Method and apparatus for advertising objects

A central server for advertising objects, said objects being offered in advertisements stored in the central server, said advertisements being accessible from the central server over the Internet to user terminals capable of web browsing or network browsing, the central server comprising:

• a receiving unit adapted to receive a request from a first user terminal for at least one electronic file used for describing and/or displaying one or more objects, the at least one file being indicated in an advertisement accessed from the central server by the first user terminal, wherein said at least one file is distinct from the one or more objects offered in the advertisement,
• a server database for storing file information on a plurality of files and their associated user terminals in which those files are locally stored,
• a logic unit adapted to determine at least one second user terminal being registered with the central server as having the at least one requested file availably stored therein, in response to the received file request, and
• a transmitting unit adapted to initiate a communication connection between the first and second user terminals if the first user terminal requests a file transfer to the first user terminal, such that the at least one requested file can be transferred directly from the second user terminal to the first user terminal.

A method of advertising objects, said objects being offered in advertisements stored in a central server, said advertisements being accessible from the central server over the Internet to user terminals capable of web browsing or network browsing, comprising the following steps, executed in said central server:

• a) registering a client with the central server including defining client data,
• b) creating an advertisement in the central server for the registered client based on the defined client data,
• c) indicating in the advertisement at least one file being stored locally in at least one registered user terminal, wherein the at least one indicated file is used for describing and/or displaying one or more objects offered in the advertisement, and wherein the at least one indicated file is distinct from the one or more objects offered in the advertisement,
• d) storing information in a server database of the central server on the at least one indicated file and the at least one file storing user terminal, and
• e) initiating a communication connection for transferring the at least one indicated file from the file storing user terminal to a file requesting user terminal accessing the advertisement from the central server and requesting that file.

A central server for advertising objects, said objects being offered in advertisements stored in a central server, said advertisements being accessible from the central server over the Internet to user terminals capable of web browsing or network browsing, the central server comprising:

• a registration unit adapted to register a client with the central server including defining client data, to create an advertisement in the central server for the registered client based on the defined client data, and to indicate in the advertisement at least one file being stored locally in at least one registered user terminal, wherein the at least one indicated file is used for describing and/or displaying one or more objects offered in the advertisement, and wherein the at least one indicated file is distinct from the one or more objects offered in the advertisement,
• a server database for storing file information on a plurality of files and their associated user terminals in which those files are locally stored,
• a receiving unit adapted to receive a request for the at least one indicated file from a user terminal accessing said advertisement from the central server,
• a logic unit for determining at least one file storing user terminal in response to the received file request, and
• a transmitting unit adapted to initiate a communication connection for transferring the at least one indicated file from a user terminal storing that file to the file requesting user terminal.

A central server for advertising objects, said objects being offered in advertisements stored in a central server, said advertisements being accessible from the central server over the Internet to user terminals capable of web browsing or network browsing, the central server comprising:

• a receiving unit adapted to receive a request from a first user terminal for at least one electronic file used for describing and/or displaying one or more objects, the at least one file being indicated in an advertisement accessed from the central server by the first user terminal, wherein said at least one file is distinct from the one or more objects offered in the advertisement,
• a server database for storing file information on a plurality of files and their associated user terminals in which those files are locally stored,
• a logic unit adapted to determine at least one second user terminal being registered with the central server as having the at least one requested file availably stored, in response to the received file request, and
• a transmitting unit adapted to initiate a communication connection between the second user terminal and a third user terminal being registered with the central server, such that the at least one requested file can be transferred directly from the second user terminal to the third user terminal.

A central server for supplying electronic files to user terminals capable of web browsing or network browsing, said electronic files being accessible by means of the central server over the Internet, the central server comprising:

• a receiving unit adapted to receive a request from a first user terminal for at least one electronic file indicated by the central server when accessed by the first user terminal,
• a server database for storing file information on a plurality of files and their associated user terminals in which those files are locally stored,
• a logic unit adapted to determine at least one second user terminal being registered with the central server as having the at least one requested file availably stored, in response to the received file request, and
• a transmitting unit adapted to initiate a communication connection between the second user terminal and a third user terminal being registered with the central server, such that the at least one requested file can be transferred directly from the second user terminal to the third user terminal.