RAN Micro-Cache Video Delivery via Preference-Based Caching
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Solution Overview
Problem
The growth in mobile device usage for accessing Internet video leads to increased strain on wireless carrier networks, causing congestion, delay, and capacity constraints due to the need for video data to travel through content delivery networks (CDNs), which do not effectively address latency and capacity issues in wireless networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method for caching video data at base station nodes in the Radio Access Network (RAN) using micro-caches based on user video preferences, with caching policies that consider Quality of Experience (QoE) to serve requests efficiently and reduce reliance on CDNs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If video data is fetched from CDN through wireless carrier Core Network and Radio Access Network, then video can be delivered to mobile devices, but network capacity is constrained and latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by proactively caching popular video data at base station nodes in the Radio Access Network before actual video requests occur. The system uses video preference information and caching policies to pre-load video content into local caches at base stations, so when users request videos, the data is already available locally rather than requiring fetches through the Core Network from CDN, thereby reducing latency and improving delivery speed.
2Productivity
If video data is fetched from CDN for each request, then video delivery is simple, but significant strain is put on carrier's Core Network and Radio Access Network backhaul
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the video delivery function into distributed segments at individual base station nodes rather than relying on centralized CDN servers. Each base station maintains its own local cache, transforming the monolithic video delivery system into a distributed architecture where video data is segmented and stored at multiple network locations, reducing the burden on any single backhaul connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-caching video data at base stations based on predicted user preferences and viewing patterns. This proactive caching approach ensures that popular videos are already available locally when needed, significantly reducing the quantity of video data that must traverse the backhaul network and thereby decreasing backhaul bandwidth consumption.
3Loss of energy
If conventional CDN caching is used, then Internet bandwidth consumption is reduced, but video delivery latency and network capacity issues in wireless networks are not addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces base station nodes as intermediary elements between the CDN and mobile users. These intermediary base stations equipped with local caches act as mediators that receive video data from the CDN and store it locally, then serve users from the local cache. This intermediary layer decouples the CDN from direct user requests, allowing the CDN to focus on bandwidth optimization while the local base station caches handle latency-critical local delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for delivering video data from a server in a content delivery network (CDN). Video preferences of active users of a cell are determined. Video data is cached at one or more base station nodes disposed in a radio access network (RAN), wherein the video data is cached in one or more micro-caches according to a caching policy that is based on the determined video preferences. A request is received for video data. If the cached video data includes the requested video data, the cached video data is served from the RAN cache. If the cached video data does not include the requested video data, the requested video is fetched from the CDN according to a scheduling approach that considers Quality of Experience (QoE).