# How Amazon Delivers Content Faster Using Local Servers

> Amazon's 2016 patent describes a system for breaking down digital content into smaller pieces and storing them on servers located near users to speed up downloads and reduce network traffic.

- **Patent:** US 9332078
- **Original title:** Locality based content distribution
- **Owner:** Amazon Technologies Inc
- **Granted:** 2016
- **Status:** Active
- **Times cited:** 75
- **Field:** consumer_electronics, software, telecommunications, ecommerce, cloud_computing

## What it does

This patent explains how Amazon organizes its content distribution. First, they chop up digital content, like apps or videos, into smaller pieces called segments. They also set up a network of servers, dividing it into groups called subnetworks. Each subnetwork has its own servers, called content sources. Importantly, they register third-party devices as content providers and figure out which subnetwork they belong to. Then, they make sure all the content segments are available on servers within each subnetwork. When a user requests content, the system finds the closest subnetwork and tells the user where to get the specific content segments from servers in that local area, aiming to avoid sending data through too many network hops.

## What it does NOT cover

- Content distribution that does not break content into segments.
- Systems that do not organize servers into subnetworks.
- Content delivery where all content is stored on a single server or in a single location.
- Methods that do not register third-party devices as content providers.
- Distribution networks that do not consider the network locality of the client device when selecting a content source.

## The clever bit

The innovation lies in intelligently segmenting content and strategically placing those segments across a distributed network of servers, organized into local subnetworks. This ensures that content is always available from a 'nearby' source, minimizing delays and network congestion by avoiding unnecessary data routing.

## Real-world examples

1. Amazon Web Services (AWS) content delivery
2. Amazon Prime Video streaming
3. Amazon Appstore downloads
4. Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) in general

## Why it matters

This patent is a core piece of the infrastructure that allows large online services like Amazon to deliver content quickly and efficiently to millions of users worldwide. It's fundamental to how cloud computing and content delivery networks (CDNs) operate, ensuring that when you download an app or stream a video, the data comes from a server nearby, not from across the globe.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does How Amazon Delivers Content Faster Using Local Servers cover?

Amazon's 2016 patent describes a system for breaking down digital content into smaller pieces and storing them on servers located near users to speed up downloads and reduce network traffic.

### Who owns patent US 9332078?

Amazon Technologies Inc owns this patent, granted in 2016.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent is expected to expire on May 3, 2036, when the invention enters the public domain.

### What is patent US 9332078 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 75 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

This patent is a core piece of the infrastructure that allows large online services like Amazon to deliver content quickly and efficiently to millions of users worldwide. It's fundamental to how cloud computing and content delivery networks (CDNs) operate, ensuring that when you download an app or stream a video, the data comes from a server nearby, not from across the globe.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Content distribution that does not break content into segments.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9332078/facebook-memories

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US9332078

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._