Method for distributing large files to multiple recipients
First Claim
1. A method for distributing media files over a computer network, comprising:
- receiving at a server an electronic message that includes one or more recipients designated to receive said electronic message along with a specified media file;
identifying the specified media file;
searching a library of frequently transmitted media files to determine whether the specified media file exists in the library; and
if the specified media file exists in the library, transmitting a copy of the specified media file to said one or more recipients or, if the specified media file does not exist in the library, uploading the specified media file to a predetermined server and transmitting to said one or more recipients a copy of the specified media file from the predetermined server.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for distributing large files, such as media files (e.g., audio, video, and multimedia files), over a server or other file exchange platform. In some embodiments of the method, an electronic message having a file attached thereto is provided which designates a plurality of recipients. A single copy of the file is uploaded to a first server. Then, for each designated recipient, the file is transmitted from the first server to the designated recipient. In other embodiments, the attached file is resident on a remote server. The message is then sent to each recipient along with an identifier that uniquely identifies the file. For each recipient, when the message is opened, the file is sent from the first server to the recipient.
53 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for distributing media files over a computer network, comprising:
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receiving at a server an electronic message that includes one or more recipients designated to receive said electronic message along with a specified media file;
identifying the specified media file;
searching a library of frequently transmitted media files to determine whether the specified media file exists in the library; and
if the specified media file exists in the library, transmitting a copy of the specified media file to said one or more recipients or, if the specified media file does not exist in the library, uploading the specified media file to a predetermined server and transmitting to said one or more recipients a copy of the specified media file from the predetermined server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer readable media having encoded thereon a plurality of instructions causing a processor to:
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receiving at a server an electronic message that includes one or more recipients designated to receive said electronic message along with a specified media file;
identifying the specified media file;
searching a library of frequently transmitted media files to determine whether the specified media file exists in the library; and
if the specified media file exists in the library, transmitting a copy of the specified media file to said one or more recipients or, if the specified media file does not exist in the library, uploading the specified media file to a predetermined server and transmitting to said one or more recipients a copy of the specified media file from the predetermined server. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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15. A system for transferring media files from a sender to multiple recipients, comprising:
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a server associated with a first computer; and
an electronic messaging system adapted to operate over the server, said messaging system being adapted to generate electronic messages of a first type which have at least one media file attached thereto and which designate a plurality of recipients, said messaging system being further adapted, when an electronic message of said first type is sent from said first computer, to (a) identify the attached file, (b) search a library of frequently transmitted files to determine whether the attached file exists in the library, and (c) transmit, if the attached file exists in the library, a copy to said one or more recipients or, if the specified file does not exist in the library, upload the specified file to a predetermined server and transmit to said one or more recipients the specified file from the predetermined server.
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21. A method for distributing media files over a server, comprising:
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providing an electronic message designating a plurality of recipients, said electronic message having a media file attached thereto, said media file being resident on said server;
sending the electronic message sans media file to each recipient along with an identifier that uniquely identifies the media file; and
forwarding, for each recipient when the message is opened by said each recipient, the file from said server to the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification