SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTENT DISTRIBUTION

• US 20080034394A1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eric Johansson, John Jacobs, Robert Lee
• Original Assignee: Eric Johansson, John Jacobs, Robert Lee
• Inventors: Johansson, Eric, JACOBS, JOHN, Lee, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/760,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20080034394A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/98
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program product for distributing data includes transmitting a request for a data file from a first client electronic device. At least a first portion of the data file is transmitted from a second client electronic device to the first client electronic device. At least a second portion of the data file is transmitted from a third client electronic device to the first client electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for distributing data comprising:

transmitting a request for a data file from a first client electronic device;

transmitting at least a first portion of the data file from a second client electronic device to the first client electronic device; and

transmitting at least a second portion of the data file from a third client electronic device to the first client electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first, second and third client electronic devices is chosen from the group consisting of:

a cable box, a television, a game console, a digital video recorder, a personal media player, a wireless device, a movie projector, a network router, a network hub, a network switch, a cable modem, and a DVD player.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the request for the data file includes:

transmitting a request to a server computer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the request for the data file includes:

transmitting a request to at least one of the second and the third client electronic devices.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

rendering the data file.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

assembling the first portion and the second portion of the data file.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a storage device for storing data;

a bidirectional network interface for transmitting data and receiving data; and

a processor logic configured for;

transmitting a request for a data file;

receiving at least a first portion of the data file transmitted from a first client electronic device; and

receiving at least a second portion of the data file transmitted from a second client electronic device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least one of the first and second client electronic devices is chosen from the group consisting of:

a cable box, a television, a game console, a digital video recorder, a personal media player, a wireless device, a movie projector, a network router, a network hub, a network switch, a cable modem, and a DVD player.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein transmitting the request for the data file includes:

transmitting a request to a server computer.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein transmitting the request for the data file includes:

transmitting a request to at least one of the first client electronic device and the second client electronic device.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor logic is further configured for:

rendering the data file.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor logic is further configured for:

assembling the first portion and the second portion of the data file.

13. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium coupled to a first client electronic device, the computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

transmitting a request for a data file from the first client electronic device;

receiving at least a first portion of the data file from a second client electronic device; and

receiving at least a second portion of the data file from a third client electronic device.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein at least one of the first, second, and third client electronic devices is chosen from the group consisting of:

a cable box, a television, a game console, a digital video recorder, a personal media player, a wireless device, a movie projector, a network router, a network hub, a network switch, a cable modem, and a DVD player.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the instructions for transmitting the request for the data file further include instructions for:

transmitting a request to a server.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the instructions for transmitting the request for the data file further include instructions for:

transmitting a request to at least one of the second and the third client electronic devices.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising instructions for:

rendering the data file.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising instructions for:

assembling the first portion and the second portion of the data file.