Method and device for distributing digital data in particular for a peer-to-peer network

• US 20050278389A1
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nassor, Eric, Maze, Frederic
• Granted Patent: US 8,463,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1834 implemented based on peer-to-peer networks, e.g. gnutella p2p communication protocols H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1844 Management specifically adapted to replicated file systems

Abstract

The method according to the invention is implemented in a telecommunications system comprising at least one server device (11, 13, 14) able to hold digital data and to receive at least one request (RQ) for supplying the holding server device and at least one client device (11 to 14) able to store a replica of the digital data of the holding server device and at least one replication server (11, 13 to 16) able to store a replica of the digital data of the holding server device to supply the digital data replica to the client device. The method comprises the step, executed in a data server at the time of the reception by it of a request to obtain digital data coming from a client, of creating, on the basis of predetermined information relating to the servers and/or to the clients, a replica of the requested digital data in said replication server device after the reception of the request for an indirect supply by a replication server. The method is particularly adapted to implementation in a P2P network.

Claims

1. A method of distributing digital data implemented in a telecommunications system comprising at least one server device able to hold digital data and to receive at least one request for supplying said digital data, at least one client device able to request the digital data of said holding server device and at least one replication server device able to store a replica of the digital data of said holding server device and to supply said digital data replica to said client device, comprising the following step, executed at the time of reception by a said holding server device of a request to obtain digital data coming from a said client device, of:

creating, in said holding server device, on the basis of predetermined information relating to said server and/or client devices, a replica of the requested digital data in said at least one replication server device after the reception of the request for an indirect supply by a said replication server device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein predetermined information also concerns said digital data requested and, in said creating step, the replica of the requested digital data is created according also to said digital data requested.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined information relating to said devices comprise at least one of the following items of information relating to the ability of the holding server device to fulfill the data server function:

a mean duration of connection to said telecommunications network of said holding server device;

a type of connection to said telecommunications network of said holding server device; and

an availability or not of at least one said replication server device.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined information relating to said devices comprise at least one of the following items of information relating to the ability of said replication server device to fulfill the data server function:

a mean duration of connection to said telecommunications network of said replication server device;

a type of connection to said telecommunications network of said replication server device; and

an availability or not of a storage space in said replication server device in order to store therein said digital data replica.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined information relating to said devices comprise at least one of the following items of information relating to the ability of said client device to in its turn fulfill the data server function:

a type of said client device;

a type of connection to said telecommunications network of said client device;

a mean duration of connection to said telecommunications network of said client device; and

an availability or not of a storage space in said client device in order to store therein said digital data requested.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined information relating to said digital data requested comprise at least one of the following items of information:

a number of subsequent potential requests for said digital data requested;

a sharing date for said digital data requested and/or a sharing date for a collection to which said digital data requested belong;

a number of users liable to wish to have access to said digital data requested; and

a size of said digital data requested.

7. A method according to claim 1, implemented in a telecommunications system comprising at least two replication server devices able to store replicas of digital data, comprising the following step of:

selecting one of said replication server devices in order to replicate therein said digital data requested, said selection being made on the basis of said predetermined information.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps, executed in a said holding server device when the latter receives a request coming from said client device, of:

detecting whether said request is a request to obtain digital data or a replica of digital data;

in the case of a request to obtain a replica of digital data, supplying said replica of digital data requested to said client device; and

in the case of a request to obtain digital data, deciding on the basis of said predetermined information on an optimum supply solution for said digital data requested of said client device, between a direct supply by said other server device and an indirect supply by a said replication server device possibly registered with said other holding server device.

13. An information processing device able to function as a holding server device and/or client device and/or replication server device in a telecommunications system, comprising means adapted to the implementation of the method according to claim 1.

14. An information storage means, storing a program implementing the method according to claim 1.

15. A computer program on a storage means, comprising one or more sequences of instructions which can be executed by computer and whose execution implements the method according to claim 1.

9. A device for distributing digital data incorporated in a distributed manner in a telecommunications system comprising at least one server device able to hold digital data and receive at least one request for supplying said digital data, at least one client device able to request said digital data of the holding server device and at least one replication server device able to store a replica of said digital data of said holding server device and to supply said digital data replica to said client device, comprising

creation means, incorporated in at least one said holding server device and activated at the time of reception by said holding server device of a request to obtain digital data, in order to create a replica of the requested digital data in said at least one replication server device after the reception of the request for an indirect supply by a said replication server device,

the creation being taken on the basis of predetermined information relating to said server and/or client devices.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein said predetermined information also concerns said digital data requested and said creation means create the replica according also to said digital data requested.

11. A device according to claim 9, incorporated in a distributed manner in a telecommunications system comprising at least two replication server devices able to store replicated digital data, further comprising

selection means, incorporated in at least one said holding server device in order to select one of said replication server devices, in order to replicate therein said digital data requested,

said selection being made on the basis of said predetermined information.

12. A device according to claim 9, further comprising the following means, incorporated in at least one said holding server device and activated when the latter receives a request coming from said client device:

detection means for detecting whether said request is a request to obtain digital data or a replica of digital data;

supply means for, in the case of a request to obtain a replica of digital data, directly supplying said replica of digital data requested to said client device; and

decision means for, in the case of a request to obtain digital data, deciding, on the basis of said predetermined information, on a solution of optimum supply of said digital data requested to said client device, between a direct supply by said other server device and an indirect supply by a said replication server device possibly registered with said other holding server device.