SYSTEM PROVIDING FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENT DATA
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`COMMUNICATION
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`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
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`The present application is a continuation application of U.S. non-provisional patent
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`application no. 14/025,109, filed Sep. 12, 2013, which is a divisional application of U.S.
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`non-provisional patent application entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING
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`FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENT DATA COMMUNICATION" having Ser. No.
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`12/836,059, filed Jul. 14, 2010 and issued as U.S. Patent No. 8,560,604 on Oct. 15, 2013,
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`and claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application entitled "SYSTEM AND
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`METHOD FOR REDUCING INTERNET CONGESTION," having Ser. No. 61/249,624,
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`filed Oct. 8, 2009, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
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`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
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`The present invention is related to Internet communication, and moreparticularly,
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`to improving data communication speed and bandwidth efficiency on the Internet.
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`BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION
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`There are several
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`trends in network and Internet usage, which tremendously
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`increase the bandwidth that is being used on the Internet. One such trend is that more and
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`more video is being viewed on demandonthe Internet. Such viewing includes the viewing
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`of both large and short video clips. In addition, regular shows and full-featured films may
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`be viewed on the Internet. Another trend that is increasing the traffic on the Internet is that
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`Web sites (such as shopping portals, news portals, and social networks) are becoming
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`global, meaning that the Web sites are serving people in many diverse places on the globe,
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`and thus the data is traversing over longer stretches of the Internet,
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`increasing the
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`congestion.
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`Attorney Docket No. 19459-6105P
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`The increase in bandwidth consumption has created several major problems, a few of
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`which are described below:
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`The problem for users — the current Internet bandwidth is not sufficient, and thus the effective
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`‘speed’ experienced byusers is slow;
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`The problem for content owners — the tremendous amountof data being viewed byusersis
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`costing large amounts of money in hosting and bandwidth costs; and
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`The problem for Internet Service Providers (LSPs) — the growth in Internettraffic is requiring the
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`ISPs to increase the infrastructure costs (Communication lines, routers, etc.) at tremendous
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`financial expense.
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`The need for a new method ofdata transfer that is fast for the consumer, cheap for the
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`content distributor and does not require infrastructure investment for ISPs, has become a major
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`issuc whichis yet unsolved.
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`There have been many attempts at making the Internet faster for the consumer and
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`cheaper for the broadcaster. Each such attemptis lacking in some aspect to become a
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`widespread, practical solution, or is a partial solution in that it solves only a subset of the major
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`problemsassociated with the increase in Internettraffic. Most of the previous solutions require
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`billions of dollars in capital investment for a comprehensive solution. Many of these attempts are
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`lacking in that much of the content on the Internct has become dynamically created per the user
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`and the session of the user (this is what used to be called the ““Web2.0” trend). This may be seen
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`on the Amazon Website and the Salesforce Web site, for example, where most of the page views
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`on these Websites is tailored to the viewer, and is thus different for any two viewers. This
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`dynamic information makesit impossible for most of the solutions offered to date to store the
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`content and provide it to others seeking similar content.
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`Attorney Docket No. 19459-6105P
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`One solution that has been in use 1s called a “proxy”. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram
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`providing an example of use of a proxy within a network 2. A proxy, or proxy server4, 6, 8 is a
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`device that is placed between one or moreclients, illustrated in FIG. 1 as client devices 10, 12,
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`14, 16, 18, 20, that request data, via the Internet 22, and a Web server or Web servers 30, 32, 34
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`from which they are requesting the data. ‘The proxy server 4, 6, 8 requests the data from the Web
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`servers 30, 32, 34 on their behalf, and caches the responses from the Web servers 30, 32, 34, to
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`provide to other client devices that make similar requests. If the proxy server 4, 6, 8 is
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`geographically close enough to the client devices 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and if the storage and
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`bandwidth of the proxy server 4, 6, 8 are large enough, the proxy server 4, 6, 8 will speed up the
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`requests for the client devices 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 that it is serving.
