What is claimed is:
1. A method for distributing program content in a network, said network comprising a server for providing said program content, a client operable for communicating with said server across said network, and a caching server operable for storing a copy of said program content, said method comprising:
establishing a rule defining whether said client is entitled to receive said program content;
storing said rule on said network;
allowing said client to request said program content from said network;
comparing said rule to a record describing at least one entitlement characteristic of said client so as to determine whether said client is entitled to receive said program content before distributing a key to said client for decrypting said program content; and
multicasting said program content.
2. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said rule is comprised of a method of payment.
3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said rule is comprised of a subscription identifier.
4. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said rule is comprised of a restriction based on the location of where said program content is to be delivered.
5. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said rule is comprised of a restriction based on a content rating for a user.
6. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said at least one entitlement characteristic comprises information indicating a physical location of said client.
7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said at least one entitlement characteristic comprises information indicating at least one service subscribed to by said client.
8. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said at least one entitlement characteristic comprises data for use in authenticating said client with said caching server.
9. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said at least one entitlement characteristic is stored by said client in a ticket.
10. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said at least one entitlement characteristic is communicated from said client to said caching server.
11. The method as described in claim 1 and further comprising not permitting said client to alter said at least one entitlement characteristic.
12. The method as described in claim 1 and further comprising encrypting said at least one entitlement characteristic so as to prevent said client from altering said at least one entitlement characteristic.
13. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said multicasting said program content is begun before said comparing said rule to said record describing said at least one entitlement characteristic of said client.
14. A method for distributing program content in a network, said network comprising a server for storing program content, a client operable for communicating with said server across said network, and a caching server operable for storing a copy of said program content, said method comprising:
establishing a rule defining whether said client is entitled to receive said program content;
allowing said client to request said program content from said server;
receiving at said server a request from said client for said program content; and
formatting a data record comprising an identifier to identify said program content and said rule for said program content.
15. The method as described in claim 14 and further comprising:
authenticating said data record.
16. The method as described in claim 14 and further comprising:
signing said data record so as to allow said caching server to authenticate said data record.
17. The method as described in claim 16 wherein said authenticating said data record comprises:
utilizing a trusted third party to provide an authentication key to said server for use in signing said data record and a verification key to said caching server for use in authenticating said data record.
18. The method as described in claim 14 and further comprising:
conveying said data record to said client.
19. The method as described in claim 14 and further comprising:
signing said data record; and
conveying said signed data record to said client.
20. The method as described in claim 14 and further comprising:
signing said data record;
conveying said signed data record to said client; and
conveying said signed data record to said caching server from said client.
21. The method as described in claim 14 and further comprising:
signing said data record; and
conveying said signed data record to said caching server from said server.
22. The method as described in claim 14 and further comprising:
signing said data record;
conveying said signed data record to said client;
conveying said signed data record to said caching server from said client;
conveying an identifier identifying said program content from said client to said caching server;
authenticating said data record at said caching server;
allowing said caching server to determine whether said client is entitled to receive said program content.
23. A method of distributing program content in a network, said network comprising a server, a client operable for communicating with said server across said network, and a caching server operable for storing a copy of said program content, said method comprising:
receiving a data record for said client for use in determining whether said client is entitled to said program content;
receiving a rule associated with said program content for use by said caching server so as to determine whether said client is entitled to said program content;
utilizing said data record and said rule so as to determine whether said client is entitled to said program content; and
multicasting said program content.
24. The method as described in claim 23 and further comprising:
conveying said program material to said client.
25. The method as described in claim 23 and further comprising:
decrypting said data record with a key received from a trusted third party, wherein said trusted third party is a trusted third party for said caching server and said server.
