Computer architecture for managing courseware in a shared use operating environment

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.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by patent is: 
     
         1 - 195 . (canceled) 
     
     
         196 . A multi-level computer architecture for managing content in a shared use operating environment, the architecture comprising:
 a registration server level including at least one registration server which assists in processing a new user registration; and   a content server level including at least one content server, each content server containing content managed by the architecture, at least a portion of the content managed by the architecture being a previously treated critical portion, each content server being further characterized in that it serves the critical portion of the content only for presentation to registered users, namely, users who have previously been registered with a registration server.   
     
     
         197 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 196 , wherein the system is further characterized in that it meters usage of the content by registered users. 
     
     
         198 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 196 , wherein the system moves content to the content server in response to actual requests from users for access to the content. 
     
     
         199 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 196 , wherein the system moves content to the content server in response to anticipated requests from users for access to the content. 
     
     
         200 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 196 , wherein the system further comprises software which permits payment by credit card. 
     
     
         201 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 196 , wherein the critical portion comprises encrypted content. 
     
     
         202 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 196 , wherein the critical portion comprises video content. 
     
     
         203 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 196 , wherein the critical portion comprises a musical recording. 
     
     
         204 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 196 , wherein the critical portion comprises licensed content. 
     
     
         205 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 196 , wherein the content comprises a scene of a mystery in which a murderer is revealed. 
     
     
         206 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 196 , further comprising a client level including client software installed on at least one client workstation, the client software connectable to a content server by at least one client-server network communications link, the client software further characterized in that it plays to at least one registered user content which includes the critical portion and which is served over the client-server network communications link by the content server. 
     
     
         207 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 206 , wherein the client-server network communications link permits communication over at least one of: a local area network, a wide area network, a metropolitan area network, the World Wide Web, a private Internet, a secure Internet, a value-added network, a virtual private network, an intranet. 
     
     
         208 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 206 , wherein the client software includes a web browser. 
     
     
         209 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 206 , wherein the client software includes a codec. 
     
     
         210 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 206 , wherein the client software includes software that prevents a copy of the critical portion of the content from being created on nonvolatile storage at the client workstation. 
     
     
         211 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 206 , wherein the content comprises episodes which are sent from the content server to the client software as a user proceeds through the content. 
     
     
         212 . A multi-level computer architecture for managing content in a shared use operating environment, the architecture comprising:
 a registration server level including at least one registration server which assists in processing a new user registration; and   a content server level including at least one content server, each content server containing content managed by the architecture, at least a portion of the content managed by the architecture being a previously treated critical portion, each content server being further characterized in that it serves the critical portion of the content only for presentation to registered users, namely, users who have previously been registered with a registration server;   wherein the system is further characterized in that it meters usage of the content by registered users.   
     
     
         213 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 212 , wherein the system moves content to the content server in response to at least one of the following:
 actual requests from users for access to the content, anticipated requests from users for access to the content.   
     
     
         214 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 212 , wherein the system further comprises software which permits payment from a registered user by credit card. 
     
     
         215 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 212 , wherein the critical portion comprises at least one of the following: encrypted content, video content, a musical recording, licensed content. 
     
     
         216 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 212 , further comprising a client level including client software installed on at least one client workstation, the client software connectable to a content server by at least one client-server network communications link, the client software further characterized in that it plays to at least one registered user content which includes the critical portion and which is served over the client-server network communications link by the content server. 
     
     
         217 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 216 , wherein the client software includes a web browser. 
     
     
         218 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 216 , wherein the client software includes a codec. 
     
     
         219 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 216 , wherein the content comprises episodes which are sent from the content server to the client software as a registered user proceeds through the content. 
     
     
         220 . A multi-level computer architecture for managing content in a shared use operating environment, the architecture comprising:
 a registration server level including at least one registration server which assists in processing a new user registration; and   a content server level including at least one content server, each content server containing content managed by the architecture, at least a portion of the content managed by the architecture being a previously treated critical portion, each content server being further characterized in that it serves the critical portion of the content only for presentation to registered users, namely, users who have previously been registered with a registration server;   wherein the system is further characterized in that the critical portion comprises at least one of the following: video content, a musical recording, licensed content, episodes which are sent from the content server to a client as a registered user proceeds through the content.   
     
     
         221 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 220 , wherein the system is further characterized in that it meters usage of the content by registered users. 
     
     
         222 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 220 , wherein the system moves content to the content server in response to at least one of the following: actual requests from users for access to the content, anticipated requests from users for access to the content. 
     
     
         223 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 220 , wherein the system further comprises software which permits payment from a registered user by credit card. 
     
     
         224 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 220 , further comprising a client level including client software installed on at least one client workstation, the client software connectable to a content server by at least one client-server network communications link, the client software further characterized in that it plays to at least one registered user content which includes the critical portion and which is served over the client-server network communications link by the content server. 
     
     
         225 . The multi-level computer architecture of  claim 224 , wherein the client software includes at least one of the following: a web browser, a codec.