Systems, Methods and Media for Distributing Peer-to-Peer Communications

Abstract

Systems and methods for distributing peer-to-peer communications are provided herein. Exemplary methods may include masking identification of two or more client nodes on a communications channel of a peer-to-peer communications network by directing peer-to-peer communications of the two or more client nodes through a proxy node, the proxy node including a disinterested client node relative to the two or more client nodes, the disinterested client node providing network resources to the peer-to-peer communications network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for distributing peer-to-peer communications, comprising:
 masking identification of two or more client nodes on a communications channel of a peer-to-peer communications network by directing peer-to-peer communications of the two or more client nodes through a proxy node, the proxy node including a disinterested client node relative to the two or more client nodes, the disinterested client node providing network resources to the peer-to-peer communications network.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 evaluating a list of potential proxy nodes available to the peer-to-peer communications network;   comparing an Internet protocol (IP) address of each of the potential proxy nodes and an IP address of the two or more client nodes to determine one or more disinterested proxy nodes; and   selecting at least one proxy node from the one or more disinterested proxy nodes.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 prior to evaluating, establishing a communications channel for an amount of client nodes; and   determining an amount of proxy nodes required for the communications channel based upon the amount of client nodes.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising selecting an additional proxy node from a quick switch list of potential proxy nodes upon determining failure of a proxy node, the additional proxy node also including a disinterested client node relative to the two or more client nodes. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein failure includes a quality of service for the proxy node being below a threshold amount. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the quality of service for the proxy node includes a current amount of network bandwidth being made available to the peer-to-peer communications network. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a disinterested client node includes a client node with which the two or more client nodes have never communicated. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the peer-to-peer communications network includes a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) communications network. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the disinterested node includes a hosted node of the peer-to-peer communications network. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a proxy node may be utilized for two or more different communications channels. 
     
     
         11 . A system for distributing peer-to-peer communications, comprising:
 a memory for storing executable instructions for distributing peer-to-peer communications; and   a processor configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory, the executable instructions including:
 a proxy manager module configured to mask identification two or more client nodes on a communications channel of a peer-to-peer communications network by directing peer-to-peer communications of the two or more client nodes through a proxy node, the proxy node including a disinterested client node relative to the two or more client nodes, the disinterested client node providing network resources to the peer-to-peer communications network. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the proxy manager module is further configured to:
 evaluate a list of potential proxy nodes available to the peer-to-peer communications network;   compare an Internet protocol (IP) address of each of the potential proxy nodes and an IP address of the two or more client nodes to determine one or more disinterested proxy nodes; and   select at least one proxy node from the one or more disinterested proxy nodes.   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the system further includes a channel controller module configured to:
 establish a communications channel for an amount of client nodes; and   determine an amount of proxy nodes required for the communications channel based upon the amount of client nodes.   
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the proxy manager module is configured to select an additional proxy node upon the channel controller determining failure of a proxy node, the additional proxy node also including a disinterested client node relative to the two or more client nodes. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein failure includes a quality of service for the proxy node being below a threshold amount. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein a disinterested client node includes a client node with which the two or more client nodes have never communicated. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the peer-to-peer communications network includes a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) communications network. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the disinterested node includes a hosted node of the peer-to-peer communications network. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the proxy manager module may utilize a proxy node for two or more different communications channels. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program executable by a processor in a computing system to perform a method for distributing peer-to-peer communications, the method comprising: masking identification of two or more client nodes on a communications channel of a peer-to-peer communications network by directing peer-to-peer communications of the two or more client nodes through a proxy node, the proxy node including a disinterested client node relative to the two or more client nodes, the disinterested client node providing network resources to the peer-to-peer communications network.