Content Router for Accurate Client Location Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for accessing cached content over the Internet are inefficient due to inaccurate client location identification, leading to sub-optimal content delivery routes, potential server overload, and failed requests, especially for large or real-time video files.
Innovation Solution
A content router system that uses extended domain names with client identifiers and prior request information to redirect content requests to alternative content engines based on capacity, workload, and proximity criteria, ensuring timely and efficient content delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional DNS proxy IP address methods are used to identify client location, then the identification process is simple, but the accuracy of client location identification deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a content router as an intermediary component between the DNS proxy and content engines. The content router receives DNS requests, extracts client identifier information, and determines optimal content engine selections based on client location and server capacity. This intermediary resolves the contradiction by enabling accurate client identification without requiring the DNS proxy itself to become more complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the content delivery system into distinct functional components: DNS proxy for basic resolution, content router for intelligent routing decisions, and content engines for content delivery. By separating the client identification and routing logic from the DNS proxy function, the system achieves accurate location identification while maintaining simple DNS proxy operations.
2Reliability
If content is delivered from the nearest server based on inaccurate location data, then delivery speed may be improved, but delivery reliability deteriorates due to server overload or failure
Solution Approach 1:
The content router implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring content engine capacity, workload status, and performance metrics. This feedback information is used to dynamically adjust routing decisions, ensuring that content is delivered from servers that are both geographically appropriate and currently capable of handling additional requests, thereby maintaining both reliability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static routing based solely on geographic proximity to dynamic routing that considers real-time server capacity and workload conditions. The content router continuously evaluates multiple factors including client location, server proximity, server capacity, and current workload to make optimal routing decisions, balancing delivery speed with delivery reliability.
3Reliability
If content requests are redirected to alternative servers, then delivery reliability improves, but system complexity increases due to additional routing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The content router performs preliminary evaluation of content engine suitability before directing content requests. By pre-assessing server capacity, workload, and geographic appropriateness, the system can make informed routing decisions without requiring complex real-time negotiations or multiple redirect attempts, thus improving reliability while controlling complexity.
4Speed
If content is cached on multiple servers to increase delivery speed, then output speed improves, but system complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by caching content strategically on servers located near content request sources rather than uniformly distributing content across all servers. The content router directs content to be cached on specific servers based on geographic proximity to client clusters and predicted demand patterns, optimizing delivery speed while reducing unnecessary storage duplication and system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed to techniques in a computer, for processing a content request. In one arrangement a content engine receives a content request from a client, generates a result based on the content request, the result including one of a content-providing value and a redirection value in response to the content request, and selectively provides, to the client, one of (i) content when the result includes the content-providing value, and (ii) a redirection message when the result includes the redirection value, the redirection message including an extended domain name having a client identifier which identifies the client.The result can be used by a content router or content engine in deciding whether to provide content or a redirection. The decision to selectively provide can be based on client proximity to the content engines, past redirections, content size and type, content engine capacity, content availability and other factors.