Using groups of user accounts to deliver content to electronic devices using local caching servers

Abstract

The described embodiments electronically deliver content (e.g., digitally-encoded files) to an electronic device using groups of accounts. In the described embodiments, a content provider obtains a public address of the electronic device and at least one account identifier for the electronic device from a request for the content received from the electronic device. Next, the content provider uses the public address to identify a local caching server (LCS) on a local area network (LAN) to which the electronic device is connected and uses the account identifier to determine that an account associated with the LCS is associated with a group of accounts with which an account for the electronic device is also associated. The content provider then provides a local address of the LCS to the electronic device, which uses the local address to obtain the content from the LCS via the LAN without accessing a content delivery network outside the LAN.