Simple nonautonomous peering network media

Abstract

A method of playing content across a network includes receiving, at a media player, an input from a user selecting media located on a network, sending a request across a network comprised of devices employing a common security protocol, the request to identify peer devices on the network, receiving a response across the network from a peer device, and accessing the media from a content memory of the peer device. A method of tracking valid peers on a secure media network, includes receiving, at a media player, an input from a user selecting media located on a peer device on the network, performing an authentication test of the peer player, determining if a latency associated with the peer player meets a criteria, and updating a latency log on the media player to include the peer player. A device has a content memory to store media content for playback, a network port arranged to allow the device to access a network, and a controller programmed to send a request through the network port to a network, the request being for a particular media content file, communicate with a peer device across the network to authenticate a communication session with the peer device, receive a response from the peer device indicating that the session has been authenticated, and access the media content file on a content memory on the peer device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of playing content across a network, comprising:
 receiving, at a media player, an input from a user selecting media located on a network;   sending a request across a network comprised of devices employing a common security protocol, the request to identify peer devices on the network;   receiving a response across the network from at least one peer device; and   accessing the media from a content memory of the identified at least one peer device.   
     
     
         2 . A method of tracking valid peers on a secure media network, comprising:
 receiving, at a media player, an input from a user selecting media located on a peer device on the network;   performing an authentication test of the peer player;   determining if a latency associated with the peer player meets a criteria; and   updating a latency log on the media player to include the peer player.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein performing an authentication test of the peer player further comprises performing an encryption key exchange. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein performing an encryption key exchange further comprises performing a Naor-Naor-Lotspiech authentication and an Authenticated Key Exchange. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining if the latency meets a criteria comprises sending a ping across the network and determining a response time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining if the latency meets a criteria comprises checking a latency log on the player for a latency time associated with the peer device. 
     
     
         7 . A device, comprising:
 a content memory to store media content for playback;   a network port arranged to allow the device to access a network; and   a controller programmed to:
 send a request through the network port to a peer device via the network, the request being for a particular media content file; 
 communicate with the peer device via the network to authenticate a communication session with the peer device; 
 receive a response from the peer device indicating that the session has been authenticated; and 
 access the media content file stored in a content memory of the peer device. 
   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is further to store the media content file in the content memory. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7 , the device further comprising a device memory separate from the content memory. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 7 , further comprising at least one port arranged to accept memory devices. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the content memory comprises a removable memory device. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the content memory comprises an embedded memory device.