10002J System for efficient mobile data distribution [00031 Technical Held

I0004J This disclosure concerns using storage devices to retrieve data for use on a mobile communication device.

[00051 Background Art

10006 J The combination of a large amount of available content and increasing sophistication of mobile communication devices to consume this content causes a growing demand for bandwidth for mobile data transmission. In particular, paying customers expect high definition video streams to start within a couple of seconds and not to stall for refilling the video buffer on the device. Current mobile data networks are often frustrating customers as the user experience does not meet the expectations. It is predicted that this trend will worsen in the near future.

[0007 J Operators of cellular data networks, such as LTE, are challenged to provide sufficient bandwidth. Especially the 'last hop' between the base station of the cellular network and a smart phone is often a bottleneck that is difficult to widen because of physical limitations on available frequencies.

(0008 J Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present, specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.

[0009] Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated clement, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other clement, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

10010] Disclosure of Invention

[001 1 J In a first aspect there is provided a computer-implemented method for retrieving data for use on a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

(0012] determining whether the data is accessible from one or more storage devices over a first wireless data network, the first wireless data network allowing the mobile communication device to connect with the one or more storage devices; and

[0013] if it is determined that the data is not accessible from the one or more storage devices.

10014] retrieving the data over a second wireless data network of a type different to the first wireless data network, the second wireless data network allowing the mobile communication device to connect with a data host, and

[0015] sending the data to the one or more storage devices over the first wireless data network.

[0016] It is an advantage that the data is sent to the storage devices and is therefore available to other mobile devices. As a result, when the same or a different mobile communication device retrieves the same data a second time, the data is still only retrieved once over the second wireless data network. Therefore, data transfer over the second wireless data network is reduced.

10017 j It is a further advantage that prediction of future content consumption and user mobility is not required. That is, collecting data in the storage device simply assumes that all data already downloaded by the mobile communication device will likely be accessed by the same or other mobile communication devices on the first wireless data network in future and therefore will be added to the storage device. As a result, in some embodiments, the complexity of machine learning prediction algorithms typically applied by servers in a local area network to collect data in a cache for the entire area network is avoided. Instead the method only relies on the probability that at least one storage device is available.

[0018 J The first wireless data network may be a relatively fast wireless data network with local data access and the second wireless data network may be a relatively slow wireless data network with global data access.

[0019] It is an advantage that the data that is received over the slow global network is sent to the storage devices over the fast local network. As a result, the data becomes local and the storage devices can allow other devices to access the data over the fast local network. This reduces data transfer on the slow global network and results in a better user experience since the data can be downloaded faster over the fast local network.

[0020] The first wireless data network may connect the mobile communication device with the one or more storage devices directly, and the second network may be a cellular network.

[0021 ] Since the last hop in a cellular network to the mobile communication device is often the bottleneck for data transmission, it is an advantage that the data is sent over the direct connection to storage devices. As a result, subsequent retrieval of the same data by a different device does not cause any traffic over the last hop of the cellular network. The cellular network can therefore offer higher bandwidth to other services or reduce costs by providing less bandwidth.

[0022] The method may further comprise:

[0023] detecting the first wireless data network; [0024] identifying the one or more storage devices in the first wireless data network; and

(0025} establishing a connection between the mobile communication device and the one or more storage devices over the first wireless data network.

[0026] Detecting the first wireless data network may be based on a predefined network identifier.

[0027] The method may further comprise establishing a direct connection to the one or more storage devices using the storage device as an access point to the first wireless data network.

10028 J The method may further comprise:

1 ^* 0029] sending data stored in memory on the mobile communication device to the one or more storage devices to allow retriev l of the data from the one or more storage devices over the first wireless data network.

[0030] The method may further comprise:

[0031] determining an availability of one or more storage devices; and

[0032] configuring based on the determined availability the mobile

communication devices as a storage device.

[0033] The method may further comprise:

[0034] configuring the mobile communication device as an additional storage device being additional to one or more existing storage devices; and

[0035] exchanging data over the firs wireless data network between the one or more existing storage devices and the additional storage device. This allows retrieval of the data from the one or more existing storage devices and the additional storage device over the first wireless data network.

(0036] It is an advantage that the data is exchanged between the additional and existing storage devices and therefore the storage devices are synchronised. As a result, the method does not rely on a single storage device and when an existing storage device becomes unavailable, the additional storage device can seamlessly take over the provision of data to the mobile communication devices. The storage method works even when the network architecture is transient because of the movement of the mobile communication devices.

