In this work we consider the problem of an optimal geographic placement of content in wireless cellular networks modelled by Poisson point processes. Specifically, for the typical user requesting some particular content and whose popularity follows a given law (e.g. Zipf), we calculate the probability of finding the content cached in one of the base stations. Wireless coverage follows the usual signal-to-interference-and noise ratio (SINR) model, or some variants of it. We formulate and solve the problem of an optimal randomized content placement policy, to maximize the user's hit probability. The result dictates that it is not always optimal to follow the standard policy "cache the most popular content, everywhere". In fact, our numerical results regarding three different coverage scenarios, show that the optimal policy significantly increases the chances of hit under high-coverage regime, i.e., when the probabilities of coverage by more than just one station are high enough.
Multimedia content transmission heavily taxes network resources and puts a significant burden on wireless systems in terms of capacity and energy consumption. In this context, device-to-device (D2D) paradigm has a utilitarian value to alleviate the network burden by utilizing short-range transmissions with less energy cost. For the realization of proper D2D networking, caching in devices is essential. Additionally, caching needs to operate efficiently with the aim of realizing network-wide energy improvements. To this end, we study multimedia caching in cellular D2D networks and propose an ene…
We consider caching of video streams in a cellular network in which each base station is equipped with a cache. Video streams are partitioned into multiple substreams and the goal is to place substreams in caches such that the residual backhaul load is minimized. We consider two coding mechanisms for the substreams: Layered coding (LC) mechanism and Multiple Description Coding (MDC). We develop a distributed asynchronous algorithm for deciding which files to store in which cache to minimize the residual bandwidth, i.e., the cost for downloading the missing substreams of the user's requested vi…
By pre-fetching popular videos into the local caches of edge nodes, wireless edge caching provides an effective means of reducing repeated content deliveries. To meet the various viewing quality requirements of multimedia users, scalable video coding (SVC) is integrated with edge caching, where the constituent layers of scalable videos are flexibly cached and transmitted to users. In this article, we discuss the challenges arising from the different content popularity and various viewing requirements of scalable videos, and present the diverse types of cached contents as well as the correspond…
We investigate optimal geographical caching in heterogeneous cellular networks, where different types of base stations (BSs) have different cache capacities. The content library contains files with different popularities. The performance metric is the total hit probability. The problem of optimally placing content in all BSs jointly is not convex in general. However, we show that when BSs are deployed according to homogeneous Poisson point processes (PPP), independently for each type, we can formulate the problem as a convex problem. We give the optimal solution to the joint problem for PPP de…
We consider the problem of video caching across a set of 5G small-cell base stations (SBS) connected to each other over a high-capacity short-delay back-haul link, and linked to a remote server over a long-delay connection. Even though the problem of minimizing the overall video delivery delay is NP-hard, the Collaborative Caching Algorithm (CCA) that we present can efficiently compute a solution close to the optimal, where the degree of sub-optimality depends on the worst case video-to-cache size ratio. The algorithm is naturally amenable to distributed implementation that requires zero expli…
We present PCach, a smartphone-based approach for relieving the congestion in cellular network resulting from the exponential growth in mobile data traffic. The basic idea underlying PCach is simple: use WiFi to proactively cache content on the smartphone's memory, which otherwise would have been delivered through the cellular network. However, it leads to several challenging questions, including how much mobile data actually flows through cellular networks, how much data can be pre-cached, and when and what to pre-cache. We address these questions progressively using a thorough analysis of us…
Edge caching is being explored as a promising technology to alleviate the network burden of cellular networks by separating the computing functionalities away from cellular base stations. However, the service capability of existing caching scheme is limited by fixed edge infrastructure when facing the uncertainties of users' requests and locations. The vehicular caching, which uses the moving vehicles as cache carriers, is regard as an efficient method to solve the problem above. This paper studies the effectiveness of vehicular caching scheme in content centric networks by developing optimiza…
