TWI227846B - Method and apparatus managing the transfer of rights - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing the transfer of rights associated with items from a rights supplier to a rights consumer. A set of rights is associated with an item and includes meta-rights specifying derivable rights that can be derived therefrom by the rights consumer. The set of rights is transferred, in the form of a license to the item, from the rights supplier to the rights consumer. If it is determined that the rights consumer is entitled to derive the derivable rights specified by the meta-rights, the derivable rights are derived and a license including the derived rights is generated with the rights consumer designated as a principal.

Description

1227846

Copyright notice: Part of this patent application document is in the Patent Office of the Patent and Trademark Office or no objection to patent documents or disclosure. All copyright disclosures retained on it are protected by copyright. When shown in their records, copyright owners This heavy clothing, but in other cases, the right. 1. [Technical Field to which the Invention belongs] The present invention relates to a method and device for transferring rights. 2. [Prior art] One of the most important disputes that hinder the dissemination of digital work (that is, documents or other content in computer-readable form) through electronic methods, especially the Internet, is now in During the use and dissemination of digital works, the ability to enforce the intellectual property rights of the content owner is lacking. The work to solve such problems has been called π Intellectual Property Rights Management (IPRM) ^ "Digital Property Rights Management (DPRM), n Intellectual Property Management" (intei iectual Property Management, IPM), 丨 丨 Rights Management, (Rights Management, RM), and ff Electronic Copyright Management " (Electronic Copyright Management, ECM), collectively referred to herein as 丨 丨 Digital Rights Management '' (Digital Rights Management) Management, DRM). There are many issues to consider when implementing a DRM system. For example, you should propose authentication, authorization, and billing.

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I __ Page 5 1227846 V. Description of the invention (2) (accounting), payment (pay men t) and financial liquidation (fi nanc ia 1 clearing), Quanhe J specification (ri gh ts specification), rights verification (rights verification ), Rights enforcement, and file protection issues. References to U.S. Patent Nos. 5,530,235, 5,634,0 1 2, 5,71 5,403, 5,638,443, and 5, 6 29, 98, disclose DRM systems that resolve these disputes. The two basic DRM designs that have been used are secure containers and trusted systems. " Secure Container π (or simply an encrypted document) provides a way to keep the content of a file encrypted until it meets a set of licensing conditions and grants certain copyright conditions (such as user fees). After the file provider confirms the various conditions and conditions, the file will be sent to the user in an unencrypted form (cearear). Commercial products such as crypt〇l〇 PEStM and D I G I B0XESTM fall into this category. Obviously, the technology of secure containers provides solutions to protect files on non-secure channels, but it cannot provide any mechanism to prevent legitimate users from using and re-propagating this file after obtaining an unencrypted file to cause infringement. Intellectual property rights of the owner. In the "trust system" technology, the entire system is responsible for avoiding unauthorized use and the spread of documents. Building trust systems usually requires new hardware, such as women's full processing $ (secure processor), secure storage ('secure storage') and Secure rendering devices. Therefore, software applications running on the trust system also need to be

Page 6 1227846 V. Description of the invention (3) Authentication is trustworthy. When building a tamper-proof trust system is a challenge for existing technologies. The market today suggests that open and unreliable systems, such as personal computers (pcs) and workstations that use browsers to access web pages, will be the primary system for accessing digital works. Under this recognition, existing computer rings, such as personal computers and workstations with common operating systems (such as Windows STM, [inu χΤ, and UN IX), and translation applications such as browsers- 'Without major changes to their architecture, it will not be a trust system or reliable. Of course, changes to the architecture have weakened the original purpose of the web page, such as flexibility and compatibility. By way of example, reference is made to the disclosure of U.S. Patent 5,63 4,0 12 to disclose a system for controlling the spread of digital files. Each translation device has a matching repository. A preset set of usage transaction steps defines a protocol used by the repository to execute usage rights. The right to use defines one or more ways to use the content of the relevant file and keep it. The right of use allows various ways of use, such as viewing, use only, dissemination, etc. Such right of use can also be added in payment or other circumstances. Furthermore, a group can grant usage rights (a ❶ subset 〇f usage rights) owned by this group to other groups. The DRM system advances the dissemination of electronic content by allowing content users to control the use of their content. However, to spread, spread, and use

