Patent ID: 6917923

Claim:
A digital content encryption apparatus, comprising: a central server maintaining an Approved Web Site Database comprising a list of web sites determined to be authorized sources of files for digital storage devices manufactured to use a key to decrypt and play the files, said central server being connectable to an Internet, and wherein: when prompted by a user via one of a computer and an Internet enabled digital storage device, said central server determines whether a submitted IP address supplied by the user is on said Approved Web Site Database; when a determination is made that said submitted IP address is on the Approved Web Site Database, said central server generates an encryption key and encryption information that is unique to a selected file requested by the user to be downloaded and to any device to which it is being downloaded, and transmits the encryption key and the encryption information to a Software Program; and said central server transmits unique encryption key/encoding information to the Software Program when the Software Program requests the unique encryption key/encoding information for the purpose of encoding digital content that is being copied from a media storage peripheral device onto a digital storage memory; a personal computer comprising a memory storing the Software Program, said Software Program executing the steps of: identifying an IP address from which a file is being downloaded; sending a query to said central server to determine whether the identified IP address is on the Approved Web Site Database; retrieving the encryption key from said central server when the identified IP address is on the Approved Web Site Database; encrypting the downloaded file; encrypting digital content being copied from a PC peripheral onto a memory of said personal computer; and initializing a digital storage device to download and play/display encrypted files downloaded from said personal computer; and a digital storage device having a PC interface, and connectable to said personal computer, for accommodating retrieval by said Software Program of information stored by said digital storage device, for storing download files received through a user interface of the Software Program, for retrieving encryption keys from said Software Program for downloaded files, for playing and displaying only files that are encrypted in conformity with said encryption key/encoding information, and for refusing to play and display files in an unencrypted format.