Patent ID: 7171692

Claim:
A system for providing a content item, said system comprising: a plurality of download servers, wherein each download server receives a request for said content item, said request comprising encrypted data that represents a public key associated with a user from whom said request is received and an identification of said content item, said request having been generated at a first server with which said user has previously engaged in a transaction to purchase said content item, said encrypted data having been encrypted with a first key, each of said download servers having: a cache which stores said content item; and a first object which receives a first message to invalidate said content item in said cache and which invalidates said content item in said cache in response to receipt of said first message; and a fulfillment server having: a content store which stores said content item; and a first database which stores information relating to said content item; and a second object which receives a notification that said information in said first database has been updated or deleted, and which generates, in response to said notification, said first message for dispatch to said plurality of download servers, said first server being separate from said plurality of download servers and from said fulfillment server, said first key being known to said first server and to said plurality of download servers but not to said user, each of said plurality of download servers comprising logic that applies said first key to said encrypted data to retrieve said identification of said content item and said first key, and that uses said public key to encrypt a second key that is used to decrypt said content item, said content item being provided to said user in a form encrypted with said second key and including said second key in a form encrypted by said public key.