Database usage metering and protection system and method

• US 5,410,598 A
• Filed: 09/27/1994
• Issued: 04/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Electronic Publishing Resources, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Electronic Publishing Resources, Inc.
• Inventors: Shear, Victor H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US08/311,311
• Time in Patent Office: 210 Days
• Field of Search: 380/3, 380/4, 380/9, 380/16, 380/23, 380/25, 380/49, 380/50, 380/54, 327/525
• US Class Current: 705/53
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1408 by using cryptography for digital transmission H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/20 of structured data, e.g. relational data
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0897 involving additional devices, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard or USB

Abstract

A "return on investment" digital database usage metering, billing, and security system includes a hardware device which is plugged into a computer system bus (or into a serial or other functionally adequate connector) and a software program system resident in the hardware device. One or more databases are encrypted and stored on a non-volatile mass storage device (e.g., an optical disk). A tamper-proof decrypting device and associated controller decrypts selected portions of the stored database and measures the quantity of information which is decrypted. This measured quantity information is communicated to a remote centralized billing facility and used to charge the user a fee based on database usage. A system may include a "self-destruct" feature which .disables system operation upon occurrence of a predetermined event unless the user implements an "antidote"--instructions for implementing the antidote being given to him by the database owner only if the user pays his bill. Absolute database security and billing based on database usage are thus provided in a system environment wherein all database access tasks are performed at the user'"'"'s site. Moreover, a free market competitive environment is supported because literary property royalties can be calculated based on actual data use.

Claims

1. A method of providing, for use by a customer at said customer'"'"'s site, a database that is at least in part encrypted, said method permitting said customer to use at least one part of said database while helping to ensure that owners of rights in portions of said database are properly compensated for use of said database, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) providing at least one storage medium at said customer'"'"'s site, said storage medium having at least a portion of said database stored thereon in encrypted form, said database including at least first and second parts, a first owner owning at least one right in said first part, a second owner owning at least one right in said second part;

(ii) providing a database protection system for use with at least a portion of said database;

(iii) supplying at least one key for use by said database protection system;

(iv) limiting said customer'"'"'s use of at least a portion of said database;

(v) decrypting an encrypted portion of said database at least in part by using said database protection system and said key;

(vi) receiving a payment associated at least in part with use of (a) said first part, and (b) said second part, of said database; and

(vii) providing compensation to said first and second owners by apportioning at least part of said payment amongst said first and second owners.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein customer use of at least a portion of said database includes accessing at least a portion of said database.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein customer use of at least a portion of said database contents includes copying at least a portion of said database contents.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein:

said database contains plural properties;

said method further includes metering at least one aspect of use of at least a portion of said database, and

said providing step (vii) includes the step of apportioning said payment amongst said at least first and second owners according at least in part to said metering.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein:

said method further includes the step of enabling said customer to specify, at said customer'"'"'s site, at least one budget establishing at least one maximum quantity limit for use of at least one portion of said database properties by at least one of said customer'"'"'s employees; and

said limiting step (iv) conditionally limits use of at least a portion of said database properties based at least in part on said maximum quantity limit.

6. A method as in claim 4 further including the step of making a copy of at least one portion of said database properties, said copying step including providing in said copy at least one embedded, copy origin identifying code.

7. A method as in claim 4 wherein said method further includes:

(a) producing information in response to at least a portion of said metering; and

(b) deriving marketing survey information from at least a portion of said produced information.

8. A method as in claim 4 further including:

(a) producing information in response to at least a portion of said metering; and

(b) using at least a portion of said produced information in connection with marketing.

9. A method as in claim 1 further including metering at least one aspect of use of said database contents.

10. A method as in claim 9 wherein said providing step (v) includes the step of apportioning said payment amongst said at least first and second owners according to actual use of said at least first and second portions of said database contents.

11. A method as in claim 10 further including requiring said payment in an amount based, at least in part, on said metering.