1227846 V. Description of Invention (4) Many known groups involve electronic content and other known business models. For example, content creators can sell content to publishers, and then publishers authorize distributors to distribute content on the online storefront (〇n— 丨 ine storefront), and then sell content to online users (end- user). Furthermore, end users may attempt to share or further disseminate this content. In such a business model, each group can be given the right to use it based on its role on the distribution key. However, unless a group ’s participation in or understanding of a downstream group ’s transaction agreement in some way, they cannot control their downstream group. For example, once a publisher provides content to a distributor, a publisher's cannot easily control the rights that have been granted to downstream groups, such as first or subsequent users, unless the publisher retains a group to downstream transaction agreement. The loss of control combined with Riying's complex communications chain has created situations that hinder the dissemination of electronic content or other items. Furthermore, publishers may want to prohibit distributors and / or stores from viewing or printing content, but allow end users who receive a license from the store to view or print. According to the above, the idea of simplifying the granting of rights to sub-ownership does not apply to multi-group, that is, multi-tier transmission models. [Summary of the Invention] One aspect of the present invention is a method of transferring the right of an associated item from a rights supplier to a rights consumer '. This method involves obtaining a set of rights associated with a project, this set of rights including meta-ri gh ts' which specifies the derivable rights that can be obtained by the rights consumer, and decides whether to grant rights Eliminate

Page 8 1227846

The fee acquirer obtains the derivable rights specified by the subordinated rights, and at least one of the plurality of derivable rights acquired, and if the grantee is granted the right, the feederable rights stipulated by the subordinated rights, Generate a license that contains derived rights (principa 1) specifying the right consumer as a subject. Another aspect of the invention is that a license associated with a project should be used in a unified system. The system transfers ρ r- -I- κ 、,,,, and dying to the benefit of the supplier to a right to pay the fee, to deal with the transfer of rights $ oo μ s ^ ^ ^ ^ to this project. The license contains a set of rights, which includes a post-decision right, detailing the Japanese and Japanese priests, the ancestor + Wei ~, the subject, and the subject is marked to. 一 丁 王. Λα τ 榣 Li consumers, who are authorized Obtainable

He Sheng's doubts, and a shocking life 丨 m w J ^

This splash is another way of knowing the H project right. Two types of rights are obtained from meta-rights. This group of rights includes the derivable rights that include the right to obtain a set of related rights; / = ’, which specifies that the right consumer obtains a license. Generate associated projects and

4. [Implementation] A digital rights brake system can be used to specify the content, service, σ, & DRM) system, in order to specify and execute the right to use the better alternative project for connection. Figure 1 illustrates a known example of a digital rights management (DRM) system.

1227846 V. Description of Invention (6)-10. The DRM system 10 includes a user activatbn component in the form of an activation server 20 (activation server). As is known, it issues issues of public and private pairs in a protected form ( key pair) to content users. During the startup process, certain information is exchanged between the startup server 20 and the client environment 3 (cHent environment), where the client environment 30 is a computer associated with a content receiver ((: 〇1 ^ 6111: recipient) Or other devices, and download the client component 60 (cl ient component) and install it in the client environment 30. The client component 60 is preferably tamper-resistant and contains a set of shared and private keys issued by the startup server 20 Yes, and other requirements, such as any components needed to translate the content 42. The rights label 40 (rights label) is associated with the content 42 and specifies the right of use and a possible corresponding clause that can be selected by a content recipient. License server 50 (license 361 ^ 61〇 processing encryption keys, (encryption keys), and issuance of licenses for protected content. These licenses embody the actual grant of use rights to end users. Examples For example, the rights mark 40 may include a right of use, which allows three recipients to pay 5 το to watch the content, and pay 丨 0 yuan to view and print the content. For example, when When 5 yuan has been paid, the license 52 is issued for the viewing right. The customer + component 60 can understand and enforce these rights specified in the license 52. Figure 6 shows a rights mark 4 0 according to a preferred embodiment. Rights mark 4〇 Includes several rights providers 44 (rights offers)