(0037J The method may further comprise selecting the mobile communication device to be configured as the storage device based on device features of the mobile communication device.

[0038J Determining whether the data is accessible from one or more storage devices over a first wireless data network may comprise:

[0039] sending a request for the data to the one or more storage devices over the first wireless data network;

[0040] receiving a reply from the one or more storage devices; and

[0041 J determining based on the reply whether the data is accessible from one or more storage devices over a first wireless data network.

[0042] Sending the data to the one or more storage devices may be performed during or after the data is used on the mobile communication device.

[0043] The method further may further comprise:

[0044] predicting data to be requested by the mobile communication device; [0045] retrieving the predicted data over the second wireless data network; and

[0046J storing the retrieved data on the one or more storage devices to allow retrieval of the data from the one or more storage devices over the first wireless data network.

[0047] The method may further comprise:

[0048] if it is determined that the data is accessible from the one or more storage devices over the first wireless data network, retrieving the data from the one or more storage devices for use on the mobile communication device over the first wireless data network.

[0049] The second wireless data network may be distinct to the first wireless data network.

[0050] In a second aspect, there is provided software, that when installed on a mobile communication device causes the mobile communication device to perform the method of the first aspect.

[0051 ] In a third aspect there is provided a mobile communication device for retrieving data for use on the mobile communication device, the mobile communication device comprising:

[0052] a first network interface to connect over a first wireless data network the mobile communication device with one or more storage devices;

[0053] a second network interface to connect over a second wireless data network of a type different to the first wireless data network, the mobile

communication device with a data host; and

[0054] a processor [0055] to determine whether the data is accessible from, the one or more storage devices over the first wireless data network, and

(0056] if it in determined that the data is not accessible from the one or more storage devices, to retrieve the data over the second wireless data network using the second network interface, and to send the data to the one or more storage devices over the first wireless data network using the first network interface.

I0057J Optional features described of any aspect, where appropriate, similarly apply to the other aspects also described here.

[0058] Brief Description of Drawings

I0059J An example will be described with reference to:

1 ^* 0060] Fig. 1 illustrates an example application scenario.

[0061 ] Fig. 2 illustrates a mobile communication device, such as a smart phone.

[0062] Fig. 3 illustrates a computer-implemented method for retrieving data for use on a mobile communication device.

[0063] Fig. 4 illustrates a schematic of the scenario in Fig. 1. [0064] Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0065] Fig. 1 illustrates an example application scenario 100 comprising a bus 102, a first user 104 on the bus 102 listening to a podcasl on a first mobile communication device 106, such as a smart phone, a second user 108 also on the bus 102 watching streaming videos over the Internet on a second smart phone 110 and a third user 112 about to board the bus browsing the Internet on a third smart phone 114. [0066] The application scenario 100 further comprises a base station 120 of a cellular network, such as 3G or LTE. The cellular network allows the users 104, 108 and 1 12 to transfer data to and from the Internet or other sources. The cellular network may be considered a global network in this context since the access to data is not restricted to data that is locally available. Typically, this global network is relatively slower than local networks.

[0067] Users 104. 108 and 112 are using their smart phones 106, 110 and 1.14 independently but since they are at the same place at the same time, there is a high chance that they will download similar data. For example, many users on their commute to work in the morning check the weather forecast for the day and watch highlights of the most popular sports events that took place overnight. It is not an efficient use of resources that each user downloads the same data over the cellular network via base station 120. Bandwidth between the base station 120 and the users' smart phones 106, 110 and 114 can be reduced by providing a temporary local data store such that the same data is downloaded only once and then subsequently accessed from the local data store multiple times. Such a local data store is referred to as a cache.

[00681 Caches arc used in personal computers, for example, between the processor and the hard drive to overcome low access times to the data on the hard drive. Since all data is passed through the cache, the cache has full access to the data and can therefore determine an optimal storage strategy.

1006 J In scenario 1.00, however, the base station 120 is t he last downstream node that is controlled by the operator of the cellular network and there is no proximal node that has access to the data consumed by all three users 104. 108 and 110. As a result, the use of local caches shared between multiple users is currently limited.

[0070] Most modern mobile communication devices not only have an interface to connect to the relatively slow cellular network using base station 12 but also a further interface to connect to another mobile communication device directly over a relatively fast wireless data network with local data access, such as via WiFi or Bluetooth.

