Patent ID: 7912948

Claim:
A computer-readable memory device having stored thereon instructions that, when executed at a processor, configure the processor to implement: a packet, arranged according to a data structure, for sending messages between two nodes in a peer-to-peer content distribution cloud, wherein the packet includes a message comprising a plurality of message elements, each message element being stored in a respective payload in the packet and at least one of said message elements being a message header wherein said message header identifies the message type as being one of an ACK, NAK, Notification, ConnectionRequest, Inactivity, PeerRegister, PeerDeRegister, PeerListRequest, FileRequest, FileResponse, ContentRequest, ContentResponse, BlockRequest and BlockData message, and wherein at least one of said message elements comprises a flag field arranged to indicate that a connection between the two nodes is in a notify state, the notify state indicating that the connection is idle but useful information is forthcoming on the connection, and indicating that the connection is not to be disconnected.