Page 10 1227846 V. Description of the invention (7) The supplier 4 4 includes the right to use 4 4 a, case 4 4 b, and content specification 44c (content specification) ° Content specification 44c may include for calling, commissioning, positioning, and linking , Or any mechanism other than a specific content 4 2 of the provider 44. Preparation of a computer 70 associated with a content publisher, content distributor, content service provider, or other group, on which the ion application is installed) includes specifying the rights mark 40 and the rights to use the content such as XrMLTM in any way Instructions. Rights ’or only the content. The process of rights is referred to the associated rights mark 40 and used to’ can be passed to the license. Right 4 4a may include a post-right to explain his rights.

Document preparation application 72 (document preparat prepares unencrypted (unprotected) content. Rights and conditions under which content content 42 can be used, associations 42, and content protection with encryption algorithms 42. Rights and conditions can be specified in language. However, rights Koli can also be a pre-defined sample (temp late). According to the above, specify any process of Gree and the content. The associated content 4 2 is the encrypted i on key certificate of the code valley. Feeder 50. As discussed in more detail below, the right to use the method of use, and the allowance to obtain a profit. 中 In the case of a man, the license 52 contains conditions required to exercise-specific rights. For example, The condition can be that the other payment and submission of personal data can be " access conditions " (ac = '0 = other required requirements. Members of the condition club, etc. In other words n dry health Or register in another sentence 3 §Brother, provided that the user is a specific

1227846

One of the members of the ethnic group can be exercised separately or combined. Rights and conditions can be divided into tags, providers, usage rights, and conditions, which can be stored with the content or other content except 44c or other mechanisms. The rights language such as XrMLTM can be used to explain the rights and blood = 42. No rights can be specified in any way. Rights can also be-. A well-defined description form 'or a sample of only the associated content 42. The typical workflow of the pre-DRM system 10 is detailed as follows. A recipient of the second ring, accepting the activation verb to act 4 ‘Known method, resulting in a total — private round

User / machine-specific information), in the form of customer software element 60-some environment 30. The initiation process can be before a license is issued; any: J When the person receiving X wants to get a specific content 4 2 can-make a request. For example, as the recipient—the recipient, you can use the website of the server (Web) server (Web) 0608 installed in the client environment 30, and use the request in the process of = pages. The user may go through a series of steps that may include fees: when the content is sold) or other transactions (such as data collection). ^ = F A number of suitable conditions and other necessary prerequisites, such as fee collection " user has been activated At the time, the web server 8 〇 will pass the secure recitation = ^ 5 tolerance, machine channel

1227846

V. Explanation of the invention (9) (secure communication channel), for example, a channel using a network data security transmission protocol (Secure Sockets Layer, SSL), contact a certificate server 50. Later, the license server 50 generates a license 5 2 'for the content 4 2 and the web server 80 causes downloading of the content and the license 52. The 5K certificate 5 2 contains the appropriate rights, such as the right to use and / or subsequent rights, and is downloaded from the license server 50 or associated equipment. Content 4 2 can be downloaded from a computer 7 0 of an associated buyer, distributor, or other group.

The customer requirement 60 in the customer environment 30 will be interpreted later with a license 52, and the use of the content 42 is permitted based on the right of use and the conditions specified in the license 52. The translation and enforcement of the right of use are known techniques, for example, refer to the patents mentioned above. The above steps can be performed sequentially or almost simultaneously, or in a different order. ^ The DRM system 10 addresses the security aspects of content 42. In particular, the DR Μ system 10 can certify a license 52 issued by a license server 50. One way to accomplish such authentication for the application 60 is to decide whether this license 52 is trustworthy. In other words, the application 60 has the ability to verify and validate a cryptographic signature (CryPtgraphic graphic signature), or other identifiable features of the license 52. Of course, the above example is just one way to implement a DRM system. For example, licenses 52 and content 42 can be disseminated from different entities. The clearing house 90 (clearing server) can be used to conduct payment transactions and verify payments before issuing a permit.

