HTTP Client P2P Content Retrieval Capability

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Solution Overview

Problem

HTTP servers face inefficiencies and high costs when handling numerous requests due to resource limitations, and retrieving content over wide area networks is more expensive and slower compared to local area networks.

Innovation Solution

Enabling clients to indicate their capability to retrieve content from a peer-to-peer network within HTTP requests, allowing the server to send content information instead of the actual content, which the client can then retrieve from peers within the network, reducing bandwidth usage and server load.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the server sends the actual content to clients, then the client receives complete content, but the server bandwidth usage and response time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveserver response timeVSAvoidserver bandwidth usage

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the content delivery function from the server by enabling clients to retrieve content directly from peer-to-peer networks. The server only sends content information (metadata, hashes, location data) instead of the actual content, separating the information provision function from the content transfer function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces content information (hashes, metadata, peer locations) as an intermediary that enables clients to obtain actual content from peer-to-peer networks without direct server involvement in the content transfer process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the server handles all content requests, then clients receive content reliably, but the server becomes overloaded and unresponsive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent delivery reliabilityVSAvoidserver request handling capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the content delivery system into multiple independent content providers (peers) rather than relying on a single server. Clients can retrieve content from multiple sources, distributing the request handling load and preventing any single node from becoming a bottleneck.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables clients to self-serve content from peer-to-peer networks without requiring server intervention for each content request. Once clients have content information from the server, they independently retrieve content from peers, reducing server workload while maintaining reliability through multiple potential sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If content is retrieved over wide area networks, then clients can access remote content, but the retrieval is more expensive and slower

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent access rangeVSAvoidcontent retrieval speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having clients cache content locally or in peer-to-peer networks before it is needed. When content is requested, clients can retrieve it from local caches or nearby peers rather than fetching it over wide area networks, significantly reducing retrieval time and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9602626B2Enabling peer-to-peer content retrieval in HTTP

Publication Date: 2017.03.21 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Described are embodiments directed to enabling the retrieval of content from a peer-to-peer network. In embodiments, a client requesting content from a server can indicate in an HTTP request that it is capable of retrieving content from a peer-to-peer network. When the server receives the HTTP request it will recognize the indication that the client is capable of retrieving content from a peer-to-peer network and may send content information instead of sending the requested content. The content information allows the client to retrieve the content from the peer-to-peer network.