Claims
- 1. A method of storing a digital asset in a data repository for the purpose of providing efficient access to the data over a network, said method comprising:
receiving a broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier; determining whether the broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier is a known cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier; adding the broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier to a list of desired broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifiers; receiving a digital asset identified by the broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier; generating a generated cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier from the assembled asset; and verifying that the generated cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier matches the broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier.
- 2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein adding the broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier includes:
determining the number of times the broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier has been received; and determining whether to add the cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier to said list based upon said number of times.
- 3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving a digital asset identified by the transmitted cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier includes:
receiving portions of said asset identified by the transmitted cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier at different times; and assembling the portions of the asset into the complete asset.
- 4. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising:
sending a broadcast request for portions of assets that have not been obtained.
- 5. A method as recited in claim 4 further comprising:
determining an amount of broadcast traffic on a local network; and determining whether to send the broadcast request based on the amount of broadcast traffic on the local network.
- 6. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
quarantining the asset while verifying that the generated cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier matches the broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier.
- 7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of data repositories configured serially are present on said network, said method further comprising:
comparing the cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier to a selection rule; and determining whether to add the broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier to a list of desired broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifiers based on said selection rule.
- 8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said received asset is a descriptor file, said method further comprising:
opening the descriptor file to obtain a list of asset identifiers; and adding the list of asset identifiers to the list of desired broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifiers.
- 9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
storing said received asset in said data repository; and responding to a network request from a network device for said stored asset by broadcasting the stored asset.
- 10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
responding to a network request from a network device for a stored digital asset by broadcasting portions of the stored asset; and broadcasting portions of the stored file before the entire asset is received at the data repository.
- 11. A data repository on a network comprising:
an asset collector operative to
receive a broadcast cryptographic hash asset identifier, add the broadcast cryptographic hash asset identifier to a list of desired broadcast cryptographic hash asset identifiers, receive an asset identified by the broadcast cryptographic hash asset identifier, verify the identity of the asset by generating a generated cryptographic hash asset identifier from the assembled asset, and compare the generated cryptographic hash asset identifier to the broadcast cryptographic hash asset identifier; an asset storage memory for storing the received asset; and an asset supplier for supplying the file to a network device that requests the asset.
- 12. A method of selectively storing data in a data repository and providing stored data from a data repository over a network, said method comprising:
receiving a broadcast cryptographic hash digital asset identifier; determining whether the broadcast cryptographic hash asset identifier corresponds to a received asset that is stored in the data repository; adding the broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier to a list of desired broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifiers if the broadcast cryptographic hash asset identifier does not correspond to a received asset that is stored in the data repository; and broadcasting the received asset that is stored in the data repository if the broadcast cryptographic hash asset identifier corresponds to a received asset that is stored in the data repository.
- 13. A method of deleting a digital asset in a data repository comprising:
receiving a broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier; adding the broadcast cryptographic hash descriptor file identifier to a list of file to be deleted; comparing the cryptographic hash asset identifier to a generated cryptographic hash asset identifier that represents a known asset in an asset list; and deleting the known asset from the asset.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/072,316, filed Jan. 23, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. WRSHP002), filed concurrently herewith, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60072316 |
Jan 1998 |
US |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09236366 |
Jan 1999 |
US |
Child |
10673356 |
Sep 2003 |
US |