Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for automatically adapting a node in a network

US7047287B2 · kind B2 · utility

49Cited by
52References
55Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 18, 2001
Grant dateMay 16, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 19, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02D30/50
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Large payload files are selectively partitioned in blocks and the blocks distributed to a plurality of distribution stations at the edge of the network qualified to have the data. Each qualified station decides how much and what portion of the content to save locally, based on information such as network location and environment, usage, popularity, and other distribution criteria defined by the content provider. Different pieces of a large payload file may be available from different nodes, however, when a user requests access to the large payload file, for example, through an application server, a virtual file control system creates an illusion that the entire file is present at the connected node. However, since only selective portions of the large payload file may actually be resident at that node's storage at the time of request, a cluster of distribution servers at the distribution station may download the non-resident portions of the file as the application server is servicing the user. The download may be in parallel and usually from the least congested nodes. New nodes added to the network learn from other nodes in the network what content they should have and download the …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.