Patent ID: 7650368
Filing Date: 2010-01-19
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for obtaining a communications address for restoring media, comprising: receiving a user's media catalog; storing the user's media catalog in a database of media catalogs; when restoration is desired, retrieving from the user's media catalog an identity of a media file to be restored; accessing a peer contact list listing communications addresses for peer devices; retrieving a preferred ranking of peer communications addresses; retrieving a first communications address from the preferred ranking; sending a query to the first communications address to obtain an electronic copy of the media file that is available for no charge, the query comprising a restoration address to which the electronic copy is sent; awaiting a response from the first communications address; sequentially sending subsequent queries to each communications address in the preferred ranking to freely obtain the electronic copy of the media file; querying a fee-based restoration service for electronic copy of the media file when the media file cannot be freely obtained from the preferred ranking; obtaining the electronic copy of the media file; and storing the electronic copy of the media file in the user's media catalog.