System and methods for direct targeted media advertising over peer-to-peer networks
First Claim
1. A method for distributing content files in a peer-to-peer network, the method comprising the steps of:
- configuring a result server to act as a node in the peer-to-peer network, said peer-to-peer network being organized loosely without any centralized management authority, said result server being further configured to follow rules and protocols of the de-centralized peer-to-peer network;
controlling, with a file server, a database of stored content files, wherein each of said content files encodes copyrighted material and contains embedded executable code, said embedded executable code causing at least one advertisement to be presented to a request issuing peer when said content file is utilized, the at least one advertisement being presented with the cooperation and volition of a company holding rights to the copyrighted material;
probing, with the result server, peer-to-peer network traffic to discover file search requests from request issuing peers, said search requests conforming to the rules and protocols of the peer-to-peer network and comprising a search criteria;
searching, with the result server, a database for names of files satisfying the search criteria in the discovered file search request;
determining, with the result server, at least one file satisfies the search criteria;
conveying, with the result server, a results page to a request issuing peer, said results page comprising the names of a set of one or more files satisfying the discovered file search request and a hyperlink associated with each file name, wherein each hyperlink, when activated, causes transmission of a request for a selected file associated with the hyperlink; and
responding, with the file server, to the request by serving a content file of the content files, comprising a copy of the selected file and the embedded executable code.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An information handling system according to the invention comprises an input for receiving search requests seeking one or more specified files; a search engine for searching a database for names of files satisfying a received search request; and server logic for serving a results page comprising the names of files satisfying a received search request and a hyperlink associated with each file name. Each hyperlink in the results, when activated causes transmission of a request for the selected file that is associated with the link. The request for the selected file is directed to a file server controlling a database of files including the selected file. The file server responds to the request by serving a content (or media) file comprising a copy of the selected file with an embedded request for information for presentation to the person from whom the search request was received. When the user runs the downloaded content file the content file sends a request for service to a site (e.g., a reflector server) that responds by serving information such as advertising to the requester.
32 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for distributing content files in a peer-to-peer network, the method comprising the steps of:
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configuring a result server to act as a node in the peer-to-peer network, said peer-to-peer network being organized loosely without any centralized management authority, said result server being further configured to follow rules and protocols of the de-centralized peer-to-peer network; controlling, with a file server, a database of stored content files, wherein each of said content files encodes copyrighted material and contains embedded executable code, said embedded executable code causing at least one advertisement to be presented to a request issuing peer when said content file is utilized, the at least one advertisement being presented with the cooperation and volition of a company holding rights to the copyrighted material; probing, with the result server, peer-to-peer network traffic to discover file search requests from request issuing peers, said search requests conforming to the rules and protocols of the peer-to-peer network and comprising a search criteria; searching, with the result server, a database for names of files satisfying the search criteria in the discovered file search request; determining, with the result server, at least one file satisfies the search criteria; conveying, with the result server, a results page to a request issuing peer, said results page comprising the names of a set of one or more files satisfying the discovered file search request and a hyperlink associated with each file name, wherein each hyperlink, when activated, causes transmission of a request for a selected file associated with the hyperlink; and responding, with the file server, to the request by serving a content file of the content files, comprising a copy of the selected file and the embedded executable code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for distributing content files in a peer-to-peer network, the method comprising the steps of:
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configuring a result server to act as a node in the peer-to-peer network, said peer-to-peer network being organized loosely without any centralized management authority, said result server being further configured to follow rules and protocols of the de-centralized peer-to-peer network; controlling, with a file server, a database of stored content files, wherein each of said content files encodes copyrighted material and contains embedded executable code, said embedded executable code causing at least one advertisement to be presented to a peer-to-peer client when said content file is utilized, the at least one advertisement being presented with the cooperation and volition of a company holding rights to the copyrighted material; result server receiving a search request that was initiated and sent into the peer-to-peer network, said search request originating from the peer-to-peer client and comprising a search criteria, wherein said received search request conforms to the rules and protocols of the peer-to-peer network; the result server searching a database for names of files satisfying the received search criteria; the result server discovering at least one file that satisfies the received search criteria; the result server conveying a results page to the peer-to-peer client, said results page comprising the names of a set of one or more files satisfying the search request and a hyperlink associated with each file name, wherein each hyperlink, when activated, causes transmission of a request for a selected file associated with the hyperlink; and the file server responding to the request by serving a content file of the content files, comprising a copy of the selected file and the embedded executable code, wherein said method provides a content distributor with a means for deriving profit from peer-to-peer file sharing of copyrighted content. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method for advertising responsive to peer-to-peer network transactions, comprising:
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configuring a result server to function as a peer node in a peer-to-peer network, said peer-to-peer network being organized loosely without any centralized management authority, said result server being further configured to follow rules and protocols of the de-centralized peer-to-peer network; controlling, with a file server, a database of stored content files, wherein each of said content files encodes copyrighted material and contains embedded Web link, said embedded Web link automatically executing when said content file is played and causing at least one advertisement to be presented to a peer-to-peer client, the at least one advertisement being presented with the cooperation and volition of a company holding rights to the copyrighted material; the result server receiving at least one file search request from the peer-to-peer client of the peer-to-peer network, the at least one file search request conforming to the rules and protocols of the peer-to-peer network; the result server searching a set of files stored in a local database for a match to a file specified within the at least one file search request; when a matching file is found, the result server conveying a results page to the peer-to-peer client, said results page comprising a name of the matching file and a hyperlink associated with the file name, wherein the hyperlink, when activated, causes transmission of a request for the file associated with the hyperlink; and the file server responding to the request by serving a content file of the content files, comprising a copy of the matching file and the embedded Web link. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An information handling system serving legitimate copies of copyrighted material to request issuing peers of a peer-to-peer network, comprising:
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a result server, comprising at least one computer processor, an input receiving component, a search engine, and a server logic that execute upon the at least one computer processor, wherein said result server is configured to act as a node in the peer-to-peer network, said peer-to-peer network being organized loosely without any centralized management authority, said result server being further configured to follow rules and protocols of the de-centralized peer-to-peer network; and a file server controlling a database of stored content files, wherein each of said content files encodes said copyrighted material and contains embedded executable code, said embedded executable code causing at least one advertisement to be presented to a request issuing peer when said content file is utilized, the at least one advertisement being presented with the cooperation and volition of a company holding rights to the copyrighted material; said input receiving component is configured to probe peer-to-peer network traffic to discover file search requests from the request issuing peers, said search requests conforming to the rules and protocols of the peer-to-peer network and seeking one or more specified files; said search engine is configured to search a database for names of files satisfying the discovered file search request; said server logic is configured for serving a results page to a request issuing peer, said results page comprising the names of a set of one or more files satisfying the discovered search request and a hyperlink associated with each file name; wherein each hyperlink, when activated, causes transmission of a request to the file server for a selected file associated with the hyperlink; and wherein the file server responds to the request by serving a content file of the content files, comprising a copy of the selected file and the embedded executable code. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification