WO2003102736A2 - Systeme et procede de fourniture et de gestion d'expressions de droits - Google Patents

Systeme et procede de fourniture et de gestion d'expressions de droits Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2003102736A2
WO2003102736A2 PCT/US2003/017265 US0317265W WO03102736A2 WO 2003102736 A2 WO2003102736 A2 WO 2003102736A2 US 0317265 W US0317265 W US 0317265W WO 03102736 A2 WO03102736 A2 WO 03102736A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
item
repository
rights
manner
rights expression
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2003/017265
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2003102736A3 (fr
Inventor
Charles P. Gilliam
Xin Wang
Bijan Tadayon
Edgardo Valenzuela
Jose Romero-Lobo
Guillermo Lao
Original Assignee
Contentguard Holdings, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US10/159,272 external-priority patent/US7028009B2/en
Priority claimed from US10/162,212 external-priority patent/US7774279B2/en
Application filed by Contentguard Holdings, Inc. filed Critical Contentguard Holdings, Inc.
Priority to AU2003240981A priority Critical patent/AU2003240981B9/en
Priority to JP2004509755A priority patent/JP2005528685A/ja
Priority to EP03731486A priority patent/EP1456797A4/fr
Priority to BR0311592-5A priority patent/BR0311592A/pt
Priority to KR1020047019632A priority patent/KR100683376B1/ko
Priority to MXPA04012119A priority patent/MXPA04012119A/es
Publication of WO2003102736A2 publication Critical patent/WO2003102736A2/fr
Publication of WO2003102736A3 publication Critical patent/WO2003102736A3/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
    • H04L63/04—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
    • H04L63/0428—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F17/00—Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
    • H04L63/12—Applying verification of the received information
    • H04L63/126—Applying verification of the received information the source of the received data
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/01—Protocols
    • H04L67/02—Protocols based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/50—Network services
    • H04L67/51—Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Definitions

  • the exemplary embodiments of the present invention generally relate to systems and methods for Digital Rights Management, and more particularly to a system and method for supplying and managing rights expressions.
  • IPRM Intellectual Property Rights Management
  • DPRM Digital Property Rights Management
  • IPM Intellectual Property Management
  • RM Rights Management
  • ECM Electronic Copyright Management
  • a predetermined set of usage transaction steps define a protocol used by the repositories for enforcing usage rights associated with a document.
  • Usage rights persist with the document content.
  • the usage rights can permit various manners of use of the content, such as viewing only, use once, distribution, and the like.
  • Usage rights can be contingent on payment or satisfaction of other conditions and variables.
  • a repository can include a set of functional specifications defining core functionality.
  • a repository can include a trusted system in that the repository can maintain physical integrity, communications integrity and behavioral integrity.
  • a repository can be removable or stationary, can be big or small or portable, can be in any suitable shape, such as a card or smart card, or can have other functionalities, such as a microprocessor.
  • U.S. Patent No. 6,041,308 discloses a system for encouraging buyers to submit Conditional Purchase Offers (CPOs) to a CPO management system for a desired product.
  • the CPO management system processes each received CPO to determine whether one or more sellers are willing to accept a given CPO. While this system can be applied to more diverse goods and services, the disclosed system also is merely a mechanism for matching buyers to sellers.
  • a method for enforcing rights expressions specifying manners of use of an item including specifying by a potential recipient of an item a first rights expression indicating a first manner of use of the item proposed by the recipient; specifying by a provider of the item a second rights expression indicating a second manner of use of the item proposed by the provider; determining if there is a correspondence between the first rights expression and the second rights expression; and applying a rule to a determined correspondence between the first rights expression and the second rights expression to determine if the recipient should be granted use of the item.
  • a system for enforcing rights expressions specifying manners of use of an item including means for specifying by a potential recipient of an item a first rights expression indicating a first manner of use of the item proposed by the recipient; means for specifying by a provider of the item a second rights expression indicating a second manner of use of the item proposed by the provider; means for determining if there is a correspondence between the first rights expression and the second rights expression; and means for applying a rule to a determined correspondence between the first rights expression and the second rights expression to determine if the recipient should be granted use of the item.
  • a method for enforcing rights specifying manners of use of an item including specifying by a recipient of an item a first rights expression indicating at least on of a desired manner of use of the item by the recipient and a condition of use of the item by the recipient; associating the rights expression with the item; and supplying the item to the recipient based on satisfaction of at least one of the desired manner of use of the item by the recipient and the condition of use of the item by the recipient.
  • a system for enforcing rights specifying manners of use of an item including means for specifying by a recipient of an item a first rights expression indicating at least on of a desired manner of use of the item by the recipient and a condition of use of the item by the recipient; means for associating the rights expression with the item; and means for supplying the item to the recipient based on satisfaction of at least one of the desired manner of use of the item by the recipient and the condition of use of the item by the recipient.
  • a method for enforcing rights expressions specifying manners of use of an item including specifying a repository rights expression indicating a manner of use of an item at a repository; and associating the repository rights expression with the repository.
  • the manner of use indicates at least one of what action the repository is to take when the repository processes the item and what action the repository is to take when the repository receives a request for the item.
  • a system for enforcing rights expressions specifying manners of use of an item including means for specifying a repository rights expression indicating a manner of use of an item at a repository; and means for associating the repository rights expression with the repository.
  • the manner of use indicates at least one of what action the repository is to take when the repository processes the item and what action the repository is to take when the repository receives a request for the item.
  • a system for enforcing rights expressions specifying manners of use of an item including one or more repositories having associated therewith one or more rights expressions indicating at least one of a manner of use and a condition of use of an item at a repository.
  • the manner of use and condition of use indicates at least one of what action the repository is to take when the repository processes the item and what action the repository is to take when the repository receives a request for the item.
  • a repository for use in a system for enforcing rights expressions specifying manners of use of an item including a processor module configured to process a rights expression associated with the repository and indicating at least one of a manner of use and a condition of use of an item at the repository; and a determination module configured to determine based on the rights expression associated with the repository at least one of what action the repository is to take when the repository processes the item and what action the repository is to take when the repository receives a request for the item.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary Digital Rights Management system on which various exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be implemented
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary rights label that can be employed in the exemplary systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7;
  • FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary license that can be employed in the exemplary systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7;
  • FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary item ticket that can be employed in the exemplary systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7;
  • FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary Digital Rights Management system in which a client and server repository can create and associate usage rights
  • FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary Digital Rights Management system in which plural repositories associate plural usage rights with an item
  • FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary Digital Rights Management system in which a central control repository with usage rights associated therewith controls functions to be performed with respect to an item;
  • FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary repository that can be employed in the exemplary systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7;
  • FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for processing rights expressions of a recipient of an item based on rules and that can be employed in the exemplary systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7;
  • FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for processing rights expressions of a recipients and suppliers of an item and that can be employed in the exemplary systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7;
  • FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for processing rights expressions associated with a repository and that can be employed in the exemplary systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7.
  • a usage right can include a specification of a permitted manner of use of an item, which can include anything for which use can be controlled by associated usage rights, such as digital content, software, services, goods, and resources.
  • a resource can include a digital device or portion thereof to which access can be controlled by associated usage rights.
  • a rights expression can include any suitable expression of a usage right, such as a rights label, a license, or fragments thereof.
  • a rights label can include a prepackaged set of usage rights not associated with a specific item.
  • a license can include a prepackaged set of usage rights including an item association.
  • a rights expression language such as extensible Rights Markup Language (XrML), extensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML), Open Digital Rights Language (ODRL), and the like, can be used to express a rights expression and can include any suitable language having predefined syntax and semantics and that can be used to express a usage right.
  • the exemplary Digital Rights Management system 100 can be employed to specify and enforce property rights for items, such as content, goods, services, other items, and the like.
  • an enforceable property right for example, a right to use a specified item in accordance with usage rights associated with the item can be provided.
  • a usage right can include a declarative specification of a manner of use of an item that is identifiable and enforceable through a software mechanism.
  • the exemplary Digital Rights Management system 100 can include a user activation module, in the form of activation server 110 that can issue public and private key pairs 112 to users in a protected fashion.
  • a user activation module in the form of activation server 110 that can issue public and private key pairs 112 to users in a protected fashion.
  • information can be exchanged between the activation server 110 and a client environment 120, such as a computer or other device associated with a user, wherein a client component 122 can be downloaded and installed in the client environment 120.
