Patent ID: 7249264

Claim:
A method on a server information processing system for providing streaming data, comprising: receiving a media file including content data and associated metadata, wherein the media file has been encoded and encrypted, wherein the media file is a single media file that is available for both downloading and streaming, and wherein the associated metadata, at least prior to the media file being encrypted, includes streaming parameters for streaming data packets in addition to the single media file being available for downloading and non-streaming parameters; receiving non-encrypted metadata associated with the media file, wherein the non-encrypted metadata is received separately and distinctly from the media file, and wherein the non-encrypted metadata is a portion of the associated metadata and is extracted from the media file prior to the media file and the associated metadata being encrypted, wherein the non-encrypted metadata includes one or more of the streaming parameters for streaming data packets, and wherein the media file is encrypted prior to receiving the non-encrypted metadata; dividing the media file which has been encoded and encrypted into more than one data packet, wherein each data packet includes a portion of the media file and an offset value corresponding to a location within the media file, and wherein the dividing is independent of a format for the media file; and streaming the more than one data packets over a network to a client as directed by the one or more parameters in the non-encrypted metadata associated with the media file, wherein the streaming is independent of a format for the media file.