Reference to slow or fast networks may refer to the time it takes to transfer data as well as the latency time between a request for data and a reply from the network. Operating the cellular network requires significant capital expenditure for the infrastructure, such as base stations, in most cases, the relatively slow cellular network also incurs a high data transfer cost compared to the relatively fast local network, which docs not require expensive infrastructure and comparatively attracts lower transfer cost.

(0071 J Using this further interface a local network can be established that allows the smart phones 104, 108 and 114 to share data. This way one or more of the smart phones 104, 108 and 114 act as a storage device that similarly to a cache device can store data locally. That locally stored data can be accessed by the smart phones 104, 108 and 1 14 without using bandwidth to the base station 120.

[0072] Fig. 2 illustrates a mobile communication device 200, such as a smart phone. The smart phone 200 comprises a first network interface 202 and a second network interface 204 both being connected to a processor 206. Although the first network interface 202 and the second network interface 204 are shown as separate modules, it is to be understood that a shared architecture, such as software defined radio, may also be used to access different networks.

[0073] The processor 206 is further connected to program memory 216, data memory 21 and to display 220 via display port 222. For example, a user 224 operates the smart phone 200 to access and view data such as video content. Software, that is an executable program, stored on program memory 216 causes the processor 206 to perform the method in Fig. 3. The software may be in the form typically referred to as an Ap. That is, the processor determines via the first network interface 202 whether the data is accessible from a storage device, retrieves the data via the second network interface 204 if it is not available from the storage device and sends the retrieved data to the storage device via the first network interface 202. In one example, the executable program is a smar phone app that is installed on the smart phone 200 via an application provider, such as the Apple's App Store, Google Play or Amazon App Store.

(0074] The processor 206 may receive data, such as video data or status data, from data memory 218 as well as from the network interfaces 202 and 204 and the display port 222, which is connected to a display 220.

10075 J It is to be understood that any kind of data port may be used to receive data, such as a network connection, a memory interface, a pin of the chip package of processor 206. or logical ports, such as IP sockets or parameters of functions stored on program memory 216 and executed by processor 206. These parameters may be handled by-value or by-reference in the source code. The processor 206 may receive data through all these interfaces, which includes memory access of volatile memory, such as cache or RAM, or non-volatile memory, such as an optical disk drive, hard disk drive, storage server or cloud storage.

[0076] Fig. 3 illustrates a computer-implemented method 300 for retrieving data for use on a mobile communication device 200, such as a smart phone. The data may be used on the mobile communication device 200 in different ways. In one example, the data is a video file and is stored on data store 218 such that the user 224 can watch the video at a later stage. In another example, the data is a video stream and is not stored on the device 200 but is watched by the user 224 as it is being downloaded. Of course, the video may be buffered by the device to account for variations in download speed.

[0077] Besides video data other types of data are also applicable, such as HTML websites, electronic books, audio streams/files, smart phone apps and the like.

[0078] Method 300 is performed by processor 206 and commences by determining 302 whether the data is accessible from one or more storage devices over a first wireless data network. [00791 Fig. 4 illustrates a schematic of the scenario in Fig. 1 but with four mobile communication devices 402, 404.406 and 408. The mobile communication devices 402, 404, 406 and 408 ate in a limited geographic area that is referred to here as local, such as a train carriage, a bus, a hotel lobby, train station, etc. It is assumed that the mobile communication devices 402, 404, 406 and 408 arc in the area for a period of time, that is. the scenario is quasi stationary. In this example, each of the mobile communication devices 402, 404, 406 and 408 is connected to a first wireless data network 410 and a second wireless data network 412.

[0080J Devices 404 and 408 arc storage devices, which means that these devices 404 and 408 temporarily store data, such that the stored data can be retrieved from the other devices. In one example, the storage devices 404 and 408 are ordinary smart phones carried by different users and therefore, the storage devices 404 and 408 also provide browser functionality. The main feature requirement of a storage device is that it can communicate on the first wireless network 410 and the memory 218 is sufficiently large lo store content to be sent to the other devices of the first wireless network 410 when requested. The term browser is not limited to displaying a website but also comprises other ways of the user downloading and using data, such as a video application or a downloadable music store.

[0081 ] Devices 402 and 406 are brow er only devices, which means that these devices do not provide cached data lo other devices. The first wireless data network 410 allows the mobile communication devices 402, 404, 406 and 408 to connect with storage devices 404 and 408. It is noted that in cases where storage devices 404 and 408 provide browser functionality, storage device 404 can also connect to storage device 408 and vice versa via first wireless network 410.

