CPE Edge Caching for Last Mile Network Congestion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current content delivery networks (CDNs) face congestion issues in 'last mile' connections due to saturation points in non-local networks, leading to reduced modem speed and reliability, particularly in cable systems where shared bandwidth is quickly exhausted, causing internet traffic bottlenecks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a caching device at the end user's customer premises equipment (CPE) that receives requests for content, determines if the content is stored locally, and if so, transmits it directly without using the non-local network, or retrieves it from the CDN or content source if not cached, thereby reducing network traffic and improving speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If content is delivered through the non-local network from central servers or CDNs, then content can be accessed from any location, but network congestion and saturation occur reducing speed and reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements edge caching that creates local content copies at customer premises equipment (CPE), making content accessibility local rather than centralized. This allows frequently accessed content to be retrieved from local storage at the CPE, eliminating dependence on non-local network conditions while maintaining content availability. The system dynamically determines which content to cache based on usage patterns, creating locally optimized content delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary caching of content at the CPE before it is actually requested by the user. By anticipating content needs and pre-caching frequently accessed content, the system ensures that content is already available locally when needed, preventing network congestion issues from arising in the first place.
2Speed
If content is cached at the headend or CDN servers, then content delivery speed improves relative to central servers, but the non-local network still experiences congestion at saturation points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the caching function from the traditional network infrastructure dimension (headend/CDN servers) to the customer premises dimension (CPE). This dimensional shift distributes content storage across multiple locations simultaneously - both at the network edge (headend) and at the customer edge (CPE). This multi-dimensional caching approach eliminates the bottleneck at network saturation points by creating parallel content delivery paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the content delivery function into multiple distributed caching points rather than relying on a single centralized caching location. Content is segmented and cached at both the headend and individual CPE units, creating a hierarchical caching structure. This segmentation allows different portions of content to be served from different locations, distributing network traffic and eliminating single-point congestion.
3Quantity of substance
If more bandwidth is allocated to handle increasing traffic, then network capacity increases, but saturation points are quickly reached again reducing shared bandwidth availability
Solution Approach 1:
The edge caching system enables customers to serve themselves content from their own CPE storage rather than requiring continuous network bandwidth allocation. Once content is cached at the CPE, it can be retrieved repeatedly without consuming additional network bandwidth. This self-service model transforms bandwidth consumption from a continuous network resource requirement to a one-time transfer followed by local retrieval.
Data Source
AI summary
A caching method and device for reducing non-local network traffic by caching content at equipment at the premises of one or more end users. The caching device may be connected to a non-local network of a data distribution network that may include the non-local network, a headend connected to the non-local network, a content delivery server connected to the headend and a content source connected to the headend. The premises equipment may include a caching device including a controller and storage medium. The caching device at an end user premises may receive content, which may be sent to a plurality of end user premises as part of a multicast, over a non-local network. The end user may access the received content at local network speeds without having to send an individual request for the content over the non-local network.