Recent exponential growth of data over cellular networks has cause the progression from conventional mobile communication networks to heterogeneous cellular networks (HetNets). Quality of experience (QoE)-aware traffic load balancing in such dense HetNets is considered a major problem. Current HetNets exploit reactive load balancing schemes that hinder in achieving desired QoE gain. In this paper, we propose a novel proactive load balancing framework which leverages content caching and mobility prediction to improve user QoE. We use Semi-Markov model to predict users' future cells and a novel …
Caching at mobile devices and leveraging device- to-device (D2D) communication are two promising approaches to support massive content delivery over wireless networks. The analysis of cache-enabled wireless networks is usually carried out by assuming that devices are uniformly distributed, however, in social networks, mobile devices are intrinsically grouped into disjoint clusters. In this regards, this paper proposes a spatiotemporal mathematical model that tracks the service requests arrivals and account for the clustered devices geometry. Two kinds of devices are assumed, particularly, cont…
To meet the increasing demands of next-generation cellular networks (e.g., 6G), advanced networking technologies must be incorporated. On one hand, the Fog Radio Access Network (F-RAN), has been proposed as an enhancement to the Cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN). On the other hand, efficient network architectures, such as Named Data Networking (NDN), have been recognized as prominent Future Internet candidates. Nevertheless, the interplay between F-RAN and NDN warrants further investigation. In this paper, we propose an NDN-enabled F-RAN architecture featuring a strategy for distributed in-ne…
Next-generation communication networks are envisioned to extensively utilize storage-enabled caching units to alleviate unfavorable surges of data traffic by pro-actively storing anticipated highly popular contents across geographically distributed storage devices during off-peak periods. This resource pre-allocation is envisioned not only to improve network efficiency, but also to increase user satisfaction. In this context, the present paper designs optimal caching schemes for \textit{distributed caching} scenarios. In particular, we look at networks where a central node (base station) commu…
We consider caching in cellular networks in which each base station is equipped with a cache that can store a limited number of files. The popularity of the files is known and the goal is to place files in the caches such that the probability that a user at an arbitrary location in the plane will find the file that she requires in one of the covering caches is maximized. We develop distributed asynchronous algorithms for deciding which contents to store in which cache. Such cooperative algorithms require communication only between caches with overlapping coverage areas and can operate in async…
This paper focuses on edge caching in dense heterogeneous cellular networks (HetNets), in which small base stations (SBSs) with limited cache size store the popular contents, and massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) aided macro base stations provide wireless self-backhaul when SBSs require the non-cached contents. Our aim is to address the effects of cell load and hit probability on the successful content delivery (SCD), and present the minimum required base station density for avoiding the access overload in an arbitrary small cell and backhaul overload in an arbitrary macrocell. The…
We consider a dense cellular network, in which a limited-size cache is available at every base station (BS). Coordinating content allocation across the different caches can lead to significant performance gains, but is a difficult problem even when full information about the network and the request process is available. In this paper we present qLRU-$Δ$, a general-purpose dynamic caching policy that can be tailored to optimize different performance metrics also in presence of coordinated multipoint transmission techniques. The policy requires neither direct communication among BSs, nor a prior…
In device-to-device (D2D)-enabled caching cellular networks, the user terminals (UTs) collaboratively store and share a large volume of popular contents from the base station (BS) for traffic offloading and delivery delay reduction. In this article, the multi-winner auction based caching placement in D2D-enabled caching cellular networks is investigated for UT edge caching incentive and content caching redundancy reduction. Firstly, a multi-winner once auction for UT edge caching is modeled which auctions multiple contents for multiple UTs. Then the optimization problem for content caching rev…
