Patent ID: 8230084

Claim:
A method of adding a client as a member of a hub network which includes a plurality of devices, comprising: detecting a client newly connected to the hub network by a server, wherein the server periodically polls the plurality of devices for the client; authenticating the client to determine an identity of the client; authorizing the client to determine that the client is a compliant device that operates according to rules defined for the hub network, wherein the compliant device enables a user to present, move, and copy content data to be controlled to reflect guidelines of licenses of the content data set for a licensing authority, and wherein the client sends a message to the plurality of devices on the hub network indicating that the client is now connected to the hub network; adding the client as a member in the hub network when it is determined that the client has been detected, authenticated, authorized, and is in a local environment of the server; providing licenses for the content data bound to the hub network to members of the hub network, wherein a source version of the content data is stored on the server, and copies of the source versions are stored on the compliant device as sub-copy versions; comparing a device count of members in said hub network with a member device limit; confirming said device count by contacting an external device registration server; sending a device add request to said device registration server; receiving a device add permission from said device registration server; wherein said device add request includes said device count; wherein the device registration server sends the device add permission to add the client as a member if the client has not been added as a member in any other hub network.