Patent ID: 8799434

Claim:
A device for use as a superpeer that manages at least one peer in a hybrid peer-to-peer network that includes at least two active, initially non-implementing peers that do not implement a predetermined function, the device comprising: means for receiving a service request for the predetermined function from at least one of the at least two active non-implementing peers; means for identifying active implementing peers in the hybrid peer-to-peer network that implement the predetermined function; means for determining a number corresponding to how many of said active implementing peers are in the hybrid peer-to-peer network; means for sending, to at least one other of the at least two active non-implementing peers, a request for said at least one other of the at least two active non-implementing peers to obtain and implement the predetermined function if said number is less than a predetermined minimum threshold; means for establishing a list of said active implementing peers; and means for sending said list to said at least one of the at least two active non-implementing peers that sent said service request for the predetermined function.