Proactive wireless caching and device to device (D2D) communication have emerged as promising techniques for enhancing users' quality of service and network performance. In this paper, we propose a new architecture for D2D caching with inter-cluster cooperation. We study a cellular network in which users cache popular files and share them with other users either in their proximity via D2D communication or with remote users using cellular transmission. We characterize the network average delay per request from a queuing perspective. Specifically, we formulate the delay minimization problem and …
The fifth generation (5G) wireless network technology is to be standardized by 2020, where main goals are to improve capacity, reliability, and energy efficiency, while reducing latency and massively increasing connection density. An integral part of 5G is the capability to transmit touch perception type real-time communication empowered by applicable robotics and haptics equipment at the network edge. In this regard, we need drastic changes in network architecture including core and radio access network (RAN) for achieving end-to-end latency on the order of 1 ms. In this paper, we present a d…
With the extensive acquisition of various mobile applications, cellular networks are facing challenges due to exponentially growing demand for high data rate, which causes a great burden on mobile core networks and backhaul links. Cache-enabled Device-to-Device (D2D) communication, which is recognized as one of the key enablers of the fifth generation (5G) cellular network, is a promising solution to alleviate this problem. However, conventional half-duplex (HD) communication may not be sufficient to provide fast enough content delivery over D2D links in order to meet strict latency targets of…
University of Minnesota（明尼苏达大学）；Bosch Center for Artificial Intelligence（博世人工智能中心）
With the tremendous growth of data traffic over wired and wireless networks along with the increasing number of rich-media applications, caching is envisioned to play a critical role in next-generation networks. To intelligently prefetch and store contents, a cache node should be able to learn what and when to cache. Considering the geographical and temporal content popularity dynamics, the limited available storage at cache nodes, as well as the interactive in uence of caching decisions in networked caching settings, developing effective caching policies is practically challenging. In respons…
This paper investigates a cellular edge caching problem under a very large number of small base stations (SBSs) and users. In this ultra-dense edge caching network (UDCN), conventional caching algorithms are inapplicable as their complexity increases with the number of small base stations (SBSs). Furthermore, the performance of UDCN is highly sensitive to the dynamics of user demand and inter-SBS interference. To overcome such difficulties, we propose a distributed caching algorithm under a stochastic geometric network model, as well as a spatio-temporal user demand model that characterizes th…
Large urban communication networks such as smart cities are an ecosystem of devices and services cooperating to address multiple issues that greatly benefit end users, cities and the environment. LinkNYC is a first-of-its-kind urban communications network aiming to replace all payphones in the five boroughs of New York City (NYC) with kiosk-like structures providing free public Wi-Fi. We consolidate these networks with standalone edge cloud devices known as cloudlets and introduce geographically distributed content delivery cloudlets (CDCs) to store popular Internet content closer to end users…
With an ever increasing demand for the delivery of internet video service, the service providers are facing a huge challenge to deliver ultra-HD (2k/4k) video at sub-second latency. The multi-access edge computing (MEC) platform actually helps in achieving this objective by caching popular contents at the edge of cellular network. This not only reduces the delivery latency, but also the load and the cost of the backhaul links. However, MEC platforms are afflicted by constrained resources in terms of storage and processing capabilities; and centralized caching of contents may nullify the advant…
What frequency bandwidth to run cellular network in a given country? - a downlink dimensioning problem
我们提出了一种分析方法的频率带宽尺寸的问题，所面临的蜂窝网络运营商部署/升级他们的网络在不同的地理区域（国家）与不均匀的城市化。我们提出了一个模型，允许一个捕捉用户的服务质量参数（平均下行链路吞吐量），流量需求，基站部署的密度，和可用的频率带宽之间的基本关系。这些关系取决于所应用的蜂窝技术（影响用户峰值比特率的3G或4G）和在不同（城市、郊区和农村）区域中观察到的路径损耗特性。我们观察到，如果基站之间的距离保持与路径损失函数的距离系数成反比，则当服务于相同的（每个小区）业务需求时，这些不同区域的典型小区的性能是相似的。在这种情况下，可以应用[Blaszczyszyn et al.WiOpt2014] http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/WIOPT.2014.6850355中提出的平均小区方法在全国范围内统一解决频率带宽尺寸确定问题。我们验证我们的方法，通过比较分析结果，在不同国家的不同地理区域的运营网络中的测量。
With a sponsored content scheme in a wireless network, a sponsored content service provider can pay to a network operator on behalf of the mobile users/subscribers to lower down the network subscription fees at the reasonable cost in terms of receiving some amount of advertisements. As such, content providers, network operators and mobile users are all actively motivated to participate in the sponsored content ecosystem. Meanwhile, in 5G cellular networks, caching technique is employed to improve content service quality, which stores potentially popular contents on edge networks nodes to serve…
