Method and system for securely incorporating electronic information into

Abstract

A method and system for facilitating digital commerce using a secure digital commerce system is provided. The secure digital commerce system is arranged according to a client/server architecture and includes a modularized DCS client and DCS server. The DCS client and the DCS server are incorporated into an online purchasing system, such as a virtual store, to perform the purchase and online delivery of electronic content. The DCS client includes a set of components which include a secured copy of the merchandise and various components needed to license and purchase the merchandise and to unsecure and process (e.g., execute) the licensed merchandise. The DCS client communicates with the DCS server to download the components onto a customer's computer system and to license and purchase a requested item of merchandise. The DCS server, which includes a content supplier server, a licensing and purchasing broker, and a payment processing function, supplies merchandise-specific components and licenses the requested item of merchandise by generating an electronic certificate. The electronic certificate contains license parameters that are specific to the requested merchandise and an indicated purchasing option. Once a valid electronic license certificate for the requested merchandise is received by the DCS client, the merchandise is made available to the customer for use in accordance with the licensing parameters contained in the electronic license certificate.