Peered Content Distribution

Abstract

A server/client media file distribution system is provided in which the server system is adapted to receive transmission requests from clients, status information from a network, and protocol information from each client. The server, based upon this information, adaptively transmits a given media file stored therein to one or more clients using the optimal transmission speed and/or network protocol based on the network status information and protocol information. Additionally, the present invention provides a looping file arrangement in which a plurality of clients can receive the same media file on multiple network channels, without the need to provide multiple copies of the same media file for each request of that file.

1 . (canceled) 
   
   
       2 . A method for transferring a file to a client, the method comprising:
 dividing the file into a set of data blocks;   distributing the data blocks to one or more servers accessible by the client;   receiving a request from the client for the file or for one or more data blocks corresponding to a portion of the file;   determining which servers are operational servers, wherein an operational server is a server capable of providing the file or providing one or more of the requested data blocks; and   directing the client to one or more of the operational servers from which the client may download the requested file or requested data blocks, wherein the client may reconstruct the file from the set of downloaded data blocks.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each data block includes file information and data block information. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein data block information includes information for processing the data block. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the data block includes a header and a payload. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the data block includes information for serializing the data block within the file. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising storing the data blocks on at least two servers, each server storing data blocks corresponding to at least a portion of the file. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein each of the servers stores the set of data blocks corresponding to the entirety of the file. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the servers are geographically diverse. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving includes using an Internet Protocol. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving includes using a Transmission Control Protocol. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving includes using a User Datagram Protocol. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining includes evaluating a status information for one or more servers. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the status information includes an online status. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the status information includes user request data. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the status information includes network overflow data. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining includes detecting a failure of a server. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining is performed by one or more network traffic directors. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining includes evaluating a status of a network used for receiving the request. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the status of the network includes a transmission speed of the client. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the status of the network includes network performance data. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the file is a media file. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the file or any of the data blocks is compressed. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 detecting that an operational server has failed, and   redirecting the client to an alternate operational server.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein directing includes providing the client with a database including a list of operational servers. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein directing includes directing the client to a server having a transmission speed that substantially matches the transmission speed of the client. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising encrypting the file or any data blocks. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising protecting the file or any data block using digital copy protection. 
   
   
       29 . A method for distributing a file to a plurality of clients, the method comprising:
 dividing the file into a set of data blocks;   storing the data blocks on one or more servers accessible by a client from plurality of clients;   receiving a request from the client for the file or for one or more data blocks corresponding to a portion of the file;   determining which servers are operational servers, wherein an operational server is a server capable of providing the file or providing one or more data blocks corresponding to a portion of the file;   directing the client to one or more of the operational servers; and,   transmitting one or more data blocks from one or more operational servers to any of the clients, wherein any of the clients may reconstruct the file from the received set of data blocks corresponding to the complete file.