System and methods of streamlining media files from a dispersed peer network to maintain quality of service
First Claim
1. A content distribution system supporting the transfer of a content file present on a plurality of peer computers to a recipient computer, said content distribution network comprising:
- a) a content catalog containing an identification of a content file and a plurality of location identifiers, wherein each location identifier includes an identification of a peer computer and of a named subunit of said content file; and
b) a control processor, coupled to said content catalog and coupleable through a network connection to a recipient computer, wherein said control processor, responsive to a request identifying said content file provided by said recipient computer, provides a content file manifest to said recipient computer, said content file manifest including said plurality of location identifiers;
whereby said recipient computer can retrieve and assemble corresponding named subunits of said content file from said peer computers to obtain said content file.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Media content, including content suitable for streaming, is distributed to and accessible over a communications network by computer nodes within a peer storage network of computer nodes hosting respective content stores. Discrete portions of a content file are multiply distributed to and persisted in a distributed set of the content stores existing within the storage network such that various content stores persist subsets of the content file portions. A computer node retrieves the discrete portions of the content file from the various distributed content stores, depending on node availability, the particular discrete portions there available, and node and network performance factors sufficient to maintain a minimum quality of service, thereby enabling streaming presentation of the content file on the requesting computer node.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A content distribution system supporting the transfer of a content file present on a plurality of peer computers to a recipient computer, said content distribution network comprising:
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a) a content catalog containing an identification of a content file and a plurality of location identifiers, wherein each location identifier includes an identification of a peer computer and of a named subunit of said content file; and b) a control processor, coupled to said content catalog and coupleable through a network connection to a recipient computer, wherein said control processor, responsive to a request identifying said content file provided by said recipient computer, provides a content file manifest to said recipient computer, said content file manifest including said plurality of location identifiers; whereby said recipient computer can retrieve and assemble corresponding named subunits of said content file from said peer computers to obtain said content file.
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2-19. -19. (canceled)
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20. A method of protecting distributed content accessible for use within a storage network of computer nodes hosting respective content stores, wherein the computer nodes are interconnected by a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) persisting portions of a content file in a plurality of content stores distributed within the storage network such that each content store stores a first subset of a set of the portions comprehensive of said content file; b) collecting, to a predetermined computer node, said set of the portions comprehensive of said content file from said plurality of content stores; and c) transiently storing a second subset of said set of the portions comprehensive of said content file by said predetermined computer node sufficient to enable streaming presentation of said content file. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of securing the storage of distributed content comprising the steps of:
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a) directing the distribution of a plurality of content segments, corresponding to a streaming media content file, across a multiplicity of distributed persistent data stores interconnected by a communications network for purposes of transporting said plurality of content segments; and b) enabling reconstruction of said streaming media content file by a coordinated transfer of said plurality of content segments to a defined computer system. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification