Patent ID: 8713304

Claim:
A method for controlled media sharing among a plurality of nodes in a network, said method comprising: transmitting a location of a source node having an instance of media content to a node requesting said instance of media content, said source node communicatively coupled with said network, said transmitting by an administrative node in said plurality of nodes and in response to said network receiving a request for said instance of media content; receiving from said source node a request for an intermediate encryption key to encrypt said instance of media content with an intermediate encryption; sending said intermediate encryption key to said source node, enabling said source node to decrypt said instance of media content from an encryption local to said source node and to encrypt said instance of media content into said intermediate encryption for transfer; transferring the encrypted instance of media content to said node; obtaining identifying information related to every instance of media content transferred from said source node, said identifying information for identifying each said instance of media content transferred including a previously bootlegged instance of media content and any usage fees associated therewith; and receiving an acknowledgement indicator indicating successful receipt of said instance of media content from said node.