  • the client component 122 can be configured to be tamper resistant and can include the set of public and private keys 112 issued by the activation server 110 as well as other components, such as an engine for parsing or rendering a protected item ticket 134.
  • the item ticket 134 can be used to specify an item and, for example, can include a mechanism by which a license can be associated with a non-digital item, for example, a tangible item, such as goods or services.
  • a rights label 132 can be associated with the item ticket 134 and can be used to specify usage rights and zero or more conditions, for example, that can be selected by an end-user.
  • a condition can include a specification of one or more prerequisites for exercising a manner of use of an item.
  • a license server 140 for example, can be used to manage the encryption keys 112 and issues rights expressions in the form of licenses 142 for the exercise of a property right.
  • the licenses 142 can embody the actual granting of usage rights to an end user based on usage rights selected from the rights label 132.
  • the rights label 132 can include usage rights for redeeming the item ticket 134 for an item on the condition of payment of a fee of five dollars and redeeming or distributing item ticket 134 upon payment of a fee of ten dollars.
  • the client component 122 can be used to interpret and enforce the usage rights that have been specified in the license 142.
  • the devices and subsystems of the exemplary Digital Rights Management system 100 can communicate with each other over a communications network 170.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary rights label that can be employed in the exemplary systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7. In FIG.
  • the rights label 132 can include plural rights offers 202.
  • the rights offer 202 can include usage rights 202a, conditions 202b, and ticket specification 202c.
  • the ticket specification 202c can include any suitable mechanism for referencing, calling, locating or otherwise specifying the item ticket 134 associated with the rights offer 202.
  • the rights label 132 can be expressed using a suitable rights expression.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary license that can be employed in the exemplary systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7.
  • a rights expression in the form of the license 142 for example, can include a unique license identification (ID) 142a and a grant 142b, for example, including usage rights, a principal, conditions, state variables, and a ticket specification designating an associated item ticket 134.
  • ID unique license identification
  • grant 142b for example, including usage rights, a principal, conditions, state variables, and a ticket specification designating an associated item ticket 134.
  • the license 142 also can include a digital signature 142c, including any suitable cryptographic keys, and the like, for unlocking item ticket 134.
  • usage rights can be used to specify manners of use.
  • a manner of use can include the ability to use an item in a specified way for a specified period of time, to buy an item for a specified period of time, and the like.
  • usage rights can be bundled, can be used to specify transfer rights, such as distribution rights, can be used to permit granting of usage rights to others or to permit the derivation of usage rights, and the like.
  • Such usage rights also can be referred to as meta-rights, which can include rights that can be manipulated, modified, and the like, to derive other usage rights.
  • the meta- rights can include usage rights to usage rights, such as rights to offer, grant, obtain, transfer, delegate, track, surrender, exchange, revoke, and the like, usage rights to/from others.
  • the meta-rights can include the rights to modify the conditions associated with other rights.
  • a meta-right can include the right to extend or reduce the scope of a particular right.
  • a meta-right also can include a right to extend or reduce the validation period of a right.
  • a condition can include the payment of a fee, the submission of personal data or any other suitable requirement desired before permitting exercise of a manner of use.
  • the conditions can include access conditions.
  • access conditions can apply to a particular group of users, such as students in a university or members of a book club.
  • a condition can be that a user is a particular person or a member of a particular group.
  • rights and conditions can exist as separate entities or can be combined.
  • some conditions need be satisfied in order to render the item ticket 134 or otherwise convert the item ticket 134 into a form that is redeemable for the item specified therein.
  • other conditions can be applied to the ticket 134 in redeemable form, and can be referred to as post license conditions.
  • the state variables can be used to track dynamic states, conditions, and the like.
  • the state variables can include variables having values that represent the status of an item, the status of usage rights, the status of a license or other dynamic conditions.
  • the state variables can be tracked, for example, by clearinghouse 160 or another device, based on identification mechanisms in the license 142 and the ticket 134.
  • the value of the state variables can be used in a condition.
  • a usage right can include the right to redeem the item ticket 134 for specified goods and a condition can include that the usage right can be exercised three times. Each time the usage right is exercised, the value of the state variable can be incremented. In an exemplary embodiment, when the value of the state variable reaches three, the condition can no longer be satisfied and the ticket 134 can no longer be redeemed.
  • a state variable can include time.
  • a condition of the license 142 can specify that the item ticket 134 be redeemed within thirty days.
  • a state variable can be used to track the expiration of the thirty days time limit.
  • the changes in the state of a usage right can be tracked as a collection of state variables.
  • the collection of such changes of the state of a usage right can be used to represent the usage history of such a usage right.
  • the item ticket 134 can be prepared with a document preparation application 138 installed on a computer 130, for example, associated with the distributor of an item, a content service provider or any other suitable party.
  • the preparation of the item ticket 134 can include the specifying of the rights and any suitable conditions or state variables values under which the item ticket 134 can be redeemed.
  • the rights label 132 can be associated with the item ticket 134 and the item ticket 134 can be protected with a cryptographic algorithm or any other suitable mechanism for preventing processing, rendering, and the like, of the item ticket 134.
  • a rights language such as XrML, XACML, ODRL, and the like, can be used to express a rights expression specifying the rights, conditions, state variables, and the like, for the rights label 132.
  • the rights and conditions can be specified in any suitable manner.
  • the process of specifying rights refers to any suitable process for associating rights with a ticket.
  • the rights label 132 associated with the item ticket 134 and the encryption key used to encrypt item ticket 134 can be transmitted to license server 140 over the communications network 170.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary item ticket that can be employed in the exemplary systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7. In FIG.
  • the item ticket 134 can include an item reference 134a that can be used to specify the item, and post license conditions 134b.
  • the item ticket 134 with the security mechanism unlocked, can include a human readable or computer readable coupon, a code, a document, and the like.
  • an item ticket can include any suitable tangible or intangible indication of an item.
  • the item ticket 134 can be used to specify one or more items.
  • usage rights and conditions can be associated with any suitable item including, objects, classes, categories, and services, for which use, access, distribution or execution is to be controlled, restricted, recorded, metered, charged or monitored in some fashion.
  • the item ticket 134 and the license 142 thus can be used to define a property right.
  • the item ticket 134 can be linked to the corresponding item through the item reference 134a.
  • Such linking can include any suitable type of association, such as a description, a pointer, and the like.
  • the ticket 134 can include a unique code associated with an item through a database record. When the code is presented to a vendor, the database can be searched and the corresponding item can be delivered.
  • the item ticket 134 also can include a human readable description of the item or any suitable post license condition 134b not yet satisfied. For example, if a condition in the license 142 specifies that the item ticket 134 must be redeemed at a certain location or time, such a condition can be parsed and transferred to the item ticket 134 as the post license condition 134b.
  • An exemplary workflow for the exemplary Digital Rights Management system 100 can include a user operating within the client environment 120 being activated for receiving the item ticket 134 by the activation server 110. Then, the public-private key pair 112 and, for example, user/machine specific information, can be downloaded to the client environment 120 in the form of the client software component 122. In an exemplary embodiment, the activation process can be accomplished at any suitable time prior to the issuing of license 142. [0050] In an exemplary embodiment, the usage rights, conditions, state variables, and the like, of the license 142 can be stored together with the item ticket 134 or can be associated with the item ticket 134. For example, the item ticket 134 can include a reference to the usage rights that can be stored elsewhere.
  • a user can browse a Web site running on Web server 150a of a vendor 150, using a browser installed in the client environment 120, and request an item corresponding to the item ticket 134, and as specified in the item reference 134a.
  • the user can examine the rights offers 202 in the rights label 132 associated with the item ticket 134 and can select desired usage rights and conditions. During this process, the user can go through a series of steps, for example, to satisfy conditions of the usage rights, including a fee transaction, other transactions, such as the collection of information, and the like.
  • the Web server 150a can be used to contact the license server 140, for example, over the communications network 170, including a secure communications channel, such as a channel using a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), and the like.
  • the license server 140 then can generate the license 142 for the item ticket 134 and the Web server 150a can be used to download the item ticket 134 and the license 142.
  • SSL Secure Sockets Layer
  • the license 142 can include the usage rights 202a and the conditions 202b selected from the rights label 132 of the item ticket 134 and can be downloaded from a computer associated with a vendor, distributor or other party.
  • the item ticket 134 can be secured, for example, through encryption or other security mechanisms and can be rendered, accessed, and the like, through a rights expression in the form of the license 142, which can include a mechanism for unlocking the item ticket 134.
