Method and apparatus for facilitating distributed delivery of content across a computer network
First Claim
1. A method for receiving content at a client from one or more servers that can potentially provide the content, comprising:
- sending a request for the content to a directory server that stores information on where the content is possibly located;
in response to the request, receiving a response from the directory server which includes a list of candidate servers that can potentially provide the content;
sending a request to at least one candidate server from the list of candidate servers for the content; and
receiving the content from at least one candidate server.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates receiving content at a client from one or more servers that can potentially provide the content. The client starts by sending a request for the content to a directory server. In response to the request, the client receives a list of candidate servers that can potentially provide the content from the directory server. Once the client has received the list of candidate servers, the client sends a request to one or more of the candidate servers for the content, and subsequently receives the content from one or more of the candidate servers.
259 Citations
73 Claims
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1. A method for receiving content at a client from one or more servers that can potentially provide the content, comprising:
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sending a request for the content to a directory server that stores information on where the content is possibly located;
in response to the request, receiving a response from the directory server which includes a list of candidate servers that can potentially provide the content;
sending a request to at least one candidate server from the list of candidate servers for the content; and
receiving the content from at least one candidate server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for sending content to a client in a distributed manner, comprising:
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receiving a request for content from the client at a directory server;
sending a response to the client which includes a list of candidate servers that can potentially provide the content; and
adding the client to the list of candidate servers for the content so that the client can act as a server for the content for subsequent requests from other clients for the content. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for receiving content at a client from one or more servers that can potentially provide the content, the method comprising:
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sending a request for the content to a directory server that stores information on where the content is possibly located;
in response to the request, receiving a response from the directory server which includes a list of candidate servers that can potentially provide the content;
sending a request to at least one candidate server from the list of candidate servers for the content; and
receiving the content from at least one candidate server. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for sending content to a client in a distributed manner, comprising:
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receiving a request for content from the client at a directory server;
sending a response to the client which includes a list of candidate servers that can potentially provide the content; and
adding the client to the list of candidate servers for the content so that the client can act as a server for the content for subsequent requests from other clients for the content. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An apparatus for receiving content at a client from one or more servers that can potentially provide the content, comprising:
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a requesting mechanism configured to send a request for the content to a directory server that stores information on where the content is possibly located;
a receiving mechanism configured to receive a response from the directory server which includes a list of candidate servers that can potentially provide the content;
a secondary requesting mechanism configured to send a request to at least one candidate server from the list of candidate servers for the content; and
a secondary receiving mechanism configured to receive the content from at least one candidate server. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. An apparatus for sending content to a client in a distributed manner, comprising:
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a receiving mechanism configured to receive a request for content from the client at a directory server;
a sending mechanism configured to send a response to the client which includes a list of candidate servers that can potentially provide the content; and
a directory mechanism configured to add the client to the list of candidate servers for the content so that the client can act as a server for the content for subsequent requests from other clients for the content. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A means for receiving content at a client from one or more servers that can potentially provide the content, comprising:
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a sending means for sending a request for the content to a directory server the stores information on where the content is possibly located;
a receiving means for receiving a response from the directory server which includes a list of candidate servers that can potentially provide the content;
a secondary sending means for sending a request to at least one candidate server from the list of candidate servers for the content; and
a secondary receiving means for receiving the content from at least one candidate server.
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71. A means for sending content to a client in a distributed manner, comprising:
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a receiving means for receiving a request for content from the client at a directory server;
a sending means for sending a response to the client which includes a list of candidate servers that can potentially provide the content; and
an adding means for adding the client to the list of candidate servers for the content so that the client can act as a server for the content for subsequent requests from other clients for the content.
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72. An operating system containing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for receiving content at a client from one or more servers that can potentially provide the content, the method comprising:
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sending a request for the content to a directory server that stores information on where the content is possibly located;
in response to the request, receiving a response from the directory server which includes a list of candidate servers that can potentially provide the content;
sending a request to at least one candidate server from the list of candidate servers for the content; and
receiving the content from at least one candidate server.
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73. An operating system containing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for sending content to a client in a distributed manner, comprising:
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receiving a request for content from the client at a directory server;
sending a response to the client which includes a list of candidate servers that can potentially provide the content; and
adding the client to the list of candidate servers for the content so that the client can act as a server for the content for subsequent requests from other clients for the content.
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Specification