Cache structure for peer-to-peer distribution of digital objects

1. A method for distributing digital objects in a network, the digital objects being distributable in a plurality of pieces, wherein at least some of a plurality of peers are connected to other ones of the plurality of peers and at least one of the peers being connected to at least one cache, the method comprising:

receiving a message relating to a digital object from a first one of the plurality of peers at the at least one cache;

checking whether meta-information relating to the digital object is available in the at least one cache;

requesting the meta-information from a meta-information source in the event that the meta-information is unavailable in the at least one cache;

receiving the meta-information at the at least one cache; and

storing one or more of the plurality of pieces in the at least one cache based on the meta-information,

wherein receiving, checking, requesting and storing are steps that are performed by the at least one cache operating as a member peer of the plurality of peers in a peer-to-peer distribution network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein storing of the one or more of the plurality of pieces comprises obtaining one or more pieces of the digital object from at least some of the plurality of peers.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing of the one or more of the plurality of pieces comprises obtaining one or more pieces of the digital object from the first one of the plurality of peers.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing of the one or more of the plurality of pieces comprises obtaining one or more pieces of the digital object from at least a further cache.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting to a tracker subsequent to receiving the meta-information to identify members of a swarm and subsequently connecting to and requesting data from at least one of the members of the swarm.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting to a tracker subsequent to receiving the meta-information to identify members of a swarm and subsequently connecting to and transmitting data to the at least one of the members of the swarm.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the meta-information is selected from the group consisting of check sums, file names, file lengths, number of pieces, tracker addresses, seed addresses, server addresses, publisher information, digital signatures and piece sizes.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising checking whether the at least one cache can serve at least one piece of the digital object.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the meta-information source comprises a further cache.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the meta-information source comprises a network probe.

11. A network for the distribution of digital objects, the digital objects being distributable in a plurality of pieces, the network comprising:

a plurality of peers, at least some of the plurality of peers being connected to other ones of the plurality of peers;

at least one data source on which at least pieces of a digital object are stored, at least one of the plurality of peers being connected to the at least one data source;

at least one cache for storing at least one piece of the digital object, whereby at least one of the plurality of peers is connected to the at least one cache; and

at least one meta-information source comprising meta-information relating to the digital object, wherein the meta-information is requested by the at least one cache in the event that the meta-information is unavailable in the at least one cache;

wherein the at least one piece of the digital object is stored in the at least one cache based on the meta-information, and

wherein the at least one cache operates as a peer member of the plurality of peers in a peer-to-peer distribution network.

12. The network of claim 11 , wherein the at least one piece of the digital object stored in the at least one cache is downloadable from the at least one cache.

13. The network of claim 11 , wherein the at least one cache is additionally connected to the network.

14. The network of claim 11 , wherein the network comprises a private network containing the pieces of digital objects.

15. The network of claim 11 , wherein the at least one cache is directly connected to the at least one data source.

16. The network of claim 11 , wherein the at least one cache is directly connected to the at least one meta-information source.

17. Apparatus for use in distributing digital objects in a network, the digital objects being distributable in a plurality of pieces, wherein at least some of a plurality of peers are connected to other ones of the plurality of peers, the apparatus comprising:

at least one cache connected to at least one of the peers, the at least one cache being configured to:

receive a message relating to a digital object from a first one of the plurality of peers;

check whether meta-information relating to the digital object is available;

request the meta-information from a meta-information source in the event that the meta-information is unavailable;

receive the meta-information; and

store one or more of the plurality of pieces based on the meta-information,

wherein the at least one cache operates as a peer member of the plurality of peers in a peer-to-peer distribution network.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein storing one or more of the plurality of pieces comprises obtaining one or more pieces of the digital object from at least some of the plurality of peers.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the storing one or more of the plurality of pieces comprises obtaining one or more pieces of the digital object from the first one of the plurality of peers.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the storing one or more of the plurality of pieces comprises obtaining one or more pieces of the digital object from at least a further cache.