METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING DATA

• US 20080016201A1
• Filed: 07/16/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Solid State Networks LLC
• Original Assignee: Solid State Networks LLC
• Inventors: Thompson, Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/778,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20080016201A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/34 ensuring sequence integrity, e.g. using sequence numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for a system for transferring data according to various aspects of the present invention operate in conjunction with a network configured to transfer data files among clients of the network. A client may receive a file from network, in multiple file segments from the multiple sources. The client may assemble the file segments into a proper sequence, and provide the assembled file to the file-using program.

Claims

1. A computer system configured to connect to a p2p network having multiple sources and utilize a file via a file-using program, comprising:

a processor having access to the p2p network; and

a memory responsive to the processor, wherein the memory stores a p2p communication program configured to cause the computer system to;

receive the file from the p2p network, wherein receiving the file comprises receiving multiple file segments from the multiple sources;

assemble the file segments into a proper sequence; and

provide the assembled file to the file-using program.

2. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the file-using program comprises a media player program.

3. A computer system according to claim 2, wherein the p2p communication program comprises a local server configured to provide the assembled file segments to the file-using program.

4. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the p2p communication program is further configured to request the file from the p2p network.

5. A computer system according to claim 4, wherein the p2p communication program is configured to request the file segments according to a playback sequence of the file segments.

6. A computer system according to claim 4, wherein the p2p communication program is configured to request the file segments according to a rarity of the file segments.

7. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein:

the file segments are BitTorrent file segments; and

the p2P communication program is configured to receive the file from a BitTorrent network.

8. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the p2p communication program comprises a browser plug-in.

9. A method for transferring a file via a p2p network connected to multiple sources for use by a file-using program, comprising:

receiving the file from the p2p network as multiple file segments from the multiple sources;

assembling the file segments into a proper sequence; and

providing the assembled file to the file-using program.

10. A method for transferring a data file according to claim 9, wherein the file-using program comprises a media player program.

11. A method for transferring a data file according to claim 10, wherein providing the assembled file comprises providing the assembled file via a local server to the media player program.

12. A method for transferring a data file according to claim 9, further comprising requesting the file segments from the p2p network.

13. A method for transferring a data file according to claim 12, wherein requesting the file segments comprises requesting the file segments according to a playback sequence of the file segments.

14. A method for transferring a data file according to claim 12, wherein requesting the file segments comprises requesting the file segments according to a rarity of the file segments.

15. A method for transferring a data file according to claim 12, wherein requesting the file segments comprises requesting the file segments in response to a web browser program.

16. A method for transferring a data file according to claim 9, wherein the file segments are torrent files, further comprising receiving the file segments from a BitTorrent network.

17. A method for transferring a data file according to claim 9, further comprising initiating a trthe p2p communication program comprises a browser plug-in.

18. A medium storing computer-executable instructions, wherein the instructions are configured to cause a computer configured to run a file-using program and connected to a p2p network having multiple resources to:

receive a file from the p2p network, wherein receiving the file comprises receiving multiple file segments from the multiple sources;

assemble the file segments into a proper sequence; and

provide the assembled file to the file-using program.

19. A medium according to claim 18, wherein the file-using program comprises a media player program.

20. A medium according to claim 19, wherein the p2p communication program comprises a local server configured to provide the assembled file segments to the file-using program.

21. A medium according to claim 18, wherein the p2p communication program is further configured to request the file from the p2p network.

22. A medium according to claim 21, wherein the p2p communication program is configured to request the file segments according to a playback sequence of the file segments.

23. A medium according to claim 21, wherein the p2p communication program is configured to request the file segments according to a rarity of the file segments.

24. A medium according to claim 18, wherein:

the file segments are BitTorrent file segments; and

the p2p communication program is configured to receive the file from a BitTorrent network.

25. A medium according to claim 18, wherein the p2p communication program comprises a browser plug-in.

26. A computer program configured to cause a computer configured to run a file-using program and connected to a p2p network having multiple resources to:

receive a file from the p2p network, wherein receiving the file comprises receiving multiple file segments from the multiple sources;

assemble the file segments into a proper sequence; and

provide the assembled file to the file-using program.

27. A computer program according to claim 26, wherein the file-using program comprises a media player program.

28. A computer program according to claim 27, wherein the p2p communication program comprises a local server configured to provide the assembled file segments to the file-using program.

29. A computer program according to claim 26, wherein the p2p communication program is further configured to request the file from the p2p network.

30. A computer program according to claim 29, wherein the p2p communication program is configured to request the file segment according to a playback sequence of the file segments.

31. A computer program according to claim 29, wherein the p2p communication program is configured to request the file segments according to a rarity of the file segments.

32. A computer program according to claim 26, wherein:

the file segments are BitTorrent file segments; and

the p2p communication program is configured to receive the file from a BitTorrent network.

33. A computer program according to claim 26, wherein the p2p communication program comprises a browser plug-in.