Method and apparatus for wireless distribution of a file using ad-hoc wireless networks

• US 20060039304A1
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Singer, Howard, Sadan, Yariv, Popkin, Laird
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1065 Discovery involving distributed pre-established resource-based relationships among peers, e.g. based on distributed hash tables [DHT] pre-configuration of logical or physical connections H04L67/1053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A method and apparatus for distributing a media content file wherein a file is received in a node. The received file is then shared with a recognized neighbor node. Once the file is provided by a distributor node to a neighbor node, the distributor node claims an incentive for sharing the file with the neighbor node.

Claims

1. A method for wireless electronic media file distribution comprising:

receiving a file to promulgate;

recognizing a neighbor node;

providing the file to the neighbor node; and

claiming an incentive for providing the file.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the file to the neighbor node comprises:

determining if the neighbor node is servicing an independent user; and

providing the file to the neighbor node when the neighbor node is servicing an independent user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the file to the neighbor node comprises:

providing the file to the neighbor node;

providing a temporary digital rights certificate to the neighbor node; and

providing a provider identifier to the neighbor node.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the file to the neighbor node comprises:

providing the file to the neighbor node;

providing a temporary digital rights certificate to the neighbor node; and

receiving a user identifier from the neighbor node.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the file to the neighbor node comprises:

receiving a user identifier from the neighbor node;

determining if the user identifier is affiliated with a particular group; and

directing the file to the neighbor node when the user identifier is affiliated with a particular group.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the file to the neighbor node comprises:

providing the file to the neighbor node;

receiving a user identifier from the neighbor node;

determining if the user identifier is affiliated with a particular group;

determining a price for the file according to a particular group rate when the user identifier is affiliated with a particular group.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the file to the neighbor node comprises:

providing a portion of the file to the neighbor node;

receiving a user identifier from the neighbor node;

providing a further portion of the file to the neighbor node; and

providing a digital rights certificate to the neighbor node.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the file to the neighbor node comprises:

providing a portion of the file to the neighbor node;

receiving from the neighbor node a request for a further portion of the file;

providing a further portion of the file to the neighbor node; and

providing a temporary digital rights certificate to the neighbor node.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the file to the neighbor node comprises:

providing a portion of the file to the neighbor node;

providing a purchase price to the neighbor node;

receiving a user identifier from the neighbor node;

providing a further portion of the file to the neighbor node; and

providing a digital rights certificate to the neighbor node.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein claiming an incentive comprises:

directing to a purchase manager a user identifier for a node that received a file; and

directing a provider identifier to the purchase manager.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising directing a file identifier to the purchase manager.

12. A wireless file distribution device comprising:

processor capable of executing an instruction sequence;

wireless interface capable of interacting with a wireless network;

memory capable of storing a file cache and one or more instruction sequences including;

peer-to-peer module that, when executed by the processor, minimally causes the processor to;

recognize a neighbor node; and

establish a first connection with a second wireless file distribution device and second connection with a recognized neighbor node using the wireless interface;

file reception module that, when executed by the processor, minimally causes the processor to receive a file into the memory by means of a first communications connection;

conveyance module that, when executed by the processor, minimally causes the processor to;

convey to the second connection a portion of the file received into the memory; and

create a file-provided record in the memory that reflects the conveyance of the file to the second connection; and

incentive module that, when executed by the processor, minimally causes the processor to;

generate an incentive request according to the file-provided record stored in the memory; and

convey the incentive request to a purchase manager using the wireless interface.

13. The wireless file distribution device of claim 12 wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to provide a file by minimally causing the processor to:

convey a file identifier to the second connection; and

receive by way of the second connection an indicator reflecting the storage of the file in the neighbor node; and

convey to the second connection a portion of the file received into the memory when the received indicator indicates that the neighbor node does not have stored therein the file associated with the file identifier.

14. The wireless file distribution device of claim 12 wherein the file reception module further minimally causes the processor to receive into the memory by way of the first connection a temporary digital rights certificate and wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to provide a file by minimally causing the processor to:

convey from the memory to the second connection a portion of the file;

convey from the memory to the second connection the temporary digital rights certificate; and

convey to the secdond connection a provider identifier.

15. The wireless file distribution device of claim 12 wherein the file reception module further minimally causes the processor to receive into the memory by way of the first connection a temporary digital rights certificate and wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to provide a file by minimally causing the processor to:

convey from the memory to the established connection a portion of the file;

convey from the memory to the established connection the temporary digital rights certificate; and

receive into the memory a user identifier by way of the established connection.

16. The wireless file distribution device of claim 12 wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to provide a file by minimally causing the processor to:

receive into the memory a user identifier by way of the second connection;

convey from the memory to the second connection a portion of the file when the received user identifier is affiliated with a particular group.

17. The wireless file distribution device of claim 12 wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to provide a file by minimally causing the processor to:

receive into the memory a user identifier wherein the user identifier is received by way of the second connection;

convey from the memory to the seconde connection a portion of the file; and

establish a special sales price when the received user identifier is affiliated with a particular group.

18. The wireless file distribution device of claim 12 wherein the file reception module further minimally causes the processor to receive into the memory by way of the first connection a digital rights certificate and wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to provide a file by minimally causing the processor to:

convey from the memory to the second connection a first portion of the file;

receive into the memory a user identifier wherein the user identifier is received by way of the second connection;

convey from the memory to the second connection a further portion of the file; and

convey from the memory to the second connection the digital rights certificate.

19. The wireless file distribution device of claim 12 wherein the file reception module further minimally causes the processor to receive into the memory by way of the first connection a temporary digital rights certificate and wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to provide a file by minimally causing the processor to:

convey from the memory to the second connection a first portion of the file;

receive by way of the second connection a request for a further portion of the file;

convey from the memory to the second connection a further portion of the file; and

convey from the memory to the second connection the temporary digital rights certificate.

20. The wireless file distribution device of claim 12 wherein the file reception module further minimally causes the processor to receive into the memory by way of the first connection a digital rights certificate and wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to provide a file by minimally causing the processor to:

convey from the memory to the second connection a first portion of the file;

convey from the memory to the second connection a purchase price;

receive into the memory a user identifier wherein the user identifier is received by way of the second connection;

convey from the memory to the second connection a further portion of the file; and

convey from the memory to the second connection the digital rights certificate.

21. The wireless file distribution device of claim 12 wherein the incentive module causes the processor to generate an incentive request by minimally causing the processor to:

store in the memory a user identifier received from a neighbor node by means of the second connection; and

store in the memory a provider identifier wherein the provider identifier is stored in association with the user identifier.

22. The wireless file distribution device of claim 21 wherein the incentive module causes the processor to generate an incentive request by further minimally causing the processor to store a file identifier in association with the user identifier.