Patent ID: 7170905
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: determining unused bandwidth on a common link of an access data network carrying subscriber traffic and over which a central content server located in a hub site and an at least one local content server located in a central office communicate; transmitting content data stored on the central content server to the at least one local content server substantially on the determined unused bandwidth; storing the content data transmitted to the at least one local content server on the at least one local content server; and transmitting the content data stored on the at least one local content server to at least one end user terminal proximate to the at least one local content server; wherein the step of transmitting the content data stored on the at least one local content server to the at least one end user terminal proximate to the at least one local content server comprises the steps of: provisioning a logical communication circuit extending from the at least one end user terminal through the network to a communication access node coupled to a first network domain, at least a portion of the logical communication circuit extending through the common link, wherein the provisioning comprises defining the logical communication circuit in terms of a layer-2 protocol defining switched connectivity through the network; at a data switch, examining communicated information in transmissions from the at least one end user terminal, for a protocol encapsulated within said layer-2 protocol, to distinguish transmission types; forwarding each detected transmission of a first transmission type from the data switch to the communication access node over the logical communication circuit defined in terms of the layer-2 protocol; and forwarding each detected transmission of a second type, different from the first transmission type, to a second network domain logically separate from the first network domain, wherein the at least one local content server is coupled to the second network domain to receive at least one transmission of the second type for control of the step of transmitting the content data stored on the at least one local content server to the at least one end user terminal proximate to the at least one local content server.