Patent ID: 8875309

Claim:
A method of providing content comprising: Receiving, by a processor, a given request to serve a copy of an item of content on a mass storage device; selectively verifying ownership of said item of content by access to an original physical medium of the item of content a predetermined multiple number of times, wherein the predetermined multiple number of times is greater than two, over a plurality of times said item of content is requested, wherein said plurality of times is greater than said predetermined multiple number of times and ownership of said item is not verified again if ownership is substantiated said predetermined multiple number of times, wherein said selectively verifying ownership comprises directly, comparing one or more keys on said original physical medium to one or more encrypted keys hidden on said mass storage device; wherein said selectively verifying ownership comprises at least a first verification request wherein the first verification request is made a random number of plays after a first fixed period of time and a second verification request wherein the second verification request is made a random number of plays after a second fixed period of time, wherein the second fixed period of time is greater than the first fixed period of time; serving said item of content for said given request if said verifying ownership is not performed for said given request; serving said item of content for said given request if ownership is substantiated for said given request by said comparing one or more keys on said original physical medium to one or more encrypted keys hidden on said mass storage device; and serving said item of content for said given request if ownership has already been substantiated said predetermined multiple number of times.