US Patent 10298713 Distributed content discovery for in-network caching

Network caching performance can be improved by allowing users to discover distributed cache locations storing content of a central content server. Specifically, retrieving the content from a distributed cache proximately located to the user, rather than from the central content server, may allow for faster content delivery, while also consuming fewer network resources. Content can be associated with distributed cache locations storing that content by cache location tables, which may be maintained at intermediate network nodes, such as border routers and other devices positioned in-between end-users and central content servers. Upon receiving a query, the intermediate network nodes may determine whether the content requested by the query is associated with a cache location in the cache location table, and if so, provide the user with a query response identifying the associated cache location.