# US 2014/0195652 A1 · Expediting content retrieval using peer-to-peer networks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0195652 A1 - Document ID: US20140195652A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/147,356 - Filed: 2014-01-03 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Assignees: BitTorrent, Inc. - Applicants: BitTorrent, Inc. - Inventors: Arthur W. Yerkes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195652A1 ## CPC - H04L 67/06: specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP] - H04L 67/104: Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks - H04L 67/1046: {Joining mechanisms} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A download manger running on a computer system identifies an in-progress download of content by the computer system directly from a content system. The download manager causes the computer system to join a peer-to-peer network in which the content is being shared. The computer system starts to receive data blocks of the content from peer-to-peer network, as it continues the download from the content system. Based on the receipt of the content from the peer-to-peer network and from the content system, the download manager determines whether the computer system should rely primarily on the peer-to-peer network instead of the content system for receiving the content. If a determination is made to rely on the peer-to-peer network instead of the content system, the download manager terminates the download from the content system and continues receiving data blocks of the content from the peer-to-peer network. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for managing the receiving of digital content, the method comprising: identifying an in-progress download of content by a computer system from a content system; joining, by the computer system during the download of the content from the content system, a peer-to-peer network in which the content is being shared by at least one peer in the peer-to-peer network; determining, by the computer system, whether to rely on the peer-to-peer network instead of the content system for receiving the content; responsive to a determination to rely on the peer-to-peer network, terminating, by the computer system, the in-progress download from the content system; and receiving, by the computer system, at least a portion of the content through the peer-to-peer network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the download is identified responsive to one or more of the following: a size of the content being greater that a certain size and the content being downloaded from the content system via a non-secure connection. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: responsive to joining the peer-to-peer network, receiving data blocks of the content from the peer-to-peer network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: responsive to a difference between an amount of the content received from the peer-to-peer network and an amount of the content received from the content system since joining the peer-to-peer network being greater than a threshold, determining not rely on the peer-to-peer network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: responsive to determining not to rely on the peer-to-peer network, terminating the receipt of data blocks from the peer-to-peer network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: responsive to receiving a data block from to peer-to-peer network before receiving the data block via the download from the content system, determining to rely on the peer-to-peer network instead of the content system for receiving the content. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: responsive to the receipt of the content from the peer-to-peer network being faster than via the download from the content system, determining to rely on the peer-to-peer network instead of the content system for receiving the content. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: responsive to determining to rely on the peer-to-peer network and not receiving a data block of the content from the peer-to-peer networking within a threshold period, requesting the data block from the content system. ### Claim 9 A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for managing the receiving of digital content, the computer program product comprising: a monitoring module configured to identify an in-progress download of content by a computer system from a content system; a swarm module configured to cause during the download of the content from the content system the computer system to join a peer-to-peer network in which the content is being shared by at least one peer in the peer-to-peer network; and a management module configured to: determine whether to rely on the peer-to-peer network instead of the content system for receiving the content; responsive to a determination to rely on the peer-to-peer network, terminate the in-progress download from the content system; and receive at least a portion of the content through the peer-to-peer network. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the download is identified responsive to one or more of the following: a size of the content being greater that a certain size and the content being downloaded from the content system via a non-secure connection. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the swarm module is further configured to: receive data blocks of the content from the peer-to-peer network in response to the computer system joining the peer-to-peer network,. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the management module is further configured to: responsive to a difference between an amount of the content received from the peer-to-peer network and an amount of the content received from the content system since joining the peer-to-peer network being greater than a threshold, determine not rely on the peer-to-peer network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the management module is further configured to: responsive to determining not to rely on the peer-to-peer network, terminate the receipt of data blocks from the peer-to-peer network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the management module is further configured to: responsive to receiving a data block from to peer-to-peer network before receiving the data block via the download from the content system, determine to rely on the peer-to-peer network instead of the content system for receiving the content. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the management module is further configured to: responsive to the receipt of the content from the peer-to-peer network being faster than via the download from the content system, determine to rely on the peer-to-peer network instead of the content system for receiving the content. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the management module is further configured to: responsive to determining to rely on the peer-to-peer network and not receiving a data block of the content from the peer-to-peer networking within a threshold period, request the data block from the content system. ### Claim 17 A computer system for managing the receiving of digital content, the system comprising: one or more computer processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program modules adapted to execute on the one or more computer processors, the program modules comprising: a monitoring module configured to identify an in-progress download of content by the computer system from a content system; a swarm module configured to cause during the download of the content from the content system the computer system to join a peer-to-peer network in which the content is being shared by at least one peer in the peer-to-peer network; and a management module configured to: determine whether to rely on the peer-to-peer network instead of the content system for receiving the content; responsive to a determination to rely on the peer-to-peer network, terminate the in-progress download from the content system; and receive at least a portion of the content through the peer-to-peer network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the download is identified responsive to one or more of the following: a size of the content being greater that a certain size and the content being downloaded from the content system via a non-secure connection. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the swarm module is further configured to: receive data blocks of the content from the peer-to-peer network in response to the computer system joining the peer-to-peer network. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the management module is further configured to: responsive to a difference between an amount of the content received from the peer-to-peer network and an amount of the content received from the content system since joining the peer-to-peer network being greater than a threshold, determine not rely on the peer-to-peer network.