System and method for providing content, applications, services and digital media to users in a peer-to-peer network

• US 20070237133A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Double Fusion Limited
• Original Assignee: Double Fusion Limited
• Inventors: Slough, Kelly, Simons, David, Woods, Steven, IIes, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/545,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20070237133A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1044 Group management mechanisms management of multicast group membership H04L12/185; reconfiguring of node membership in a computing system to eliminate errors G06F11/1425
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1048 Departure or maintenance mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1078 Resource delivery mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A device, a software product, and a method for obtaining content in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network are provided. A request is received for content from a device. For example, using a browser, a user at the device selects a hyperlink indicating content that can be obtained by the user. The content may include an application and a media file. For example, the content may be a movie, a song, a picture, a game, a software application, etc. The request includes information associated with the device. The information associated with the device is added to a collection, which is a group of devices connected in a P2P network that have received the selected content. A file is sent to the device using the P2P network. The file includes the content and programmed instructions to instantiate a management application at the device and to execute the first content at the device.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a processor, cause the processor to obtain content in a peer-to-peer network, the instructions comprising:

receiving a request for a first content, wherein the request includes information associated with the device;

adding the information associated with the device to a collection, wherein a collection is a group of devices connected in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network that have received the first content; and

sending a file to the device using the P2P network, wherein the file includes the first content and programmed instructions to

instantiate a management application at the device; and

execute the first content at the device.

2. A method of obtaining content in a peer-to-peer network, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a first content from a device, wherein the request includes information associated with the device;

adding the information associated with the device to a collection, wherein a collection is a group of devices connected in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network that have received the first content; and

sending a file to the device using the P2P network, wherein the file includes the first content and programmed instructions to

instantiate a management application at the device; and

execute the first content at the device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein instantiating the management application comprises installing the management application from the sent file at the device and executing the management application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the installed management application comprises a user interface application that identifies the first content to a user of the device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user interface application presents an interface to the user of the device from which the user can select the first content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first content executes after user selection of the first content from the interface.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the interface presents an identifier for a second content to the user of the device, wherein the user can select the second content.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, after the user selects the identifier for the second content from the interface, the method further comprises:

receiving a second request for the second content from the device;

adding the information associated with the device to a second collection, wherein the second collection is a second group of devices connected in the P2P network that have received the second content; and

sending a second file to the device using the P2P network, wherein the second file includes the second content;

wherein the programmed instructions further execute the second content at the device.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the first content comprises an application.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the application is selected from at least one of a video player, an audio player, a text viewer, a picture viewer, and a game player.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first content further comprises a media file.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the media file is selected from at least one of a video file, an audio file, a text file, a picture file, and a game file.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending a second file to the device using the P2P network, wherein the second file includes a second version of the first content.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending a second file to the device using the P2P network, the second file including identifiers for additional content, the identifiers presented to the user of the device in a user interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the identifiers for additional content are selected based on the first content.

16. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending a second file to the device using the P2P network, the second file including an advertisement.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the advertisement is selected based on the first content.

18. A device, the device comprising:

a computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising

receiving a request for a first content, wherein the request includes information associated with a device;

adding the information associated with the device to a collection, wherein a collection is a group of devices connected in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network that have received the first content; and

sending a file, wherein the file includes the first content and programmed instructions to

instantiate a management application at the device; and

execute the first content at the device;

a communication interface, the communication interface receiving the request from the device and sending the file to the device using the P2P network; and

a processor, the processor coupled to the communication interface and to the computer-readable medium and configured to execute the instructions.