Patents by Inventor Kevin C. Johns

Kevin C. Johns has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240056416
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Publication number: 20240031453
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Patent number: 11805093
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Patent number: 11778068
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Publication number: 20230216826
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Publication number: 20230128125
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Patent number: 11606331
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Publication number: 20230022183
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Patent number: 11546447
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Patent number: 11463401
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Publication number: 20220224769
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Publication number: 20220158970
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Patent number: 11303723
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Patent number: 11252127
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Patent number: 11076181
    Abstract: A system and corresponding method facilitate resolution of discontinuities in manifest files used in the distribution of stored content. Resolution of discontinuities includes identifying each of a discontinuity in a first manifest file and a corresponding entry in a second manifest file for the same or substantially similar content segment stored at a different location. A combined manifest file is then generated by inserting the entry of the second manifest file or otherwise inserting the location information of the second manifest file entry into the first manifest file. The systems and methods herein may be implemented at various locations within a system for providing content to a client device and may be implemented at various times in the process of generating or distributing content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Publication number: 20200322660
    Abstract: A system and corresponding method facilitate resolution of discontinuities in manifest files used in the distribution of stored content. Resolution of discontinuities includes identifying each of a discontinuity in a first manifest file and a corresponding entry in a second manifest file for the same or substantially similar content segment stored at a different location. A combined manifest file is then generated by inserting the entry of the second manifest file or otherwise inserting the location information of the second manifest file entry into the first manifest file. The systems and methods herein may be implemented at various locations within a system for providing content to a client device and may be implemented at various times in the process of generating or distributing content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Patent number: 10778801
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products, and the like, for a content delivery network (CDN) architecture utilizing one or more proxy cache devices between a requesting device and an edge cluster of the CDN. The proxy cache device is a relatively high-speed device compared to various possible devices making up one or more edge clusters. Thus, if the proxy has cached the requested content, it is capable of directly servicing the client content request at a faster rate than providing the content from the edge cluster. Otherwise, the proxy cache may request the content from an edge cluster and store the content for quick retrieval in response to additional requests for the content. In one embodiment, the proxy cache may perform an analysis of the request or a series of requests to determine if the content is cached at the proxy cache device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph C. Lawrence, Kevin C. Johns, William R. Power
  • Publication number: 20200236083
    Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns
  • Patent number: 10708767
    Abstract: Provided is a content delivery method and architecture for delivering content from a node in a content delivery network (CDN) using an anycast address to direct a requesting device to access a content manifest. The manifest server of the CDN may select the provided manifest based on information received from the requesting device and/or any other network information, may alter attributes of the manifest itself, or direct the requesting device to a different device or manifest server of the CDN to obtain the manifest. The selection of the manifest, alteration of the manifest, or new location to obtain the manifest causes the connection for content to occur at one or more servers accessible through a unicast address, rather than an anycast address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Joelle T. Maslak, Kevin C. Johns
  • Patent number: 10701418
    Abstract: A system and corresponding method facilitate resolution of discontinuities in manifest files used in the distribution of stored content. Resolution of discontinuities includes identifying each of a discontinuity in a first manifest file and a corresponding entry in a second manifest file for the same or substantially similar content segment stored at a different location. A combined manifest file is then generated by inserting the entry of the second manifest file or otherwise inserting the location information of the second manifest file entry into the first manifest file. The systems and methods herein may be implemented at various locations within a system for providing content to a client device and may be implemented at various times in the process of generating or distributing content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Johns