Systems and methods for providing digital content

• US 20050076061A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Total Training Network, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Total Training Network, Inc.
• Inventors: Cox, Jerry
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus store and play licensed digital content in a plurality of files on a computer-readable medium. In addition, a plurality of dummy files are also stored on the computer-readable medium. The file names for the licensed digital content files and the dummy files are generated in a manner such that the licensed digital content files cannot be distinguished from the dummy files. The file names may comprise randomly generated characters, or sequential file names where the sequential file names are randomly assigned to the digital content files and the dummy files.

Claims

1. A computerized system comprising:

a computer-readable media containing a plurality of licensed content files and a plurality dummy files interspersed on the media, said licensed content files and dummy content files each having a file name provided in a manner such that the licensed content files and the dummy content files cannot be distinguished by the file names; and

a server operable to maintain a database mapping a content title with the plurality of licensed content files, and further operable to maintain a database of authorized users;

wherein the server performs the tasks of;

receive a selection of a content title from an authorized user;

map the content title to at least one file name of the licensed content files; and

issue a command invoking a player for the licensed content file using the at least one file name.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the licensed content files and the dummy content files are stored across a plurality of directories, said directories named in a manner such that the licensed content files and the dummy content files cannot be distinguished by the directory name.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the licensed content file names and the dummy content file names comprise randomly generated characters.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the licensed content file names and the dummy content file names comprise sequentially generated file names.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the licensed content file names are randomly selected from the sequentially generated file names.

6. A method comprising:

providing a computer-readable media;

storing on the computer-readable media a plurality of licensed content files;

each of said licensed content files having a file name; and

storing on the computer-readable media a plurality of dummy content files, each of said dummy content files having a file name;

wherein the file names are provided in a manner such that the licensed content files and the dummy content files cannot be distinguished by the file names.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the licensed content files and the dummy content files are stored across a plurality of directories, said directories named in a manner such that the licensed content files and the dummy content files cannot be distinguished by the directory name.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the licensed content file names and the dummy content file names comprise randomly generated characters.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the licensed content file names and the dummy content file names comprise sequentially generated file names.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the licensed content file names are randomly selected from the sequentially generated file names.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a selection from a remote computer of a content title indicating a selected licensed content file of a plurality of licensed content files stored on a computer-readable media with a plurality of dummy content files also store on the computer-readable media;

each of said licensed content files and dummy content files having a file name, wherein the file names are provided in a manner such that the licensed content files and the dummy content files cannot be distinguished by the file names;

mapping the content title to a file name for the digital content; and

issuing to the remote computer a command to invoke a player for the selected licensed content file, said command including the file name for the licensed content file.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving login information from the remote computer; and

displaying the content title on the remote computer.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the licensed content file names and the dummy content file names comprise randomly generated characters.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the licensed content file names and the dummy content file names comprise sequentially generated file names.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the licensed content file names are randomly selected from the sequentially generated file names.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving a selection from a remote computer of a content title indicating a selected licensed content file of a plurality of licensed content files stored on a computer-readable media with a plurality of dummy content files also store on the computer-readable media;

each of said licensed content files and dummy content files having a file name, wherein the file names are provided in a manner such that the licensed content files and the dummy content files cannot be distinguished by the file names;

mapping the content title to a file name for the digital content; and

issuing to the remote computer a command to invoke a player for the selected licensed content file, said command including the file name for the licensed content file.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving login information from the remote computer; and

displaying the content title on the remote computer.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the licensed content file names and the dummy content file names comprise randomly generated characters.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the licensed content file names and the dummy content file names comprise sequentially generated file names.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the licensed content file names are randomly selected from the sequentially generated file names.

21. A computer-readable media having disposed thereon a file system, the file system comprising:

a plurality of licensed content files; and

a plurality dummy files;

wherein the licensed content files and dummy content files each have a file name provided in a manner such that the licensed content files and the dummy content files cannot be distinguished by the file names.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the licensed content files and the dummy content files are stored across a plurality of directories on the computer-readable medium, said directories named in a manner such that the licensed content files and the dummy content files cannot be distinguished by the directory name.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the licensed content file names and the dummy content file names comprise randomly generated characters.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the licensed content file names and the dummy content file names comprise sequentially generated file names.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the licensed content file names are randomly selected from the sequentially generated file names.