Patent ID: 7707215

Claim:
A computer implemented method for provisioning content, the method comprising the steps of: maintaining real-time popularity information for a plurality of files available for download, such that this information can be accessed by a plurality of servers; maintaining information concerning which of the plurality of servers are storing which of the plurality of files, such that this information can be accessed by a plurality of downloaders; receiving, at a computer processor, information from each server of the plurality that served a percentage of a file to a downloader, said information proving provision of the percentage of the file; and in response to serving out all or a portion of the file from one or more of the servers to the downloader, dividing a fee from the downloader for the file among each server of the plurality that served a percentage of the file to the downloader according to a parimutuel model taking into account real-time popularity information for the file roles of participating servers in providing the file to the downloader.