METHOD AND APPARATUS TO PROVIDE A USER PROFILE FOR USE WITH A SECURE CONTENT SERVICE

1 . A method of inhibiting unauthorized access to content available on a network, the method comprising:

receiving information from a consumer;

storing the information in a user profile;

receiving an encryption request from a content creator;

transforming content identified by the creator into encrypted content using an encryption key;

receiving a request to access the encrypted content from the consumer;

determining whether the consumer's user profile satisfies entitlement criteria associated with the content; and

if the consumer's user profile satisfies the entitlement criteria, transmitting authorization data to the consumer thereby allowing the consumer access to the encrypted content.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the content is assigned a unique content identifier.

3 . A method according to claim 2 , wherein the encryption key is associated with the content identifier.

4 . A method according to claim 2 , wherein the content identifier is used to generate the encryption key.

5 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the authorization data comprises a decryption key associated with the encryption key.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the authorization data comprises the content.

7 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the content creator associates the entitlement criteria to the content.

8 . A method according to claim 7 , wherein the entitlement criteria is attached to the content.

9 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the content is in a format selected from the group consisting of text, image, video, audio, and combinations thereof.

10 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the entitlement criteria are encrypted with a separate entitlement encryption key.

11 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the entitlement criteria include timing details.

12 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the user profile includes a reliance score indicating a level of confidence in the accuracy of the stored profile information.

13 . A system that inhibits unauthorized access to content available on a network, the system comprising:

a communication interface;

one or more storage devices; and

one or more processors in communication with the communication interface and the one or more storage devices, the one or more processors programmed to:

receive information via the communication interface from a consumer;

store the information in a user profile on the one or more storage devices;

receive an encryption request via the communication interface from a content creator;

transform content identified by the creator into encrypted content using an encryption key;

receive a request to access the encrypted content via the communication interface from the consumer;

determine whether the consumer's user profile satisfies entitlement criteria associated with the content; and

if the consumer's user profile satisfies the entitlement criteria, transmit via the communication interface authorization data to the consumer thereby allowing the consumer access to the encrypted content.

14 . A system according to claim 13 , wherein a unique content identifier is assigned to the content, and wherein the encryption key is associated with the content identifier.

15 . A system according to claim 14 , wherein the entitlement criteria are encrypted with a separate entitlement encryption key.

16 . A system according to claim 15 , wherein the entitlement criteria include timing details.

17 . One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied thereon, the processor readable code for instructing one or more processors to limit access to content available on a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving information from a consumer;

storing the information in a user profile;

receiving an encryption request from a content creator;

transforming content identified by the creator into encrypted content using an encryption key;

receiving a request to access the encrypted content from the consumer;

determining whether the consumer's user profile satisfies entitlement criteria associated with the content; and

if the consumer's user profile satisfies the entitlement criteria, transmitting authorization data to the consumer thereby allowing the consumer access to the encrypted content.

18 . The one or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 17 , wherein the processor readable code further instructs the one or more processors to assign a unique content identifier to the content.

19 . The one or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 18 , wherein the processor readable code further instructs the one or more processors to use the content identifier to generate the encryption key.

20 . The one or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 17 , wherein the processor readable code further instructs the one or more processors to encrypt the entitlement criteria with a separate entitlement encryption key, and wherein the entitlement criteria include timing details.