CLIENT SIDE INITIATED CACHING CONTROL

摘要

A method, system and related apparatus are described, the system comprising a caching-capable element which is part of a data network, which receives a request from a downstream client device, the request including a content request, the content request including a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) and an explicit caching request, the caching request includes a unique content identifier which is independent of the URI, and optional expiration date information, a comparator included at the caching-capable element which compares the caching request against the existing cached content, and if the requested content is cached then the caching-capable element forwards the cached copy of the requested content to the client device, and if the requested content is not cached, then the caching-capable element forwards the request to a further upstream device, and, upon reception of the requested content from the further upstream device, returns the requested content to the requesting downstream device, and caches the requested content for further distribution to other clients. Related methods, systems and apparatus are also described.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
a caching-capable element which is part of a data network, which receives a request from a downstream client device, the request including a content request, the content request comprising a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) and an explicit caching request, the caching request comprises:
a unique content identifier which is independent of the URI; andoptional expiration date information; a comparator comprised at the caching-capable element which compares the caching request against the existing cached content; and
if the requested content is cached then the caching-capable element forwards the cached copy of the requested content to the client device; andif the requested content is not cached, then the caching-capable element forwards the request to a further upstream device, and, upon reception of the requested content from the further upstream device, returns the requested content to the requesting downstream device, and caches the requested content for further distribution to other clients.