  • any suitable mechanisms for controlling access to documents can be employed.
  • the client component 122 in the client environment 120 can then interpret the license 142 and allow rendering or other access of the item ticket 134 based on the rights and conditions specified in the license 142.
  • any suitable mechanisms for the interpretation and enforcement of usage rights and related systems and techniques can be employed.
  • the above processing can take place sequentially, approximately simultaneously or in various sequential orders.
  • the client component 122 can render the item ticket 134 as a displayable or printable coupon for such a purchase expiring in one month, wherein the price and expiration data can be the post license conditions 134b.
  • such conditions can be set forth on the rendered or otherwise unlocked form of the item ticket 134 and can be discerned upon redemption of the item ticket 134.
  • the exemplary Digital Rights Management system 100 addresses security aspects of the item tickets 134.
  • the exemplary system 100 can be used to authenticate the license 142 that has been issued by the license server 140.
  • such authentication can include the application 122 configured to determine if the license 142 can be trusted.
  • the application 122 can be configured to include the capability to verify and validate the signature 142c, such as a cryptographic signature or other identifying characteristic of the license 142, using any suitable mechanisms, algorithms or techniques.
  • the license 142 and the item ticket 134 can be distributed from different entities.
  • the clearinghouse 160 can be used to process payment transactions, verify payment prior to issuing a license, and the like. In further exemplary embodiments, however, various other workflows can be employed, various other parties can be involved, and various other devices and architectures can be used to accomplish the workflows.
  • a distributor or other party can associate the rights label 132 with the item ticket 134.
  • the rights label 132 can be registered with clearinghouse 160 and stored in a repository, such as a memory device associated with clearinghouse 160.
  • the item ticket 134 can be stored in a ticket repository, such as a storage device associated with the distributor.
  • the rights label 132 and the item ticket 134 can be stored on the same device or in a common file.
  • the private key 112 or other identification information can be issued to the user upon purchase of the license 142.
  • Payment for the item can be passed from the user to the license server 140 or other party by way of the clearinghouse 160, which can collect requests from the user and from other users wishing to purchase a property right in items.
  • the clearinghouse 160 also can collect payment information, such as debit transaction information, credit card transaction information, information regarding other electronic payment schemes, and the like, and forward the collected payments as a payment batch to the ultimate provider of the item.
  • the clearinghouse 160 can retain a share of the payment and the distributor can retain a portion of the batch payment from the item provider and forward a payment to the item provider.
  • the clearinghouse 160 can be used to determine the payment made to parties in the revenue stream of the item.
  • the clearinghouse 160 can serve as a transaction aggregator, which can function to aggregate plural transactions over a period of time, and charge parties in an appropriate manner, advantageously, reducing accounting overhead.
  • a user can request the item ticket 134 corresponding to a desired item through the Web server 150a and provide information, such as credit card and charge authorization information, personal information, and the like, to permit the clearinghouse 160 to satisfy conditions specified in the license 142 associated with the item ticket 134.
  • Authorization identification information such as a private key, obtained from the activation server 110 also can be submitted.
  • the license 142 can permit the item ticket 134 to be decrypted or otherwise can allow the security mechanism thereof to be unlocked so that the item ticket 134 can be used in accordance with the usage rights specified in license 142.
  • the item ticket 134 can be used to specify any suitable item and, when combined with the usage rights 202a selected from the rights label 132 and embodied in the license 142, can represent an enforceable property right that can be exercised by redeeming the item ticket 134.
  • the redemption of the item ticket 134 can include presenting a rendered coupon or code to a vendor electronically or physically. In further exemplary embodiments, however, the redemption of the item ticket 134 can take on various other forms and can include various other processes. Accordingly, redeeming can include any suitable process or mechanism for converting the item ticket 134 to access an item.
  • clear content 136 such as unprotected content
  • the application 138 such as a document preparation application, installed on the computer 130 associated with a content publisher, a content distributor, a content service provider or any other suitable party.
  • Preparation of the clear content 136 can include specifying the usage rights 202a and the conditions 202b under which the clear content 136 can be used, associating the rights offer 202 with the clear content 136, and protecting the clear content 136 with, for example, a cryptography algorithm to generate protected content.
  • a rights language such as XrML, XACML, ODRL, and the like, can be used to specify the rights offer 202.
  • the rights offer 202 can be specified in any suitable manner.
  • the specifying of rights information can include creating, deriving or otherwise utilizing information that relates to rights expressions.
  • the rights offer 202 can be in the form of a pre-defined specification, profile, template, and the like, that can be associated with the protected content.
  • the process of specifying the rights offer 202 can include any suitable process for associating rights, conditions, and the like, with content.
  • the rights offer 202 associated with the protected content and the encryption key 112 used to encrypt the clear content 136 can be transmitted to the license server 140 and can eventually be used by the client environment 120.
  • an enforceable property can be illustrated with respect to a stock or other market exchange.
  • a property right can include the right to buy or sell a security in advance or at a threshold.
  • the item ticket 134 can be used specify 1000 shares of stock of a specific company in the item reference 134a. The right to buy the stock between two thresholds, at a specified future time, and the like, can be specified by usage rights and conditions.
  • the item ticket 134 also can be used to specify a margin call, the ability to change the type of stock, such common or preferred, the ability to convert stock options to regular stock, and the like.
  • usage rights can be associated with stock during bankruptcy proceedings, for example, for determining who can liquidate first and in what manner. The condition of during bankruptcy and the status of other parties, such as creditors, for example, can be expressed as the state variables.
  • an enforceable property can be illustrated with respect to real estate.
  • a property right to real property can be expressed to include joint-tenant or tenant-in-common relationships, with an option to convert to other options, with a change of percentage of ownerships, with designation of a survivorship option, and the like.
  • ownership rights can be expressed as usage rights and the real property can be specified in the item reference 134a of the item ticket 134.
  • the item reference 134a of the item ticket 134 can be used to specify professional services. For example, a user can buy the right to visit an office of a specified dentist, the office of one or more associated dentists, for a period of 1 year, while paying only a fixed or variable co-payment for each visit, up to a maximum amount.
  • the item ticket 134 can be used to specify a lawyer, an accountant, and the like, and usage rights and conditions can be used to specify a period of time, a fixed number of times, a specific project or issue to which use of the item is limited.
  • the item reference 134a can be used to specify in advance the right for services offered by an organization, including the rights associated with intellectual property, such as patents, copyright, trademarks, and the like.
  • the exemplary embodiments can be applied to software programmers, customer service representative, training services or other technical or non-technical services.
  • the exemplary embodiments can be employed to allow a user to obtain a property right and later sell the property right to a third-party, for example, if such transfers are authorized by usage rights of the license 142 associated with the item ticket 134.
  • the exemplary embodiments are applicable to mobility and liquidity for different types of assets, enabling the expansion of market concepts to include property rights to any suitable item.
  • a property right can include the item ticket 134 defining a coupon, a gift-certificate, a rain-check, an exchange certificate, a return, an authorization, and the like, where rights and conditions of the license 142 can be associated with the redemption thereof.
  • a coupon can be configured so as to be rendered only after the conditions are satisfied.
  • post license conditions 134b can be expressed in the rendered coupon.
  • the exemplary embodiments are applicable to any suitable type of financial account or transaction, such as certificates of deposit, checking accounts, wire tranfers, e-mails, fund transfers, currency exchanges, locks on current or future interest rates, points or other fees paid for a loan, bonds, loans, secondary loans, and stocks, for example, which can have one or more attributes, such as maturity dates or deadlines.
  • the item reference 134a can be used to specify such items and the license 142 can be used to specify rights and conditions associated with the access to such items.
  • the exemplary embodiments are applicable to the right for future tangible or intangible things or objects, such as books in printed or in electronic form, music, on physical media or in electronic form, and the like.
  • the usage rights and conditions of the license 142 can be used to limit a specified right to during or after a period of time or to a predetermined number of units, such as units of CDs or books.
  • a property right can include rights expressed for a will or a trust for the distribution of property or other assets, for the provision of rights, services or benefits for persons or entities and other things and that can be specified by the item reference 134a.
  • access can be restricted to certain parties or in any other suitable way by usage rights and conditions.
  • a property right can include online services. For example, diet and vitamin calculations customized based on characteristics and data of an individual, stock quotations, interest rate and mortgage payment calculations, credit ratings, background checks, loan application and approval, online banking, investment advice, translation services, graphic design, advertisement services, currency conversion and exchange, job placement, and the like, can be specified by the item reference 134a of the item ticket 134.
