Pre-caching Content via Off-Peak Network Capacity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Video streaming services put a strain on network resources during peak hours, leading to congestion and reduced capacity in wireless networks.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system for intelligently caching content by predicting upcoming congestion periods and pre-caching content during off-peak hours, utilizing the interaction between wireless network and content provider servers to determine optimal caching windows based on device and system capacities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If content is cached during peak hours, then user access speed is improved, but network capacity is overwhelmed and congestion occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent access speedVSAvoidnetwork capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs content caching in advance during off-peak hours when network load is low. The network server identifies content that is likely to be requested and pre-caches it to edge devices before peak demand occurs, ensuring fast access during high-traffic periods without overloading the network at those times.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables edge devices to serve content locally from their cached storage rather than requiring continuous network access. Once content is cached at the edge device, the device can independently provide content to users without consuming additional network capacity, effectively making the edge device self-sufficient for content delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Quantity of substance

If more content is cached at edge devices, then peak hour network demand is reduced, but device storage capacity is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork capacity demandVSAvoiddevice storage capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system tailors the caching strategy to each edge device's specific storage capacity and characteristics. Instead of a uniform caching approach, the network server adjusts which content is cached and how much content is stored based on the individual device's available space, ensuring optimal utilization of each device's local storage resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts caching parameters such as cache size, content selection criteria, and refresh intervals based on device storage capacity, network conditions, and user behavior patterns. This allows the system to optimize the balance between reducing network demand and respecting device storage constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250126515A1Pre-caching content using network capacity and other metrics

Publication Date: 2025.04.17 T MOBILE INNOVATIONS LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for pre-caching content to customer premises equipment (CPE) such as set-top boxes, fixed wireless access devices, etc. Video streaming services are increasingly popular and can put a strain on network resources during peak hours. Wireless network peak hour capacity demand can be reduced by utilizing off-peak hour content/video caching. A cache time during off-peak hours can be determined through the interaction of wireless network and content provider servers.