12. A method as in claim 1 wherein:

said providing step (i) includes providing at least one index and at least one database searching mechanism;

said method further includes supporting, with said database protection system, storing of customer accessible budget information for use of at least a portion of said database; and

said method further includes providing said budget information to assist said customer in controlling use of at least a portion of said database.

13. A method as in claim 1 wherein:

said providing step (ii) includes providing an enclosed, tamper resistant hardware arrangement for use in proximity to said at least one storage medium; and

said method further includes securely performing the following steps within said hardware arrangement;

(a) storing information representing said supplied key;

(b) said decrypting step (v);

(c) metering at least one parameter pertaining to at least one aspect of at least one of (a) displaying, (b) copying, (c) decrypting, (d) retrieving, and (e) communicating, said stored database; and

(d) storing information in response to at least a portion of said metering.

14. A method as in claim 1 wherein:

said providing step (ii) includes providing a tamper resistant, enclosed, preprogrammed hardware arrangement for operation in proximity to said storage medium, said arrangement including non-volatile memory; and

said method further includes the following steps;

storing information in said non-volatile memory, said information including at least one of (a) password information, and (b) user identification information;

storing, in said non-volatile memory, information representing said supplied key; and

decrypting an encrypted part of said database within said hardware arrangement using said decryption key.

15. A method as in claim 1 wherein:

said providing step (ii) includes the step of supplying within an integrated circuit special purpose, programmable, tamper resistant circuitry arrangement, said circuitry, at least in part, securing against said unauthorized use of at least a portion of said database; and

said method further includes the steps of;

(a) storing in non-volatile memory within said circuitry, at least one of (a) password information, and (b) user identification information;

(b) storing in said non-volatile memory, information related to authorization for said customer to use a specific part of said database;

(c) at least in part performing said decrypting step within said circuitry; and

(d) storing, within said circuitry, information based on at least part of said customer'"'"'s use of at least a portion of said database.

16. A method as in claim 1 wherein:

said providing step (ii) includes providing an, at least in part, special purpose, tamper resistant, programmable, integrated circuit arrangement for at least in part securing distribution of at least a portion of said database; and

said method further includes the following steps;

(i) securely controlling within said special purpose tamper resistant arrangement, the metering of at least one parameter pertaining to at least one portion of at least one of (a) copying, (b) displaying, (c) decrypting, (d) retrieving, and (e) communicating, at least one portion of said stored database;

(ii) securely controlling within said special purpose tamper resistant arrangement the decrypting of at least a portion of said at least one encrypted portion; and

(iii) securely storing (A) information indicative of said metering, and (B) said key, within said special purpose tamper resistant arrangement.

17. A method as in claim 1 wherein:

said providing step (ii) includes providing at least one special purpose integrated circuit, for, at least in part, providing a secure, tamper resistant, database distribution environment; and

said method further includes;

securely controlling within said integrated circuit, the monitoring of at least one parameter pertaining to at least one aspect of at least one portion of at least one of (a) copying, (b) displaying, (c) decrypting, (d) retrieving, and (e) communicating, said stored database;

securely controlling, within said integrated circuit the decrypting of at least a portion of said at least one encrypted portion; and

securely storing within said at least one special purpose integrated circuit, (i) information resulting from said monitoring, and (ii) said key.

18. A method as in claim 1 wherein said decrypting step (v) decrypts database information to provide decrypted information, and wherein said limiting step (iv) includes preventing usage of at least a portion of said decrypted information.

19. A method as in claim 1 wherein:

said method includes a step of displaying at least a portion of said database; and

said limiting step (iv) includes preventing at least one of (a) printing, (b) copying, and (c) communicating, of at least one portion of said displayed database.

20. A method as in claim 1 wherein:

said method further includes the step of enabling said customer to establish at least one budget limiting use of at least one portion of said database contents by at least one employee of said customer;

said limiting step includes limiting use of at least a portion of said database contents based, at least in part, on said budget; and

said method further includes enabling said customer'"'"'s at least one employee to access at least at portion of said database contents over a local area network installed at said customer'"'"'s site.

