Patent ID: 8443056

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for processing augmented download or streaming requests received from a client computer, the method comprising: receiving a valid download or streaming request generated by the client computer to include protocol information specifying at least one portion of a digital content file that should be transmitted to the client computer and information additional to the protocol information that conveys an additional purpose of the download or streaming request, wherein the additional information comprises at least one of: (i) a status of a storage server, and (ii) a method of fulfilling the request, wherein the additional purpose relates to optimizing fulfillment of the request, wherein the additional information is programmatically generated by the client computer without receiving user input requesting the additional purpose; in response to the download or streaming request, retrieving the portion of the digital content file from the storage server; upon determining that fulfilling the additional purpose optimizes system performance, processing the information additional to the protocol information to perform, one or more other actions to modify system behavior to fulfill the additional purpose associated with the download or streaming request; upon determining that fulfilling the additional purpose does not optimize system performance, ignoring the information additional to the protocol information and not modifying system behavior; and transmitting the portion of the digital content file to the client computer.