[00821 In one example, the first wireless network is a Wifi network and the storage devices 404 and 408 arc configured as access points of the Wifi network. The browser devices 402 and 406 establish a direct connection to the storage devices 404 and 408 by using the storage devices 404 and 408 as access points. [00831 The mobile communication devices 402.404, 406 and 408 are further connected to a data host 414 via a second wireless data network 412. The second wireless data network 412 may be a cellular data network, such as 3G. LTE or managed Wifi network, for example, city-wide Wifi. It is noted that the browser functionality in storage devices 404 and 408 is optional and therefore, in some examples, the storage devices 404 and 408 are not connected the second wireless data network 412.

[0084] In most cases, the users of the mobiJe communication devices 402, 404, 406 and 408 have accounts with the operators of the second wireless data network 412 and the second wireless data network 412 allows access to data stored on data hosts anywhere in the world, that is, global access to data.

[0085 J The data host 414 is the original source of all data that is available to the mobile communication devices 402, 404, 406 and 408. Of course, in practical applications, there will be more than one data hosts to host the original data.

[0086] For simplicity of explanation, it is now assumed that a user of device 402 wishes to access data, such as a video, on device 402. The user selects the video by tapping the screen of the device where a link to the video is presented. The device 402 establishes a direct connection to storage device 404 and sends a request for the video to the storage device 404. The video has not previously been accessed by any of the mobile communication devices 402, 404, 406 and 408 and therefore, the video is not accessible from storage device 404. As a result, storage device 404 sends an access denied message to the originating device 402.

[0087] Since device 402 receives the access denied message, it is determined 304 that the video is not accessible from the one or more storage devices, which means the device 402 needs to retrieve the video from elsewhere.

[0088] The device 402 retrieves 306 the video from data host 414, such as a YonTube server, over the second wireless data network 412. The second wireless data network 412 is different to the first wireless data network 410 in the sense that the two networks arc of a different type. For example, a 3G cellular network is different to a Wifi network and a managed city-wide Wifi network is different to a local self-organised Wifi network. The first and second wireless network arc also disjoint in that the devices that are used by device 402 to download the content from the second wireless data network 412 does not include devices that the device 402 uses to check for the existence and download data from the first wireless data network 410.

[0089] Similar to a cellular network, a managed city-wide Wifi network with global data access is generally slower and more expensive than a local self-organised Wifi network because the data in the self-organised Wifi network is transferred directly without any additional 'hops' through the infrastructure. Further, the global data access also makes accessing data over the managed city-wide Wifi network slower since the data has to be retrieved from remote data hosts which inevitably leads to additional delay times.

[0090] After retrieving the video from the data host 414, the device 402 sends the video to one or both of the storage devices 404 and 408 over the first wireless data network 410. The device 402 may temporarily store the video locally and wait until the entire video is completely downloaded before sending the video to the storage devices 404 and 408, The device 402 may also send the video data as it is received without or with little storage on the device 402, that is. the device 402 directly forwards the video stream to the storage devices 404 and 408. This way, device 402 sends the data to the storage devices 404 and 408 during the time the data is used. In another example, the data may be sent asynchronously after the data is used. The device 402 may decide when to send the data such that the sending of the data is least recognised by the user in the form of reduction of device performance, such as download speed from the storage devices 404 and 408.

[0091 J The storage devices 404 and 408 store the video and the next lime one of the mobile communication devices 402.404, 406 and 408 sends a request for the same video to the storage devices 404 and 408, the storage devices 404 and 408 reply with an acknowledge message. This means it is determined that the data is accessible from the storage devices 404 and 408 over the first wireless data network and the requesting device retrieves the data from the storage devices 404 and 408 for use on the mobile communication device over the first wireless data network.

[0092] In one example, the two storage devices 404 and 408 are synchronised and share the same data. That is. if storage device 404 was the only storage device to receive the data from device 402, storage device 402 would send the data to device 408 automatically. As a result, the device 402 requesting a video can choose one of the storage devices 404 or 408 to request the video, such as by choosing the storage device with the highest signal strength. In other examples, the storage devices 404 and 408 store different data. In that case, the requesting device 402 sends a requesting message to both storage devices 404 and 408 and one of the storage devices 404 or 408 will reply with an acknowledge message if the video is stored on that device.

[0093] As mentioned earlier, the setup of the mobile communication devices 402. 404.406 and 408 is quasi stationary, which also means that from time to time, the topography defined by the mobile communication devices 402, 404, 406 and 408 changes. Such a change may be caused by an additional user joining an existing group, such as in Fig. I where user 1 12 with device 114 enters the bus 102. The reference numerals for devices 106, 110 and 11.4 in Fig. 1 are equivalent to the reference numerals 402, 404 and 406 in Fig. 4 and can be used interchangeably. In the following description, it is assumed that the device 114 that enters the bus in Fig. 1 is represented by device 406 in Fig. 4.

