Centralized selection of peers as media data sources in a dispersed peer network

• US 20090055506A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shipley, Glen Curtis, Stewart, Darin, Windheim, Brian L., Hudson, Michael D., Menon, Sudhir, Goschie, Mark W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,779,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/423 by fibrillation of films or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/625 derived from hydroxy-carboxylic acids, e.g. lactones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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 67/1063 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A hierarchical content distribution system includes a seeding server, a plurality of geographically distributed content platforms, and a distribution controller, all interconnected by a communications network. The seeding server initially receives content files for distribution to various content platforms that provide for the persistent storage of the content files. Each content platform includes a content file server responsive on-demand to requests for the transfer of content files. The distribution controller autonomously monitors the transfers of content files and selectively issues transfer directives to the content platforms to modify the distribution of content files among the content platforms. The content file servers respond to received transfer directives by issuing requests for the transfer of the directive identified content files, thereby conforming the specific distribution of content files to an optimal distribution pattern as determined by the distribution controller based on usage patterns.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A hierarchical content distribution system comprising:

a) a seeding server coupled to a communications network, said seeding server receiving content files for distribution;

b) a plurality of content platforms that are geographically distributed, interconnected by said communications network, and provide for the persistent storage of content files, each said content platform including a content file server responsive on-demand to received requests for the transfer of content files, wherein said content file server is further responsive to transfer directives for issuing requests for the transfer of content files; and

c) a distribution controller coupled to said communications network that autonomously monitors the transfers of content files, said distribution controller selectively issuing transfer directives to said plurality of content platforms to modify the distribution of content files among said plurality of content platforms.

21. The hierarchical content distribution system of claim 20 wherein said transfer directives provide for the alternative transfer of a predetermined content file from a subset of said seeding server and said plurality of content platforms determined by said distribution controller.

22. The hierarchical content distribution system of claim 21 wherein said plurality of content platforms report content file transfer performance information to said distribution controller and wherein said content file transfer performance information is utilized in determining the transfer directives issued by said distribution controller.

23. The hierarchical content distribution system of claim 20 wherein said distribution controller is responsive to performance information provided by said plurality of content platforms, wherein said distribution controller, responsive to a content request received from a first content platform for a predetermined content file, provides for the issuance of a transfer directive identifying a second content platform from which to transfer said predetermined content file, and wherein said transfer performance information is utilized by said distribution controller in selecting said second content platform.

24. The hierarchical content distribution system of claim 23 wherein said transfer performance information includes performance information specific to the processing capabilities of said second content platform and relative to the network transfer bandwidth between said first and second content platforms.

25. The hierarchical content distribution system of claim 24 wherein persistent connections are established between said distribution controller and said plurality of content platforms and wherein said transfer directives and said performance information is exchanged through said persistent connections.

26. The hierarchical content distribution system of claim 25 wherein said plurality of content platforms include primary distribution platforms and client distribution platforms and wherein said client distribution platforms provide for the issuance of requests for the transfer of content files.

27. The hierarchical content distribution system of claim 26 wherein said plurality of content platforms selectively participate in said hierarchical content distribution system and wherein said plurality of content distribution platforms establish persistent network connections with said distribution controller when participating in said hierarchical content distribution system.

28. A hierarchical content distribution system comprising:

a) a seeding server system coupled to a communications network and including a persistent seed data store providing for the storage of content files;

b) a distributed storage network, including a plurality of server systems, coupled to said communications network, said plurality of server systems including persistent distributed data stores providing for the storage of content files; and

c) a central server, including a location repository, coupled to said communications network, wherein said central server determines transfers of content files from said seeding server system to said plurality of server systems and between said plurality of server systems for persistent storage, wherein said central sever records location identifiers in said location repository for content files transferred to and between said plurality of server systems, and wherein said central server, responsive to requests for content files, issues control files providing location identifiers corresponding to the requested content files.

29. The hierarchical data distribution system of claim 28 wherein the selective determination of transfers of content files by said central server system is autonomously performed by said central server in anticipation of requests for content files, whereby the distribution of content files correlates to predicted demand.

30. The hierarchical data distribution system of claim 29 wherein said central server provides for multiple copies of said content files to be persistently stored by said plurality of server systems, wherein requests originate from said plurality of server systems, and wherein said multiple copies are predictively distributed throughout said distributed storage network to maintain a minimum quality of service by said plurality of server systems in retrieving said content files.