Page 13 1227846 V. Description of the invention (10) The above should include several groups. In the first pass, the downstream ideas are given, such as the US 5, 638, 443 and related systems. Subsequent rights are derived from other rights. Other post rights are very clear. Note that the typical business model package for disseminating digital content, such as owners, publishers, distributors, and users of broadcast chains, each group can act as a supplier and a consumer_a consumer. This preferred embodiment extends the usage rights disclosed in the well-known Guanguo Patent Nos. 5, 62 9, 980, 5, 634, 0 1 2, k 5, 715, 403, and 5, 630, 235, Add the concept of (incorporate) π meta-rights ". An entity must create, manipulate, amend, dispose of, or otherwise benefit from rights. Meta-rights can be considered as the right to use (or benefit). Such The idea is based on the following description that the meta-rights can include transfer rights (negotiate rights, exposure rights, compile rights, rights), exchange rights' from other aspects. Any conditions of meta-rights. For example to narrow down a special right Or reduce the effectiveness of a right, so that the distributor can have subsequent rights and can derive rights to provide rights, grant rights, obtain rights, transfer rights, archive rights, compile rights Pursuing rights, surrender rights, and revoke rights include rights, which can be amended in relation to other rights and say 'the post-right is a right that can be expanded or encircled. Li is a right, the period may be expanded after the claim could be provided for construction of an object in the hierarchy of objects. For example, a benefit 'will allow a Dealers claim administration a meta

Page 14 1227846 V. Description of Invention (11) Retailer, which allows the retailer to give users the right to view content. Just as a right has several conditions, a subsequent right can also have several conditions. Meta-rights can also be linked to other meta-rights. The concept of meta-rights can be particularly useful, as the mode of transmission can include entities that are not creators or owners of digital content, but that exist in transactions involving the use of rights in related content. For example, as mentioned above, it should be noted that in multi-level content distribution models, intermediate entities (e.g., distributors) will generally not be able to create or use content, but are given the right to distribute it. Content release rights. In other words, distribution + resellers or resellers need rights (subsequent rights) to issue rights. For the sake of clarity, the group that grants the right of use or subordinate right is classified as a “supplier” and the group that accepts and / or exercises this right is classified here as a “consumer”. It is very clear that any group can be a supplier or a consumer, depending on its relationship with neighboring groups in a transmission chain. Note that a consumer consumes', that is, exercising rights, and does not necessarily consume, that is, using associated content. FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an example of a multi-level propagation mode 2000. For example, the publisher 2 10 publishes content for the dissemination of the distributor 220. Distributor 2 2 0 disseminates content to a retailer, such as retailer 23, and retailer 230 sells content to a user, such as user 2 4 0. In model 2000, publisher 21 can transfer business relationships with distributor 220, and distributor 220 can transfer business relationships with retailer 230. At the same time, retailers 2 30 may require

Page 15 1227846 1. Description of the invention (12) " '--- 2 2 0 The right to use the right. However, it is important to keep in mind that in a distribution chain utilizing a DRM system that controls the use and dissemination of content or other items, 'content can be transmitted through any digital communication channel, such as a network or physical intermediary, from publishing The quotient 210 travels to the user 240. When the user uses the days t here, he can get a license as described above. According to the 'assignment relationship', if it is not impossible, it becomes very difficult. 'Mode 2 of Figure 2 0 0' Retailers 2 3 0 can only give users 240 pre-set rights, that is, upstream groups handled by distributor 220, publisher 210, and other potential + ' Content creator or owner, preset rights. Entitlements are pre-set and derived from the rights placed by the distributor 220 to the retailer 230. Of course, there can be any number of parties in the propagation chain. For example, the distributor 230 can be sold directly to the public without the need for the retailer 230. There can also be additional groups, such as user 2 40 can be transmitted to other users. In model 2 0 0, the publisher grants the distributor 2 2 2 the right to use 2 2 2 and allows the dissemination and subsequent rights of the content 214. Meta-rights 214 allow distributors 220 g to give retailers 230 use rights 21 4 ′ (derived from Meta-rights 214), which are used to distribute or possibly sell content and meta-rights 2 1 6. Subsequent rights 2 1 6 allow the retailer 230 to give the user 240 rights to use the content. For example, publisher 2 1 0 may specify through meta rights 2 1 4 that meta rights 2 3 6 are granted to retailers 2 3 6 and retailers 2 30 are allowed to grant only 500 licenses and licenses.

