ACCESSING DATA IN A DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method, in a system in which a plurality of data items are distributed across a plurality of computers, the method comprising:
- at a first computer in the network,(a) receiving from a requesting computer in said network, a request, the request including a specific name of a particular data item, wherein the particular data item comprises a particular sequence of bits, and wherein the specific name of the particular data item is based at least in part on the data comprising the particular data item, the specific name of the particular data item having been determined, at least in part, using a given function of the particular sequence of bits, wherein two identical sequences of bits have the same name as determined using the given function; and
(b) causing said requesting computer to obtain at least a portion of said particular data item from a second computer in said network, said second computer being distinct from said first computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, in a system in which a plurality of data items are distributed across a plurality of computers, includes, at a first computer in the network, (a) receiving from a requesting computer in said network, a request, the request including a specific name of a particular data item, wherein the particular data item comprises a particular sequence of bits, and wherein the specific name of the particular data item is based at least in part on the data comprising the particular data item, the specific name of the particular data item having been determined, at least in part, using a given function of the particular sequence of bits, wherein two identical sequences of bits have the same name as determined using the given function; and (b) causing said requesting computer to obtain at least a portion of said particular data item from a second computer in said network, said second computer being distinct from said first computer.
105 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method, in a system in which a plurality of data items are distributed across a plurality of computers, the method comprising:
at a first computer in the network, (a) receiving from a requesting computer in said network, a request, the request including a specific name of a particular data item, wherein the particular data item comprises a particular sequence of bits, and wherein the specific name of the particular data item is based at least in part on the data comprising the particular data item, the specific name of the particular data item having been determined, at least in part, using a given function of the particular sequence of bits, wherein two identical sequences of bits have the same name as determined using the given function; and (b) causing said requesting computer to obtain at least a portion of said particular data item from a second computer in said network, said second computer being distinct from said first computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method, in a system in which a plurality of data items are distributed across a plurality of computers, the method comprising:
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(A) at a first computer in said network, (a) receiving from a requesting computer in said network, a request, the request including a specific name of a particular data item, wherein the specific name of the particular data item is based at least in part on the data comprising the particular data item, wherein the particular data item comprises a particular sequence of bits, and the specific name having been determined at least in part as a given function of at least some of the sequence of bits, wherein two identical sequences of bits will have the same name as determined using the given function; (b) identifying a second computer in said network, distinct from the first computer, that should have a copy of at least a part of the particular data item; and (B) causing said requesting computer to obtain at least a part of said particular data item from the second computer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method, in a system in which a plurality of data items are distributed across a plurality of computers, the method comprising:
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(A) at a first computer, (a) receiving from a requesting computer in said network, a request, the request including a specific name of a certain data item, wherein the particular data item comprises a particular sequence of bits, and wherein the specific name of the certain data item is based at least in part on the particular sequence of bits comprising the certain data item; (b) identifying a second computer in said P2P network that should have a copy of the certain data item, said second computer being distinct from the first computer; and (B) the second computer providing the certain data item to the requesting computer, wherein the certain data item may comprise a file, a portion of a file, a page in memory, a digital message, a portion of a digital message, a digital image, a portion of a digital image, a video signal, a portion of a video signal, an audio signal, a portion of an audio signal, a software product, a portion of a software product, a data item identifier, or a sequence of identifiers for components of a compound data item, and wherein the specific name of the certain data item is computed using an algorithm that applies a message digest function or a hash function to the particular sequence of bits comprising the contents of the data item. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification