Claims
- 1. A method for permitting offline playback of a content file on a user computing device upon offline verification of the terms of a license for authorizing the playback of the content file, the method comprising:
identifying the license by using one or more information fields within header; verifying the terms of the license locally on the user computing device while the user is offline; retrieving from the license, a session key for decrypting the content file; retrieving from the license, a segment which is part of the content file; decrypting the content file using the session key to permit playback of the content file for a single session; and combining the segment with the content file to permit playback of the content file.
- 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising
receiving the content file and the license from one or more server computing systems.
- 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising
separating the segment from the content file prior to the step of receiving the content file and the license.
- 4. The method of claim 2 further comprising
combining the segment with the license prior to the step of receiving the content file and the license.
- 5. The method of claim 2 further comprising
binding the license to the user computing device so that the content file is playable only on the user computing device prior to the step of receiving the content file and the license.
- 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising
substituting the segment with the header in the content file prior to the step of receiving the content file and the license.
- 7. A method for permitting offline license verification, and for enabling playback of a content file on a user computing device, the method comprising:
receiving the content file from a computing system communicatively coupled to the user computing device; receiving the license from a computing system communicatively coupled to the user computing device; optionally, storing both the content file and license within the user computing device to enable future playback of the content file; retrieving the content file having a header containing one or more information fields; identifying the license by using the one or more information fields within header; verifying the terms of the license locally on the user computing device while the user is offline; retrieving from the license, a session key for decrypting the content file; retrieving from the license, a segment which is part of the content file; decrypting the content file using the session key to permit playback for a single session; and combining the segment with the content file to permit playback.
- 8. The method of claim 7 further comprising
separating the first segment from the content file prior to the step of receiving the content file from a computing system.
- 9. The method of claim 7 further comprising
combining the first segment with the license prior to the step of receiving the license from a computing system.
- 10. A system for managing rights to a content file within a computer network, and to permit offline verification of a license for authorizing playback the content file offline, the system comprising:
a key for decrypting the content file; a first content portion which is part of the content file; a license for decrypting the content file, the license containing both the key and the first content portion; a first computer system for generating the content file, the first computer system further comprising,
a header which contains a first field for having identification information; software containing one of more instructions for creating the header, software containing one or more instructions for generating the key, software containing one or more instructions for encrypting the content file, and for removing the first content portion from the content file and substituting the header thereof; a second computer system for receiving the content file from the first computer system and for receiving the license, the second computer system further comprising,
software containing one or more instructions for verifying the terms of the license locally on the second computer system while the user is offline; software containing one or more instructions for decrypting the content file using the key, upon receipt of the license, and software containing one or more instructions for combining the first content portion with the content file to permit playback of the content file.
- 11. A system for managing rights to a content file within a computer network, and to permit offline verification, the system comprising:
a key for decrypting the content file; a first content portion which is part of the content file; a license for decrypting the content file, the license containing both the key and the first content portion; a first computer system for generating the content file, the first computer system further comprising,
software containing one or more instructions for encrypting the content file, and for removing the first content portion from the content file and substituting the header thereof; a second computer system for receiving the content file from the first computer system and for receiving the license, the second computer system further comprising,
software containing one or more instructions for identifying the license using the header; software containing one or more instructions for verifying the terms of the license locally on the second computer system while the user is offline; software containing one or more instructions for decrypting the content file using the key, to permit playback of the content file while the user is offline; and software containing one or more instructions for combining the first content portion with the content file to permit playback of the content file.
- 12. The system of claim 11 wherein the header contains one or more information fields for identifying the license.
- 13. The system of claim 11 wherein the first computer system has software containing one of more instructions for creating the header.
- 14. The system of claim 11 wherein the first computer system has software containing one or more instructions for generating the key.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/659,902, filed September 12, 2000, entitled “System for Managing Rights and Permitting On-Line Playback of Digital Content” which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in full in this application.