21. A method as in claim 1 wherein said method further includes the step of providing said customer with an authorization to use at least a portion of said database until a certain point-in-time;

and

said limiting step (iv) includes conditionally limiting at least one aspect of said customer'"'"'s use of at least one portion of said database, in response to said point-in-time.

22. A method as in claim 1 further including providing:

(a) a first budget relating to said customer displaying at least a part of said database, and

(b) a second budget different from said first budget, said second budget for at least one of (a) printing at least a part of said database, (b) copying at least a part of said database, and (c) communicating at least part of said database to a site different from said customer site.

23. A method as in claim 1 further including the step of subjecting said customer to different fee rates for (i) allowing the display of a portion of said database, and (ii) allowing at least one of (a) printing, (b) copying, and (c) communicating to a location different from said customer site, of at least a portion of said displayed portion of said database.

24. A method as in claim 1, further including:

(a) creating at least one audit trail which tracks at least one aspect of use of at least a part of said database contents, and

(b) deriving marketing survey information from at least a portion of said at least one audit trail.

25. A method as in claim 1 wherein said method further includes:

conveying information concerning use of at least a portion of said database to a remotely located publisher; and

securing against the tampering with said information conveyed by said conveying step.

26. A method as in claim 1 further including the step of enabling database searching that identifies a specific portion of said database based on said portion'"'"'s topical relationship to, at least in part, customer specified search criteria.

27. A method as in claim 1 wherein said method further include the step of providing said customer with an authorization to use at least a portion of database for a duration of time;

and

said limiting step (iv) includes conditionally limiting at least one aspect of said customer'"'"'s use of at least one portion of said database, in response to said duration of time.

28. A method as in claim 1 wherein:

said database protection system providing step includes providing an integrated circuit, that is at least in part tamper-resistant, for location in proximity to said at least one storage medium;

said decrypting step (v) comprises at least in part decrypting, within said integrated circuit, at least a part of said encrypted portion; and

said method further includes;

(a) securely storing information related to customer identification, using a non-volatile memory arrangement within said integrated circuit;

(b) securely storing, using said non-volatile memory arrangement within said integrated circuit, information related to an authorization for said customer to use at least one of;

(A) a specific part of said database, and

(B) at least a part of said database up to a quantity limit; and

(c) securely storing, using a non-volatile memory arrangement within said integrated circuit, a value at least in part related to metering of at least an aspect of said use.

29. A method as in claim 28 further including coupling said tamper-resistant module to a general purpose host computer, and performing tasks with said general purpose host computer other than tasks associated with distributing said database.

30. A method as in claim 28 wherein:

said method includes the step of displaying at least a portion of said database and;

said limiting step (iv) includes preventing at least one of (a) printing, (b) copying, and (c) communicating, of at least one portion of said displayed database portion.

31. A method as in claim 28, wherein:

said method further including enabling said customer to specify, for at least one customer employee, at least one parameter for an authorization for said at least one employee to use of at least one portion of said database;

said limiting step conditionally prevents said employee from using at least a portion of said database based at least in part on said authorization;

said method further includes having a least one of said at least one storage medium installed on a local area network; and

said method further includes enabling said employee to access said network installed storage medium.

32. A method as in claim 28 wherein said method further includes the step of providing said customer with an authorization to use at least a portion of database for a duration of time;

and

said limiting step (iv) includes conditionally disabling at least one aspect of said customer'"'"'s use of at least one portion of said database, in response to said duration of time.

33. A method as in claim 28 wherein:

said method further includes the step of providing said customer with an authorization to use at least a portion of said database until a certain point-in-time; and

said limiting step (iv) includes conditionally disabling at least one aspect of said customer'"'"'s use of at least one portion of said database in response to said provided authorization.

34. A method as in claim 28 further including providing (a) a first budget for said customer for the displaying of database, and (b) a second budget different from said first budget, said second budget for at least one of (a) printing database, (b) copying databases, and (c) communicating database contents to a site different from said customer site.

