Patent ID: 7788692
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A communications network connecting multiple users and permitting the multiple users to provide programming content to each other, comprising: a communications channel for carrying communications between the multiple users over the internet; and a gateway providing an interface between each user and the network, wherein the gateway includes: an instant messaging (IM) application for permitting one user to communicate via IM messages transmitted over the internet to other users connected to the network, wherein such messages may include attachments; and a decryption function for decrypting programming content in response to the presence of a security key at the gateway, wherein the security key is associated with the programming content and originates with a provider of the programming content that is not one of the users, and wherein the security key is made available to the one user in order for that user to access the programming content and to in turn provide the same security key to other users who access the associated programming content as part of an IM message sent from the one user; wherein the gateway may attach a file to an IM message sent from the one user as a sending user to at least one of the other users as a receiving user on the network in order for the receiving user to access the attached file, the attached file including at least a portion of the programming content and the security key associated with the programming content, and wherein the gateway for the receiving user compares the security key received with the sent IM message with one or more security keys held by the receiving user and that originate with the programming content provider, so that the receiving user receiving the message and attached file may access the programming content in the attached file only if the receiving user has a security key from the programming content provider corresponding to the security key in the attached file.