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`It should be noted, however, that to provide a comprchensive solution for Internct
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`surfing, the proxy servers of FIG. 1 would need to be deployed at every point around the world
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`wherethe Internet is being consumed, and the storage size of the proxy servers at each location
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`would need to be near the size of all the data stored anywhere on the Internet. The
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`abovementioned would lead to massive costs that are impractical. In addition, these proxy
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`solutions cannot deal well with dynamic data that is prevalent now on the Web.
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`There have been commercial companies, such as Akamai, that have deployed such
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`proxies locally around the world, and that are serving a select small group of sites on the
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`Internet. If all sites on the Web were to be solved with sucha solution, the capital investment
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`would be in the range ofbillions of dollars. In addition, this type of solution does not handle
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`dynamic content.
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`To create large distribution systems without the large hardware costs involved with a
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`proxy solution, “peer-to-peer file sharing” solutions have been introduced, such as, for example,
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`BitTorrent. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram providing an example of a peer-to-peerfile transfer
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`network 50. In the network 50, files are stored on computers of consumers, referred to herein as
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`Attorney Docket No. 19459-6105P
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`client devices 60. Each consumercan serve up data to other consumers, via the Internet 62, thus
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`taking the load of serving off of the distributors and saving them the associated costs, and
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`providing the consumer multiple points from which to downloadthe data, referred to herein as
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`peers 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, thus increasing the speed of the download. However, each such peer-to-
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`peer solution must have somesort of index by which to find the required data. In typical pccr-to-
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`peerfile sharing systems, because the index is on a server 80, or distributed among several
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`servers, the numberoffiles available in the system is not very large (otherwise, the server costs
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`would be very large, or the lookup time would be very long).
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`The peer-to-peer file sharing solution is acceptable in file sharing systems, because there
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`are not that many mediafiles that are of interest to the mass (probably in the order of magnitude
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`of millions of movics and songs that are of interest). Storing and maintaining an index of
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`millions of entries is practical technically and economically. However,if this system were to be
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`used to serve the hundreds ofbillions offiles that are available on the Internet of today, the cost
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`of storing and maintaining such an index would be againin the billions of dollars. In addition,
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`these types of peer-to-peerfile sharing systems are not able to deal with dynamic HTTPdata.
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`In conclusion, a system does not exist that enables fast transmission of most of the data
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`on the Internet, that does not incur tremendouscosts, and/or that provides only a very partial
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`solution to the problem of Internet traffic congestion. Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists
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`in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.
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`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
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`The present system and method providesfor faster and moreefficient data
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`communication within a communication network. Briefly described, in architecture, one
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`embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. A network is provided
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`Attorney Docket No. 19459-6105P
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`for accelerating data communication, wherein the network contains: at least one client
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`communication device for originating a data request for obtaining the data from a data server; at
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`least one agent communication device which is assigned to the data server for receiving the data
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`request from the client communication device, wherein the agent keeps track of which client
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`communication devices have reccived responses to data requests from the assigned data server;
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`at least one peer communication device for storing portions of data received in response to the
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`data request by the at least one client communication device, wherein the portions of data may
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`be transmitted to the at least one client communication device upon request by the client
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`communication device; and at least one acceleration server for deciding which agent
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`communication device is to be assigned to which data server and providing this information to
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`the at least one client communication device.
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`The present system and method also provides a communication device within a network,
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`wherein the communication device contains: a memory; and a processor configured by the
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`memory to perform the steps of: originating a data request for obtaining data from a data server;
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`being assigned to a data server, referred to as an assigned data server; receiving a data request
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`from a separate device within the network, and keeping track of which client communication
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`devices within the network have received responses to data requests from the assigned data
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`server; and storing portions of data received in responseto the originated data request, wherein
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`the portions of data may be transmitted to communication device upon request by the
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`communication device.
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`Othcr systems, mcthods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or
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`become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and
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`detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and
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`advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and
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`be protected by the accompanyingclaims.
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`Attorney Docket No. 19459-6105P
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`Manyaspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following
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`drawings. The componentsin the drawingsarc not necessarily to scalc, cmphasis instcad being
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`placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover,in the
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`drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
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`FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram providing a prior art example of use of a proxy within a
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`network.
