System and Method for Anonymous Addressing of Content on Network Peers and for Private Peer-to-Peer File Sharing

• US 20110035503A1
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sam Zaid
• Original Assignee: Sam Zaid
• Inventors: Zaid, Sam, Lem, Paul, Linscott, Gary, Becevello, Adam, Zaid, Tariq
• Granted Patent: US 9,112,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for efficient and private peer-to-peer file sharing consists of ascribing a uniquely identified and anonymous link (an “edgelink”) to any file or set of files on a peer computer. The link is registered with a publishing server along with continuously updated connectivity information about the peer without registering any identifying information about the file. A peer recipient is able to access the link, receive connectivity information about the publishing peer from the server, and then receive the file from the publishing peer without file content passing through the server, mediating any intermediary NAT devices without requiring any manual or automatic device reconfiguration.

Claims

1. A system for peer-to-peer file sharing comprising:

a. means for ascribing a uniquely identified and anonymous link to an at least one file on a peer computer;

b. means for registering said link with a publishing server that continuously and anonymously updates connectivity information about the peer;

c. means for a peer recipient to access the link;

d. means for receiving receive connectivity information about said publishing peer from the server;

e. means for receiving the file from the publishing peer without file content passing through the server; and

,

f. means for mediating any intermediary NAT devices without requiring any manual or automatic device reconfiguration.

3. The system of claim 1 further including a social network layer.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of security options that require peers to authenticate prior to the release of identifying connectivity information.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a swarming protocol to allow wide-scale distribution of published content and link syndication means for a peer to publish an automatically updated list of files that enables other users to subscribe to content feeds (streams) and get notified of changes and newly shared files.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for indexing, searching through, browsing and commenting on published links.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a policy engine to control access to published links.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a buddy list for allowing a user to maintain a contact list of friends, co-workers, and other contacts and to selectively send link to all or a specific subset of those contacts.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a Public-key Cryptography Scheme for uniquely identifying peers and securing P2P transfers at all points between publishing a link, subscribing to a link, and transferring files.

10. The system of claim 1, including means for publishing the content referenced by a link to a central server.

11. The system of claim 1, further including a version control system for keeping a history of changes to a published piece of content or file or set of files.

12. The system of claim 1, further including means for keeping an automatically versioned backup copy of files stored on a remote server.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of the following:

a. a group where users invite other users for the purposes of collaborating and group editing published content published;

b. means for version tracking and offline sharing;

c. an automated backup system;

d. a billing and transaction system for the sale of content to other users;

e. means for integration of various central media publishing systems;

f. a set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and a Software Development Kit (SDK) for allowing 3rd parties to develop applications that can link, store, and connect directly to content stored on a peer computer;

g. control means for real-time transport and media handling in order to support streaming content directly from a peer computer;

h. means for mobile and embedded peers;

i. means for the addition of a compaction scheme for links that deviates from standard URL like conventions in order to shorten the overall character length of the link; and

,

j. means for an obfuscation scheme to enhance content security and privacy.

2. A system for a private peer-to-peer file sharing network comprising:

a. means for integrating an external set of social graphs and building a plurality of private groups of individuals through an assembly or invitation process;

b. means for aggregating uniquely identified and anonymous links to files stored on peer nodes within said plurality of private groups;

c. means for a peer recipient to access the link and receive the file from a publishing peer without file content passing through the server; and

,

d. means for mediating any intermediary NAT devices without requiring any manual or automatic device reconfiguration.

14. A method for peer-to-peer file sharing comprising the following steps:

a. ascribing a uniquely identified and anonymous link to an at least one file on a peer computer;

b. registering said link with a publishing server that continuously and anonymously updates connectivity information about the peer;

c. permitting a peer recipient access the link;

d. receiving receive connectivity information about said peer from the server;

e. receiving the file from the publishing peer without file content passing through the server; and

,

f. mediating any intermediary NAT devices without requiring any manual or automatic device reconfiguration.

15. A method for a private peer-to-peer file sharing network comprising the following steps:

e. integrating an external set of social graphs and building a plurality of private groups of individuals through an assembly or invitation process;

f. aggregating uniquely identified and anonymous links to files stored on peer nodes within said plurality of private groups;

g. permitting a peer recipient access the link and receiving the file from a publishing peer without file content passing through the server; and

,

h. mediating any intermediary NAT devices without requiring any manual or automatic device reconfiguration.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of adding a social network layer.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of adding a plurality of security options that require peers to authenticate prior to the release of identifying connectivity information.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of adding a swarming protocol to allow wide-scale distribution of published content.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the addition of at least one of the following steps:

a. adding a link syndication capability for a peer to publish an automatically updated list of files that enables other users to subscribe to content feeds (streams) and get notified of changes and newly shared files;

b. indexing, searching through, browsing and commenting on published links;

c. adding a policy engine to control access to published links;

d. adding a buddy list for allowing a user to maintain a contact list of friends, co-workers, and other contacts and to selectively send link to all or a specific subset of those contacts;

e. adding a Public-key Cryptography Scheme for uniquely identifying peers and securing P2P transfers at all points between publishing a link, subscribing to a link, and transferring files;

f. adding means for publishing the content referenced by a link to a central server;

g. adding a version control system for keeping a history of changes to a published piece of content or file or set of files;

h. including means for keeping an automatically versioned backup copy of files stored on a remote server;

20. The method of claim 20, further comprising the addition of at least at least one of the following steps:

a. Adding a group where users invite other users for the purposes of collaborating and group editing published content published;

b. Adding means for version tracking and offline sharing;

c. Adding an automated backup system;

d. Adding a billing and transaction system for the sale of content to other users;

e. Adding means for integration of various central media publishing systems;

f. Adding a set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and a Software Development Kit (SDK) for allowing 3rd parties to develop applications that can link, store, and connect directly to content stored on a peer computer;

g. Adding control means for real-time transport and media handling in order to support streaming content directly from a peer computer;

h. Adding means for mobile and embedded peers;

i. Adding means for the addition of a compaction scheme for links that deviates from standard URL like conventions in order to shorten the overall character length of the link; and

,

j. Adding means for an obfuscation scheme to enhance content security and privacy.