Dynamic bandwidth allocation

• US 8,214,450 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2005
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Limelight Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Limelight Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Raciborski, Nathan F., Gordon, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise, Emmanuel L
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENRY, MARIEGEORGES A
• Application Number:
  US11/195,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,528 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/206, 709/217, 370/238, 705/402, 705/417
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs

Abstract

According to the invention, a content delivery network (CDN) for delivering content objects from a content provider to a recipient is disclosed. The CDN includes a dynamic pricing engine and a second web location. The dynamic pricing engine is coupled to a first web location. The first web location, which is associated with a content provider, allows the recipient to order a content object. The delivery quote is solicited by the first web location for delivering a content object one or more times. The second web location delivers the content object to a recipient system of the recipient. The second web location is associated with the dynamic pricing engine. The dynamic pricing engine automatically produces the delivery quote, which is affected by at least one of the content object or a web location of the recipient system.

Claims

1. A method for bidding electronic delivery of a content object with a content distribution network (CDN), wherein the particular content object is provided by a content provider, the method comprising steps:

receiving a delivery request from the content provider, the delivery request for electronically delivering a particular content object over at least one network, wherein the delivery request includes;

a location parameter indicative of an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with an intended receiver, and

information characterizing delivery of the particular content object;

analyzing the delivery request according to a financial cost model for the CDN, wherein;

the financial cost model is affected by the IP address, and

the analyzing includes;

determining a routing path for the Internet, and

analyzing the routing path against the financial cost model;

automatically determining a financial delivery quote, based on the financial cost model, for electronically delivering the particular content object one or more times over the at least one network according to the delivery request, wherein the financial delivery quote is affected by;

the location parameter of the intended receiver, and the particular content object; and

sending the financial delivery quote over the at least one network to the content provider;

wherein;

at least one delivery analyzer computer performs at least one of the analyzing or automatically determining steps, and

the delivery request or the financial delivery quote specifies a latency parameter for delivering the particular content object.

2. The method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of determining a terminal network of the Internet that is coupled to the intended receiver.

3. The method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of selecting from a plurality of delivery options, wherein the selecting step is performed after the sending step.

4. The method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN as recited in claim 1, wherein the CDN is integral to the content provider.

5. The method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of receiving a request for the particular content object from the intended receiver.

6. The method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN as recited in claim 1, further comprising steps of:

determining a URI that allows the intended receiver to request the particular content object from the CDN; and

sending the URI to the intended receiver.

7. The method for bidding delivery of the content object with the CDN as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the delivery request comprises receiving the delivery request from the intended receiver.

8. A method for electronically delivering a content object with a distribution network, wherein the content object is provided by a content provider, but electronically delivered with the distribution network, the method comprising steps:

receiving a request for a particular content object from an intended receiver at a content originator;

sending a delivery request to the distribution network, the delivery request for electronically delivering the particular content object over the distribution network, wherein the delivery request includes;

an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the intended receiver,

a routing path to the IP address through the internet, and

information characterizing delivery of the particular content object;

analyzing the delivery request to determine a result;

automatically determining a financial delivery quote for delivering the particular content object one or more times according to the delivery request, wherein the financial delivery quote is affected by;

a location parameter indicative of the IP address of the intended receiver of the particular content object, and

the routing path to the IP address through the Internet;

selecting from a plurality of delivery options based on the result;

determining a URI that allows the intended receiver to request the particular content object from the distribution network; and

sending the URI to the intended receiver in response to the request;

wherein;

at least one delivery analyzer computer performs at least one of the analyzing or automatically determining steps, and the financial delivery quote is with respect to a latency parameter for delivering the particular content object.

9. The method for delivering the content object with the distribution network as recited in claim 8, further comprising a step of analyzing the delivery request according to a financial cost model for the distribution network, wherein the financial cost model is affected by the IP address.

10. The method for delivering the content object with the distribution network as recited in claim 8, further comprising a step of receiving a financial delivery quote for delivering the particular content object one or more times according to the delivery request.

11. The method for delivering the content object with the distribution network as recited in claim 8, wherein the selecting step is affected by the IP address of the intended receiver of the particular content object.

12. The method for delivering the content object with the distribution network as recited in claim 8, wherein the selecting step is autonomously performed by the distribution network without consulting the content provider after the sending the delivery request.

13. The method for delivering the content object with the distribution network as recited in claim 8, wherein the delivery quote is affected by the particular content object.

14. A content distribution network for electronically delivering content objects from a content provider to a recipient computer, the distribution network comprising:

a dynamic pricing engine that is coupled to a first web location, wherein;

the first web location allows the recipient computer to order a particular content object to be delivered via the distribution network,

the first web location is associated with the content provider, and

a financial delivery quote is solicited by the first web location for delivering the particular content object one or more times via the distribution network; and

a second web location that electronically delivers the particular content object to the recipient computer, wherein;

the second web location is associated with the dynamic pricing engine,

the dynamic pricing engine automatically produces the financial delivery quote,

the financial delivery quote is with respect to a latency parameter for delivering the particular content object, and

the financial delivery quote is affected by a location parameter indicative of an internet Protocol (IP) address of the recipient computer and a routing path to the IP address through the Internet.

15. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient computer as recited in claim 14, wherein:

the dynamic pricing engine automatically produces a first financial delivery quote for electronic delivery of the particular content object to a first recipient system,

the dynamic pricing engine automatically produces a second financial delivery quote for electronic delivery of the particular content object to a second recipient system,

the first recipient system uses a first terminal network that has peering arrangements with the distribution network, but the second recipient system uses a second terminal network that does not have peering arrangements with the distribution network, and

the first delivery quote is less than the second delivery quote.

16. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient computer as recited in claim 14, wherein:

the dynamic pricing engine automatically produces a first financial delivery quote for electronic delivery of the particular content object to a first recipient system,

the dynamic pricing engine automatically produces a second financial delivery quote for electronic delivery of the particular content object to a second recipient system,

the first financial delivery quote is different from the second financial delivery quote, and

the first financial delivery quote is valid for a same time period as the second financial delivery quote.

17. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient computer as recited in claim 14, wherein the dynamic pricing engine determines at least one of serving costs or delivering costs for the particular content object.

18. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient as recited in claim 14, wherein the first and second web locations are associated with a single content originator.

19. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient computer as recited in claim 14, wherein the financial delivery quote is based upon delivering the particular content object a plurality of times to various recipient systems.

20. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient computer as recited in claim 14, wherein the dynamic pricing engine considers at least two of a following factors to produce the financial delivery quote:

a size of the particular content object,

a time of day,

a day of the year,

network routing to recipient computer,

a terminal network associated with the recipient computer,

a level of QoS for delivery of the particular content object, and

a streaming protocol of the particular content object.

21. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient computer as recited in claim 14, wherein the second web location is chosen in a real time bidding process among a plurality of distribution networks.

22. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient computer as recited in claim 14, further comprising a distribution clearinghouse coupled to a plurality of distribution networks, wherein the second web location is associated with one of the plurality of distribution networks.

23. The distribution network for delivering content objects from the content provider to the recipient computer as recited in claim 14, wherein the delivery quote is affected by the particular content object.