HSVLI-Based Content Forwarding Engine
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current Internet architecture, based on location-based addressing, is inadequate for meeting the evolving demands of content access and distribution, as it restricts content retrieval to specific hosts and does not efficiently handle forwarding of content interests without conventional IP addresses.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system that uses hierarchically structured variable-length identifiers (HSVLI) to forward packets based on knowledge of content, forwarding policies, and contextual information, allowing for dynamic configuration of forwarding engines to route content interests across multiple interfaces and paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional IP addressing is used for content delivery, then location-based routing is simple and straightforward, but content accessibility is restricted to specific hosts and locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the content identifier into two parts: the HSVLI (hierarchical structured variable-length identifier) that identifies the content itself, and the interface identifier that identifies the network interface. This segmentation allows the forwarding engine to be configured separately for content routing decisions, improving content accessibility without requiring complete reconfiguration of the entire routing system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic interface configuration where the forwarding engine can adaptively select which network interface to use for forwarding content interests based on real-time conditions. The interface configuration is not static but can change dynamically based on content availability, network state, and policy requirements, thereby improving content accessibility while managing complexity through automated adaptation.
2Reliability
If multiple network interfaces are available for content forwarding, then content delivery paths increase and reliability improves, but determining the optimal forwarding interface becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the forwarding engine receives information about content availability, network interface status, and delivery performance. This feedback loop enables the system to learn from past forwarding decisions and adjust future interface selections, making the complex multi-interface selection process more manageable through data-driven decision making while improving delivery reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used for interface selection from static IP address-based routing to dynamic content-aware parameters including HSVLI matching, content location information, and interface-specific metadata. This parameter transformation enables more intelligent interface selection across multiple interfaces while the system manages the increased complexity through structured parameter organization and policy-based control.
3Adaptability or versatility
If content interests are forwarded without knowing the specific host, then content accessibility improves, but conventional IP routing cannot determine the output port
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (the forwarding engine with HSVLI-based configuration) that sits between the content interest packet and the network interfaces. This intermediary translates content-based routing decisions into interface-specific forwarding actions, enabling flexible content retrieval without requiring knowledge of specific hosts while maintaining ease of operation through automated translation and decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal forwarding mechanism that can handle both traditional IP-based routing and content-based routing through the same infrastructure. The HSVLI-based configuration enables the forwarding engine to universally process different types of content interests (whether or not specific hosts are known) using a unified approach, thereby improving content retrieval flexibility while maintaining operational simplicity through a single multi-functional system.
Data Source
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AI summary
One embodiment provides a system that forwards a packet with a hierarchically structured variable-length identifier (HSVLI) in a network (180). An HSVLI indicates a piece of content and indicates a hierarchical structure of contiguous components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level. The length of the HSVLI is not fixed. During operation, the system receives (500) a packet which contains an interest for a piece of content with an HSVLI. Subsequently, the system determines (510) forwarding information for the HSVLI based on one or more of: knowledge of content which matches the HSVLI, a forwarding policy, and contextual information about the network. Next, the system configures (520) a forwarding engine with the forwarding information. The system then forwards (530) the packet based on the forwarding information.