Patent ID: 8775512

Claim:
A system for distributing information over a network, including: a processor; and a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to: group nodes into regions; designate a first subset of nodes as preferred nodes and a second subset of nodes as common nodes; indicate to a preferred node in the first subset a source of content, wherein a preferred distribution algorithm is selected to be used in communicating the content between the source and the preferred node based at least in part on the preferred node's designation; and assign the preferred node as a relay of information to a common node in the second subset, wherein the information relayed between the preferred node and the common node is communicated using a distribution algorithm that is selected based at least in part on the common node's designation and that is different from the preferred algorithm selected to be used in communicating the content between the source and the preferred node.