System and method for searching peer-to-peer computer networks by selecting a computer based on at least a number of files shared by the computer

• US 7,089,301 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2000
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moon Glow, Series 82 of Allied Security Trust I (Allied Security Trust)
• Original Assignee: Napster Incorporated (MelodyVR Group Plc)
• Inventors: Manku, Gurmeet Singh, Liu, Winston Wencheng, Nguyen, Giao Thanh, Labio, Wilburt Juan
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Oanh
• Application Number:
  US09/635,777
• Time in Patent Office: 2,188 Days
• Field of Search: 709/105, 709/203, 709/222, 709223-225, 709/226, 709216-219, 709/229, 709238-240, 709/241, 709/232
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1834 implemented based on peer-to-peer networks, e.g. gnutella p2p communication protocols H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• 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 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1072 Discovery involving ranked list compilation of candidate peers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method and system for intelligently directing a search of a peer-to-peer network, in which a user performing a search is assisted in choosing a host which is likely to return fast, favorable results to the user. A host monitor monitors the peer-to-peer network and collects data on various characteristics of the hosts which make up the network. Thereafter, a host selector ranks the hosts using the data, and passes this information to the user. The user then selects one or more of the highly-ranked hosts as an entry point into the network. Additionally, a cache may collect a list of hosts based on the content on the hosts. In this way, a user may choose to connect to a host which is known to contain information relevant to the user'"'"'s search. The host selector may be used to select from among the hosts listed in the cache.

Claims

1. A method for searching a peer-to-peer computer network, comprising:

monitoring and periodically collecting data about a plurality of computers within the peer-to-peer network, the collecting including a network location of each of the plurality of computers and being independent of a user search query, the collecting further including,

sending a signal to at least one of the plurality computers;

receiving the signal upon its return from the at least one computer; and

forming a profile characterizing the at least one computer based on information provided by the signal, the profile comprising information on a number of files contained within the at least one computer and one or more of;

a round trip time measure taken by the signal during its travel to and from the at least one computer;

information on an amount of content available to the network on the at least one computer;

information on the at least one computer'"'"'s capability to process a search query;

information on a number of connected computers encountered by the signal during its travel to and from the at least one computer;

information on a number of additional computers connected to the at least one computer

information on a frequency with which the plurality of computers are connected to the network; and

information on which of the plurality of computers are currently connected to the network;

selecting at least one computer to be a selected computer, based on the collected data; and

routing a search query from a user to the selected computer via the network location of the selected computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting of data about the plurality of computers within the peer-to-peer network further comprises monitoring data exchanges between the plurality of computers.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the collected data in a memory, wherein at least a portion of the collected data is content data which includes information on the content data available for searching on the plurality of computers.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising storing a portion of the content data based on previous user requests.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising monitoring a current connectivity status of each of the plurality of computers.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

collecting a plurality of statistical measures which characterize each of the plurality of computers;

assigning a weighted score to each statistical measure for each of the plurality of computers;

combining the weighted scores to obtain a rank for each of the plurality of computers;

ranking the plurality of computers according to the weighted scores; and

selecting the selected computer based on the content data, the current connectivity status and the ranking of the plurality of computers within the peer-to-peer network.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising storing a portion of the content data which identifies a type of file available for searching on the plurality of computers, wherein the selected computer is selected based in part on the type of file.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a second selected computer based on the collected data and routing the search query from the user to the second selected computer after a selective one of a predetermined period of time and a user request.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending of a signal to at least one of the plurality of computers further comprises sending the signal to a plurality of geographical locations, wherein the geographical locations are selected based on a respective proximity of each of the plurality of geographical locations to the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting of data about a plurality of computers within the peer-to-peer network further comprises:

collecting data about a predetermined number of the plurality of computers at a first predetermined time interval;

ranking the predetermined number of the plurality of computers based on the collected data;

retaining a set of hub computers which make up a predetermined percentage of the plurality of computers that are most highly ranked; and

collecting data about only the set of hub computers at a second predetermined time interval, wherein the second predetermined time interval is smaller than the first predetermined time interval.

