Forwarding Device Caching Based on Local Gain and Bandwidth Impact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cache placement strategies in content-centric networks primarily focus on content popularity without considering the impact on network bandwidth, leading to inefficient bandwidth usage.

Innovation Solution

A method for determining the caching location of content based on both its popularity and the bandwidth impact, where forwarding devices calculate a local caching gain by considering the bandwidth consumed and popularity, and cache content accordingly to optimize bandwidth usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If content is cached based only on popularity, then content access speed is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent access speedVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making different routers cache different content based on their local characteristics (position in content delivery path, local traffic patterns) rather than uniformly caching all popular content. Each router evaluates local caching gain to determine which content to cache, optimizing the distribution of caching responsibilities across the network to reduce overall bandwidth consumption while maintaining fast content access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Speed

If content is cached at multiple locations, then content access speed is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent access speedVSAvoidcaching management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by enabling each router to autonomously determine its caching decisions based on local caching gain calculations. Routers independently evaluate whether to cache content by comparing their local characteristics against the content's popularity and their position in the content delivery path, without requiring complex centralized coordination or manual configuration. This decentralized approach manages complexity while achieving optimal content distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Speed

If content is cached at all routers, then content access speed is improved, but loss of substance increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent access speedVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by having routers cache only a subset of popular content based on their local caching gain, rather than caching all popular content at every router. Each router selectively caches content that provides the most benefit to its local network segment, achieving sufficient content availability without the excessive bandwidth consumption of universal caching.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3136664B1Method for caching data, corresponding forwarding device and corresponding controller
Publication Date: 2023.11.29 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3136664B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3136664B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3136664B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present application discloses a method for caching data, which is capable of determining a caching location of content according to a popularity of the content and impact of caching the content on network bandwidth, so as to save the network bandwidth. The method includes: receiving, by an ith forwarding device on a first content delivery path, a first data packet from a server, where the first content delivery path is a packet transmission path between first user equipment and the server, and a caching gain included in the first data packet is a maximum value of local caching gains of all forwarding devices on the first content delivery path; and caching, by the ith forwarding device, first content included in the first data packet when determining that the caching gain in the first data packet matches a local caching gain corresponding to an identity of the first content, where the local caching gain corresponding to the identity of the first content is generated by calculation according to a first parameter and a popularity of the first content.