26. The method as described in claim 23 wherein said receiving said data record for said client comprises: receiving said data record from said client.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A center-feed nozzle system for entraining and delivering particulate material into a grinding chamber of a fluid-energy mill, said center-feed nozzle system comprising:
(a) an L-shaped feed-inlet tube having a first end and a second end, said L-shaped feed-inlet tube comprising a first tube and a second tube that form said \u201cL\u201d, said first tube comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said second tube comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said first tube and said second tube comprising a first wall having an inner face and an outer face, said first tube comprising said first end of said L-shaped tube at first tube’s proximal position, and said second tube comprising said second end of said L-shaped tube at said second tube’s proximal position,
wherein said L-shaped tube defines a hollow interior with said distal end of said first tube and said distal end of said second tube forming the bend of said L-shaped feed-inlet tube;
(b) said L-shaped feed-inlet tube further comprising a primary jet nozzle for introduction of first grinding fluid, wherein said primary jet nozzle is mounted at the distal end of said first tube in a direction parallel to the central axis of said second tube,
wherein the shape of said primary jet nozzle is such that the flow of said first grinding fluid emanating from said primary jet nozzle into said L-shaped tube is in a divergent flow profile; and
(c) said second tube of said L-shaped tube further comprising an annular inlet for introduction of a second grinding fluid, wherein said annular inlet is proximate to said proximal end of said second tube, and
wherein said annular inlet is at an angle of from about 900 to about 165\xb0 to the flow direction of said first grinding fluid.
2. A method for reducing the size of particulate material, comprising:
(a) supplying particulate material as feed to a center-feed nozzle system, wherein said center-feed nozzle system is used for entraining and delivering said particulate material into a grinding chamber of a fluid-energy mill (not shown), said center-feed nozzle system comprising:
(i) an L-shaped feed-inlet tube having a first end and a second end, said L-shaped feed-inlet tube comprising a first tube and a second tube that form said \u201cL\u201d, said first tube comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said second tube comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said first tube and said second tube comprising a first wall having an inner face and an outer face, said first tube comprising said first end of said L-shaped tube at first tube’s proximal position, and said second tube comprising said second end of said L-shaped tube at said second tube’s proximal position,
wherein said L-shaped tube defines a hollow interior with said distal end of said first tube and said distal end of said second tube forming the bend of said L-shaped feed-inlet tube;
(ii) said L-shaped feed-inlet tube further comprising a primary jet nozzle for introduction of first grinding fluid, wherein said primary jet nozzle is mounted at the distal end of said first tube in a direction parallel to the central axis of said second tube,
wherein the shape of said primary jet nozzle is such that the flow of said first grinding fluid emanating from said primary jet nozzle into said L-shaped tube is in a divergent flow profile; and
(iii) said second tube of said L-shaped tube further comprising an annular inlet for introduction of a second grinding fluid,
wherein said annular inlet is proximate to said proximal end of said second tube, and
wherein said annular inlet is at an angle of from about 90\xb0 to about 165\xb0 to the flow direction of said first grinding fluid;
(b) supplying said first grinding fluid to said primary jet nozzle, wherein said primary jet nozzle is placed under the entrained particulate material entering said proximal end of said first tube of said L-shaped feed-inlet tube, wherein said first grinding fluid entrains said particulate material toward the downstream end of said second tube and into said second grinding zone;
(c) supplying said second grinding fluid, which enters said annular inlet impinging at an angle of from about 90\xb0 to 165\xb0 in an annular fashion on to said divergent flow profile of said first grinding fluid and entrained particulate material;
(d) introducing said particulate material and said grinding fluids exiting said distal end of said second tube, into said fluid-energy mill.
3. The process as recited in claim 2, wherein said grinding fluids operate at a velocity of from about 0.5 Mach to about 7 Mach.
4. The process as recited in claim 2, wherein said particulate material comprises titanium dioxide.
5. The process as recited in claim 2, wherein said first or the second grinding fluid comprises a gaseous fluid selected from the group consisting of air, nitrogen, steam and combinations thereof.
6. The process as recited in claim 2, wherein said first andor the second grinding fluid comprises steam.