell site associated with a recipient cell;

the first cell site operable to;

receive a content request for content, the content request received from a mobile node present in the first cell;

retrieve the content in response to the content request;

cache the content at the cell site;

send the content to the mobile node;

assess historical data describing a plurality of past mobile nodes that had visited the cell in the past;

determine that the historical data indicates that the past mobile nodes have a higher probability of visiting a plurality of neighboring cells after visiting the cell, the neighboring cells neighboring and distinct from the cell;

dynamically select a plurality of one or more neighboring cell sites of the neighboring cells as the plurality of recipient cell sites selected according to the historical data, a neighboring cell site being a neighboring base station located in a neighboring cell; and

distribute the content to the plurality of recipient cell sites selected according to the historical data while the mobile node is present in the first cell prior to moving to a next cell and prior to identifying the next cell and initiating handover from the cell to the next cell.

16. The network of claim 15, wherein the first cell site is further operable to distribute the content to the one or more recipient cell sites by:

establishing a multicast group of one or more addresses, an address of the one or more addresses corresponding to a recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites; and

multicasting the content to the multicast group.

17. The network of claim 15, wherein the first cell site is further operable to dynamically select the one or more neighboring cell sites by:

assessing a condition of the mobile node; and

identifying the one or more recipient cell sites in accordance with the assessed condition of the mobile node.

18. The network of claim 15, wherein the first cell site is further operable to dynamically select the one or more neighboring cell sites by:

sending a message regarding the content to a plurality of neighboring cells;

receiving one or more responses from one or more neighboring cells; and

identifying the one or more recipient cell sites in accordance with the one or more responses.

19. The network of claim 15, wherein each recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites is operable to pre-load the content.

20. The network of claim 15, wherein the first cell site is further operable to dynamically select the one or more neighboring cell sites by:

establishing a plurality of cell sites comprising a first cell site and the one or more recipient cell sites; and

selecting the one or more recipient cell sites, a recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites operable to share the content with the first cell site.

21. A network operable to cache content, comprising:

a first cell site being a first base station located in a first cell; and

a plurality of recipient cell sites, a recipient cell site being a recipient base station located in a recipient cell;

the first cell site operable to;

receive a content request for content, the content request received from a mobile node present in the first cell;

retrieve the content in response to the content request;

cache the content at the cell site;

send the content to the mobile node;

distribute the content to the plurality of recipient cell sites while the mobile node is present in the first cell and prior to moving to a next cell and prior to identifying the next cell and initiating handover from the cell to the next cell, the content distributed by;

establishing a multicast group of one or more addresses, an address of the one or more addresses corresponding to a recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites; and

multicasting the content to the multicast group, each recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites operable to pre-load the content; and

identify the one or more recipient cell sites by;

identifying a plurality of cell sites of a plurality of predetermined neighboring cells;

assessing a condition of the mobile node;

identifying the one or more recipient cell sites in accordance with the assessed condition of the mobile node;

sending a message regarding the content to a plurality of neighboring cells;

receiving one or more responses from one or more neighboring cells;

identifying the one or more recipient cell sites in accordance with the one or more responses;

establishing a plurality of cell sites comprising a first cell site and the one or more recipient cell sites; and

selecting the one or more recipient cell sites, a recipient cell site of the one or more recipient cell sites operable to share the content with the first cell site.