Page 16 1227846 V. Description of the invention (13) The right of use 21 6 'enables the retailer 230 to give a user only π to view " and print π the right to use 2 1 6'. In other words, The distributor 2 2 0 gives the retailer 2 3 0. Similarly, the publisher 21 0 issues the distributor 2 2 4 to the distributor, which will decide that the distributor 2 2 0 can give the retailer 2 30 What form and how many rights. Note that these entities can be departments, units, or individuals who are part of a larger business and can also have other roles. For example, a company can create, disseminate, And selling content, and using different employees or different transaction units in the company to complete such activities. The principle of meta-rights can be applied to a company to determine the use of content within the company. Retailers 230 can post meta-rights 218 Give the user 240, allow the user 240 to share or give the right to use to achieve the super propagation mode. It can be seen that in a communication chain, the post-rights of a group are derived from the post-rights given by the upstream group Personal medical Records can be in digital form and managed by the first hospital like a retailer 230. In this situation, individuals are like suppliers, giving usage rights to hospitals like consumers to access and update medical records. Assume an individual is in When a second hospital requests treatment and wants to transfer its records to the second hospital, the individual can give the first hospital the right to transfer the access right to the new hospital through the post-establishment rights. In other words, after the individual has designated Establishing rights and granting subsequent rights to the first hospital. Subsequent rights allow the first hospital like a supplier to give a second hospital like a consumer. Another example is that personal wills and wills can be in digital form. And is managed by a law firm like the publisher 2 0. Assume personal desire

Page 17 1227846 V. Description of the invention (14) When a third party is allowed to view the last words, the individual may give the subsequent rights to the legal office 'to allow the law firm to grant the access right to the third party. The high-level process of enforcing and exercising subsequent rights is like the right of use. However, the difference between the right of use and the subordinate right stems from the result of exercising the right. Content-specific behavior occurs when usage rights are exercised. For example, usage rights are used to view, print, or copy digital content. When the meta-rights are exercised, new rights are created from the meta-rights or the existing rights are disposed of as a result of exercising the meta-rights. The recipient of the new right can be the same subject (the same person, entity, or machine, etc.) as the post-established right. In addition, the recipient of a post-establishment right can also be a new subject. Subjects receiving derivative rights may be authenticated and authorized before receiving / storing derivative rights. In this way, the mechanism for enforcing and exercising subsequent rights may be the same as the mechanism for using rights. For example, the mechanism disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,634,012 is used. Subsequent rights are expressed through the use of grammar or rights language, including data structures, symbols, elements, or sets of rules. For example, XrMLTM rights language can be used. As shown in FIG. 3, the structure of the license 52 can be composed of one or more grants 300 and one or more digital signatures 310. Each grant of 300 includes specific grant rights of 302, such as the right to provide the right to use, to grant the right to use, to obtain the right to use, to transfer the right to use, to exchange the right to use, to transmit the right to use, to transfer the right to use, to revoke Use rights, reuse rights, or post-processing rights, such as the right to back up, the right to restore,

Page 18 1227846 V. Description of the invention (15) Re-issue rights This category.