35. A method as in claim 28 further including the step of subjecting said customer to different fee rates for (i) allowing the display of a portion of said database, and (ii) for allowing at least one of (a) printing, (b) copying, and (c) communicating to a location different from said customer site location, of at least a portion of said displayed portion of said database.

36. A method as in claim 28, further including:

(a) creating at least one audit trail which tracks at least one aspect of use of at least a port of said database contents, and

(b) deriving marketing survey information from at least a portion of said at least one audit trail.

37. A method as in claim 28, wherein:

said method further includes the step of enabling said customer to specify, at said customer'"'"'s site, at least one budget establishing at least one maximum quantity limit for use of at least one portion of said database by at least one of said customer'"'"'s employees; and

said limiting step (iv) conditionally enables use of at least a portion of said database based at least in part on said maximum quantity limit.

38. A method as in claim 28, further including the step of making a copy of at least one portion of said database, said copying step including providing in said copy at least one embedded, copy origin identifying code.

39. A method as in claim 28 wherein said method further includes:

conveying information concerning use of said database to a remotely located publisher; and

securing against the tampering with said information conveyed by said conveying step.

40. A method as in claim 28 further including the step of enabling database searching that identifies a specific portion of said database based on said portion'"'"'s topical relationship to, at least in part, customer specified search criteria.

41. A method as in claim 28 further including metering, within a tamper resistant portion of said integrated circuit, at least one parameter pertaining to at least one aspect of at least one portion of said decrypting, said metering step including storing information related to said metering in non-volatile memory within a tamper resistant portion of said integrated circuit.

42. A method as in claim 28 further including having at least one of said at least one storage medium installed on a local area network, said step including enabling said user to access said at least one of said at least one storage medium over said local area network.

43. A method as in claim 28 wherein:

said securely storing step (a) includes storing at least one identification code in non-volatile memory within a tamper resistant portion of said integrated circuit; and

said method further includes;

embedding said at least one code corresponding to said identification code in at least one portion of said database, and

controlling use of at least a portion of said database based on the presence of said embedded at least one code.

44. A method as in claim 43 further including the steps of:

a. ascertaining, at least in part based on the presence of said embedded code, how an unauthorized copy of said embedded database portion came into being; and

b. enforcing copyright law based, at least in part, on results of said ascertaining step.

45. A method as in claim 28 wherein said method further includes:

providing a self-destruct mechanism, and

destroying, through the use of said self-destruct mechanism, at least a portion of said stored information in response to tampering.

46. A method as in claim 28 wherein said method further includes storing billing information within said integrated circuit, at least a portion of said billing information being calculated based on at least one portion of information produced by said metering and at least one predetermined billing rate.

47. A method as in claim 28 further including:

(a) generating information indicating use of said encrypted database portion; and

(b) processing at least a portion of said produced information to generate marketing survey information.

48. A method as in claim 1, wherein

said method further includes providing said customer at least one authorization to use at least one portion of said database;

and

said providing step (ii) comprises;

supplying a tamper resistant, at least in part preprogrammed, hardware arrangement to secure against unauthorized at least one of (a) displaying, (b) communicating, (c) copying, and (d) printing, of at least one portion of said database;

securely controlling, within said hardware arrangement, at least a portion of said decrypting step;

metering, at least in part within said hardware arrangement, at least one parameter pertaining at least one aspect of at least one of (a) a portion of the decrypting of said stored database, and (b) use of at least a portion of said database; and

securely, storing within said hardware arrangement, (i) information resulting from said metering step, and(ii) authorization information.

49. A method as in claim 48 wherein said method further includes supplying said tamper resistant arrangement for installation within a general-purpose host computer.

50. A method as in claim 48 wherein:

said method further includes enabling said customer to specify, for at least one customer employee, an authorization for said employee to copy at least one portion of said database contents;

said limiting step includes conditionally restricting said employee from copying at least a portion of said database contents based at least in part on said authorization; and

said storing step further includes storing, within said hardware arrangement, information related to said authorization.

