High concurrency data download apparatus and method

A method of concurrently downloading an item, over one or more packet switched networks, to a plurality of users comprising:

• storing an item to be downloaded as a plurality of packets, each packet including a segment of the item and an index indicating the position of the segment within the item;
• maintaining for each of a plurality of users a separate list of packets to be sent to the user;
• and
• for each of the plurality of users sending, in turn, one or more of the plurality of packets in that user's list of packets.

A method for concurrently downloading an item to a plurality of recipients, comprising:

• dividing an item to be downloaded into a plurality of segments, wherein each of said plurality of segments includes a portion of said item;
• adding a header to each of said plurality of segments, thereby producing a plurality of packets, wherein said header includes an index indicating the position of said segment of said item within said item;
• storing a copy of each of the plurality of packets;
• maintaining for the plurality of recipients listings containing references to those of the plurality of packets to be transmitted to each of the plurality of recipients;
• selecting a first recipient of the plurality of recipients and causing to be transmitted a copy of one or more of the packets that are referenced in the listings for transmission to the first recipient;
• and
• selecting a second recipient of the plurality of recipients and causing to be transmitted a copy of one or more of the packets that are referenced in the listings for transmission to the second recipient.

A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when read by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for concurrently downloading an item to a plurality of recipients, the method comprising:

• dividing an item to be downloaded into a plurality of segments, wherein each of said plurality of segments includes a portion of said item;
• adding a header to each of said plurality of segments, thereby producing a plurality of packets, wherein said header includes an index indicating the position of said segment of said item within said item;
• storing a copy of each of the plurality of packets;
• maintaining for the plurality of recipients listings containing references to the plurality of packets to be transmitted to each of the plurality of recipients;
• selecting a first recipient of the plurality of recipients and causing to be transmitted a copy of one or more of the packets that are referenced in the listings for transmission to the first recipient;
• and
• selecting a second recipient of the plurality of recipients and causing to be transmitted a copy of one or more of the packets that are referenced in the listings for transmission to the second recipient.