Or the processing of subsequent rights can be accompanied by a delegating right, such as giving 3 0 0. One or more subjects 304 can also be assigned to certain given subsequent rights. Giving 300 also includes condition 306 and state variable 308. As with the right of use, the access and exercise of the right after it is granted is controlled by any relevant conditions 306 and state variables 308. The integrity of the license 52 is ensured by using a digital signature 31 or other authentication mechanism. The signature 3 1 0 can include a cryptographic algorithm, a key, or other mechanism that provides access to the content 42 in a known manner. The structure of the digital signature 3 1 0 includes the signature itself, how to calculate the password, key information that needs to be checked against the password, and the issuer's certificate. State variables track potential dynamic state conditions. A state variable is a variable ' that has a value representing the status of a right or other dynamic condition. Based on the authentication mechanism in license 1 ^ 52, state variables can be tracked by the intelligence exchange agency 90 or other devices. Furthermore, the value of the state variable can be used in a condition. For example, the 'use right may be the right to print the content 42, and the condition may be the exercise of the right to use three times. Each time the usage right is exercised, the threshold of the state variable is incremented. In this example, when the value of the state variable is three, the complaint is no longer satisfied, and the content 4 2 cannot be printed. Another I column of state variables is time. A condition of the permit 52 can be a requirement to print the content 42 in 30 days. State variables can be used to track 30-day periods. Furthermore, = track the status of a right by collecting status variables. Collect the status of the right to use ~ The change represents the history of use of this right.

Page 19 1227846 V. Description of the Invention (16)-Figure 4 shows an example of the license 5 2 in XrMLTM. The supplier grants distributors a subsequent right to issue a right of use (such as a screening) and gives content (such as a book) to any end user. With the subsequent rights, distributors can issue a right to show a book within the United States, subject to additional conditions that some distributors can impose on users. As long as the distributor pays the supplier one yuan at a time, the distributor can issue a license to the end user. XrMLTM specifications are public and well known. FIG. 5 is an original mode of the license server 50 according to a preferred embodiment. The license translation module 502 verifies and translates the license 52, and has a function to query all the scopes of the license, such as a post-right 302. Condition 30 6. State tragic number 308, subject 304, and / or digital signature 310. The license processing module 503 processes all license repositories for storing licenses 52, and also provides functions for creating licenses 52 for derivative rights, verifying licenses, storing licenses, removing licenses, and transferring licenses. . The status of the rights module 504 is to deal with the status and history of rights and meta-rights together with the present value and history of conditional variables of the conditions, and manipulate the authorized body 'to allow it to exercise the meta-rights granted. The condition verifier 5 0 6 sets the condition of the right after verifying the association. Together with the state variables, the condition-defining variables that have no rights after the association, their values can change during the life cycle of the underlying rights. The value of the state variable used in the condition can affect subsequent rights at the time and during the exercise of the rights.

Page 20 1227846 V. Description of the invention (17) Authorization module 508 authorizes the request to exercise the subsequent rights, and to store the recently created rights, or the rights derived from the exercise of the subsequent rights. The power module 5 08 accesses the status of the power module 504 and the condition verifier 506. The authorization module 508 interacts with the license processing module 503, the status variables and the condition list, and then passes the status variables of the status of the rights processing module 504 'and the condition verifier 506 for authorization List of conditions. The request for exercising the post-δ rights is passed to the post-right processing module 510. Assuming that the requesting device has been authenticated, the post-rights processing module 510 requests Xu to also process module 504 to verify the license used to exercise the requested post-rights. The license processing module 504 verifies the digital signature of the license and the signer's key. If the signer's key is reliable and the digital signature is verified, the license processing module 504 will reply later. Set the right processing module 5 1 0. Otherwise, it will be thrown back "not verified". The right module 508 instructs the license processing module 503 to obtain the license 52 ^ evil variables 308 and conditions 306. Later, the authorization module 508 decides the state variables required to enforce the enforcement of the second leg license 52. The rights processing module 504 provides the present value of the required state variables to the authorization module 508 later. Later The authorization module ^ 08 passes the condition 306 and the required state variables to the condition verifier 506. ^ Enabling all the conditions 306, the authorization module 508 responds, authorizes, and assigns a post-mortem processing module 51. Entitlement processing module 5 丨 〇 Licenses and subsequent verifications

