System and method for providing a content delivery network via a motor vehicle

Abstract

A cache server disposed in a motor vehicle receives and caches content from a content distribution network when a load of a cellular link to the content distribution network is low. The cache server determines that the motor vehicle is turned off, broadcasts a wireless signal as part of a wireless network when the motor vehicle is turned off, and provides a device access to the content cached in the cache server via the wireless network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a memory that stores instructions; and   a processor of a first cache server of a vehicle that executes the instructions to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 joining a wireless device to an access point in communication with the first cache server of the vehicle; 
 receiving a request for content from the wireless device; 
 detecting a second cache server of a second vehicle based on a first localized coverage area of the access point overlapping with a second localized coverage area created by a second access point of the second vehicle, wherein the second cache server includes an updated version of the content; 
 creating a lookup table to associate an IP address of the second cache server with the updated version of the content; and 
 providing, via the access point, the IP address of the second cache server to the wireless device to enable the wireless device to access the updated version of the content. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the vehicle is not moving: and   responsive to determining that the vehicle is not moving, activating the access point.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the vehicle is off: and   responsive to the determining that the vehicle is off, activating the access point.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the first cache server with the second cache server based on authentication information passed between the first and second cache servers. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise downloading a first portion of the updated version of the content to the wireless device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the first localized coverage area no longer overlaps with the second localized coverage area; and   responsive to the determining that the first localized coverage area no longer overlaps with the second localized coverage area, downloading a remaining portion of the updated version of the content.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that a load of a cellular link to the content distribution network is low; and   responsive to the determining that the load of the cellular link to the content distribution network is low, obtaining the content at the first cache server.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise determining if the second vehicle drives away. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the second vehicle has driven away; and   responsive to the determining that the second vehicle has driven away, enabling the wireless device to connect to a base station via a cellular connection of a cellular network.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the wireless device is a multimode device capable of communicating with a base station and with the access point. 
     
     
         11 . A method, comprising:
 joining, by utilizing a first cache server of a vehicle, a wireless device to an access point in communication with the first cache server of the vehicle;   receiving, at the first cache server, a request for content from the wireless device;   detecting, by utilizing instructions from a memory that are executed by a processor of the first cache server of the vehicle, a second cache server of a second vehicle based on a first localized coverage area of the access point overlapping with a second localized coverage area created by a second access point of the second vehicle, wherein the second cache server includes an updated version of the content;   creating, at the first cache server, a lookup table to associate an IP address of the second cache server with the updated version of the content; and   providing, via the access point, the IP address of the second cache server to the wireless device to enable the wireless device to access the updated version of the content.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising authenticating the first cache server with the second cache server based on authentication information passed between the first and second cache servers. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining that the second cache server does not have the updated version of the content; and   responsive to the determining that the second cache server does not have the updated version of the content, providing the wireless device with access to the content.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising verifying that the wireless device can connect to the access point. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining that a load of a cellular link to a content distribution network is low; and   responsive to the determining that the load of the cellular link to the content distribution network is low, obtaining the content at the first cache server.   
     
     
         16 . A computer readable device comprising instructions, which, when loaded and executed by a processor of a first cache server of a vehicle, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 joining a wireless device to an access point in communication with the first cache server of the vehicle;   receiving a request for content from the wireless device;   detecting a second cache server of a second vehicle based on a first localized coverage area of the access point overlapping with a second localized coverage area created by a second access point of the second vehicle, wherein the second cache server includes an updated version of the content;   creating a lookup table to associate an IP address of the second cache server with the updated version of the content; and   providing, via the access point, the IP address of the second cache server to the wireless device to enable the wireless device to access the updated version of the content.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable device of  claim 16  wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the vehicle is off: and 
 responsive to the determining that the vehicle is off, activating the access point. 
 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable device of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the first cache server with the second cache server based on authentication information passed between the first and second cache servers. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable device of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise downloading a first portion of the updated version of the content to the wireless device. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable device of  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the first localized coverage area no longer overlaps with the second localized coverage area; and   responsive to the determining that the first localized coverage area no longer overlaps with the second localized coverage area, downloading a remaining portion of the updated version of the content.