51. A method as in claim 48, further including:

(a) creating at least one audit trail which tracks at least one aspect of use of at least a part of said database contents, and

(b) deriving marketing survey information from at least a portion of said at least one audit trail.

52. A method as in claim 48 further including the step of making a copy of at least one portion of said database, said copying step including providing in said copy at least one embedded, copy origin identifying code.

53. A method as in claim 48 further including the step of enabling database searching that identifies specific portions of said database contents based on topical relationship to, at least in part, customer specified search criteria.

54. A method as in claim 48 wherein:

said metering step comprises, at least in part, metering, within said arrangement, at least a portion of said decrypting of at least a portion of said database contents using said securely stored key; and

said securely storing step comprises, at least in part, storing within said arrangement, information related to at least one aspect of said metering step.

55. A method as in claim 1 wherein said customer is an organization with employees, and wherein said method further includes:

storing usage information within said database protection system, said usage information reflecting database usage related to a database usage parameter, wherein said usage information is determined from database usage by a plurality of said customer'"'"'s employees; and

enabling, through the use of said database protection system, said customer to establish different usage budgets associated with said usage parameter, said different usage budgets applying at least in part to usage by different customer employees,

wherein said limiting step (iv) includes limiting an aspect of said database usage based at least in part on said usage budgets.

56. A method as in claim 1, wherein said method further includes storing, at said customer'"'"'s site and within said database protection system, a plurality of user identifications, wherein said user identifications correspond to individual organization employees and wherein said limiting step (iv) includes providing individual organization employees with budgets limiting said employees'"'"' usage of said database.

57. A method as in claim 1 wherein said method includes the steps of:

metering at least one parameter related to use of said database;

storing information derived from said metering in a detachable memory module operatively connected to and detachable from said database protection system; and

using data stored in said detachable memory module for the purpose of determining, at least in part, a usage history for said customer.

58. A method as in claim 1 wherein:

said database first and second parts comprise discrete database properties;

said customer comprises an organization having employees;

said limiting step (iv) comprises the following steps;

(a) enabling a publisher of said database to specify at least a first limit for usage of at least a portion of said database, and

(b) enabling said customer to establish at least a second limit for usage of at least a portion of said database; and

(c) limiting usage of at least a portion of said database based, at least in part, on at least one of said first and second limits.

59. A database protection system for securely distributing a database, said system preventing unauthorized use of at least a portion of said database, said system comprising:

at least one storage medium physically disposed at a customer'"'"'s site, said storage medium storing at least a portion of said database, said database containing properties, at least a portion of said database being encrypted, said encrypted portion requiring processing with at least one key for authorized use; and

a digital processing arrangement, disposed at said customer'"'"'s site and operatively connected to said storage medium, said processing arrangement including;

(a) control logic allowing said customer to select and use at least one part of at least one of said database properties, said control logic selectively processing, using said at least one key, at least one part of said encrypted portion of said stored database;

(b) means for storing, at said customer'"'"'s site, at least one value related to metering of at least one aspect of use of at least a portion of said database properties, said storing means including means for storing, at said customer'"'"'s site, limit information related to limiting at least one aspect of said customer'"'"'s use of said database properties, wherein at least a portion of said stored limit information is accessible to said customer; and

means for determining payment required from said customer for use of at least one portion of said database.

60. A system as in claim 59 wherein said system further includes embedding means for embedding, into a copy of at least one portion of said database, at least one origin identify code.

61. A system as in claim 59 wherein said system further includes:

a tamper resistant, hardware module to be located in proximity to said at least one storage medium, said tamper resistant hardware module means incorporating to;

(a) store, on a non-volatile memory arrangement within said hardware module, at least one of (a) password information, and (b) user identification information;

(b) store, on a non-volatile memory arrangement within said hardware module, information related to an authorization for said customer to use at least one of (i) a specific part of said database, and (ii) at least a portion of said database up to a quantity limit for at least one aspect of said customer use; and

(c) perform said selective processing step (iii).