1227846 V. Description of the invention (18) 杻 利 3 02, which is used to authorize the request for the exercise of the post-rights 3 02. On the other hand, the rights processing module 5 1 2 deals with the new rights created and the post-rights The resulting derived rights. The rights processing module 512 benefits the authorization module 508 to verify that the recipient of the new rights created or the rights derived is the intended subject 304. If the recipient has been authorized, later the rights processing module 512 instructs the license processing module 504 to store the created new rights in a repository of the associated consumer. Further discussion of P Refer to FIG. 7. 〇 The authorization process described above is not limited to sequential or phased. For example, a system can be programmed to allow the authorization module 508 to request status conditions from the license processing module 504 before digital signature verification. In some cases, this may be done under the restriction of a validated license. Furthermore, several modules do not need to reside in the license server or related devices. Through the hardware and / or part of the software, the module can be combined or separated in any way. -Once a request for a subordinate right has been authorized, the subordinate right can be exercised. The post-rights processing module 5 1 0 notifies the right-handling module 5 04 to start exercising the requested post-rights. Later, the rights processing module 504 records the usage history and changes the present value of the tragic state. The post-rights processing module 51 〇 implements the post-rights in a procedure similar to the exercise of the right to use. If a new right is obtained, the right processing module 5 will be set up later. 10 The license processing module 504 will be called up! Page 22 1227846 V. Description of the invention (19)-to create a new right obtained by exercising the post-set rights . Each new entitlement is sent to the entitlement processing module 512 of the corresponding consumer and stored in a repository of the associated consumer. Before accepting and storing the recently created rights, the consumer's rights processing module 5 1 2 will authenticate and authorize the consumer. New rights are derived from the underlying rights based on a set of rules or other logic. For example, a rule can provide that the right to consume one of the licenses for use 'will cause a consumer with rights to provide a right to use and a license to this right to another consumer.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart of a process according to a preferred embodiment for transferring and acquiring new rights from the latter. All steps on the left side of Figure 7 are related to the supplier of rights, and on the right side are the consumers of rights. At step 702, the weight of a known party is two: the subject of permit 5 2 3 0 4. In other words, the group that decides whether to exercise the subordinate right 302 has the appropriate license to do so. If the subject is not authenticated 'the procedure terminates at step 704. If the subject has been authenticated, the process proceeds to step 706 where the exercised right is set to 302 and transmitted to the consumer in the form of a license 52 with derivative rights in the manner described above. In step 708, the subject has been authenticated. In other words, the group that decides whether to exercise the derived right has the appropriate license to do so. If the subject is not certified, the procedure is terminated at step 7 10. If the subject has been authenticated, the process proceeds to step 7 12 where the derived rights are stored. For each additional right in the license, the program later returns to step 708, and when all rights have been processed, the program terminates at step 714.

Page 23 1227846 V. Description of the Invention (20) The preferred embodiment is not restricted by where to use resellers, distributors, or other intermediaries. For example, this preferred embodiment may be applied in a business or other organization that creates and / or disseminates digital content or other items to control the use of content in the business or other organization. When the grant of one right is related to another right, subsequent rights can also be issued to the end user. For example, under the conditions of trading options and futures trading, the right to buy or sell securities. Subsequent rights can be assigned or linked to products, services, sources, or other items. This invention is uniform. It is better to be in a single computer (dumb term, etc., or has been replaced by the recognition spirit and scope of the division. It is better to exist. Various transmission devices can be included in the Internet media. By various types of Device completion, such as a computer or computer system, is implemented in a master-slave environment. However, the present invention can be performed in other devices. In a smart terminal, thin client, or thin client, On any other configured device. The various functions and functions of the preferred embodiment are clearly described. However, as is known in the art, several general substitutions undoubtedly do not depart from the present invention. For example, various hardware and software can be used in other alternative ways = separate entities' can be used in the present invention as a clear individual. For example, you can make or other networks. Data can also be moved from device to device such as CD, DVD, ± stacked memory, and so on. Mobile PC, Workstation, Thin Client, pda ^

1227846 V. Description of the invention (21) The present invention is described above by referring to different embodiments. However, some general substitutions undoubtedly do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. That is to say, all equal changes or modifications made according to the spirit disclosed by the present invention should still be covered by the patent scope of the present invention. Participate