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`FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram providing a prior art example of a peer-to-peerfile transfer
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`network.
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`FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram providing an cxample of a communication nctwork in
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`accordance with the present invention.
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`FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram further illustrating a communication device of the
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`communication network of FIG. 3.
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`FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram further illustrating the memory of FIG. 4.
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`FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram furtherillustrating elements of the acceleration application
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`of FIG. 5, as well as communication paths of the acceleration application.
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`FIG. 7 is a chart further illustrating two of the main databasesutilized within the
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`communication network.
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`FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating operation of the acceleration system initializer module.
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`FIG. 9 is a flowchart further illustrating communication between different elements of the
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`communication network.
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`Attorney Docket No. 19459-6105P
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`FIG. 10 is a flowchart continuing the flowchart of FIG. 9 and focused on agent response
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`to the HTTP request.
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`FIG. 11 is a flowchart continuing the flowchart of FIG. 10, which illustrates actions taken
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`upon receipt of the list of peers, or single peerlisting, from the agent.
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`FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating steps taken by an agent, client, or peer to determine
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`whether a certain HTTP requestis still valid.
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`FIG. 13 is a flowchart outlining operation of the acceleration server.
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`FIG. 14 is a flowchart further illustrating TCPIP acceleration in accordance with an
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`alternative embodimentof the invention.
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`FIG. 15 is a flowchart further illustrating TCPIP acceleration in accordance with an
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`alternative embodimentof the invention, detailing the communication between the client and the
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`TCPIP server (read and write commands) after the connect phase has completed successfully.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
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`The present system and method providesfor faster and moreefficient data
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`communication within a communication network. An example of such a communication network
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`100 is provided by the schematic diagram of FIG. 3. The network 100 of FIG. 3 contains
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`multiple communication devices. Due to functionality provided by software stored within each
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`communication device, which may be the same in cach communication device, cach
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`communication device may serve as a client, peer, or agent, depending upon requirements of the
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`network 100, as is described in detail herein. It should be noted that a detailed description of a
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`communication device is provided with regard to the description of FIG. 4.
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`Attorney Docket No. 19459-6105P
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`Returning to FIG. 3, the exemplary embodimentof the network 100 illustrates that one of
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`the communication devices is functioning as a client 102. The client 102 is capable of
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`communication with one or more peers 112, 114, 116 and one or more agents 122. For
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`exemplary purposes, the network contains three peers and one agent, although it is noted that a
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`clicnt can communicate with any number of agents and pecrs.
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`The communication network 100 also contains a Web server 152. The Webserver 152 is
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`the server from which the client 102 is requesting information and may be, for example, a typical
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`HTTPserver, such as those being used to deliver content on any of the many suchservers on the
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`Internet. It should be noted that the server 152 is not limited to being an HTTPserver. In fact, if
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`a different communication protocol is used within the communication network, the server may
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`be a server capable of handling a different protocol. It should also be noted that while the present
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`description refers to the use of HTTP, the present invention may relate to any other
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`communication protocol and HTTPis not intendedto be a limitation to the present invention.
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`The communication network 100 further contains an acceleration server 162 having an
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`acceleration Server storage device 164. As is described in more detail herein, the acceleration
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`server storage device 164 has contained therein an acceleration server database. The acceleration
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`server database stores Internet protocol (IP) addresses of communication devices within the
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`communication network 100 having acceleration software stored therein. Specifically, the
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`acceleration server database contains stored therein a list of communication devices having
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`acceleration software stored therein that are currently online within the communication network
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`100. For cach such agent, the acceleration server assigns a list of IP addresscs.
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`In the communication network 100 of FIG. 3, the application in the client 102 is
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`requesting information from the Web server 152, which is why the software within the
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`communication device designated this communication device to work as a client. In addition,
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`since the agent 122 receives the request from the client 102 as the communication device closest
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`Attorney Docket No. 19459-6105P
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`to the Web server 152, functionality of the agent 122, as provided by the software of the agent
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`122, designates this communication device to work as an agent. It should be noted,that in
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`accordance with an alternative embodimentof the invention, the agent need not be the
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`communication device that is closest to the Web server. Instead, a different communication
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`device may be selected to be the agent.
