Patent · US Active

Method for efficient content distribution using a peer-to-peer networking infrastructure

US8688803B2 · kind B2 · utility

16Cited by
121References
42Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 26, 2004
Grant dateApr 1, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 20, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L67/34
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for efficiently distributing content by leveraging the use of a peer-to-peer network infrastructure. In a network of peers, a handful peers can receive content from centralized servers. These peers can then flood this content out to more clients who in turn can send the content along to others. Ultimately, a request for content can be fulfilled by locating the closest peer and obtaining the content from that peer. In one embodiment the method can be used to distribute content by creating content distribution groups of one or more client computing devices and redirecting requests for content from the server to the content distribution group. A further contemplated embodiment efficiently streams time sensitive data through the use of a spanning tree architecture of peer-to-peer clients. In yet another embodiment the present invention provides for more efficient use of bandwidth for shared residential broadband connections.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.