IP Library Granted Patent US 12,549,511
Granted Patent B2
US 12,549,511 · App. 18/441,598 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Content delivery system using embedded requester information

Inventor: Kevin Johns (Erie, CO)
Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
H04L61/4511H04L61/4552H04L61/5007H04L67/1001H04L67/568
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,549,511
App. No.
18/441,598
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A DNS resolution request for a hostname of a CDN is received. An edge server of the CDN may be identified, which may be associated with a subnet. The subnet is used to generate a response IP address, where the remaining bits of the response IP address may be used to store requestor information (e.g., a requestor IP address). When a client computing device uses the response IP address to access the edge server, requestor information is extracted and associated with client computing device information (e.g., an IP address and/or location, etc.) in an association record. Association records may be used to determine predicted characteristics for devices served by a requestor. When the authoritative DNS server resolves a request from the requestor, such predicted characteristics may be used rather than relying solely on information about a requestor. Thus, an edge server proximate to the predicted location may be returned instead.

Claims (34)

1 . A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory, operatively connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform a set of operations, the set of operations comprising:

receiving a request to resolve a hostname of a network, the request comprising a source Internet Protocol (IP) address of a requestor;

determining an edge server of the network, wherein the edge server is associated with an IP address subnet;

generating, based on the IP address subnet of the edge server, a response IP address comprising requestor information, the requestor information comprising an indication of the source IP address of the requestor; and

providing a response to the request to resolve the hostname, wherein a payload of the response comprises the generated response IP address.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the generated response IP address is an IPv6 address;

the source IP address of the requestor is an IPV4 address; and

the indication of the source IP address is a full representation of the IPV4 address.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the generated response IP address is an IPV6 address;

the source IP address of the requestor is an IPv6 address; and

the indication of the source IP address is a subset of bits of the IPV6 address of the source IP address.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the IP address subnet of the edge server is in a most significant set of bits of the generated response IP address and the requestor information is in a least significant set of bits of the generated response IP address.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the requestor is an intermediate Domain Name System (DNS) server.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the edge server of the network comprises evaluating a location associated with the requestor.

7 . A method for embedding requestor information in a Domain Name System (DNS) resolution request, the method comprising:

receiving a request to resolve a hostname of a network, the request comprising a source Internet Protocol (IP) address of a requestor;

determining an edge server of the network, wherein the edge server is associated with an IP address subnet;

generating, based on the IP address subnet of the edge server, a response IP address comprising requestor information, the requestor information comprising an indication of the source IP address of the requestor; and

providing a response to the request to resolve the hostname, wherein a payload of the response comprises the generated response IP address.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the generated response IP address is an IPV6 address;

the source IP address of the requestor is an IPV4 address; and

the indication of the source IP address is a full representation of the IPV4 address.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the generated response IP address is an IPV6 address;

the source IP address of the requestor is an IPV6 address; and

the indication of the source IP address is a subset of bits of the IPV6 address of the source IP address.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the IP address subnet of the edge server is in a most significant set of bits of the generated response IP address and the requestor information is in a least significant set of bits of the generated response IP address.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the requestor is an intermediate Domain Name System (DNS) server.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the edge server of the network comprises evaluating a location associated with the requestor.

Assignments (3)
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (SECOND LIEN) Recorded Nov 4, 2024
From: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; GLOBAL CROSSING TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069295/0749 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (FIRST LIEN) Recorded Nov 4, 2024
From: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; GLOBAL CROSSING TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069295/0858 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2024
From: JOHNS, KEVIN
To: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 066500/0868 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 18114265 · Feb 26, 2023
Continuation 17533161 · Nov 23, 2021
Continuation 16867759 · May 6, 2020
Provisional Application 62955596 · Dec 31, 2019
Related Publication 20240187373A1 · Jun 6, 2024
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