Method and System for Tunable Distribution of Content

Abstract

A method and system for tunable distribution of content are disclosed. Preferably, the content comprises digital rights and/or watermark information. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises receiving a request from a client. One or more content files related to the request and a user profile of a user are determined. One or more seeders are assigned to start the delivery of the one or more content files. The client is allowed to obtain a plurality of pieces of the one or more content files from the one or more seeders. At least one piece of the plurality of pieces of the one or more content files contains digital rights and/or watermark information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving a request from a client;   determining one or more content files related to the request and a user profile of a user operating the client;   assigning one or more seeders to start the delivery of the one or more content files; and   delivering a plurality of pieces of the one or more content files to the client from the one or more seeders,   wherein at least one piece of the plurality of pieces of the one or more content files contains digital rights information.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 saving the user profile; and 
 determining whether the user has authorization for the plurality of pieces of the one or more content files by using the user profile. 
 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 analyzing one or more of the user's interests, tendencies, preferences, favorite topics from the request; and   updating the user profile.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pieces of the one or more content files comprises a plurality of dynamic sectors and a plurality of static sectors and wherein each dynamic sector of the plurality of dynamic sectors corresponds to a static sector of the plurality of static sectors. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein each seeder comprises a content file that contains at least one of:
 a dynamic sector of the plurality of the dynamic sectors and   a static sector of the plurality of static sectors.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4  further comprising reconstructing the one or more content files by using the plurality of dynamic sectors and the plurality of static sectors. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more content files are multimedia files. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more seeders include a peer. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the request is authorized by using a proof of purchase of the one or more content files, wherein the authorization is by a management server. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the management server exclusively distributes the at least one piece of the plurality of pieces of the one or more content files. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein each dynamic sector of the plurality of dynamic sectors is filled with zero bits when delivered from an unauthorized seeder. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the dynamic sector filled with zero bits is substituted with the corresponding authorized dynamic sector, and   wherein the authorized dynamic sector is delivered from an authorized seeder.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of dynamic sectors is encoded. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising decoding the plurality of dynamic sectors to reconstruct the one or more content files. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more content files contain a codec to decode the plurality of dynamic sectors. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising tracing the delivery of the plurality of pieces of the one or more content files by using a tracking server. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16  further comprising reporting the status of the delivery of at least one piece of the plurality of pieces of the one or more content files when the delivery is commenced. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of dynamic sectors are distributed exclusively by a publisher server. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18 , wherein the publisher server determines the size of each dynamic sector of the plurality of dynamic sectors and the size of each static sector of the plurality of static sectors prior to distributing the one or more content files. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising dynamically assigning a new seeder or a peer during the delivery of the one or more content files.