Digital Content Storage Process

Abstract

The digital content store provides users with an opportunity to purchase authorized usage of digital content, such as single or multiple music tracks, video, movies, and/or video games. The users can also buy license to a desired track for a fixed number of times, e.g. preferably the users can listen on three different machines simultaneously. Users can also burn a play list of X number of times, for example ten. The burn limit preferably applies to the play list, not the song. Mixed media capability is provided that allows the purchase of digital content and/or physical media. The digital content store system comprises a unique digital rights management system and a back-end enabling system that controls these digital rights.

1 . A process, comprising the steps of:
 receiving at least one digital asset;   encoding each of the received digital assets;   encrypting the encoded digital assets;   generating an asset key associated with the encrypted encoded digital assets;   establishing usage rights for the encrypted digital assets;   authorizing the usage rights of at least one of the encrypted digital assets for a user at a client machine;   sending the authorized encrypted digital asset, the asset key, and the usage rights to the authorized client machine;   binding the usage rights to the authorized client machine;   securely storing the usage rights at the authorized client machine;   providing authorized usage of the encrypted digital asset with the asset key within the client machine; and   if usage rights are affected by the authorized usage, updating the usage rights within the client machine.   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the digital assets comprise any of a song, a playlist, a movie, and a video game. 
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the authorized usage rights comprise play of at least one of the encrypted digital assets on the authorized client machine. 
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the authorized usage rights are updated within the client machine based upon a playing of at least one of the encrypted digital assets. 
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the authorized usage comprises burning at least one of the encrypted digital assets to a medium. 
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the authorized usage rights are updated within the client machine based upon the burning of at least one of the encrypted digital assets. 
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the authorized usage comprises loading the encrypted digital asset to a digital content player. 
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the authorized usage rights are updated within the client machine based upon a loading of at least one of the encrypted digital assets.