  • the item ticket 134 can include an access code to the online service that can be used after conditions of the license 142 have been satisfied.
  • a provider of items or another specified party can specify the conditions for access to the corresponding items.
  • a user wishing to obtain a property right in such an item would have to satisfy such conditions.
  • such a concept can be employed regardless of the direction or order in which information travels.
  • a user can supply conditions to a supplier in the license 142, and which the supplier would have to satisfy in order to make a sale.
  • a partial satisfaction of conditions can result in a property right or other result, which can be the same or different when compared to full satisfaction of the conditions.
  • a University can collect research materials for disposition, such as for archiving for prosperity or for making the research materials available to students, wherein the University can be the recipient of the information.
  • the University can create a server site and persons can upload material thereto.
  • the University may want to accept the information only under certain conditions. For example, the University may decide that only recognized expert invitees can be allowed to provide information, such that providers must expressly agree that the University becomes the owner of the information, and that the providers can upload to the server during off peak hours.
  • the University as the recipient, can have the right to specify any suitable terms for receiving such information.
  • the University might still accept the work, but may alter treatment of such information. For example, instead of the information being made available to all students, access to such information can be restricted to a few people.
  • the provider of such information can provide such information subject to conditions that can be specified in the item ticket 134, and the recipient can provide conditions for accepting such information.
  • the rights and conditions required by a first party and not prohibited by the second party can be combined to form the rights and conditions of an agreement, such as the terms on which access to a digital work is granted.
  • a party can specify a condition that the party agrees to no deal unless it is solely on the proffered rights and conditions of such a party.
  • the rights and conditions of another party can include prohibited rights and conditions.
  • a party in addition to content owners, consumers, and the like, can include any suitable stakeholder, such as a parent or a government.
  • One or more of the parties also can specify usage rights or conditions within ranges, so that if the range can be matched there can still be agreement on the basis of a match appearing within the range. For example, a dealer can specify that the dealer will accept an offer from a customer at a price within the range of $5 and up. In an exemplary embodiment, the dealer can employ techniques to keep the range hidden from the customer.
  • Enlightened self-interest can well dictate to a person, for example, a distributor of digital music, movies, and the like, that flexibility can be the best policy.
  • a distributor can offer music for sale on liberal terms to make high volume sales and can offer the music with rights the distributor believes consumers will find attractive. If consumers in general or some subset of the consumers find such terms unattractive, the distributor can decide to allow such terms to be modified to suit the consumer, an can well invite such modifications.
  • the distributor can offer a package of ten songs for one dollar and believe that such an offer is an attractive proposition for customers. However, if a customer wishes to purchase just one of the songs and is willing to pay fifty cents, the distributor may find such terms perfectly acceptable.
  • the distributor can specify that customers can propose modifications to the proffered rights and conditions, propose new rights and conditions or select among alternatives. If the rights and conditions requested by the consumer are within parameters, such as a range, agreeable to the distributor, a deal can be formed. In an exemplary embodiment, advantageously, the distributor can change parameters dynamically to better match rights and conditions that are requested.
  • the exemplary embodiments are applicable to a customer that is receptive to receiving promotional materials on subjects of interest to the customer.
  • the customer may wish to receive travel brochures, and the like.
  • the customer may wish to control what information the customer receives, and when and how the customer receives such information.
  • Such a business application is different from the distributor scenario, where the distributor may have valuable content, such as a popular song, movie, and the like, for which there is a demand.
  • the provider of the promotional materials may have to convince people to accept such material. Accordingly, the tables are turned on bargaining power and the proposed recipient might often call the shots on rights and conditions.
  • the exemplary embodiments can employ a digital ticket, for example, as further described in United States Patent No. 6,336,971.
  • a digital ticket can include a digital token, and the like, possession of which can be a condition for exercising a manner of use specified in a usage right.
  • an invitee can deposit information with the University, if the invitee presents an appropriate digital ticket, hi a further exemplary embodiment, a person can vote, if the person present a digital ticket recognized by the elections board.
  • the digital ticket can be punched to ensure no double voting with the same ticket.
  • a sender can send an e-mail that does not meet standards for acceptance of a recipient, for example, the e-mail is over a one kilobyte limit, if the sender presents a digital ticket.
  • the presence, possession, presentment, and the like, of a digital ticket can be a condition to the exercise of a right expressed by the usage rights.
  • Digital Rights Management systems where access to digital resources can be controlled by a rights expression, can be employed.
  • rights expressions specifying usage rights can be created and associated with an item at one repository and another repository can then request access to the item in a client-server relationship.
  • a client-server relationship is provided, wherein client and server repositories can create a rights expression specifying the rights label 132 and the usage rights 202a and can associate the rights expression with an item.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary Digital Rights Management system 500 in which a client and server repository can create and associate usage rights.
  • a digital work or other item 502 for example, in the form of digital content, such as a movie, song, and the like, can be employed, but the exemplary embodiments can be applied to any suitable type of item.
  • a creator can create the item 502 and specify, via a rights expression, usage rights 504 for association with the item 502.
  • the usage rights 504 and the associated item 502 can be deposited in respective client repositories 506b and 506a.
  • the usage rights 504 and the associated item 502 can be deposited in a same client repository 506, such as a common repository.
  • the repositories 506b and 506a can be the same or different physical devices.
  • the repository 506 can initiate a session with a server repository 508.
  • the repository 506 or repository 506a if the usage rights 504 and the item 502 are not in a common repository can upload the item 502 along with the associated usage rights 504 to the server repository 508.
  • the item 502 can be uploaded or otherwise transmitted before, after or at the same time as the usage rights 504.
  • the item 502 can be uploaded after it is determined that the server repository 508 accepts access thereto.
  • the server repository 508 can check to see if the usage rights 504 specify that the server repository 508 can access the item 502.
  • the server repository 508 can refuse access or terminate the session. If, however, the server repository 508 can have access to the item 502, the server repository 508 can perform authorized actions requested by the client repository 506 in accordance with server usage rights 510. [0083] In an exemplary embodiment, if the usage rights 504 do not permit the server repository 508 to access the item 502, the server repository 508 can initiate a session with the repository 506 requesting access and specifying the server usage rights 510 that the server repository 506 requests. In a further exemplary embodiment, the repository 506 can initiate such a session. If the client repository 506 agrees to such access, then access can be granted.
  • the determination as to whether there is agreement on access can be on the basis of the rights and conditions specified by the server repository 508 and not prohibited by the repository 506, plus the rights and conditions specified by the repository 506 and not prohibited by the server repository 508, combined to form the rights and conditions of an agreement. In further exemplary embodiments, however, other rules can be employed.
  • One or more of the client repository 506 and the server repository 508 can perform the function of determining if there is a agreement or both repositories can do so and compare results.
  • the client 506 or server 508 repository can initiate a request and, thus, be a requesting repository.
  • a particular usage right, request or repository need not specify the rights and conditions.
  • the server repository 508 can provide feedback to the repository 506 based on the execution of the requested action.
  • feedback can include the result of a requested action or an acknowledgement of receipt of the request.
  • the rights and conditions for comparison can be generated in any suitable manner.
  • the usage rights associated with digital works or other items and one or more repositories can be employed. In a further exemplary embodiment, however, usage rights need not be employed.
  • usage rights associated with an item can be compared with rights and conditions specified in a request from a requesting repository.
  • a client repository in a client-server model, can be configured to create and associate usage rights to the items, such as digital works.
  • typical client side repositories simply consume content distributed by a server repository and typically are not involved in the creating of usage rights.
  • a provider of items or another specified party can specify the conditions for access to the items and a user wishing to obtain a property right in such items has to satisfy such conditions.
  • the exemplary embodiments work equally well, regardless of the direction or order in which information moves. For example, a user can supply conditions to the supplier and the supplier has to satisfy such conditions to make a sale. The exemplary embodiments, thus, provide the ability to create rights associated with a client repository.
  • the exemplary embodiments are applicable in a scenario where ten law firms team up as a consortium to bring a suit and split profits, such as fee awards, and the like. For example, the law firms may desire that the law firms provide documentary evidence and other information and share the cost of maintaining such information.
  • the law firms may want to maintain the information in a central repository, such as the central repository 706. Such a consortium, thus, needs to get information in and out of the central repository.
  • the consortium may want to ensure that the information deposited or put into the repository meets certain conditions, such as being deposited by an authorized person, being in an agreed upon format, such as an Adobe PDF format, being tagged with authorized meta data for searching, being of not too many bytes, being scanned for viruses by appropriate software, such as Symantec virus software, and the like.
