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 - 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A method comprising:
 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.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising treating at least one of the critical portions to prevent its unauthorized use. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising compressing at least one of the critical portions. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising encrypting at least one of the critical portions. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising disabling use of at least one of the critical portions if an expected security handshake is not received. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising disabling caching to prevent a permanent copy of at least one of the critical portions from being created. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising disabling disk writes to prevent a permanent copy of at least one of the critical portions from being created. 
     
     
         45 . A method comprising:
 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.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising replicating a database which contains at least a portion of the separated user registration information. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising checking a proposed user ID against existing registration information to make certain the proposed user ID is unique throughout the system. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising receiving at one or more of the content servers a request by a registered user for access to managed obtained digital content which contains at least one previously treated critical portion. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising authenticating the request prior to serving a portion of the managed obtained digital content which contains the critical portion. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising metering usage of served content by a registered user. 
     
     
         51 . A method comprising:
 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.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the identification of a sponsor entity of the registered user occurs during registration of the user to receive content through the system. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising the registered user selecting one or more courses that have managed obtained digital content, in order for the registered user to be presented by the serving with managed obtained digital content of the selected one or more courses. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising the registered user's sponsor selecting a course that has managed obtained digital content, in order for the registered user to be presented by the serving with managed obtained digital content of the selected course. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising at least two registered users sponsor interacting with one another through the system or interacting with a course instructor through the system, or both. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the interacting comprises one or more of using email, a chat room, live audio carried over the system, or live video carried over the system. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising tracking elapsed time as a measure of a registered user's use of served content.