SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROTECTING DIGITAL CONTENT

摘要

A method of operating a personal computer includes steps of determining whether a digital recordation of content that is readable by a hardware device in the personal computer is protected; and responsive to a determination that the digital recordation of content is protected, selectively limiting which software programs are permitted to access digital information from the digital recordation of content. Programs that are authorized to access the digital information may include a conversion program for converting the digital work to a compressed file format that will be stored on the hard drive of the personal computer in a format that is governed by a digital rights management protocol, secure player software that is enabled to play the digital work directly from the digital recordation of content and controlled copy software that permits copies to be made under specified licensing conditions.