Use-sensitive distribution of data files between users

• US 6,742,023 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moon Glow, Series 82 of Allied Security Trust I (Allied Security Trust)
• Original Assignee: ROXIO Incorporated (MelodyVR Group Plc)
• Inventors: Fanning, John, Fanning, Shawn, Kessler, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US09/560,106
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/203, 709/224, 707/10, 707/2, 707/1, 717/168-178
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The invention contained herein describes a use-sensitive system for distribution of data files between users in a networked community of users. The system comprises each user having a distribution application that has at least one data file repository that has the ability to store at least one data file. The distribution application additionally includes a data file transfer server which makes available all data files located in the data file repository for download by other users, a file transfer client, and a user interface for displaying the actions and status of the distribution application to the user. In the system the file transfer client connects to the file transfer server and downloads a data file, and when the downloaded file is placed in the repository, the distribution application automatically makes available the downloaded data file to other distribution applications in the community of users.

Claims

1. A system for distributing a data file between a plurality of distribution applications in the system, the system comprising:

a. a plurality of distribution applications, wherein a first distribution application within the system includes the data file;

b. a second distribution application coupled with the first distribution application, such that after the data file is transferred from the first distribution application to the second distribution application, the second distribution application automatically makes available the data file to other distribution applications in the system;

c. a file index coupled to each distribution applications in the system, wherein the file index contains a file description of every data file in the system; and

d. a search module coupled to the second distribution application, the search module for searching the file index for a user requested search item and providing a search response of file descriptions matching the user requested search item.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first distribution application further comprises a first file repository for storing the data file.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first distribution application further comprises a first file transfer client coupled to the first file repository, the first file transfer client for receiving a second data file from any of the plurality of distribution applications in the system.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first distribution application further comprises a first file transfer server coupled to the first file repository, the first file transfer server for transferring the data file to the second distribution application.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the second distribution application further comprises a second file repository for storing the data file.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the second distribution application further comprises a second file transfer client coupled to the second file repository, the second file transfer client for receiving the data file from the first distribution application.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the second distribution application further comprises a second file transfer server coupled to the second file repository, the second file transfer server for transferring the data file to any of the plurality of distribution applications in the system.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first distribution application further comprises a first user interface for displaying a transfer status of the data file being transferred.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the second distribution application further comprises a second user interface for displaying a transfer status of the data file being transferred.

10. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a file index server coupled to the file index and the plurality of the distribution applications, wherein the file index server provides a file description of every data file in the file index to the plurality.

11. The system according to claim 10 further comprises an inventory module coupled to each of the plurality of distribution applications, the inventory module for detecting addition or removal of the data file from each of the plurality of distribution application'"'"'s file repository, wherein the inventory module notifies the file index server of the addition or removal of the data file.

12. The system according to claim 10 further comprising means for the second distribution application to download a data file from a protected first distribution application, wherein the second distribution application transmits a download request message to the index server, wherein the index server forwards the download request message to the protected first distribution application and the protected first distribution application initiates a connection to the second distribution application, whereby the protected first distribution application transmits the data file to the second distribution application.

13. The system according to claim 10 further comprising an automatic selection module coupled to the file index, the automatic selection module for scoring the file description using a scoring technique, wherein the automatic selection module causes the second file transfer client to receive the data file from one of a plurality of file transfer servers having a best score.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the inventory module removes all additions or removals of file descriptions made by any of the plurality of distribution application to the file index when the distribution application adding or removing the file description is prematurely disconnected from the file index server.

15. The system according to claim 1 wherein any of the plurality of distribution applications further comprises a data file player module.

16. The system according to claim 1 wherein any of the plurality of distribution applications further comprises a data file converter module for converting the data file into a form audibly presentable to a user.

17. The system according to claim 1 wherein any of the plurality of distribution applications further comprises a data file converter module for converting the data file into a form visually presentable to a user.

18. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a parallel download module coupled to the second distribution application, wherein the second distribution application downloads different subsections of the data file simultaneously from at least two of the plurality of distribution applications in the system.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the at least two other distribution applications are selected using a scoring technique.

20. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a filter module for pruning the search response of file descriptions that do not meet a limitation criteria.

21. The system according to claim 20 wherein the limitation criteria comprises a bandwidth limitation, wherein the search response is pruned of file descriptions from distribution applications that have a bandwidth capability that is below the bandwidth limitation.

22. The system according to claim 1 further comprising means for pruning the search response of file descriptions contained in distribution applications that are unable to accept further download requests.

23. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a sort module for sorting the search response.

24. The system according to claim 23 wherein the search response is sorted using a responsiveness value, wherein the responsiveness value is determined by measuring the amount of time it takes for any of the plurality of distribution applications to reply to an echo request provided by the first distribution application.

25. The system according to claim 1 wherein the search response is pruned of file descriptions from any of the plurality of distribution applications that did not respond to the echo request within a predetermined period of time.

26. A system for distribution of a data file between a plurality of distribution applications in a community, the system comprising:

a. a first distribution application further comprising;

i. a first file repository, wherein the first file repository contains the data file;

ii. a first file transfer server coupled to the first file repository, the first file transfer server for transferring the data file;

iii. a first file transfer client coupled to the first file repository;

iv. a first user interface coupled to the first transfer client and the first transfer server, the first user interface for displaying a transfer status of the data file being transferred; and

b. a second distribution application further comprising;

i. a second file repository;

ii. a second file transfer client coupled to the second file repository, the second file transfer client for receiving the data file transferred from the first file transfer server, wherein the second file transfer client stores the data file received in the second file repository;

iii. a second file transfer server coupled to the second file repository, wherein the second distribution application automatically makes available the data file stored in the second file repository to the plurality of distribution applications in the community; and

iv. a second user interface coupled to the second file transfer client and the second file transfer server, the second user interface for providing a form for a user to construct a search request for the data file.