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`Since the peers 112, 114, 116 contain at least portions of the information sought by the
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`client 102 from the Web server 152, functionality of the peers 112, 114, 116, as provided by the
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`software of the peers 112, 114, 116, designates these communication devices to work as peers. It
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`should be noted that the process of designating clients, agents, and peers is described in detail
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`herein. It should also be noted that the numberofclients, agents, peers, acceleration servers,
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`Webservers, and other components of the communication nctwork 100 may differ from the
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`numberillustrated by FIG. 3. In fact, the numberof clients, agents, peers, acceleration servers,
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`Webservers, and other components of the communication network 100 are not intended to be
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`limited by the current description.
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`Prior to describing functionality performed within a communication network 100, the
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`following further describes a communication device 200, in accordance with a first exemplary
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`embodimentof the invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram further illustrating a communication
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`device 200 of the communication network 100, which contains general components of a
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`computer. As previously mentioned, it should be noted that the communication device 200 of
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`FIG. 4 may serve as a client, agent, or peer.
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`Generally, in terms of hardware architecture, as shown in FIG. 4, the communication
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`device 200 includes a processor 202, memory 210, at least one storage device 208, and one or
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`more input and/or output (I/O) devices 240 (or peripherals) that are communicatively coupled
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`via a local interface 250. The local interface 250 can be, for example but not limited to, one or
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`more buses or other wired or wireless connections, as is knownin the art. The local interface 250
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`may have additional elements, which are omitted for simplicity, such as controllers, buffers
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`(caches), drivers, repeaters, and receivers, to enable communications. Further, the local interface
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`250 may include address, control, and/or data connections to enable appropriate communications
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`among the aforementioned components.
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`‘The processor 202 is a hardware device for cxccuting software, particularly that stored in
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`the memory 210. The processor 52 can be any custom made or commercially available
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`processor, a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary processor among several processors
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`associated with the communication device 200, a semiconductor based microprocessor(in the
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`form of a microchip or chip set), a macroprocessor, or generally any device for executing
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`software instructions.
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`The memory 210, whichis furtherillustrated and described by the description of FIG. 5,
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`can include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory
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`(RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM,efc.)) and nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM,
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`hard drive, tape, CDROM, etc.). Moreover, the memory 210 may incorporate electronic,
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`magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage media. Note that the memory 210 can have a
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`distributed architecture, where various componentsare situated remote from one another, but can
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`be accessed by the processor 202.
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`The software 212 located within the memory 210 may include one or more separate
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`programs, each of which contains an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing
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`logical functions of the communication device 200, as described below. In the example of FIG.
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`4, the software 212 in the memory 210 at Icast contains an accclcration application 220 and an
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`Internet browser 214. In addition, the memory 210 may contain an operating system (O/S) 230.
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`The operating system 230 essentially controls the execution of computer programs and provides
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`scheduling, input-output control, file and data management, memory management, and
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`communication control and related services. It should be noted that, in addition to the
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`acceleration application 220, Internet browser 214, and operating system 230, the memory 210
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`may contain other software applications.
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`While the present description refers to a request from the client originating from an
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`Internet browser, the present invention is not limited to requests originating from Internet
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`browsers. Instead, a request may originate from an email program or any other program that
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`would be used to request data that is stored on a Webserver, or other server holding data that is
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`requested by the client device.
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`Functionality of the communication device 200 may be provided by a source program,
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`executable program (object code), script, or any other entity containing a set of instructions to be
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`performed. When a source program, then the program needsto be translated via a compiler,
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`assembler, interpreter, or the like, which may or may not be included within the memory 210, so
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`as to operate properly in connection with the operating system 230. Furthermore, functionality of
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`the communication device 200 can be written as (a) an object oriented programming language,
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`whichhas classes of data and methods, or (b) a procedure programming language, which has
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`routines, subroutines, and/or functions.
