Method for optimally utilizing a peer to peer network

• US 20050163133A1
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kroll Information Assurance LLC
• Original Assignee: Tiversa Ip, Inc.
• Inventors: Hopkins, Samuel P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,095,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/042 comprising distributed management centres cooperatively managing the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1063 Discovery through centralising entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/107 with limitation or expansion of the discovery scope
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1093 Some peer nodes performing special functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/145 avoiding end of session, e.g. keep-alive, heartbeats, resumption message or wake-up for inactive or interrupted session
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99956 File allocation

Abstract

The present invention relates to optimally utilizing a peer to peer network by increasing the amount of communication messages that are received. The present invention does this by eliminating under performing connections, by controlling how connections are attempted and by locating optimal connections. The present invention provides a way to increase the number of nodes that are available for searching.

Claims

1. A method for optimally utilizing a peer to peer network having at least a first node and a second node, said method comprising the steps of

a. connecting said first node to said second node through said peer to peer network;

b. issuing a search request for a predefined term to the network from said first node through said second node;

c. receiving responses by said first node from said second and any node available through said second node;

d. calculating a value by said first node with an equation using distance information provided within responses to said first node;

e. selecting nodes in the network that responded to said first node based on the value that said first will connect with; and

f. connecting said first node to said selected nodes.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the method is used to locate nodes a specific distance away from the first node.

3. A method for optimally utilizing a peer to peer network having at least a first node and a second node, said method comprising the steps of

a. connecting said first node to said second node through said peer to peer network;

b. issuing a ping request to the network from said first node through said second node;

c. receiving responses by said first node from said second and any node available through said second node;

d. calculating a value by said first node with an equation using distance information provided within responses to said first node;

e. selecting nodes in the network that responded to said first node based on the value that said first will connect with; and

f. connecting said first node to said selected nodes.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the method is used to locate nodes a specific distance away from the first node.

5. A method for optimally utilizing a peer to peer network having at least a first node and a second node, said method comprising the steps of

a. connecting said first node to said second node through said peer to peer network;

b. issuing a search request for a predefined term to the network from said first node through said second node;

c. receiving responses by said first node from said second and any node available through said second node; and

d. connecting said first node to all responding nodes.

6. A method for optimally utilizing a peer to peer network, said method comprising the steps of:

a. a first node connecting to a peer to peer network; and

b. first node keeping a specific statistic on a specific connection; and

c. first node using said statistic in an equation; and

d. first node making a decision to disconnect a connection based on the results of the equation; and

e. first node disconnecting those connections where the decision has been made to disconnect the connection.

8. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the statistic is number of received communications messages.

9. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the statistic is the last time a transmission was received.

10. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the statistic is a number of searches received.

11. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the equation is based on an average or within a percentage of an average of other connections.

12. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the decision is based on the statistic being of a lower value compared to statistics of other connections.

7. A method for optimally utilizing a peer to peer network having at least a first node and a second node, said method comprising the steps of

a. connecting said first node to said peer to peer network;

b. maintaining a predefined statistic with respect to specific connections;

c. using said statistic in a predefined equation in said first node;

d. calculating a value by said first node with an equation using said statistic provided within responses to said first node;

e. selecting nodes in the network that responded to said first node based on the value that said first node will disconnect; and

f. disconnecting said first node to said selected nodes.

13. A method for optimally utilizing a peer to peer network having a plurality of nodes, said method comprising the steps of

a. connecting at least one node to said peer to peer network;

b. communicating with each connected node in said network; and

c. each node in communication sharing a task of receiving information from the network.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein collectively the load sharing nodes maintain a list of connected network nodes so that multiple connections to a single network node is eliminated.

15. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the load sharing nodes are in communications with a master node.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the master node manages the network nodes that the load sharing nodes connect to.

17. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the master node receives the network communications from the load sharing nodes.

18. A method for optimally utilizing a peer to peer network having a plurality of nodes, said method comprising the steps of:

a. defining a maximum concurrent connection value;

b. attempting through a first node, multiple connections to nodes in said peer to peer network up to said maximum concurrent connection value; and

c. adding new connection attempts up to the said concurrent connection value as connection attempts succeed or fail.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 wherein said first node attempts more than the said maximum concurrent connection values until a defined number of successful connection attempts have succeeded.

20. A method for optimally utilizing a peer to peer network, having at least a first node and a second node, said method comprising the steps of:

a. connecting said first node to a second node;

b. recording in said first node the time of the connection;

c. comparing at an interval the first node connection time to a value; and

d. disconnecting said first node from said second node when the value is reached.

21. A method for optimally utilizing a peer to peer network having a plurality of nodes, said method comprising the steps of:

a. A first node obtaining address information on network nodes; and

b. adding this information to a cache; and

c. clearing said cache when a specific event occurs.

22. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the event is that the cache has reached a specific size.

23. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the event is that the connection information in the cache has reached a specific age.