Method and apparatus for sharing media files among network nodes

A method for sharing a data file among a plurality of devices in a network, the method comprising:

• partitioning at least a portion of the data file into a sequence of data blocks, wherein the data file pertains to a title that is included in a library and wherein the library is updated in each of the plurality of devices in the network;
• configuring a first set of devices, of the plurality of devices, to receive the sequence of data blocks collectively, such that each device in the first set receives at least one of the data blocks;
• configuring each of a first device and a second device of the first set of devices to propagate, in response to determining that the network has a certain amount of bandwidth available, a set of locally stored data blocks, of the sequence of data blocks, to other devices, of the plurality of devices, which do not already store the set of locally stored data blocks;
• and
• configuring each of the first device and the second device to cease the propagation of locally stored data blocks whenever that device is instructed to serve a particular data file for playback for a user.

A system for sharing a data file among a plurality of devices in a network, the system comprising:

• a first device and a second device, of the plurality of devices, each locally storing at least a first data segment of a plurality of data segments pertaining to the data file,
• wherein each of the plurality of devices is configured to:
• propagate, in response to determining that the network has a certain amount of bandwidth available, a set of locally stored segments, of the number of segments, to other devices, of the plurality of devices, which do not already store the set of locally stored segments;
• and
• cease the propagation of locally stored segments whenever that device is instructed to serve a particular data file for playback for a user;
• a third device, of the plurality of devices, configured to initiate a request for the first data segment;
• and
• a server to receive the request from the third device and configure the first and second devices to transmit respective first and second portions of the first data segment, concurrently, to the third device.