10094 J In this case, the device 406. which has the same configuration as device 200 of Fig. 2, first detects the first wireless network 410 by searching for a Wifi network. Storage devices 404 and 408 advertise their availability via specific SSID broadcast, typically by previously having active the Wifi hotspot mode on the storage devices. In this example, the first wireless network 410 advertises with a predefined network identifier, such as an SSID of "Croudsourced stash WLAN". Predefined may also mean that the network identifier follows certain predefined rules, such as it starts with "Crowdsourced stash" and is followed by an identifier of the respective storage device. Device 406 In active discovery mode searches for these advertisements. Connection to the first wireless network 10 by device 406 is secured using known security

(0095} In one example, each storage device 404 and 408 acts as an access point to an independent Wifi network, such that two different Wifi networks with two different SSIDs rc available in the example of Fig. 4. In a different example, both storage devices 404 and 408 arc nodes of a single Will network.

I00 6J The device 406 establishes a connection to the storage devices 404 and 408 over the local Wifi network 410 and can then determine whether certain data is accessible on storage devices 404 and 408 as explained before.

[0097] Typically, most mobile communication devices have an on board cache similar to a browser cache on Personal Computers. When device 406 establishes a connection to the storage devices 404 and 408, device 406 may copy the entire local on board cache onto the storage of the storage devices 404 and 408 such that the data stored on the on board cache in device 406 becomes available to other devices in the area.

[0098] The transient nature of the topology may also apply to the storage devices 404 and 408 under the control of a self-organisation procedure. For example, the two users 104 and 108 of Fig. 1 may have just entered the bus 102 and none of the devices 106 and 110 is configured as a storage device. When user 1 12 enters the bus 102 the user's device 114 determines an availability of any storage devices, such as by searching for valid Wifi SSIDs or by sending request messages to devices 106 and 110. When no available storage device is found, device 1 14 configures one of the devices 106, 110 or 1 14 as storage devices. Typically, configuring a storage device requires a verification process that obtains from the storage device the device features, such as type processor, capability and storage capability. Typically, also the user of the storage device must complete an authentication process. Also, the storage device must establish

authentication information, such as a password. In one example, a minimum number of storage devices is defined. In that case, when (lie number of available storage devices is below the minimum number, device 1 1.4 configures a further device as storage device.

(0099} When an additional storage device is configured, the storage devices exchange data over the first wireless data network to synchronise their respective stored data. Exchanging data comprises sending data to the existing storage devices or receiving data from the existing storage devices or both. This allows retrieval of the data from the one or more existing storage devices and the one or more additional storage devices over the first wireless data network. This way, the storage devices are redundant and when a user leaves the bus 102 this is configured as a storage device, other storage devices can take over without any loss in stored data.

I0100J In examples where multiple mobile communication devices are in the bus 102 and none of the devices are configured as a storage device, a decision needs to be made which device is to be configured as a storage device. The devices collect device information on features of the multiple devices, such as available RAM, processor power, workload, battery status. Wifi speed, etc. The device features are converted into a score such that features that increase the potential service level arc associated with a higher score. The device with the highest score, or the multiple devices with the highest scores are then selected and configured as storage devices.

[0101 ] Storage devices 404 and 408, after receiving data content from device 402 or from another storage device 404 and 408 during synchronisation, makes a local decision as to whether it is useful or not to update in storage with the new content. This typically depends on the content replacement strategy used such as least recently used or least frequently requested.

[0102 J It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the specific embodiments without departing from the scope as defined in the claims. [0103] f t should be understood that the techniques of the present disclosure might he implemented using a variety of technologies. For example, the methods described herein may be implemented by a series of computer executable instructions residing on a suitable computer readable medium. Suitable computer readable media may include volatile (e.g. RAM ) and/or non-volatile (e.g. ROM, disk) memory, carrier waves and transmission media. Exemplary carrier waves may take the form of electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals conveying digital data steams along a local network or a publically accessible network such as the internet.

[0104J It should also be understood that, unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as "estimating" or "processing" or "computing" or "calculating" or "generating" or "retrieving" or "accessing" or "sending", "optimizing" or "determining" or "displaying" or "maximising" or

"equalising" or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that processes and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.