27. The system according to claim 26 further comprising a file index coupled to the first distribution application and the second distribution application, wherein the file index contains a file description of every data file in the first data file repository and the second data file repository.

28. The system according to claim 27 further comprising a file index server coupled to the first distribution application and the second distribution application, wherein the file index server provides a file description of every data file in the file index.

29. The system according to claim 28 further comprising an inventory module coupled to the first file repository and the second file repository, the inventory module for detecting addition or removal of the data file from either file repository, wherein the inventory module notifies the file index server of the addition or removal of the data file.

30. A method for distributing a data file between a plurality of distribution applications in a community, the method comprising the steps of:

a. obtaining a connection with one of the plurality of distribution applications in the system;

b. requesting a data file from the one of the plurality of distribution applications;

c. receiving the data file from the one of the plurality of distribution applications;

d. storing the data file received into a data file repository, wherein the data file stored is automatically available to other distribution applications in the community;

e. adding or removing a file description of the data file to a file index when the data file is added or removed from the data file repository, wherein the step of adding or removing a file description to a file index is performed through a file index server;

f. submitting a search request to the file index, wherein the search request is for a particular data file;

g. performing the search; and

h. responding with a search response, wherein the search response further comprises a file description matching the search request, wherein the file description is associated with the particular data file.

31. The method according to claim 30 further comprising the step of audibly presenting to the user audio files located in the data file repository.

32. The method according to claim 30 further comprising the step of removing all additions or removals of the file description to the file index when the one of the plurality of distribution applications is prematurely disconnected with the file index server.

33. The method according to claim 30 wherein the one of the plurality of distribution applications is protected, the method further comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting a download request message to the index server; and

b. forwarding the download request message to the protected distribution application, wherein the protected distribution application obtains the connection to a requested distribution application and transmits the data file to the requesting distribution application.

34. The method according to claim 30 further comprising the step of visually presenting to the user audio files located in the data file repository.

35. The method according to claim 30 further comprising the step of pruning the search response for any of the plurality of distribution application that has a bandwidth capability that is below a bandwidth limitation.

36. The method according to claim 30 further comprising the step of pruning the search response of the file description for any of the plurality of distribution applications that will not accept further download requests.

37. The method according to claim 30 wherein the search response is sorted using a responsiveness value, wherein the responsiveness value is determined by measuring the amount of time it takes for to receive a reply to an echo request.

38. The method according to claim 37 wherein the search response prunes the file description from any of the plurality of distribution applications that do not respond to the echo message within a predetermined period of time.

39. The method according to claim 30 further comprising the step of scoring the file description using a scoring technique and receiving the data file from a file transfer server having a best score.

40. The method according to claim 30 wherein the distribution application downloads different subsections of the data file simultaneously from at least two of the plurality of distribution applications.

41. A method for distributing a data file between a plurality of distribution applications in a community, the method comprising the steps of:

a. securing a connection with one of the plurality of distribution applications in the system;

b. receiving a request for a data file from the one of the plurality of distribution applications;

c. retrieving the data file from a data file repository;

d. transmitting the data file to the one of the plurality of distribution applications, wherein the data file transmitted is automatically available to other distribution applications in the community after the one of the plurality of distribution applications receives the data file transmitted;

e. adding or removing a file description of the data file to a file index when the data file is added or removed from the data file repository, wherein the step of adding or removing a file description to a file index is performed through a file index server;

f. submitting a search request to the file index, wherein the search request is for a particular data file;

g. performing the search; and

h. responding with a search response, wherein the search response further comprises a file description matching the search request, wherein the file description is associated with the particular data file.

42. The method according to claim 41 further comprising the step of removing all additions or removals of the file description to the file index when the one of the plurality of distribution applications is prematurely disconnected with the file index server.

43. The method according to claim 41 wherein the one of the plurality of distribution applications is protected, the method further comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting a download request message to the index server; and

b. forwarding the download request message to the protected distribution application, wherein the protected distribution application obtains the connection to a requested distribution application and transmits the data file to the requesting distribution application.

44. The method according to claim 41 further comprising the step of audibly presenting to the user audio files located in the data file repository.

45. The method according to claim 41 further comprising the step of visually presenting to the user audio files located in the data file repository.

46. The method according to claim 41 further comprising the step of pruning the search response for any of the plurality of distribution applications that has a bandwidth capability that is below a bandwidth limitation.

47. The method according to claim 41 further comprising the step of pruning the search response of the file description for any of the plurality of distribution applications that will not accept further download requests.

48. The method according to claim 41 wherein the search response is sorted using a responsiveness value, wherein the responsiveness value is determined by measuring the amount of time it takes for to receive a reply to an echo request.

49. The method according to claim 48 wherein the search response prunes the file description from any of the plurality of distribution applications that do not respond to the echo message within a predetermined period of time.

50. The method according to claim 41 further comprising the step of scoring the file description using a scoring technique and receiving the data file from a file transfer server having a best score.

51. The method according to claim 41 wherein the distribution application downloads different subsections of the data file simultaneously from at least two of the plurality of distribution applications.