  • the law firm consortium also can require that the depositor pay $1 towards expenses for each document deposited.
  • the law firm consortium can have a list or class, which includes depositors that pay $1 per deposit or per period of time, called Class A.
  • the consortium can set the payments or conditions in both directions for the different classes.
  • the directions or conditions can be changed based on the dynamic conditions, such as based on the interest rate, for example, as further described in commonly assigned, co-pending, U.S.
  • Patent Application Serial No. 09/867,745 of Tadayon et al entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMICALLY ASSIGNING USAGE RIGHTS TO DIGITAL WORKS,” filed May 31, 2001, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
  • the exemplary embodiments can be used to implement the above-noted invention.
  • the usage rights can be assigned to a central repository to tell the central repository what to do when presented with an item for deposit.
  • the user in combination with the dynamic rights and dynamic conditions, the user can influence the outcome based on preferences of the user, for example, via a user interface, to change the relative weight of the dynamic conditions as time passes.
  • a law firm wishing to deposit information can prepare the item to be deposited, including content, such as the transcript of a deposition, a rights label 132, and a protected item ticket 134.
  • the license server 140 can check to determine that the conditions established by the consortium for deposit have been fulfilled and, if so, can permit deposit of the information into the central repository.
  • the $1 deposit fee for example, can be collected by way of the clearinghouse 160, can be deducted from a deposit account or can be accounted for by some other means.
  • authorization to deposit can be denied. In a further exemplary embodiment, however, if the conditions are not met, authorization to deposit can be denied, but the corresponding item can be deposited in a temporary storage, which can be kept for a fixed or indefinite period of time during which if the conditions are met, then the item can be transferred to a main or central repository for deposit.
  • information can move from many sources to a central source, such as the case where the University collects research materials. Any suitable right and condition that a provider can specify as the terms under which the provider will give the University information can equally be specified by the University as the rights and conditions applicable to an agreement to receive the information.
  • This concept can be referred to as specifying the conditions of the ability to provide or can be thought of as a right to be free from having something supplied unless it is supplied on the terms agreed for receipt.
  • the law firm consortium and the University have established the rules on which they agree to receive information, and which can be implemented with the exemplary Digital Rights Management systems of FIGs. 1, and 5-7 configured to enforce such rules.
  • the exemplary embodiments thus, are applicable to the supplying of digital content to law firms, Universities, and the like, but also can be applied to the supplying of any suitable items to any other suitable entity.
  • the thing being supplied can include the item tickets 134.
  • the supplier can be configured to meet the rules established by the recipient, such as a customer, and which can be implemented via the exemplary system Digital Rights Management system of FIGs. 1, and 5-7.
  • the exemplary embodiments can be useful for scientific paper deposits for journal or conference presentations.
  • a journal or conference can have one or more editors and/or associate editors. Accordingly, there may be multiple steps of review and a hierarchy of authorities for review and editing between editors and reviewers, and which, advantageously, can be specified with an appropriate rights expression.
  • the depositor can specify, via a suitable rights expression, usage rights, conditions, privileges, assignment rights, voting, vetoing power, editing power, security level, ability for viewing internal comments or hiding comments, integrating comments, using different size keys for encryption, revoking powers, control on direction of flow of information, and the like.
  • the exemplary embodiments thus, also can be applied to newspaper editors and journalists that work occasionally or on a full-time basis for a newspaper, and which have different levels of security, access, modification or editing privileges.
  • the exemplary embodiments are applicable to receipt of e-mail. For example, a recipient of e-mail can specify in a suitable rights expression that e-mail will not be received unless the e-mail meets certain conditions.
  • the recipient can specify that e-mail cannot be more than 200 characters in length or one kilobyte in size or cannot have an attachment or cannot be from a sender in the @name.net domain, an exemplary embodiment, a rights expression can be used to specify that e-mail cannot be an item failing to meet the above criteria, unless the sender has pe ⁇ nission to deviate from the noted rules. In an exemplary embodiment, the recipient can specify that certain parameters must be present, such as that the e-mail must be less than one kilobyte, but that the other restrictions can avoided by a person who has been given such permission.
  • voting over the Internet can be enabled via corresponding rights expressions.
  • a state can elect to employ the technology of Internet voting in lieu of voting in person on election day or sending in a paper absentee ballot.
  • the voters can access the election board site to vote only with permission and only to vote in the elections to which they are entitled to vote, which can be specified in the corresponding rights expression.
  • the right of a voter to provide a vote to the elections board can be subject to the fulfilling of conditions established by the elections board, as specified in the corresponding rights expression.
  • rights expressions can be used to specify that a voter can personally be present at any of a number of suitable designated places, and once there, present a displayable or printable coupon on which information necessary to ensure the voter is entitled to vote in that particular election, and that the coupon can be used only once.
  • a coupon can be presented at an un-manned kiosk and there can be employed security measures, such as a personal identification numbers (PINs), biometrics, and the like, to ensure the presenter is the voter entitled to cast a vote.
  • PINs personal identification numbers
  • biometrics biometrics
  • such a coupon can be of an electronic form and reside on a transportable device, and the like.
  • the kiosk can behave as if everything is okay, and meanwhile, discard the vote and notify authorities of the discrepancy or of hacking attempts, physical damage, forced entry, and the like, using the biometrics as a way of identifying the unauthorized party.
  • the exemplary embodiments can be applied to any suitable kind of a situation where there is an unauthorized attempt and can be employed as a security measure.
  • the server repository 508 and the client repository 506 can create and associate usage rights with the items 502, such as digital works or other items.
  • the exemplary system 500 can be used to implement a partial satisfaction of conditions that can result in a property right or other result, which can be the same or different when compared to full satisfaction of the conditions.
  • the server repository 508 checks to see if the server repository 508 has the rights to access the item 502, such checking can be done against the server usage rights 510 associated with the server repository 508.
  • the server usage rights 510 can be used to specify the conditions under which the server repository 508 agrees to accept the item 502 from the client repository 506.
  • the server repository 508 can be given access to the item 502, if the usage rights 504 provided by the client repository 506 authorize access and the usage rights 510 associated with the server repository 508 also permit the server repository 508 to have access to the item 502.
  • such conditions can be dynamic conditions and the state variables can be used track such potentially dynamic state conditions.
  • the state variables can include variables having values that represent the status of an item, usage rights, license or other dynamic conditions.
  • the values of the state variables can be used in a condition.
  • the exemplary system 500 of FIG. 5 is described in terms of the client device repository 506 and the server device repository 508, in a further exemplary embodiment, the roles of the repositories can be reversed and either repository can operate in both a client and/or server mode.
  • the storage of usage rights or items or digital works, the session initiation, the uploading and checking of the usage rights and the other functions, for example, can be performed by any suitable repository including another or any suitable number of other repositories.
  • a user working with a personal computer (PC), such as the client repository 506, can create an item 502, such as word processing document.
  • PC personal computer
  • a publicly available server repository 508 can be configured to provide a service for converting from a word processing format to another format. Such a service can be performed on the condition that the user pays a fee of $1, for example, as specified in the server usage rights 510.
  • the user at the client repository 506 then can create and associates with the word processing document 502 the usage rights 504 permitting only the designated server repository 508 to access the word processing document 502 and for the purpose of converting the word processing document 502 to the other format.
  • the server repository 508 then can access the word processing document 502 and the associated usage rights 504.
  • the server repository 508 then can check to see if the server repository 508 has the necessary rights to access the word processing document 502.
  • the server repository 508 can proceed to convert the word processing document 502 into a document in the other format.
  • the server repository 508 then can associate the usage rights 510 with the converted document, which allows the user full access to the converted document on the condition that the user pays the $1 fee.
  • the server repository 508 prior to conversion of the word processing document 502 into the other format, can require payment of the $1. Such a requirement can be associated with the server repository 508 via the usage rights 510 and the server repository 508 can check the conditions under which the server repository 508 is permitted to accept the word processing document 502 from the client repository 506 for the purpose of performing the conversion. The server repository 508 then can determine that the payment of $ 1 is required and the server repository 508 can perform the conversion to the other format if the $1 is paid. [00108] In an exemplary embodiment, multiple repositories each can be used to assign usage rights to a particular item or just one repository can assign usage rights to an item on multiple occasions.
  • the assigning repositories can be controlled by one or more entities or stakeholders.
  • the usage rights can be cumulative. For example, in the case of a digital work in the form of a movie file, music file, and the like, initially a studio can create a usage right, for example, that permits viewing of the movie file five times within a thirty day period. A customer then can obtain the movie file with the associated usage right. Twenty-nine days later, the studio can decide to offer the customer a new deal and permit the customer unlimited viewing of the movie file for one year.
  • a transaction using any suitable methods can be performed between the studio and the customer and the movie possessed by the customer can have two usage rights associated therewith and the customer can exercise either one of the usage rights.
  • the first usage right can effectively be a subset of the second usage right, so effectively the second usage right can define the rights that the customer has with respect to the movie file.
  • the first usage right the customer obtained can be for five views within an unlimited period of time. If in the first twenty-nine days the customer uses two of those five views, the customer can then start using the right for the unlimited views for the next year, and, when that right has lapsed, the customer can still have three views left on the first usage right.
  • the studio can specify that as a condition of the customer receiving the second usage right, the customer must give up the first usage right.
  • the first usage right or an intervening usage right can be used to specify that no other usage rights can be associated with an item or that no more usage rights can be so assigned unless certain conditions are met.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary Digital Rights Management system 600 in which plural repositories associate plural usage rights with an item.
  • a repository 602 creates usage right 604 and associates the usage right 604 with an item 602, such a digital work or other item.
  • a repository 606 then can create two usage rights 608 and 610 and associate the usage rights 608 and 610 with the item 612.
  • the usage right 608 and the usage right 610 can be generated at the same time or at different times.
  • one of the usage rights 608 or 610 can be a subset of the other the usage rights 608 or 610 or the usage rights 608 and 610 can each include usage right information that is different from the other or from the usage right 604.
  • the repository 606 can be controlled by the movie studio and the usage right 608 can permit the movie file 612, to be viewed five times within thirty days.
  • the usage right 610 can be subsequently issued by the studio permitting unlimited viewing for a year.
  • the studio can create a business arrangement with a distributor giving the distributor, for example, via the exemplary meta-rights, the right to distribute the movies of the studio, including the right to provide usage rights to possessors of the movie file 612.
  • the distributor can maintain control of the repository 602.
  • the customer learns that the distributor is offering to provide usage rights permitting the movie file 612 to be viewed an unlimited number of times on the condition of payment of $2.
  • the customer then can initiate a transaction with the repository 602, pay the $2 fee and obtain the usage rights 604, which are associated with the movie file 612.
  • the movie file 612 can have the usage rights 604, 608, and 610 associated therewith, wherein rights given by two of the usage rights have expired.
  • zero or more of the usage rights 604, 608, and 610 can be active at the same time.
  • a user such as a customer
  • a liberal approach can be particularly suited for business to consumer situations. For example, a consumer having two item tickets permitting rental of a car at two prices can choose the lowest price or the least restrictive item ticket.
  • a customer who possesses a copy of a song file, a movie file, and the like can choose the right to play the file for free instead of the right to play the file for a fee.
  • any suitable systems and methods can be employed to automatically select the best usage right or the user can manually, for example, through human intervention, and the like, select the desired right or the user can specify rules or preferences to enable the system to automatically make decisions for the rights selection based on such rules or preferences.
  • a restrictive system can be provided that can typically be employed in business, government or other enterprise environments. In an exemplary embodiment, use of the system can be permitted based on the most restrictive usage right.
  • a permutation of the liberal and the restrictive systems can include a system where access can be based on the most restrictive right, unless certain conditions are met.
  • a system can be provided where access is based on the most liberal right, unless certain conditions are not met.
  • a condition can include the presentment or presence or the lack thereof of a digital ticket.
  • such conditions can be dynamic conditions tracked by state variables, and the like.
  • the restrictive system can include a system where plural usage rights are subsets of each other and only the lowest set usage right can be exercised.
  • the system enforcing rights management can make the choices about which usage right applies, thus, reversing the situation where the customer decides.
  • such a choice can involve human intervention, rules or a combination thereof, wherein usage rights associated with a repository according to the exemplary embodiments can be employed.
  • the result can be an agreement, such as access to a work or agreement on a purchase and sale, on the basis of the rights that match up.
  • usage rights can be associated with a repository.
  • the usage rights 504 can be assigned to the item 502, such as a digital work or other item, and the server usage rights 510 can be assigned to the server repository 508.
  • the usage rights 510 associated with the repository 508 can then be bound to or associated with the item 502. However, such association with the item 502 can be optional.
  • the repository 508 can have one or more usage rights 510 associated therewith.
  • the usage rights 510 can be used inform the repository of what usage rights, for example, including rights and/or conditions, can be associated with the item 502 and such usage rights need not be the same as the usage rights 510 associated with the repository 508.
  • the server repository 508 can assign or pass along the server usage rights 510 to particular items 502, such as digital works or other items.
  • the server repository 508 functions can include functions for associating usage rights with the item 502.
  • the item 502 can have one or more usage rights associated therewith, such as the usage rights assigned by the repository 508 and the usage rights, if any, such as the usage rights 504 associated with the item 502 prior to the encounter of the item 502 with the repository.
  • usage rights associated with a repository then can be bound to an item, just as with usage rights previously associated with such an item.
  • the server usage rights 510 associated with the repository 508 can be used to enable the server repository 508 to know what to do when the server repository 508 encounters the item 502.
  • the server usage rights 510 associated with the server repository 508 can be used tell the server repository 508 what the server repository 508 can and cannot do. In an exemplary embodiment, such usage rights need not become permanently associated with the item 502.
  • the conjunction of the usage rights 504 associated with the item 502 and the usage rights 510 associated with the repository 508 can be transitory, for example, existing long enough to enable an analysis of the various types of usage rights so that a decision can be made about what function to perform.
  • the usage rights 510 associated with the repository 508 can be used to send the item 502 or information about the item 502 or the usage rights 504 associated with the item 502 to another location, such as a network, node, router, other repository, and the like, where a decision can be made or where the item 502 can be re-routed.
  • the item 502 need not be sent to such a location, but rather reference can be made to the location for a determination, in which case information about the item 502 or the associated usage rights 504 thereof can be sent.
  • the usage rights associated with the item 503 can be used to send the item 502 or such other information to another such location.
  • usage rights can be used to specify that the item 502 is not to be sent to a location or reference made to such location or can go no further than a specified location.
  • the usage rights 510 associated with the repository 508 can be used to inform the repository 508 that the repository 508 can render any suitable item 502, such as a digital work other item presented to the repository 508.
  • the usage rights associated 510 with the repository 508 can be used to specify that the repository 508 can perform any suitable action requested of the repository 508, for example, except rendering.
  • the usage rights 510 can be used to specify that the repository 508 can do any suitable action requested of the repository 508, including rendering, except that the repository 508 is restricted from rendering certain types of files, such as Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) files, and the like.
  • JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group
  • the usage rights 510 can be configured to be permissive, for example, allowing everything or almost everything or can be restrictive, for example, allowing rendering of only JPEG files.
  • the salient point is that the usage rights 510 can pertain to the repository 508, while other usage rights, such as the usage rights 504, can pertain to the item 502.
  • the combination of the usage rights 504, if any, pertaining to the item 502, and the usage rights 510, if any, pertaining to the repository 508, can be used to determine what is permitted.
  • the exemplary embodiments thus include the exemplary systems and methods described herein, wherein repositories can associate, pass on, and the like, usage rights to an item.
  • the actions of the repository can be applied to particular digital works or items or to groups or classes of such digital works or items.
  • usage rights can be used to specify that a repository can perform an operation requested, for example, based on certain conditions being met.
  • such conditions can be dynamic and can be based on state variables, and the like.
  • a repository can be permitted to perform an operation with respect to an item, if a digital ticket is present corresponding to such an item.
  • the repository can be informed by the usage rights associated therewith to perform an action, for example, with respect to an item which bears a certain watermark or is signed in a certain way or otherwise is identifiable in some way.
  • association of usage rights to a repository can be used to determine the actions that can be performed with respect to an item.
  • any suitable item can be presented to a repository and the repository can determine if it can perform the requested action with respect to that item.
  • the thing that is being managed and controlled is the repository.
  • the repository usage rights can be controlling over usage rights associated with an item. For example, if the usage right associated with an item specifies an action that is not permitted, while the usage right associated with a repository provides that such an action is permitted, then the result can be that the repository does perform such an action.
  • supremacy of the repository usage rights can be a default mode.
