Attorney Docket No: 122202-6204 (P449 lUSC l)
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`CLAIMS
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`We claim:
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`1.
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`A method for providing access to a digital content unit, comprising the operations
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`of:
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`determining if the digital content unit is authorized;
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`in the event the digital content unit is authorized, presenting a first content of the digital
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`content unit; and
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`in the event the digital content unit is not authorized, presenting a second content of the
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`digital content unit.
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`2.
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`The method of claim 1, wherein the first content is of a higher quality than the
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`second content.
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`3.
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`The method of claim 1, wherein the first content is of a higher resolution than the
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`second content.
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`4.
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`The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of determining if the digital content
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`unit is authorized comprises:
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`contacting an authorization mechanism; and
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`receiving from the authorization mechanism an indication whether the digital content unit
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`is authorized.
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`5.
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`The method of claim 1, wherein the first content comprises at least one pointer
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`not accessible in the second content.
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`6.
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`The method of claim 5, further comprising the operations of:
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`enabling a user to access the at least one pointer in the event the digital content unit is
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`authorized; and
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`preventing the user from accessing the at least one pointer in the event the digital content
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`unit is not authorized.
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`Attorney Docket No: 122202-6204 (P449 lUSC l)
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`7.
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`The method of claim 1, wherein the first content comprises at least one point not
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`present in the second content.
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`.
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`8.
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`A method for authorizing a digital content unit, comprising:
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`receiving a request to authorize the digital content unit;
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`determining if the digital content unit is fully authorized;
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`determining if the request is legitimate; and
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`in the event the digital content unit is not fully authorized and the request is legitimate,
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`fully authorizing the digital content unit.
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`9.
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`The method of claim 8, further comprising the operation of:
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`in the even the digital content unit is partially authorized and the request is legitimate,
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`authorizing a remainder of the digital content unit not yet authorized.
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`10.
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`The method of claim 9, wherein:
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`the digital content unit comprises a low-quality content and a high-quality content; and
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`the operation of fully authorizing the digital content unit comprises authorizing the high—
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`quality content.
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`11.
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`The method of claim 10, wherein the low-quality content is accessible prior to
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`receiving a request to authorize the digital content unit.
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`12.
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`The method of claim 9, wherein:
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`the digital content unit comprises a low-resolution content and a high-resolution content;
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`and
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`the operation of fully authorizing the digital content unit comprises authorizing the high-
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`resolution content.
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`13.
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`The method of claim 9, wherein:
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`the digital content unit comprises a first segment, a second segment, and a pointer, the
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`33
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`Attorney Docket No: 122202-6204 (P4491USC1)
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`first and second segments separated by the pointer;
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`the first segment is accessible without authorization; and
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`the operation of fully authorizing the digital content unit comprises authorizing the
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`second segment.
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`14.
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`The method of claim 9, wherein:
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`the digital content unit comprises a first time—bounded portion and a second time-
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`bounded portion, the first time-bounded portion accessible without authorization; and
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`the operation of fully authorizing the digital content unit comprises authorizing the
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`second time-bounded portion.
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`15.
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`The method of claim 9, further comprising the operation of, after a time,
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`deauthorizing the digital content unit.
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`16.
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`The method of claim 15, wherein the operation of deauthorizing the digital
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`content unit comprises removing a key associated with the digital content unit.
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`17.
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`The method of claim 9, further comprising the operation of, after a time,
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`deauthorizing at least a portion of the digital content unit.
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`18.
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`The method of claim 9, wherein the authorization mechanism is a digital content
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`store.
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`19.
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`The method of claim 9, wherein the authorization mechanism is a playback
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`mechanism.
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`20.
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`A digital content unit, comprising:
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`a first segment;
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`a second segment appended to the first segment; wherein
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`the first segment does not require authorization to be legitimately accessed; and
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`the second segment requires authorization to be legitimately accessed.
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`Attorney Docket No: 122202-6204 (P449 lUSC l)
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`21.
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`The digital content unit of claim 20, wherein the first segment is a low-quality
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`content and the second segment is a high-quality content.
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`22.
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`The digital content unit of claim 21, wherein the first segment is a television—
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`quality content and the second segment is a high-definition television-quality segment.
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`23.
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`The digital content unit of claim 20, wherein the first segment is a content and the
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`second segment is a pointer.
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`24.
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`The digital content unit of claim 20, wherein the first segment is a first time-
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`bounded segment of a content and the second segment is a second time—bounded segment of the
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`content.
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`25.
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`The digital content unit of claim 23, wherein the first segment is chosen by an
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`owner of the digital content segment.
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