Online system and method for restoring electronic media on electronic storage devices
View Patent ↗Copy protected materials are backed up or restored and made available for play on electronic media players through an online retrievable system. Corrupted segments of electronic media storage files are identified and located prior to being read, executed, or played. An uncorrupted copy from the network is then located, and software instructions provide for the storage of the uncorrupted segment of the file on electronic media player, merging the uncorrupted segment into the reading, executing, or playing of the electronic storage media file to seamlessly produce an output in real-time that is indistinguishable from the uncorrupted file.
1. A method for restoring material on an electronic media player, said method comprising:
locating a master copy of an electronic storage media file by searching for a unique identifier assigned to said electronic storage media file;
identifying and locating corrupted file segments on said electronic storage media file by assigning identifying markers to beginning and end points of said corrupted file segments;
accessing an online service provider having a master copy of said electronic storage media file;
verifying that said master copy is available from said online service provider;
storing any request for said master copy when said master copy is not available but within an accessible database, and prompting a user when said master copy becomes available;
verifying said electronic storage media file meets criteria for determining legitimacy prior to downloading;
downloading to said electronic media player uncorrupted file segments from said master copy when said electronic storage media file is determined legitimate into accessible memory of said electronic media player, said uncorrupted file segments matching said corrupted file segments;
decompressing said master copy when said master copy is in a compressed format;
identifying said uncorrupted file segments;
converting said uncorrupted file segments to a format compatible with said electronic media player if said uncorrupted file segments are not in a compatible format; and
substituting said uncorrupted file segments for said corrupted file segments during play of said electronic storage media file on said electronic media player.
2. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for restoring material on an electronic media player, said method steps comprising:
locating a master copy of an electronic storage media file by searching for a unique identifier assigned to said electronic storage media file;
identifying and locating corrupted file segments on said electronic storage media file by assigning identifying markers to beginning and end points of said corrupted file segments;
accessing an online service provider having a master copy of said electronic storage media file;
verifying that said master copy is available from said online service provider;
storing any request for said master copy when said master copy is not available but within an accessible database, and prompting a user when said master copy becomes available;
verifying said electronic storage media file meets criteria for determining legitimacy prior to downloading;
downloading to said electronic media player uncorrupted file segments from said master copy when said electronic storage media file is determined legitimate into accessible memory of said electronic media player, said uncorrupted file segments matching said corrupted file segments;
decompressing said master copy when said master copy is in a compressed format;
identifying said uncorrupted file segments;
converting said uncorrupted file segments to a format compatible with said electronic media player if said uncorrupted file segments are not in a compatible format; and
substituting said uncorrupted file segments for said corrupted file segments during play of said electronic storage media file on said electronic media player.
3. The program storage device of claim 2 further comprising:
locating a legitimate copy of said electronic storage media file; offering said user an opportunity to purchase said legitimate copy; and
downloading said legitimate copy upon said user's acceptance and payment.