Secured and access controlled peer-to-peer resource sharing
First Claim
1. In a peer-to-peer network comprising a plurality of clients, each of the clients being unaware of resources residing at other of the clients, a method of securely conducting a resource search initiated by a first client, the resource search included with a search request having a credentials signal indicative of the first client, the method comprising the steps of:
- communicating the search request from the first client to a second client, the second client having a multiplicity of second resources, each of the multiplicity of second resources having at least one corresponding access attribute, the at least one corresponding access attribute being indicative of a set of clients authorized to access a corresponding resource in the multiplicity of second resources; and
at the second client, selectively searching a set of second resources in the multiplicity of second resources that the first client is authorized to access in response to a comparison of authentication data and authorization data within the credentials signal and the at least one corresponding access attribute of each of the multiplicity of second resources, the authorization data being indicative of at least one resource type that the first client is authorized to access within the multiplicity of second resources.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A peer-to-peer network propagates searches from client to client. Resources within each client are selectively searched in response to authentication and authorization processes. Authentication information may be included in a search request or may be performed by an authentication process external to the client. Authorization is performed by a process external to the client. Only after authentication or authorization may resources of any particular client be accessed. The system allows for secure propagated searches and resource access in a peer-to-peer network environment. The network may further include a server for maintaining a list of clients connected to the peer-to-peer network in order to more efficiently facilitate peer-to-peer communications.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. In a peer-to-peer network comprising a plurality of clients, each of the clients being unaware of resources residing at other of the clients, a method of securely conducting a resource search initiated by a first client, the resource search included with a search request having a credentials signal indicative of the first client, the method comprising the steps of:
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communicating the search request from the first client to a second client, the second client having a multiplicity of second resources, each of the multiplicity of second resources having at least one corresponding access attribute, the at least one corresponding access attribute being indicative of a set of clients authorized to access a corresponding resource in the multiplicity of second resources; and at the second client, selectively searching a set of second resources in the multiplicity of second resources that the first client is authorized to access in response to a comparison of authentication data and authorization data within the credentials signal and the at least one corresponding access attribute of each of the multiplicity of second resources, the authorization data being indicative of at least one resource type that the first client is authorized to access within the multiplicity of second resources. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A client included in a peer-to-peer network having a multiplicity of clients, each of the clients being unaware of resources residing at other of the clients, the client comprising:
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a peer-to-peer network dispatcher for receiving a resource search request from a second client of the multiplicity of clients, the search request initiating from an initiating client of the multiplicity of clients, the search request including a credentials signal having an identification signal indicative of the initiating client, wherein the credentials signal includes authentication data and authorization data, the authorization data being indicative of at least one resource type that the second client is authorized to access; a memory for storing a plurality of resources, each of the plurality of resources having at least one corresponding access attribute, the at least one corresponding access attribute being indicative of a set of clients authorized to access a corresponding resource in the plurality of resources; and a search engine for selectively searching at least one set of resources in the plurality of resources that the second client is authorized to access in response to a comparison of the authentication and authorization data within the credentials signal and the at least one access attribute of each of the plurality of resources. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a peer-to-peer network comprising a plurality of clients, each of the clients being unaware of resources residing at other of the clients, a method of securely conducting a resource search initiated by a first client, the resource search included with a search request having a credentials signal indicative of the first client, the method comprising the steps of:
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communicating the search request from the first client to a second client;
communicating the search request from the second client to a third client, the third client having a multiplicity of third resources, each of the multiplicity of third resources having at least one corresponding access attribute, the at least one corresponding access being indicative of a set of clients authorized to access a corresponding resource in plurality of resources; andat the third client, selectively searching a set of resources in the multiplicity of third resources that the first client is authorized to access in response to a comparison of authentication and authorization data within the credentials signal and the at least one access attribute of each of the multiplicity of third resources, the authorization data being indicative of at least one resource type that the first client is authorized to access within the multiplicity of third resources.
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Specification