Method for efficient content distribution using a peer-to-peer networking infrastructure

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for efficiently distributing content by leveraging the use of a peer-to-peer network infrastructure. In a network of peers, a handful peers can receive content from centralized servers. These peers can then flood this content out to more clients who in turn can send the content along to others. Ultimately, a request for content can be fulfilled by locating the closest peer and obtaining the content from that peer. In one embodiment the method can be used to distribute content by creating content distribution groups of one or more client computing devices and redirecting requests for content from the server to the content distribution group. A further contemplated embodiment efficiently streams time sensitive data through the use of a spanning tree architecture of peer-to-peer clients. In yet another embodiment the present invention provides for more efficient use of bandwidth for shared residential broadband connections.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for distributing, from a first computing device to a second computing device over a network, a software product update from a content server, the method comprising:
 obtaining the software product update, by the first computing device, from the content server via a connection, the first computing device being a client of the content server and a peer in the network;   communicating, by the first computing device, to one or more peers in the network that the software product update is available to be obtained from the first computing device;   locating, by the second computing device, a closest peer closest to the second computing device, that comprises the software product update, where more than one peer has obtained the software product update;   determining, by the second computing device, that the first computing device is the closest peer to the second computing device that comprises the software product update; and   obtaining the software product update, by the second computing device, from the first computing device via the network, the first computing device connected to the second computing device via a second network, the content server external to the second network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the first computing device and the second computing device connected via a local area connection. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , the first computing device and the second computing device connected via a wide area connection. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , the network associated with a spanning tree architecture. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , the second network comprising a broadband connection. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , the software product update comprising a patch for a product. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , the network and the second network comprising a same network. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , the obtaining the software product update from the content server comprising downloading the software product update from the content server at least partially via a wide area network. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , the software product update signed by a source of a product that the software product update is configured to update. 
     
     
         10 . A system for distributing, from a first computing device to a second computing device over a network, a software product update from a content server, the system comprising:
 one or more processing units; and   memory comprising instructions that when executed by at least one of the one or more processing units, perform a method comprising:
 obtaining the software product update, by the first computing device, from the content server via a connection, the first computing device being a client of the content server and a peer in the network; 
 communicating, by the first computing device, to one or more peers in the network that the software product update is available to be obtained from the first computing device; and 
 providing the software product update, by the first computing device, to the second computing device via the network, based at least in part upon a determination of a closest peer closest to the second computing device that comprises the software product update, where more than one peer has obtained the software product update, where the first computing device is determined to be the closest peer to the second computing device that comprises the software product update, where the first computing device is connected to the second computing device via a second network, and where the content server is external to the second network. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , the network and the second network comprising a same network. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , the first computing device comprising a first instance of a replicated store. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , the replicated store comprising metadata. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , the metadata associated with the software product update. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions that when executed perform a method for receiving, by a second computing device from a first computing device over a peer-to-peer network, a software product update from a content server, the method comprising:
 locating, by the second computing device, a closest peer closest to the second computing device, that comprises the software product update, where more than one peer has obtained the software product update;   determining, by the second computing device, that the first computing device is the closest peer to the second computing device that comprises the software product update; and   obtaining the software product update, by the second computing device, from the first computing device via the peer-to-peer network, where the software product update is obtained by the first computing device from the content server via a connection, the first computing device being a client of the content server and a peer in the peer-to-peer network, where one or more peers in the peer-to-peer network are communicated to by the first computing device that the software product update is available to be obtained from the first computing device, where the first computing device is connected to the second computing device via a second network, and where the content server is external to the second network.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 15 , the first computing device and the second computing device connected via a local area connection. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 15 , the first computing device and the second computing device connected via a wide area connection. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 15 , the network associated with a spanning tree architecture. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 15 , the network and the second network comprising a same network. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 15 , the software product update comprising an upgrade for an application.