File Fragment Pricing in a Segmented File Sharing Network

• US 20110010258A1
• Filed: 07/13/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terrace Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lauridsen, Christina K., Peterson, Robert R., Patel, Sushma B., Chavez, Timothy R., DeLuca, Lisa Seacat, Salem, Loulwa F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,204,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• 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 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1082 involving incentive schemes

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for file fragment pricing in a segmented file sharing system. The mechanism allows peers to set a price for distributing a file through the file sharing system. A peer then becomes a file distributor on behalf of an original file provider. The original file provider may compensate the file distributor based on a compensation agreement. The peer'"'"'s client may be configured to download file fragments from file distributors, or the original file provider, based on preferences, such as price, peer rating, upload speed, or similarity. As a result, a peer may download a file for a price that is less than the original price from the original file provider. Thus, the mechanism provides an incentive for peers to participate in file sharing, which results in larger swarms.

Claims

1. A method in a peer-to-peer file sharing client for file sharing in a peer-to-peer file sharing network, the method comprising:

setting price information for a file to be shared in the peer-to-peer file sharing network;

determining file fragment price information for a plurality of file fragments that make up the file based on the price information;

responsive to receiving a request for a given file fragment within the plurality of file fragments from a requesting peer, uploading the given file fragment to the requesting peer; and

receiving compensation for uploading the given file fragment to the requesting peer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the file fragment price information comprises setting a flat fee price for each file fragment based on the price information of the file and a number of file fragments that make up the file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the file fragment price information comprises setting a price for each file fragment within the plurality of file fragments based on rarity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the compensation comprises at least one of a predetermined percentage of the file fragment price or reward points.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting download parameters for downloading a download file in the peer-to-peer file sharing network, wherein the download parameters comprise a maximum file price;

identifying one or more peers for file fragment download based on the download parameters;

requesting a selected file fragment from a selected peer within the one or more peers; and

receiving the selected file fragment from the selected peer for a price set by the selected peer for the selected file fragment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the download parameters comprise a ranked set of parameters including price, peer rating, upload speed, and similarity.

7. A method in an account management server for pricing in a peer-to-peer file sharing network, the method comprising:

establishing a compensation agreement with a distributor peer, wherein the distributor peer stores at least one file fragment for a file to be distributed;

responsive to the distributor peer uploading a given file fragment within the at least one file fragment for the file to be distributed to a participant peer in the peer-to-peer file sharing network, receiving price information for the given file fragment;

determining a compensation amount for the distributor peer based on the price information and the compensation agreement; and

assigning the compensation amount to the distributor peer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the compensation amount comprises at least one of a predetermined percentage of the file fragment price or a number of reward points.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining a compensation amount comprises determining whether the distributor peer reaches a compensation limit.

10. A computer program product comprising a computer recordable medium having a computer readable program recorded thereon, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

set price information for a file to be shared in a peer-to-peer file sharing network;

determine file fragment price information for a plurality of file fragments that make up the file based on the price information;

responsive to receiving a request for a given file fragment within the plurality of file fragments from a requesting peer, upload the given file fragment to the requesting peer; and

receive compensation for uploading the given file fragment to the requesting peer.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein determining the file fragment price information comprises setting a price for each file fragment within the plurality of file fragments based on rarity.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the compensation comprises at least one of a predetermined percentage of the file fragment price or reward points.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

set download parameters for downloading a download file in the peer-to-peer file sharing network, wherein the download parameters comprise a maximum file price;

identify one or more peers for file fragment download based on the download parameters;

request a selected file fragment from a selected peer within the one or more peers; and

receive the selected file fragment from the selected peer for a price set by the selected peer for the selected file fragment.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer readable program is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a data processing system and wherein the computer readable program was downloaded over a network from a remote data processing system.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer readable program is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a server data processing system and wherein the computer readable program is downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage medium with the remote system.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

set price information for a file to be shared in a peer-to-peer file sharing network;

determine file fragment price information for a plurality of file fragments that make up the file based on the price information;

responsive to receiving a request for a given file fragment within the plurality of file fragments from a requesting peer, upload the given file fragment to the requesting peer; and

receive compensation for uploading the given file fragment to the requesting peer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein determining the file fragment price information comprises setting a price for each file fragment within the plurality of file fragments based on rarity.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the compensation comprises at least one of a predetermined percentage of the file fragment price or reward points.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

set download parameters for downloading a download file in the peer-to-peer file sharing network, wherein the download parameters comprise a maximum file price;

identify one or more peers for file fragment download based on the download parameters;

request a selected file fragment from a selected peer within the one or more peers; and

receive the selected file fragment from the selected peer for a price set by the selected peer for the selected file fragment.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the download parameters comprise a ranked set of parameters including price, peer rating, upload speed, and similarity.