62. A system as in claim 59, wherein:

said system further includes;

access enabling means for enabling said storage medium to be accessed over a local area network installed at said customer'"'"'s site, and

budget means for enabling said customer to establish at least one budget limiting use of at least one portion of said database contents by at least one employee of said customer; and

said digital processor arrangement includes;

means for preventing use of at least a portion of said database contents based, at least in part, on said budget, and

means for enabling said customer'"'"'s at least one employee to access at least at portion of said database contents over said local area network.

63. A system as in claim 59, said system further including means for applying different fee rates for allowing the display of a portion of said databases, and for allowing at least one of (a) printing, (b) copying, and (c) communicating to a location different from said user location, of at least a portion of said displayed portion of said database.

64. A system as in claim 59, wherein:

said system further includes means for displaying at least a portion of said database; and

said digital processing arrangement includes means for selectively preventing at least one of (a) printing, (b) copying, and (c) communicating, of at least one portion of said displayed database.

65. A system as in claim 59 wherein said system further includes means to securely perform within an enclosed, tamper resistant special purpose integrated circuitry hardware arrangement located in proximity to said at least one storage medium the following:

(a) storing information representing said supplied at least one key;

(b) metering at least one aspect of at least a portion of said customer use of said stored database; and

(c) storing information in response to at least a portion of said metering.

66. A system as in claim 59 further including means for enabling database searching that identifies specific portions of said database based, at least in part, on said specific portion'"'"'s topical relationship to, at least in part, user specified search criteria.

67. A system as in claim 59 wherein said use includes copying.

68. A system as in claim 59 wherein said system further includes:

means for storing, at a database distributor site which is remote to said customer, database information related to said database stored at said customer location; and

means for retrieving database information from (a) said distributor site, and (b) said storage medium, based at least in part, on customer specified criteria.

69. A method as in claim 59 wherein said tamper resistant hardware element comprises a dedicated browsing workstation.

70. A system as in claim 59 wherein said system includes means for establishing limit information, including at least one limit on cumulative usage of logically related portions of said database, and wherein said control logic includes:

means for determining whether the usage of at least one database portion, in combination with usage of database portions previously used by said user, will exceed a limit specified by said limit information on the use of database portions that have a certain logical relationship; and

means for selectively limiting usage of at least a portion of said at least one database portion if said determining means determines that useage of said at least one database portion exceeds at least one limit on the usage of database portions that have said certain logical relationship.

71. A system as in claim 59 wherein said control logic includes means for selectively limiting use of more than a certain quantity of contiguous database information.

72. A system as in claim 59 wherein:

said database comprises first and second discrete database properties;

said customer comprises an organization having employees;

said system further includes;

means for enabling a publisher of said database to specify at least a first limit, and

means for enabling said customer to establish at least a second limit; and

said control logic includes means for limiting usage of at least a portion of said database based, at least in part, on at least one of said first and second limits.

73. A method of securely distributing an encrypted database portion, said method comprising:

providing, for use at a user location, at least one storage medium having an encrypted database portion stored thereon;

selecting at least a part of said encrypted database portion;

supplying a database protection arrangement for use at said user location in conjunction with said storage medium, said supplied database protection arrangement including a tamper resistant hardware element, said database protection arrangement performing the following steps;

(a) storing, at least in part within said hardware element, information representing, at least in part, at least one key;

(b) selectively processing, at least in part within said hardware element and with said stored key, at least a portion of said selected part of said encrypted database portion so as to provide useable information;

(c) metering, at least in part within said hardware element, at least one parameter related to at least one aspect of use of at least a part of said encrypted database portion; and

(d) storing, within said hardware element, information based on at least a portion of said metering.

