A Trusted P2P system for Paid or Other Content Delivery
Lead Inventors: Alexander ShermanProblem or Unmet Need:Peer to peer (P2P) network systems are not preferred by content providers due to the occurrence of free-of-charge content sharing in such a model. This is sometimes referred to as the "free rider" problem. Therefore companies that sell digital content such as music, video or movies typically rely on "direct download" methods. In direct download, users download content either from the vendor's website directly or via a contracted CDN (content delivery network). This approach of content distribution is less efficient and powerful than P2P. Some P2P systems do require payment before a user can enter the network. However, once a user has access to the content on the network, she may directly share the purchased content with other users on other networks, without authorization from the content provider. Once these users learn of one another and know that they have similar interests, they can easily form a private community for free future sharing of similar content. Therefore, regular monitoring and auditing of P2P network is required in maintaining a paid and secure content distribution. Present invention describes a system that can provide cost-effective distribution capabilities of a decentralized peer-to-peer approach, and can maintain sufficient trust and security for paid content distribution. The system includes authentication or one or more trusted auditors (TAs) within the P2P network. TAs can serve as sentinels: they can assume the role of a content source, a content destination, or an inappropriately behaving system (e.g., luring other inappropriately behaving peers to either probe them or to respond to their probes). A TA is configured to report to the tracking service an instance of inappropriate behavior of (1) a content-sharing peer or (2) a requesting peer. When TAs detect, record, and report inappropriate behavior, a variety of measures may be taken, including punishment or removal from participation in the network. Authentication and TAs can even be layered onto an existing peer-to- peer system, if desired. Using the system, content vendors can leverage peer-to- peer transfer capacity while effectively maintaining the same level of trust towards their customers as in traditional models of content distribution.
Advantages Improved security of the content distributed through P2P networks. Curbing of free-of-charge content sharing on P2P networks. Higher transfer capacities and improved efficiencies of the content distribution systems. Flexibility in implementing the model to an existing P2P network. Reduction in infrastructure costs for the content providers, thereby lowering the costs for end users.Opportunities: Sponsored research funding on P2P based content delivery systems. Licensing
Digital content distribution through P2P networks Network monitoring and security
Present invention describes a system that can provide cost-effective distribution capabilities of a decentralized peer-to-peer approach, and can maintain sufficient trust and security for paid content distribution. The system includes authentication ...
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