Page 27 1227846 Brief description of the drawings V. [Simplified description of the drawings] The present invention will be described through a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a rights management system according to an embodiment of the present invention Instructions. Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an example propagation chain, showing that rights are obtained from meta-rights. FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a license according to a preferred embodiment. Figure 4 is an example of a license expressed in an XML-based rights language according to one of the preferred embodiments. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the license server of the system of FIG. 1. Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram of a rights label according to a preferred embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a process of transferring and acquiring rights according to a preferred embodiment. Graphical component symbol description 10 Digital rights management system 20 Start server 30 Customer environment 40 Rights mark 42 Content 44 Provider 44a Use right 44b Situation 44c Content description 50 License server 52 License 60 Customer requirements 70 Computer 72 Document preparation application

Page 26 1227846 Schematic description 80 Web server 2 0 0 Mode 2 1 2 Right to use 214 'Right to use 2 1 6' Right to use 2 2 0 Distributor 240 users 3 0 2 Post-rights 3 0 6 Conditions 310 signature 5 0 3 license processing module 5 0 6 condition verifier 5 1 0 post-rights processing module 90 information exchange agency 2 1 0 publisher 2 1 4 post-rights 2 1 6 post-rights 2 1 8 post Set rights 230 Retailer 3 0 0 Give 304 Subject 3 0 8 State variable 5 0 2 License translation module 504 Rights module 5 0 8 Authorization module 5 1 2 Rights processing module 〇〇

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Claims (1)

1227846 VI. Scope of patent application1. A method for transferring rights, which is used to transfer rights from a rights supplier to a rights consumer, which are suitable for related items. The method includes: obtaining a set of rights related to a project, This set of rights includes a number of meta-rights, which specify in detail a number of derivab 1 e rights that can be paid by the consumer of that right; and decide whether to grant the right to consumption The person obtains at least one of the plurality of derivable rights specified by the plurality of derivable rights, and at least one of the plurality of derivable rights obtained, and if the consumer is granted the right to obtain the plurality of derivable rights, When the plurality of derivable rights specified in the right generate a license, the license includes the plurality of derived rights that specify the consumer of the right as a principal. 2. The method of applying for item 1 of the patent scope, further comprising transmitting the set of rights from the right supplier to the right consumer in the form of a license to the project. 3. The method according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the plurality of derived rights are rights disposal rights. 4 · If the method of applying for the first item of the patent scope, wherein a plurality of the items are content 〇 5 · If the method of applying for the first item of the patent scope, the plurality of which are derived Page 28 1227846 VI. Scope of patent application The right includes a plurality of use rights. 6 · The method according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the derived rights include a plurality of subsequent rights, which are transmitted from the right consumer to another consumer in the form of a license. 7. The method of claim 4 in the scope of patent application, wherein the right consumer is a content distributor. Inner: Method of scope item 4 'where the right consumer is a 0 ^ = method of patent scope item 4 where the right consumer is a publisher ^ in the middle-the species / can ^, the license is associated -Projects, and rights that are suitable for a series of projects 1 = From a rights supplier to a rights consumer, to handle the 7 rights transfer, the license contains: Ligu evil " rights, including multiple post-rights' Specify in detail the plurality of derivable rights that can be obtained by those persons; small-subject, indicating the consumers of the rights that are authorized to obtain the plurality of derivable rights; and the mechanism 'for providing associations with this set of rights Access to the item. 1227846 VI. Application for Patent Scope 1 9. If you apply for a license for item 10 of the patent scope, which further includes at least one condition, such condition must be met to exercise at least 20 of the subsequent rights. The 19 licenses further include at least one variable state related to one of the conditions. 2 1. —A method for obtaining the right of an appropriate associated item from a post-right, the method comprising: obtaining a set of rights associated with a project, the set of rights including the post-rights, specifying in detail that a right consumer can obtain them A plurality of derivative rights; and generating a license that associates the project with the plurality of derivative rights. 2 2. The method of claim 21 in the scope of patent application, wherein the plurality of derivative rights are rights disposal rights. 2 3. The method according to item 21 of the scope of patent application, wherein a plurality of the items are contents. 2 4. The method according to item 21 of the scope of patent application, wherein the plurality of derivative rights include a plurality of use rights. Page 31