Method and apparatus for transferring files to clients using a peer-to-peer file transfer model and a client-server transfer model

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for delivering a content file to a client over a packet-switched network. The method begins by determining a suitable throughput required to deliver the content file to the client. Next, the throughput available in a peer-to-peer network for delivering the content file to the client is determined. The required throughput is compared to the available throughput. If the available throughput is less than the required throughput, the available throughput is supplemented with additional throughput. The content is then delivered to the client over the packet-switched network using the available throughput of the peer-to-peer network and the additional throughput.

1 . A method for delivering a content file to a client over a packet switched-network, comprising:
 in a server:
 determining a first throughput required to deliver said content file to said client and a second throughput available in a peer-to-peer network for delivering said content file to said client; 
 supplementing said second throughput available in said peer-to-peer network with a third throughput provided by a content delivery network, when said second throughput available in said peer-to-peer network is less than said first throughput required to deliver said content file to said client; and 
 delivering said content file to said client over said packet-switched network using a combination of said second throughput available in said peer-to-peer network and said third throughput provided by said content delivery network. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising supplementing said second throughput available in said peer-to-peer network with a fourth throughput provided by a backup peer server employed as a peer in said peer-to-peer network on an as-needed basis. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said backup peer server is configured to function as a seed client. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining said first throughput required to deliver said content file based on a delivery method to be employed for delivering said content file to said client. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said delivery method to be employed for delivering said content file to said client comprises one of: a streaming media method or a file downloading method. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering a first portion of said content file over said peer-to-peer network and a second portion of said content file over said content delivery network. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said peer-to-peer network operates based on a file transfer protocol, wherein said file transfer protocol comprises one of: BitTorrent, Kazaa, eDonkey, Gnutella, and Direct Connect. 
     
     
         8 . A method for delivering a content file to a client over a packet-switched network, comprising:
 in a server:
 determining a first throughput required to deliver said content file to said client and a second throughput available in a peer-to-peer network for delivering said content file to said client; 
 supplementing said second throughput available in said peer-to-peer network with a third throughput provided by a backup peer server, when said second throughput available in said peer-to-peer network is less than said first throughput required to deliver said content file to said client; 
 supplementing said second throughput available in said peer-to-peer network with a fourth throughput provided by a content delivery network, when a combination of said second throughput available in said peer-to-peer network and said third throughput provided by said backup peer server is less than said first throughput required to deliver said content file to said client; and 
 delivering said content file to said client over said packet-switched network using a combination of said second throughput available in said peer-to-peer network, said third throughput provided by said backup peer server, and said fourth throughput provided by said content delivery network. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said content delivery network employs a client-server protocol and is configured such that a central server delivers said content file to each client that requests said content file, wherein said client is configured to only communicate with said central server. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising delivering a first portion of said content file over said peer-to-peer network, a second portion of said content file over said backup peer server, and a remaining portion of said content file over said content delivery network. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said peer-to-peer network operates based on a file transfer protocol, wherein said file transfer protocol comprises one of: BitTorrent, Kazaa, eDonkey, Gnutella, and Direct Connect. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said backup peer server is configured to function as a seed client. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising determining said first throughput based on a delivery method to be employed for delivering said content file to said client. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said delivery method comprises one of: a streaming media method or a file downloading method. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising monitoring said first throughput required to deliver said content file to said client, said second throughput available in said peer-to-peer network, said third throughput provided by said backup peer server, and said fourth throughput provided by said content delivery network. 
     
     
         16 . A method for receiving a content file over a packet-switched network, comprising:
 in a client communicably coupled to a server:
 receiving said content file from said server over said packet-switched network using a first throughput available in said peer-to-peer network when said first throughput available in said peer-to-peer network is at least equal to or more than a second throughput required to deliver said content file to said client; and 
 receiving said content file from said server over said packet-switched network using said first throughput available in said peer-to-peer network supplemented with a third throughput when said first throughput available in said peer-to-peer network is less than said second throughput required to deliver said content file to said client, wherein said third throughput is provided by a content delivery network. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving a first portion of said content file from said server using said peer-to-peer network; and   receiving a remaining portion of said content file from said server using said content delivery network.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising receiving said content file from said server over said packet-switched network using said first throughput available in said peer-to-peer network further supplemented with a fourth throughput when said first throughput supplemented with said third throughput is less than said second throughput required to deliver said content file to said client, wherein said fourth throughput is provided by a backup peer server. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 receiving a first portion of said content file from said server using said peer-to-peer network;   receiving a second portion of said content file from said server using said content delivery network; and   receiving a remaining portion of said content file from said server using said backup peer server.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said content file comprises one or more of: an application program, a data file, an audio file, a video file, a multimedia file, an operating system component, a software driver, a software update, and a software product associated with a consumer electronic device.