74. A method as in claim 73 further including providing (a) a first budget for said customer for the displaying of at least a portion of said database, and (b) a second budget different from said first budget, said second budget for at least one of (a) printing at least a portion of said database, (b) copying at least said portion of said database, and (c) communicating at least said portion of said database to a site different from said customer site.

75. A method as in claim 73, wherein:

said method further includes the step of enabling said customer to specify, at said customer'"'"'s site, at least one budget establishing at least one maximum quantity limit for use of at least one portion of said database by at least one of said customer'"'"'s employees; and

said processing step (b) conditionally enables use of at least a portion of said database based at least in part on said maximum quantity limit.

76. A method as in claim 73, further including updating said authorization from a location distant from said customer site.

77. A method as in claim 73 wherein:

said selectively processing step includes decrypting, within said arrangement, at least a portion of said encrypted database portion using said securely stored key, and

said metering step includes;

metering, within said hardware element, at least one aspect of said decrypting step; and

storing, within said hardware element, information based at least in part on said metering.

78. A method as in claim 73 further including:

coupling said tamper resistant hardware element to a general purpose host computer, and

performing tasks with said general purpose host computer other than tasks associated with distributing said encrypted database portion.

79. A method as in claim 73 wherein said supplying step comprises supplying a special purpose arrangement for securing against unauthorized distribution of at least a portion of said protected database portion.

80. A method as in claim 73 wherein:

(i) said supplying step comprises supplying special purpose integrated circuitry dedicated to securely distributing at least a portion of said encrypted database portion;

(ii) said selectively processing step comprises decrypting said at least a portion of said selected part; and

(iii) said method includes the step of performing said metering step (c) at least in part within said special purpose integrated circuitry, said metering step comprising metering at least one aspect of said decrypting step, and said storing step (d) comprises storing information related to said metering within said special purpose integrated circuitry.

81. A method as in claim 73, wherein said method further includes the step of said user specifying, at said user'"'"'s location, at least one limitation for use of at least said selected database portion by said user;

and

said selectively enabling step selectively does not permit at least one of (a) copying of, and (b) use of, at least said selected database portion based at least in part on said specified at least one limitation.

82. A method as in claim 73 further including the step of searching said database to identify at least a part of said encrypted database portion based, at least in part, on said part'"'"'s topical relationship to user specified search criteria.

83. A method as in claim 73 wherein said database portion includes plural properties.

84. A method as in claim 73, further including:

(a) creating at least one audit trail which tracks at least one aspect of use of said protected database part, and

(b) deriving marketing survey information from at least a portion of said at least one audit trail.

85. A method as in claim 73 wherein:

said method further includes the step of providing said customer with an authorization to use at least a portion of said database portion at least one of (i) until a certain point-in-time, and (ii) for a certain duration of time; and

said selectively processing step includes conditionally limiting at least one aspect of said customer'"'"'s use of at least said database portion in response to said provided authorization.

86. A method as in claim 73 further including:

storing at least one identification code in non-volatile memory within said hardware element;

embedding at least one code corresponding to said identification code in at least one portion of said encrypted database portion; and

controlling use of at least a portion of said encrypted database portion based on the presence of said codes.

87. A method as in claim 86 further including the steps of:

a. ascertaining, at least in part based on the presence of said embedded code, how an unauthorized copy of at least a part of said encrypted database portion came into being; and

b. enforcing copyright law based, at least in part, on results of said ascertaining step.

88. A method as in claim 73 wherein said method further including:

storing at a database distributor site which is remote to said user, database information related to said encrypted database portion stored at said user location; and

retrieving database information from (a) said distributor site, and (b) said user location, based, at least in part, on user specified criteria.

89. A method as in claim 73 wherein said method further includes:

storing further database information at a site remote to said user location;

communicating at least a portion of said further database information to said user location.

90. A method as in claim 73 wherein said supplying step includes providing said tamper-resistant hardware element in a sealed module that impedes unauthorized usage of said database.

91. A method as in claim 90 wherein said method further includes providing said seal, at least in part, for evidencing tampering attempts.