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`The I/O devices 240 may include input devices, for example but not limited to, a
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`keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone, efc. Furthermore, the I/O devices 240 mayalso include
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`output devices, for example but not limited to, a printer, display, efc. Finally, the I/O devices 240
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`may further include devices that communicate via both inputs and outputs, for instance but not
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`limited to, a modulator/demodulator (modem;for accessing another device, system, or network),
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`a radio frequency (RF) or other transceiver, a telephonic interface, a bridge, a router, etc.
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`Whenthe communication device 200 is in operation, the processor 202 is configured to
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`execute the software 212 stored within the memory 210, to communicate data to and from the
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`memory 210, and to generally control operations of the communication device 200 pursuant to
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`Attorney Docket No. 19459-6105P
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`the software 212. The software 212 and the O/S 230, in whole orin part, but typically the latter,
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`are read by the processor 202, perhaps buffered within the processor 202, and then executed.
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`Whenfunctionality of the communication device 200 is implemented in software, as is
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`shown in FIG. 4, it should be noted that the functionality can be stored on any computer readable
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`medium for use by or in connection with any computer related system or method. In the context
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`of this document, a computer readable medium is an electronic, magnetic, optical, or other
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`physical device or meansthat can contain or store a computer program for use by or in
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`connection with a computer related system or method. The functionality of the communication
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`device 200 can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with
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`an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system,
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`proccssor-containing system, or othcr system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction
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`execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In the context of this
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`document, a "computer-readable medium" can be any meansthat can store, communicate,
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`propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution
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`system, apparatus, or device.
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`The computer readable medium can be, for example but not limited to, an electronic,
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`magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or
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`propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustivelist) of the computer-readable
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`medium would include the following: an electrical connection (electronic) having one or more
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`wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a random access memory (RAM)(electronic), a
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`read-only memory (ROM)(clectronic), an crasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM,
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`EEPROM, or Flash memory) (electronic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact disc
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`read-only memory (CDROM)(optical). Note that the computer-readable medium could even be
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`paperor another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be
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`electronically captured, via for instance optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then
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`compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable mannerif necessary, and then stored in
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`a computer memory.
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`In an alternative embodiment, where the functionality of the communication device 200
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`is implemented in hardware, the functionality can be implemented with any or a combination of
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`the following technologies, which are each well known in the art: a discrete logic circuit(s)
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`having logic gates for implementing logic functions upon data signals, an application specific
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`imtegrated circuit (ASIC) having appropriate combinational logic gates, a programmable gate
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`array(s) (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.
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`The at least one storage device 208 of the communication device 200 may be one of
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`many different categories of storage device. As is described in more detail herein, the storage
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`device 208 may include a configuration database 280 and a cache database 282. Alternatively,
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`the configuration database 280 and cache database 282 may be located on different storage
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`devices that are in communication with the communication device 200. The description that
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`follows assumesthat the configuration database 280 and cache database 282 are located on the
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`samestorage device, however, it should be noted that the present invention is not intended to be
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`limited to this configuration.
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`The configuration database 280 stores configuration data that is commonto all elements
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`of the communication network 100 and is used to provide set up and synchronization
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`information to different modules of the acceleration application 220 stored within the memory
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`210, as is described in further detail herein. The cache database 282 stores responses to HTTP
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`requests that the communication device 200 has dispatched, either for its own consumption or on
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`behalf of other elements of the communication network 100. As is explained in additional detail
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`herein, the responses to HTTP requests are stored within the cache database 282 for future use
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`by this communication device 200, or for other communication devices within the
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`communication network 100 that need to retrieve this information and will use this
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`communication device as either a peer or an agent.
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`In addition to the abovementioned, as is explained in further detail herein, the cache
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`database 282 has stored therein a list of URLs that the communication device is aware of(i.e.,
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`has seen requests for). For each URL, the cache database 282 has stored therein the URL itself,
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`HTTPheadersreturned by the Web Serverfor this URL, whenthe last time was that the contents
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`of this URL was loaded directly from the Web Server, when the contents of the URL had last
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`changed on the Web Server, as well as a list of chunks that contain the contents of this URL, and
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`the chunks of data themselves. Chunks in the present description are defined as equally sized
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`pieces of data that together form the whole content of the URL. It should be noted that while the
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`present description provides for chunks being cqually sized picces of data, in accordance with an
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`alternative embodimentof the invention, the chunks mayinstead be ofdifferent size.
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`FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram furtherillustrating the memory 210 of FIG. 4. As shown
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`by FIG. 5, the memory 210 may be separated into two basic levels, namely, an operating system
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`level 260 and an application level 270. The operating system level 260 contains the operating
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`system 230, wherein the operating system 230 further contains at least one device driver 262 and
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`at least one communication stack 264. The device drivers 262 are software modules that are
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`responsible for the basic operating commandsfor various hardware devices of the
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`communication device 200, such as the processor 202, the storage device 208 and the I/O
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`devices 240. In addition, the communication stacks 264 provide applications of the
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`communication device 200 with a mcans of communicating within the nctwork 100 by
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`implementing various standard communication protocols.
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`The application level 270 includes any application that is running on the communication
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`device 200. As a result, the application level 270 includes the Internet browser 214, whichis
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`used to view information that is located on remote Webservers, the acceleration application 220,
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`Attorney Docket No. 19459-6105P
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`as described in more detail below, and any other applications 216 stored on the communication
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`device 200.
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`Asis explainedin additional detail below, the acceleration application 220 intercepts the
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`requests being made by applications of the communication device (client) that use the Internet,
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`in order to modify the requests and route the requests through the communication network. There
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`are various methods that may be used to intercept such requests. One such method is to create an
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`intermediate driver 272, which is also located within the memory 210, that attaches itself to all
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`communication applications, intercepts outgoing requests of the communication applications of
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`the communication device 200, such as the Internet browser 214, and routes the requests to the
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`acceleration application 220. Oncethe acceleration application 220 modifies the requests, routes
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`the requests to other system clements on the communication nctwork 100, and reccives replics
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`from other system elements of the communication network 100, the acceleration application 220
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`returns the replies to the intermediate driver 272, which provides the replies back to the
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`requesting communication application.
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`FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram furtherillustrating elements of the acceleration application
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`220, as well as communication paths of the acceleration application 220. The acceleration
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`application 220 contains an acceleration system initializer module 222, which is called when the
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`acceleration application 220 is started. The acceleration system initializer module 222 is capable
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`of initializing all elements of the communication device 200 The acceleration application 220
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`also contains three separate modulesthat run in parallel, namely, a client module 224, a peer
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`module 226, and an agent module 228, cach of which comes into play according to the specific
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`role that the communication device 200 is partaking in the communication network 100 at a
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`given time. The role of each module is further described herein.
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`The client module 224 provides functionality required when the communication device
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`200 is requesting information from the Web server 152, such as, for example, but not limited to,
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`15
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`Attorney Docket No. 19459-6105P
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`Webpages, data, video, or audio. The client module 224 causes the communication device 200
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`having the client module 224 therein to intercept the information request and pass the
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`information request on to other elements of the communication network 100, such as, servers,
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`agents or peers. This processis further described in detail herein.
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`The peer module 226 provides functionality required by the communication device 200
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`when answering other clients within the communication network 100 and providing the other
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`clients with information that they request, which this communication device 200, having this
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`peer module 226 therein, has already downloaded at a separate time. This process is further
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`described in detail herein.
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`The agent module 228 provides functionality required when other communication
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`devices of the communication network 100 acting as clients query this communication device
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`200, having this agent module 228 therein, as an agent, to obtain a list of peers within the
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`communication network 100 that contain requested information. This process is further
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`described in detail herein.
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`The acceleration application 220 interacts with both the configuration database 280 and
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`the cache database 282 of the storage device 208. As previously mentioned herein, the
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`configuration database 280 stores configuration data that may be commonto all communication
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`devices of the communication network 100 and is used to provide setup and synchronization
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`information to different modules 222, 224, 226, 228 of the acceleration application 220 stored
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`within the memory 210.
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`The cache database 282 stores responses to information requests, such as, for example,
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`HTTPrequests, that the communication device 200 has dispatched, either for its own
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`consumption or on behalf of other elements of the communication network 100. Th