MEDIA FILE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20080289006A1
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yangaroo Inc
• Original Assignee: Yangaroo Inc
• Inventors: Hock, Wojtek, Heaven, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,122,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1063 Discovery through centralising entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1076 Resource dissemination mechanisms or network resource keeping policies for optimal resource availability in the overlay network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments

Abstract

A file distribution method and system for distributing media files to authorized recipients. The method and system exploit the advantages of peer-to-peer file distribution protocols, such as BitTorrent, while maintaining security and control over the file distribution. A server farm containing a plurality of servers is placed behind the security of a distribution system, preventing unauthorized client devices from accessing the media files stored on the server farm. Media files are fragmented and stored on each of the plurality of servers within the server farm. Each server on the server farm features at least one IP address and each server is pre-seeded with a complete copy of the fragmented media file. Fragments are distributed to requesting authorized clients in accordance with a peer-to-peer file distribution protocol.

Claims

1. A system for distributing a media file to a client over a computer network, the client having a download agent and being configured to request access to the media file over the computer network, the system comprising:

a distribution server for receiving the request from the client and for authenticating the client, wherein the distribution server is configured to provide the download agent with a torrent file associated with the media file provided the client has been authenticated;

a server farm containing a plurality of servers each having at least one IP address and each having been pre-seeded with a complete copy of the media file, which is stored on each of the servers; and

an access control module between the server farm and the computer network and configured to restrict access to the plurality of servers to download agents associated with clients authenticated by the distribution server,

wherein each of the plurality of servers includes a torrent application configured to receive a download request via its at least one IP address from the download agent and configured to transmit at least a fragment of the media file to the download agent in response to the download request.

2. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said distribution server is configured to receive the media file from a content provider over the computer network, and wherein said distribution server includes a pre-seeding module configured to distribute the media file to the plurality of servers within the server farm.

3. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said distribution server is configured to fragment the media file in accordance with a BitTorrent protocol to generate a plurality of fragments, and wherein the distribution server includes a pre-seeding module configured to transmit the plurality of fragments to the plurality of servers within the server farm.

4. The system claimed in claim 3, wherein the torrent application at each server is configured to receive and store the plurality of fragments, and wherein each of the plurality of servers includes a complete copy of the plurality of fragments.

5. The system claimed in claim 3, wherein said distribution server is configured to generate the torrent file during fragmentation of the media file, and wherein the torrent file contains information regarding the plurality of fragments of the media file.

6. The system claimed in claim 1, further comprising a tracker having an address and storing data regarding the IP addresses of the plurality of servers, wherein the torrent file includes data identifying the address of the tracker, and wherein the tracker is configured to receive an inquiry from the download agent regarding the media file and to respond to the inquiry by providing the download agent with said IP addresses.

7. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the download agent, the torrent file, and the torrent applications are configured to operate in accordance with a BitTorrent protocol.

8. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said distribution server includes an authentication component for verifying the identity of the client and the client'"'"'s inclusion in a distribution list associated with the media file, and wherein said authentication component is configured to generate authentication data for maintaining a session between said distribution server and the client, and wherein said authentication component is configured to supply said authentication data to said access control module.

9. The system claimed in claim 8, wherein said access control module is configured to authenticate the download request received from the download agent using said authentication data.

10. A method of distributing a media file to a client from a server farm via a computer network, the client having a download agent and being configured to request access to the media file over the computer network, the server farm containing a plurality of servers each having at least one IP address and each having a torrent application configured to receive a download request via its at least one IP address, the method comprising steps of:

pre-seeding each of the plurality of servers with a complete copy of the media file;

receiving the request for access from the client at a distribution server;

authenticating the client as an authorized client entitled to have access to the media file;

sending the download agent of the authorized client a torrent file associated with the media file if the client has been authenticated;

receiving a download request from the download agent through its at least IP address at one of the content servers; and

transmitting at least a fragment of the media file to the download agent in response to the download request.

11. The method claimed in claim 10, further including a step of receiving the media file from a content provider over the computer network prior to the step of pre-seeding.

12. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of pre-seeding includes fragmenting the media file in accordance with a BitTorrent protocol to generate a plurality of fragments and transmitting the plurality of fragments to the plurality of servers within the server farm.

13. The method claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of pre-seeding further includes receiving and storing the plurality of fragments at each of the plurality of servers, thereby providing each of the plurality of servers with a complete copy of the plurality of fragments.

14. The method claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of pre-seeding further includes a step of generating the torrent file, and wherein the torrent file contains information regarding the plurality of fragments of the media file.

15. The method claimed in claim 10, further including steps of providing a tracker with the IP addresses of the plurality of servers, receiving an inquiry to the tracker from the download agent regarding the media file, and responding to the inquiry by providing the download agent with the IP addresses from the tracker.

16. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the torrent file, the download agent, and the torrent applications are configured to operate in accordance with a BitTorrent protocol.

17. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein an access control module between the server farm and the computer network regulates access to the server farm, and wherein the step of receiving a download request includes the access control module verifying that the download agent sending the download request is associated with a client authenticated by the distribution server.

18. The method claimed in claim 17, wherein the step of authenticating includes generating authentication data for maintaining a session between the client and the distribution server, and supplying said authentication data to said access control module to perform said step of verifying.

19. A computer-readable medium containing computer-readable instructions for distributing a media file to a client from a server farm via a computer network, the client having a download agent and being configured to request access to the media file over the computer network, the server farm containing a plurality of servers each having at least one IP address and each having a torrent application configured to receive a download request via its at least one IP address, the computer readable instructions comprising:

instructions for pre-seeding each of the plurality of servers with a complete copy of the media file;

instructions for receiving the request for access from the client at a distribution server;

instructions for authenticating the client as an authorized client entitled to have access to the media file;

instructions for sending the download agent of the authorized client a torrent file associated with the media file if the client has been authenticated;

instructions for receiving a download request from the download agent through its at least IP address at one of the content servers; and

instructions for transmitting at least a fragment of the media file to the download agent in response to the download request.