Local peer-to-peer digital content distribution

• US 7,881,315 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Haveson, Ryan A., Davis, Darren R., Morris, Max G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): SWEET, LONNIE V
• Application Number:
  US11/475,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20070297426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,680 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/435, 705/26, 705/51
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Electronic devices such as media players are configured for participation in activities relating to local, peer-to-peer distribution of digital content. In an exemplary distribution transaction, digital content items such as audio files, video files, text files, multimedia files, data files, playlists, and metadata are distributable between a source device and a sink device based on the acts of: identifying digital content item(s); determining the proximity of the source device to the sink device; and if the potential source and sink communication devices are deemed to be in proximity, establishing a peer-to-peer communication session (using a predetermined communication protocol such as Wireless Fidelity (“WiFi”), Bluetooth, or HiperLAN) between the source and sink devices. The digital content item(s) can be asynchronously distributed, via the peer-to-peer communication session, from a computer-readable medium accessible by the source communication device to a computer-readable medium associated with the sink communication device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, not comprising a propagated data signal or transmission media, which is encoded with computer-executable instructions which when executed by a processor, perform a method for distributing digital content between a source communication device operable by a source entity and a sink communication device operable by a sink entity, the method comprising:

without consulting a network-based entity, identifying a digital content item to be distributed based on one or more criteria specified by the source communication device or the sink communication device or both, the digital content item stored on a computer-readable medium accessible by the source communication device;

determining a proximity of the source communication device and the sink communication device, the proximity based both on whether the source entity and the sink entity have a common prior affinity, the common prior affinity comprising a logical relationship between the source entity and the sink entity that establishes a level of trust between the source communication device and the sink communication device, and on whether the source communication device is proximate to the sink communication device within a predetermined, static geographical sub-region of a local communication region;

if the source communication device and the sink communication device are determined to be in proximity because the source entity and the sink entity have a common prior affinity and the source communication device is proximate to the sink communication device within a predetermined, static geographical sub-region of a local communication region, establishing a peer-to-peer communication session between the source communication device and the sink communication device; and

arranging for asynchronous distribution, via the peer-to-peer communication session, of the identified digital content item from the computer-readable medium accessible by the source communication device to a computer-readable medium associated with the sink communication device.

2. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the digital content item comprises one of an audio sample, a video sample, an image, a multimedia file, a playlist, and metadata.

3. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein establishing a peer-to-peer communication session comprises arranging for validation of the sink communication device.

4. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the step of establishing the peer-to-peer communication session comprises:

obtaining a first Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) address associated with the source communication device;

obtaining a second IP address associated with the sink communication device; and

using a predetermined communication protocol for communication between the first IP address and the second IP address.

5. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined communication protocol comprises one of a Wireless Fidelity (“

WiFi”

) communication protocol, and a HiperLAN communication protocol.

6. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the step of establishing the peer-to-peer communication session comprises:

obtaining an address of a first endpoint in a personal area network, the first endpoint associated with the source communication device;

obtaining an address of a second endpoint in the personal area network, the second endpoint associated with the sink communication device; and

using a predetermined communication protocol for communication between the address of the first endpoint and the address of the second endpoint.

7. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined communication protocol comprises one of a Bluetooth communication protocol and a Wireless USB communication protocol.

8. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined distribution protocol comprises one of Universal Plug and Play Protocol, Web Services Device Profile, and Media Transfer Protocol.

9. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria are selected from the group comprising:

file size, content type, security associations, and user-focused items.

10. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein identifying the digital content item comprises:

publishing an availability of the digital content item;

receiving a request from the sink communication device for access to the digital content item; and

based on the request, identifying the digital content item.

11. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein identifying the digital content item comprises:

requesting information associated with the digital content item via the peer-to-peer communication session.

12. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein requesting information associated with the digital content item comprises one of requesting a one-time receipt of the digital content item, and requesting a subscription to updates of the digital content item.