System and method for sharing file portions between peers with different capabilities

A computer system, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• memory;
• and
• one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
• obtaining information that enables distribution of content between clients operating as peers in a peer-to-peer network, wherein:
• a first subset of the clients have first file format processing capabilities for processing content in a first file format;
• a second subset of the clients have second file format processing capabilities for processing content in a second file format different from the first file format;
• the peer-to-peer network enables access to a first set of file portions that can be combined to generate the respective content in the first file format;
• the peer-to-peer network enables access to a second set of file portions that can be combined to generate the respective content in the second file format;
• and
• the first set of file portions and the second set of file portions both include one or more shared file portions that are shared between peers having the first file format processing capabilities and peers having the second file format processing capabilities;
• providing, to one or more clients, information that enables the respective content to be shared over the peer-to-peer network, wherein:
• the information enables clients in the first subset of clients to obtain shared file portions from either clients in the first subset of clients or clients in the second subset of clients;
• and
• the information enables clients in the second subset of clients to obtain shared file portions from either clients in the first subset of clients or in the second subset of clients.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device with one or more processors, cause the device to:

• obtain information that enables distribution of content between clients operating as peers in a peer-to-peer network, wherein:
• a first subset of the clients have first file format processing capabilities for processing content in a first file format;
• a second subset of the clients have second file format processing capabilities for processing content in a second file format different from the first file format;
• the peer-to-peer network enables access to a first set of file portions that can be combined to generate the respective content in the first file format;
• the peer-to-peer network enables access to a second set of file portions that can be combined to generate the respective content in the second file format;
• and
• the first set of file portions and the second set of file portions both include one or more shared file portions that are shared between peers having the first file format processing capabilities and peers having the second file format processing capabilities;
• provide, to one or more clients, information that enables the respective content to be shared over the peer-to-peer network, wherein:
• the information enables clients in the first subset of clients to obtain shared file portions from either clients in the first subset of clients or clients in the second subset of clients;
• and
• the information enables clients in the second subset of clients to obtain shared file portions from either clients in the first subset of clients or in the second subset of clients.