Apparatus and method for storing and distributing encrypted digital content and functionality suite associated therewith
View Patent ↗The present invention provides for a method and system for providing a type of Managed/Secured File Transfer between one or more computers arraigned in server-client or peer-to-peer configuration. This method and system takes digital content in the form of a file, shreds this file into separate pieces and encrypts each piece separately. Once encrypted, each piece is stored into a database. Client applications can then access these pieces of digital content over a network, decrypt and reassemble each piece to be played in the case of audio/video content, or viewed in the case of visual content. In some embodiments, the content requested by the client application is stored into a second database in a shredded and encrypted format, whereas in other embodiments the content is reassembled into the original non-encrypted and non-shredded file format. This method and system can reside on a computer system, hand held device, or other device.
1. A method for handling shredded and encrypted digital content comprising:
manipulating digital content in the form of text with a word processing module;
manipulating digital content in the form of numeric values and text with a spreadsheet module;
manipulating digital content in the form of messages between users with a messaging module; and
wherein each of the digital content has been divided into a plurality of shreds, wherein each shred is a subset of the digital content, the subset having a predetermined size, and wherein each shred has been encrypted to form a piece of the shredded and encrypted digital content, wherein the pieces of shredded and encrypted digital content are organized into a plurality of records that hold the shredded and encrypted digital content in a database associated with a server computer system.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein manipulating text with a word processing module comprises:
receiving shredded and encrypted digital content;
decrypting the received shredded and encrypted digital content to obtain text;
displaying the text with a WYSIWYG type display;
writing the text;
editing the text;
checking the text with a spell checker; and
storing the text into a database as shredded and encrypted digital content.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein manipulating numeric and text values with a spreadsheet module comprises:
receiving shredded and encrypted digital content;
decrypting the received shredded and encrypted digital content to obtain numeric and text values;
displaying the numeric and text values with a WYSIWYG type display;
performing various arithmetic calculations using the numeric values;
displaying the results of these various arithmetic calculations on the display; and
storing the numeric and text values into a database as shredded and encrypted digital content.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising manipulating photos with a photo management module, wherein the manipulating photos with the photo management module comprises:
receiving shredded and encrypted digital content;
decrypting the received shredded and encrypted digital content to obtain one or more photos;
displaying the one or more photos in an array;
rotating the photos;
resizing the photos;
cropping the photos; and
storing the photos into a database as shredded and encrypted digital content.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein manipulating messages between users with a messaging module comprises:
sending messages from a first user; and
receiving messages by second user.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sending of messages is in the form of text, graphic, audio, video, audio-video data.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising manipulating digital content to be posted for use by multiple users with a bulletin board module, wherein the manipulating of digital content to be posted for use by multiple users with the bulletin board module comprises:
receiving shredded and encrypted digital content;
decrypting the received shredded and encrypted digital content to obtain one or more messages;
posting the messages to a computer bulletin board; and
grouping these messages according to the content of the messages.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein manipulating digital content to be posted for use by multiple users with a bulletin board module comprises modifying fonts, color, or graphics of the message posted on the bulletin board.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein manipulating digital content to be posted for use by multiple users with a bulletin board module comprises posting audio digital content.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein manipulating digital content to be posted for use by multiple users with a bulletin board module comprises posting audio-video digital content.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein manipulating digital content to be posted for use by multiple users with a bulletin board module comprises posting video digital content.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising accessing the shredded and encrypted digital content from a database in a server computer, and transmitting the shredded and encrypted digital content between the server computer and a client computer.
13. Computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon for causing a suitable programmed central processor unit to perform a method comprising:
manipulating shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of text with a word processing module;
manipulating shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of numeric values and text with a spreadsheet module;
manipulating shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of messages between users with a messaging module; and
wherein the digital content has been divided into a plurality of shreds, wherein each shred is a subset of the digital content, and wherein each shred has been encrypted to form a piece of the shredded and encrypted digital content, wherein the pieces of shredded and encrypted digital content are organized into a plurality of records that hold the shredded and encrypted digital content in a database associated with a server computer system.
14. The computer-readable media of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for a word processing module to manipulate shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of text through:
receiving shredded and encrypted digital content;
decrypting the received shredded and encrypted digital content to obtain text;
displaying the text with a WYSIWYG type display;
writing the text;
editing the text; and
checking the text with a spell checker; and
storing the text into a database as shredded and encrypted digital content.
15. The computer-readable media of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for a spreadsheet module to manipulate shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of numeric and text values through:
receiving shredded and encrypted digital content;
decrypting the received shredded and encrypted digital content to obtain numeric and text values;
displaying the numeric and text values with a WYSIWYG type display;
performing various arithmetic calculations using the numeric values;
displaying the results of these various arithmetic calculations on the display; and
storing the numeric and text values into a database as shredded and encrypted digital content.
16. The computer-readable media of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for a photo management module to manipulate shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of photos through:
receiving shredded and encrypted digital content;
decrypting the received shredded and encrypted digital content to obtain one or more photos;
displaying the one or more photos in an array;
rotating the photos;
resizing the photos;
cropping the photos; and
storing the photos into a database as shredded and encrypted digital content.
17. The computer-readable media of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for a messaging module to manipulate shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of text, graphic, audio, video or audio/video data.
18. The computer-readable media of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for a messaging module to manipulate shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of text, graphic, audio, video or audio/video data through:
sending messages from a first user; and
receiving messages by second user.
19. The computer-readable media of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for a bulletin board module to manipulate shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of text through:
receiving shredded and encrypted digital content;
decrypting the received shredded and encrypted digital content to obtain one or more messages;
posting the messages to a computer bulletin board; and
grouping the messages according to the content of the messages.
20. The computer-readable media of claim 19 , further comprising instructions for a bulletin board module to manipulate shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of text comprises modifying the text fonts, color, or graphics.
21. The computer-readable media of claim 19 , further comprising instructions for a bulletin board module to manipulate shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of audio digital content posted to a computer bulletin board.
22. The computer-readable media of claim 19 , further comprising instructions for a bulletin board module to manipulate shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of audio-video digital content posted to a computer bulletin board.
23. The computer-readable media of claim 19 , further comprising instructions for a bulletin board module to manipulate shredded and encrypted digital content in the form of video digital content posted to a computer bulletin board.
24. The computer-readable media of claim 19 , further comprising instructions for accessing the shredded and encrypted digital content from a database in a server computer, and transmitting the shredded and encrypted digital content between the server computer and a client computer.
25. An apparatus for handling shredded and encrypted digital content comprising:
a plurality of applications including a word processing module, a spreadsheet module, and a messaging module;
means for manipulating digital content in the form of text with the word processing module;
means for manipulating digital content in the form of numeric values and text with a spreadsheet module;
means for manipulating digital content in the form of messages between users with a messaging module; and
wherein each of the digital content has been divided into a plurality of shreds, wherein each shred is a subset of the digital content, the subset having a predetermined size, and wherein each shred has been encrypted to form a piece of the shredded and encrypted digital content, wherein the pieces of shredded and encrypted digital content are organized into a plurality of records that hold the shredded and encrypted digital content in a database associated with a server computer system.
26. An apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising:
means for receiving shredded and encrypted digital content;
means for decrypting the received shredded and encrypted digital content to obtain decrypted digital content; and
means for forwarding the decrypted digital content to one or more of the plurality of applications.