System and method for circular link resolution with computable hash-based names in content-centric networks

1. A computer-executable method, the method comprising:

constructing a first portion of a linked object for sending content over a content-centric network, wherein the first portion includes one or more data items and a computable identifier for the linked object calculated based on the one or more data items;

deriving a unique name for the linked object based on the first portion of the linked object; and

constructing a second portion of the linked object, wherein the second portion includes at least the computable identifier and an external link that references a second linked object using a second unique name associated with the second linked object, wherein the second unique name is derived based on a first portion of the second linked object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computable identifier is obtained by computing a hash value over the one or more data items.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unique name associated with the linked object is a hash-based name obtained by applying a hash function to the first portion.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the hash function includes a cryptographic hash function.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion further comprises a component with a pre-determined value.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more data items include a name and a signing key.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second portion further includes a cryptographic signature obtained using the signing key.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second linked object includes a link that references the linked object using the unique name associated with the linked object, thereby facilitating a circular reference between the linked object and the second linked object.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein constructing the first portion of the linked object further comprises constructing the one or more data items from to-be-delivered content that includes at least one link to other content, and wherein constructing the one or more data items involves replacing the link to the other content with a predetermined pointer that points to the external link included in the second portion.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:

constructing a first portion of a linked object for sending content over a content-centric network, wherein the first portion includes one or more data items and a computable identifier calculated based on the one or more data items;

deriving a unique name for the linked object based on the first portion of the linked object; and

constructing a second portion of the linked object, wherein the second portion includes at least the computable identifier and an external link that references a second linked object using a second unique name associated with the second linked object, wherein the second unique name is derived based on a first portion of the second linked object.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the computable identifier is obtained by computing a hash value over the one or more data items.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the unique name associated with the linked object is a hash-based name obtained by applying a hash function to the first portion.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the hash function includes a cryptographic hash function.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the first portion further comprises a component with a pre-determined value.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the one or more data items include a name and a signing key.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the second portion further includes a cryptographic signature obtained using the signing key.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the second linked object includes a link that references the linked object using the unique name associated with the linked object, thereby facilitating a circular reference between the linked object and the second linked object.

18. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to the processor and storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

constructing a first portion of a linked object for sending content over a content-centric network, wherein the first portion includes one or more data items and a computable identifier calculated based on the one or more data items;

deriving a unique name for the linked object based on the first portion of the linked object; and

constructing a second portion of the linked object, wherein the second portion includes at least the computable identifier and an external link that references a second linked object using a second unique name associated with the second linked object, wherein the second unique name is derived based on a first portion of the second linked object.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the computable identifier is obtained by computing a hash value over the one or more data items.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the unique name associated with the linked object is a hash-based name obtained by applying a hash function to the first portion.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the hash function includes a cryptographic hash function.

22. The system of claim 18 , wherein the first portion further comprises a component with a pre-determined value.

23. The system of claim 18 , wherein the one or more data items include a name and a signing key.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the second portion further includes a cryptographic signature obtained using the signing key.

25. The system of claim 18 , wherein the second linked object includes a link that references the linked object using the unique name associated with the linked object, thereby facilitating a circular reference between the linked object and the second linked object.