Patent ID: 7124437

Claim:
A method of delivering encrypted content to a user computer via a communication network comprising the steps of: reviewing a dataset using said user computer, said dataset being provided to said user computer by an information provider via a communication network; selecting at least one item available for acquisition and provided in said dataset; generating a machine-dependent product code at said user computer, said product code comprising a unique identifier corresponding to at least a part of said user computer to uniquely identify said user computer; and transmitting a request for said at least one item and said product code to said information provider; and encrypting said at least one item in response to said request; wherein said information provider encrypts said at least one item in said dataset using an encryption method comprising the steps of generating said key cryptographically to encrypt data comprising said at least one item; storing the encrypted data in a database at a selected location; assigning a unique code to the encrypted data that is generated using a hash algorithm on the location of the encrypt data; and storing the location of the encrypted data, the key and the hashed code in a key management database.