Computer architecture for managing courseware in a shared use operating environment
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Abstract
Methods, devices, and systems are provided in a multi-level computer architecture which provides improved capabilities for managing courseware and other content in a shared use operating environment such as a computer network. In particular, the invention provides a commercial networked instruction content delivery method and system which does not exclude synchronous sharing but is focused on asynchronous sharing. Security means in the architecture provide content property holders with the ability to know how many minutes of use an individual made of licensed material and with increased certainty that their material cannot be used, copied, or sold in usable form unless and until a user site is connected or reconnected to a minute-by-minute counter which is located off the premises of the user. This security link helps protect software and other works which are being sold or licensed to an individual, organization, or entity, and creates income opportunities for owners of such content.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1-37. -37. (canceled)
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38. A method comprising:
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obtaining, at one or more content servers, digital content that is managed by a system that includes the one or more content servers in a shared use operating environment, the obtained digital content containing one or more critical portions which have been previously treated to prevent their unauthorized use; and serving at least a portion of the managed obtained digital content from at least one content server of the system, the serving being further characterized in that it serves the one or more critical portions of the content only for presentation to registered users, namely, users who have previously been registered with a registration server of the system. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method comprising:
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obtaining, at one or more content servers, digital content that is managed by a system that includes the one or more content servers in a shared use operating environment, the obtained digital content containing one or more critical portions which have been previously treated to prevent their unauthorized use; serving at least a portion of the managed obtained digital content from at least one content server of the system, the serving being further characterized in that it serves the one or more critical portions of the content only for presentation to registered users, namely, users who have previously been registered with a registration server of the system; and separating user registration information from the managed obtained digital content that is on the one or more content servers by preventing creation of user registrations on the one or more content servers. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method comprising:
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obtaining, at one or more content servers, digital content that is managed by a system that includes the one or more content servers in a shared use operating environment, the obtained digital content containing one or more critical portions which have been previously treated to prevent their unauthorized use; serving at least a portion of the managed obtained digital content from at least one content server of the system, the serving being further characterized in that it serves the one or more critical portions of the content only for presentation to a registered user, namely, a user who has previously been registered with a registration server of the system; and receiving from a registered user an identification of an entity which is a sponsor of the registered user with regard to accessing managed obtained digital content through the system. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification