System for controlling and enforcing playback restrictions for a media file by splitting the media file into usable and unusable portions for playback

In a client connected to a network and including a local storage device, a computer-implemented method of receiving and playing a media file comprising at least a first part and a second part, comprising:

• receiving over the network and from a remote server in a first session the second part of the media file;
• storing the second part at the local storage device;
• receiving over the network and from a remote server in a second session subsequent to the first session the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file;
• combining the first part received in the second session with the stored second part after the start of the second session;
• and
• playing a representation of the media file at the local client after combining at least part of the first and second parts after the start of the second session;
• wherein the media file is divided into a plurality of sections, wherein one of the sections contains exactly X bits, and wherein each of the remaining sections contains exactly Y bits, wherein X is less than or equal to Y, and wherein the first part comprises a first subset of bits from each section, and the second part comprises the remaining bits from each section.

In a client connected to a network and including a local storage device, a computer-implemented method of receiving and playing a media file comprising at least a first part and a second parts, comprising:

• receiving over the network and from a remote server in a first session the second part of the media file;
• storing the second part at the local storage device;
• receiving over the network and from a remote server in a second session subsequent to the first session the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file;
• combining the first part received in the second session with the stored second part after the start of the second session;
• and
• playing a representation of the media file at the local client after combining at least part of the first and second parts after the start of the second session;
• wherein the first part comprises headers, compression table selectors and scale factors of the media file.

In a client connected to a network and including a local storage device, a computer-implemented method of receiving and playing a media file comprising at least a first part and a second part, comprising:

• receiving over the network and from a remote server in a first session the first part of the media file, the first part of the media file comprising a representation of the media file at a first quality level;
• receiving over the network and from a remote server the second part of the media file, wherein the first and second parts are combinable to form a representation of the media file at a second quality level higher than the first quality level;
• storing the second part at the local storage device;
• receiving over the network and from a remote server in a second session subsequent to the first session the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file;
• combining the received first part with the stored second part;
• and
• playing a representation of the media file at the local client;
• wherein the second part is not usable for playback without being combined with the first part.

In a client connected to a network and including a local storage device, a computer-implemented method of receiving and playing a media file comprising at least a first part and a second part, comprising:

• receiving over the network and from a remote server in a first session the second part of the media file;
• storing the second part at the local storage device;
• receiving over the network and from a remote server in a second session subsequent to the first session the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file;
• combining the first part received in the second session with the stored second part after the start of the second session;
• and
• playing a representation of the media file at the local client after combining at least part of the first and second parts after the start of the second session;
• wherein the media file is divided into a plurality of sections, wherein one of the sections contains exactly X bits, and wherein each of the remaining sections contains exactly Y bits, wherein X is less than or equal to Y, and wherein the first part comprises a first bit from each section, and the second part comprises the remaining bits from each section.