92. A method as in claim 73 wherein said method further includes disabling said selectively processing step in response to said customer attempting to exceed authorized usage levels.

93. A method as in claim 73 wherein said method further includes:

(1) providing a self-destruct mechanism,

(2) destroying, through the use of said self-destruct mechanism, at least a portion of said information representing, at least in part, at least one key.

94. A method as in claim 93 wherein said destroying step comprises destroying at least a part of said encrypted database portion.

95. A method as in claim 73 wherein said method further includes:

providing a self-destruct mechanism; and

destroying through the use of said self-destruct mechanism, a critical part of said database protection arrangement in response to tampering with said database protection arrangement.

96. A method as in claim 73 wherein said tamper resistant hardware element includes display driving means.

97. A method as in claim 73 wherein said user is an organization with employees, said method further including:

storing usage information within said database protection arrangement, said usage information reflecting database usage related to a database usage parameter, wherein said usage information is determined from database usage by a plurality of said organization'"'"'s employees; and

enabling, through the use of said database protection arrangement said organization to establish different usage budgets associated with said usage parameter, said different usage budgets applying to at least one of (a) different said employees, and (b) different groups of said employees, wherein said selectively processing step includes limiting an aspect of said database usage based at least in part on said organization established usage budgets; and

enabling a publisher of at least a portion of said encrypted database portion to establish a usage budget based on said parameter, wherein said selectively processing step further includes limiting at least one aspect of said organization'"'"'s use of said database based, at least in part, on said publisher established usage budget.

98. A method as in claim 73, wherein said method further includes enabling a publisher of at least a portion of said encrypted database portion to establish a usage budget based on said parameter, wherein said selectively processing step includes limiting at least one aspect of said customer'"'"'s use of said database based, at least in part, on said usage budget.

99. A method as in claim 73 wherein said method further includes storing billing information within said tamper resistant hardware element, at least a portion of said billing information being calculated based on at least one portion of metering information produced by said metering step (c) and at least one predetermined billing rate.

100. A method as in claim 73, wherein said tamper resistant hardware element includes modem circuitry, and said method further includes communicating, to a remote location, at least in part, through the use of said modem circuitry, usage information based at least in part on said metering step (c).

101. A method as in claim 73 wherein said method includes:

metering at least one aspect of use of said encrypted database portion and wherein said selectively processing step (b) includes allowing flat fee database usage for a first portion of said encrypted database portion, and allowing, for a second portion of said encrypted database portion that is different from said first portion, usage-based billing, wherein the financial cost of said second portion usage is calculated, at least in part, at said user location based at least in part on said metering step (c).

102. A method as in claim 73 wherein said method includes establishing limit information including at least one limit on cumulative usage of logically related portions of said encrypted database portion, and wherein said selectively processing step (b) includes:

(1) determining whether the usage of at least one portion of said encrypted database portion, in combination with usage of at least one portion of said encrypted database portion previously used by said user, will exceed a limit specified by said limit information on the use of portions of said encrypted database portion that have a certain logical relationship; and

(2) selectively limiting usage of at least a portion of said at least one encrypted database portion if said determining step (1) determines that usage of said at least one portion of said encrypted database portion exceeds at least one limit on the usage of portions of said encrypted database portion that have said certain logical relationship.

103. A method as in claim 73 wherein:

said metering step (c) includes generating information indicating use of said database; and

said method further includes processing at least a portion of said generated information to generate marketing survey information.

104. A method as in claim 73 wherein:

said encrypted database portion comprises plural discrete database properties;

said customer comprises an organization having employees;

said method further includes the following steps;

(a) enabling a publisher of said database to specify at least a first limit, and

(b) enabling said customer to establish at least a second limit; and

said selectively processing step (b) includes limiting usage of at least a portion of said database based, at least in part, on at least one of said first and second limits.

105. A method as in claim 73 wherein said digital processing arrangement comprises a dedicated browsing workstation.