System and Method for Anonymous Addressing of Content on Network Peers and for Private Peer-to-Peer File Sharing

A system for a private peer-to-peer file sharing network comprising:

• a. means for integrating an external set of social graphs and building a plurality of private groups of individuals through an assembly or invitation process;
• b. means for aggregating uniquely identified and anonymous links to files stored on peer nodes within said plurality of private groups;
• c. means for a peer recipient to access the link and receive the file from a publishing peer without file content passing through the server;
• and,
• d. means for mediating any intermediary NAT devices without requiring any manual or automatic device reconfiguration.

A method for peer-to-peer file sharing comprising the following steps:

• a. ascribing a uniquely identified and anonymous link to an at least one file on a peer computer;
• b. registering said link with a publishing server that continuously and anonymously updates connectivity information about the peer;
• c. permitting a peer recipient access the link;
• d. receiving receive connectivity information about said peer from the server;
• e. receiving the file from the publishing peer without file content passing through the server;
• and,
• f. mediating any intermediary NAT devices without requiring any manual or automatic device reconfiguration.

A method for a private peer-to-peer file sharing network comprising the following steps:

• e. integrating an external set of social graphs and building a plurality of private groups of individuals through an assembly or invitation process;
• f. aggregating uniquely identified and anonymous links to files stored on peer nodes within said plurality of private groups;
• g. permitting a peer recipient access the link and receiving the file from a publishing peer without file content passing through the server;
• and,
• h. mediating any intermediary NAT devices without requiring any manual or automatic device reconfiguration.

The method of claim 20, further comprising the addition of at least at least one of the following steps:

• a. Adding a group where users invite other users for the purposes of collaborating and group editing published content published;
• b. Adding means for version tracking and offline sharing;
• c. Adding an automated backup system;
• d. Adding a billing and transaction system for the sale of content to other users;
• e. Adding means for integration of various central media publishing systems;
• f. Adding a set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and a Software Development Kit (SDK) for allowing 3rd parties to develop applications that can link, store, and connect directly to content stored on a peer computer;
• g. Adding control means for real-time transport and media handling in order to support streaming content directly from a peer computer;
• h. Adding means for mobile and embedded peers;
• i. Adding means for the addition of a compaction scheme for links that deviates from standard URL like conventions in order to shorten the overall character length of the link;
• and,
• j. Adding means for an obfuscation scheme to enhance content security and privacy.