11. A system by which a user may establish an optimal connection to a peer-to-peer computer network, comprising:

a monitor for measuring data about a plurality of computers within the peer-to-peer network, the monitor including,

a profiler which periodically collects the measured data by sending a signal to at least one of the plurality of computers and receiving the signal therefrom, to thereby form a profile of the at least one of the plurality of computers, the profile comprising information on an amount of content available to the network on the at least one computer and one or more of;

a round trip time measure taken by the signal during its travel to and from the at least one computer;

information on a number of files contained within the at least one computer;

information of the at least one computer'"'"'s capability to process a search query;

information on a number of connected computers encountered by the signal during its travel to and from the at least one computer;

information on a number of additional computers connected to the at least one computer;

information on a frequency with which the at least one computer is connected to the network; and

information on which of the plurality of computers are currently connected to the network; and

a database which stores the data collected by the profiler; and

a selector for selecting at least one of the plurality of computers to be a selected computer, based on the measured data, and which outputs a network location of the selected computer to the user, to thereby allow the user to connect to the selected computer,

wherein the measuring of data about the plurality of computers within the peer-to-peer network is independent of a search query by the user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the monitor is a computer within the peer-to-peer network, and further wherein at least a portion of the measured data is collected by monitoring data exchanges in the peer-to-peer network.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a memory for collecting the measured data wherein the measured data includes information on content available for searching on the plurality of computers, wherein the memory removes the content data after a predetermined period of time, further wherein the memory sends common user search queries into the network on a periodic basis and stores the results.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a portion of the removed content data identifies a type of file available for searching on the plurality of computers, the portion being separately stored, further wherein the selected computer is selected based at least on the type of file.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the monitor determines a current connectivity status for each of the plurality of computers, and wherein the selected computer is selected based on the content data and the current connectivity status.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the selector selects a second selected computer based on the data, further wherein the selector outputs a network location of the second selected computer to the user after a selective one of a predetermined period of time and a response to a user request.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein a plurality of profilers are located at a plurality of geographical locations which are remote from one another, and wherein the plurality of geographical locations are selected based on a respective proximity of each of the plurality of profilers to a user.

18. A computer program for enabling a computer system to optimally couple to a peer-to-peer computer network, the computer program utilizing a computer usable medium having computer readable program code, the computer readable program code comprising:

program instructions for monitoring and periodically collecting data about a plurality of computers within the peer-to-peer network, the collecting including a network location of each of the plurality of computers and being independent of a user search query, the program instructions for collecting data about the plurality of computers within the peer-to-peer network further including,

program instructions for sending a signal to at least one of the plurality of computers;

program instructions for receiving the signal upon its return from the at least one computer; and

program instructions for forming a profile characterizing the at least one computer, based on information provided by the signal, wherein the profile comprises information on an amount of content available to the network on the at least one computer;

program instructions for selecting at least one computer to be a selected computer, based on the collected data; and

program instructions for routing search queries from the computer system to the selected computer via the network location of the selected computer.

19. The computer program of claim 18 further comprising program instructions for monitoring data exchanges between the plurality of computers.

20. The computer program of claim 19, further comprising:

program instructions for storing the collected data in a memory, wherein at least a portion of the collected data is content data which includes information on content available for searching on the plurality of computers.

21. The computer program of claim 20, further comprising:

program instructions for removing the content data after a predetermined period of time;

program instructions for sending a common user search query on a periodic basis; and

program instructions for storing a result of the common user search query in the memory.

22. The computer program of claim 20, wherein the program instructions for storing include program instructions for storing a portion of the content data based on previous user requests.

23. The computer program of claim 20 further comprising program instructions for monitoring a current connectivity status of each of the plurality of computers, wherein the selected computer is selected based on the content data and the current connectivity status.

24. The computer program of claim 18, further comprising program instructions for sending the signal to a plurality of geographical locations which are remote from one another, wherein the plurality of geographical locations are selected based on a respective proximity of each one of the plurality of geographical locations to a user.