  • the repository usage rights can yield to the item usage rights or the repository usage rights can yield to the item usage rights subject to certain conditions specified in usage rights or on certain occasions specified in usage rights.
  • the thing that is being managed and controlled is an item.
  • the usage right associated with such an item can specify that an operation can be performed, for example, by a certain repository or repositories.
  • the usage right can be used to grant plural rights and specify that some subset of such rights can be perfo ⁇ ned by certain repositories or that all rights must be performed by certain specified repositories. This concept can be thought of as conditions on the rights associated with the item.
  • the usage right associated with an item need not grant any particular rights or specify any particular conditions, but rather can function to point or refer the item to a repository.
  • the usage rights of the repository can define and determine what actions are permitted with respect to such an item.
  • the usage rights associated with an item can be used to present or point the item to a specified repository or repositories.
  • an item or information about the item can go to any of the suitable locations allowed by such pointers or can be used to attempt to locate a place that will permit the action requested.
  • an enterprise via appropriate usage rights, an enterprise can be configured to grant scientists of the enterprise the right to render, for example, by viewing or printing, and the like, digital documents in a central repository, such as technical resource library of the enterprise.
  • usage rights can be used to specify that the scientists can be given the right, for example, to download one copy from the central repository to a personal computer, while not being permitted others actions to be taken, such as to transfer the downloaded document.
  • a year later the enterprise can make a business decision that allowing such printing was not a good idea, and can specify via modified usage rights that such printing is no longer allowed, with such a rule being applicable to documents previously downloaded to the personal computer of the scientist.
  • the usage rights associated with the document can be used to permit viewing of the document, printing of the document and downloading of one copy of the document to the personal computer of the scientist.
  • the downloaded copy of the document can include the usage right to view and print the document associated therewith.
  • such a usage right also can be used to specify that the print right can be exercised on an authorized rendering repository, such as a specified printer, and the like.
  • such a usage right can provide that the document can be printed on a group of authorized printers, such as printers on a network of the enterprise.
  • a usage right can be used to specify that a condition of exercise of a right is that an item is not presented to an unauthorized repository and, optionally, what consequence follows from the unauthorized presentation.
  • the authorized printer or printers can have usage rights associated therewith. Initially, the usage rights associated with the authorized printer or printers permitted the printing of digital documents having usage rights associated therewith that permit printing. However, when the enterprise makes the decision to prohibit printing of such documents from the technical resource library, advantageously, the enterprise can change the usage rights associated with the authorized printer or printers.
  • such a change can be a general change, such as prohibiting printing of all documents or a specific change, such as prohibiting printing of a document with certain characteristics or which is not accompanied with an appropriate authorization, such as a digital ticket, and the like.
  • the printer can check the usage rights associated therewith and can determine that the document presented to the printer is not allowed to be printed.
  • the enterprise can successfully prevent printing of the technical documents without having to retrieve copies of documents, change usage rights already associated with documents or take other actions.
  • the exemplary embodiments can be applied in a general way to implement various other types of other applications, for example, involving many types of transactions and rights.
  • a repository need not be a single set of functional specifications, and need not be or reside in a single device or software program.
  • a repository can include a virtual repository, for example, including plural computers, printers, storage devices, faxes, processors, and the like.
  • Such a virtual repository can be thought of as turning multiple devices or functionalities into a single virtual device or functionality.
  • a home network can be configured as a single repository, can employ a distributed computing capability and can include plural repositories connected within a trust zone.
  • a repository with usage rights can be a repository, which can include a virtual repository.
  • other repositories within the group including the virtual repository can have respective usage rights or derive such respective usage rights from another repository, such as another repository within the group, a central node of the virtual repository or a central control repository.
  • a central control repository can be used in conjunction with various other repositories, item types, actions, and the like.
  • usage rights associated with an item can point or refer to such a repository and can constitute or include a pointer.
  • the central control repository can be connected through a communications network, such as the communications network 170, to other repositories or devices capable of performing specific functions, such printers, routers, computers, music players, e-mail servers, copying machines, storage repositories, video players, DVD media players, and the like.
  • the central control repository can be employed as a virtual repository.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary Digital Rights Management system 700 in which a central control repository with usage rights associated therewith controls functions to be performed with respect to an item.
  • a usage right 702 associated with an item 704 such as a digital work or other item, can be used to point to a central control repository 706.
  • the usage right 702 associated with the item 704 can refer to the central control repository 706 as the place that specifies what usage rights pertain to the item 704.
  • the usage right 702 can be used to define usage rights pertaining to the item 704, but further specify that such rights can be exercised only through the central control repository 706.
  • the reference to the central control repository 706 can be thought of as a condition on the right to exercise rights specified in the usage rights 702.
  • the central control repository 706 can have usage rights 708 associated therewith that control the actions, functions, and the like, the repository 706 is permitted to perform.
  • the usage rights 708 can be of any suitable type, for example, including usage rights general in nature or specific in nature or therebetween.
  • a general usage right 708 can include disallowing printing of the item 704, such as a document, and the like, even if the usage rights 702 associated with the item 704 pe ⁇ nit printing or not allowing the routing of the item 704, such as an e-mail, and the like, to an e-mail server 718, if the item 704 is larger than one megabyte, even if usage rights associated with the item 704 permit e-mailing thereof.
  • a specific usage right 708 can include permitting usage rights 702 of the item 704, such as a movie file, music file, and the like, to be upgraded to permit viewing of the item 704, even if the right to view usage right 702 associated with the item 704 has expired because the time allowed for viewing has expired.
  • the usage right 708 can be used to specify that a certain identified document from the technical resource library may not be printed.
  • the central control repository 706 can be configured to analyze the usage rights 708 and the usage rights 702 of the item 704, for example, to determine what functions are permitted, what action to take, and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, if a request to perform a function or action is not permitted, such a request can be denied. If, however, the requested function or action is permitted or if some of plural requested functions or actions are permitted, then the central control repository 706 can rout the request to repository or other device authorized to perform the requested function or action. In a further exemplary embodiment, the central control repository 706 can be authorized and capable of performing a given function, wherein the routing step need not be employed.
  • the central control repository 706 can route the request to a printer 710 or 712.
  • the request can be routed to any suitable printer requested.
  • the usage right 702 or 708 specify printing on a designated printer or printers, for example, such as the printer 710, then the request can be routed to the authorized printer or printers.
  • the request can be routed to the printer 710 and a repository 716 capable of performing the function of making a digital copy.
  • an attempt to exercise an unauthorized right can result in a consequence, such as the item or a usage right or both, being impounded or held for machine or human intervention or a report being made concerning the attempt or other consequence.
  • a usage right can be used to specify that a condition of exercise of the right is that an unauthorized action is not attempted and, optionally, what consequence follows from the unauthorized attempt
  • one or more of the repositories 710-720 can have usage rights (not shown) associated therewith.
  • usage rights there can be as many layers as a system designer desires to implement.
  • the e-mail server 718 can have associated therewith usage rights that are specific to the e-mail server 718 and which define what the e-mail server 718 can and cannot do.
  • the usage rights associated with the e-mail server 718 can cause the e-mail server 718 to not process the item 704, even though the central control repository 706 and the usage rights 702 associated with and the item 704 do not prohibit such processing.
  • the repository performing copy functions 716 via suitable usage rights associated therewith can be configured to refuse to make a copy of the item 704 or impose a condition on making such a copy, for example, such as payment of a $1 fee, notwithstanding a determination by the central control repository 706 based on analyzing the usage rights 702 and 708 that a copy can be made.
  • one or more of the repositories 710-720 can be configured as a virtual repository.
  • usage rights associated with one repository for example, the copier repository 716
  • usage rights associated with another repository for example, usage rights 708 associated with central control repository 706
  • a decision resolving the primacy of the respective usage rights can be made, for example, based on one or more rules.
  • a repository can perform a function, for example, if a repository or an item is configured in a particular way.
  • an artist may want to permit printing of black and white versions of the item 704, such as a digital work of the artist, for example, including art, but prohibit printing color versions.
  • the usage rights 702 associated with the item 704 can provide that the item 704 can be printed only on a black and white printer.
  • a condition can be used to ensure, for example, that the printer 712 be configured in a certain way, such as being configured to only print the item 704 in a gray scale format. For example, such a condition can specify that there must be detected the presence of a black only print cartridge in the printer 712.
  • the cartridge can be identified in any suitable manner, for example, including the identification of the presence of a hardware or firmware element, such as via CRUM technology for identifying a print cartridge.
  • a condition can be used to specify that the item 704 can be printed, if a particular type of print cartridge, such as a print cartridge of a specific manufacturer, is present in the print repository 712.
  • the condition specifying the presence of the specific print cartridge can be associated via corresponding usage rights with one or more of the item 704, the printer repository 712 or the central control repository 706.
  • the condition can be used specify that the printing is allowed only with authorization, such as by presenting a digital ticket, and the like.
  • the exemplary embodiments advantageously, can be applied to the configuration of any suitable repository or sub-repositories, such as a repository dependant in some way on another repository.
  • the item 704 need not have usage rights associated therewith, wherein the analysis of usage rights by the central control repository 706 can be of the usage rights 708 associated therewith.
  • the central control repository 706 or one or more of the other repositories 710-720 can be configured to examine and analyze other attributes about the item 704, such as meta data, the type of file, the size of the file, the presence or absence of an appropriate digital ticket, watermark or security indicator, the absence of tampering or any other suitable characteristics. One or more of such characteristics can be used as part of the process to determine which of the repositories 706 and 710- 720 can process the item 704.
  • the determination may be to not e-mail the item 704, notwithstanding that e-mailing was requested by a user.
  • usage rights when usage rights are associated with repositories, usage rights need not be associated with an item, such as a digital work or other item.
  • the item can have a pointer or reference to a place to go to find what can be done with the item.
  • a place can be a repository, which can have usage rights associated therewith.
  • the repository to which the item can be pointed can be an authorized place to go to have usage rights assigned to the item or a place to go to be re-routed to another repository.
  • the thing being bound or associated to an item can be a way, such as by employing a pointer, to locate a repository authorized to determine what can be done with the item.
  • the exemplary embodiments can be employed in resource-constrained environments, because a reference can consume less space than the information expressing the corresponding usage rights.
  • a repository can be configured to analyze any suitable item presented to the repository and determine, based on usage rights associated with the repository, characteristics of the item or what functions can be performed with respect to the item.
  • an item need not have a pointer associated with the item to direct the item to a particular repository in order for a repository to analyze the item and perform functions or actions.
  • a repository can be configured perform an analysis and functions or actions on any suitable item presented to the repository or on any suitable item presented from an authorized source, for example, such as from the central control repository 706, or which is otherwise identified as being an item which the repository is authorized to analyze or process.
  • the processing of items not having usage rights associated therewith through repositories having usage rights associated therewith can be utilized in various types of business applications, but can be particularly useful within an enterprise or any other suitable kind of a closed environment.
  • an enterprise including a government department can include an internal network connecting to stationary or transportable client devices, such as laptop computers, PDAs, and the like.
  • usage rights can be associated with appropriate repositories, such as servers, and the like, for example, including the central control repository 706.
  • any suitable item moving off of a client device can pass to or through a repository having usage rights associated therewith and which can examine the item and make determinations concerning the item.
  • such a determination can include assigning usage rights to the item, wherein such usage rights can include state information or conditions including dynamic conditions.
  • a client device can be configured so as to not communicate external to the device, for example, external to the hard drive of the device, except through the network of the enterprise or through authorized repositories or devices.
  • a law can be configured to require that all or certain items, such as digital traffic moving into and/or out of a country, government department or other environment go through one or more authorized repositories.
  • the repositories can be configured to examine such items and analyze and process such items in accordance with usage rights associated with such repositories.
  • the repositories can be configured to examine any suitable characteristics of an item, such as a media type, content, security type, size, watermarking, origin, author, and the like. If the item also has usage rights associated therewith, such analysis can include comparing usage rights associated with the item to those associated with the repository. Accordingly, the exemplary systems can be configured for an entity, such as the government, and the like, which can decide that usage rights or certain usage rights associated with an item can or will be disregarded and items will be processed in accordance with usage rights associated with a repository, notwithstanding usage rights associated with the item.
  • the exemplary systems can be programmed or configured to refuse to process such an item.
  • items with usage rights not authorized by a stakeholder need not be processed, for example, need not leave or enter the country or other environment, unless such usage rights can be overridden.
  • the exemplary embodiments are applicable to entities other than governments, such as business or personal enterprises.
  • the stakeholder can be a parent controlling access to information entering or leaving the home, for example, utilizing a network, such as wireless network, a WiFi network, a home network, and the like, and a repository through which traffic into or out of the home can be processed.
  • control and processing can be for any suitable reason, such as for audit or census or censorship or control or security reasons.
  • a function performed by a repository with respect to usage rights can include applying usage rights to an item, such as a digital work or other item.
  • an item such as a digital work or other item.
  • any suitable items entering and/or leaving a country or other environment can have usage rights associated therewith by a repository, such as an authorized repository, with the result that the item then can be used inside or outside the country or other environment, in accordance with the usage rights associated therewith by the repository.
  • the enforcement of such usage rights can be performed, for example, as disclosed in the commonly-assigned U.S. Patents No. 5,530,235, No. 5,629,980, No. 5,634,012, No. 5,638,443, No. 5,715,403, No. 6,233,684, and No. 6,236,971, incorporated by reference herein.
  • repositories such as authorized repositories, connected to a network or other environment of an enterprise or other stakeholder can be configured to access client or other devices and for items found residing therein, analyze the items, make decisions or take actions concerning such items.
  • a networked repository such as the central control repository 706, can be configured access a client device, such as the personal computer of the scientist, locate and access the appropriate digital work or other item, such as a document from the technical resource library, and change the usage rights associated with the item, for example, including associating a new usage right such that the item can no longer be printed, advantageously, allowing print rights previously granted to be rescinded.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary repository 800 that can be employed in the exemplary systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7.
  • the exemplary repository 800 can include a processor module configured to process, such as interpret, a rights expression 808 in the form of a usage right associated with the repository 800, for example, specifying a manner of use of an item 812, a condition of use of the item 812, and the like, at the repository 800.
  • the exemplary repository 800 also can include a determination module 804.
  • the determination module 804 can be configured to determine, based on the rights expression 808 and/or one or more rules, what action or actions 816 the repository 800 can take when the repository 800 processes the item 812 or the repository 800 receives a request 814 for the item 812.
  • the exemplary repository 800 also can include a comparison module 806.
  • the comparison module 806 can be configured to compare a rights expression 810 associated with the item 812 and, for example, specifying a manner of use, a condition of use, and the like, of the item 812, with the rights expression 808 for the determination module 804 to determine the action or actions 816.
  • a rights expression in the form of a master license can include master usage rights and can be stored in one or more repositories.
  • the master license can include usage rights pertaining to an item, such as a digital work or other item.
  • a user, customer, consumer, distributor, and the like, of an item can have a reference or pointer that can be associated with the master license.
  • a pointer or reference associated with a common master license many persons can hold a pointer or reference associated with a common master license, but in further exemplary embodiments a single person can hold such a reference or pointer.
  • there can be more than one copy of a master license for example, residing on servers located on different Local Area Networks (LANs) or devices, such as servers located in various geographies.
  • the multiple licenses can be similar or different. For example, it can be desired that a master license applies to the whole world, except for France, and that a variant of such as master license applies to France.
  • an appropriate reference or pointer for clients or persons to be associated with the France variant of the master license can be provided.
  • a master license can include all the usage rights and conditions pertaining to an item, wherein, advantageously, a user need only possess a reference or pointer to such a master license.
  • the exemplary embodiments can be useful in resource constrained environments, because a reference or pointer can consume less space than the information expressed in the master license.
  • the master license can specify less than all usage rights and conditions. For example, some rights and conditions can be specified in separate usage rights including, for example, usage rights specific to each instance of an item.
  • the reference or pointer can employ any suitable mode of communications, such as a hyperlink, an offline mode of communication, such as coupling two hardware devices or communication within a single device.
  • a repository including a master license associated with a movie can be on a same computer hard drive as the repository in which the movie is stored. There can be a pointer or reference establishing a correspondence between usage rights specified in the master license and the movie, even though the usage rights and the movie are on the same device.
  • the master license can specify the usage rights and conditions that are to be associated with an item, wherein a reference or pointer can point to the master license.
  • a possessor of an item such as a digital work or other item
  • desires to access the item such as to render the item, copy the item or move the item to another repository
  • the master license can be accessed.
  • the purpose of the access can be to determine that the right to perform the proposed transaction, such as to render the item or copy the item, can be associated with the item and to check and fulfill any suitable conditions, such as to payment of a fee, and the like.
  • such a check can be performed in each instance of attempted use, for example, to implement dynamic changes, hi further exemplary embodiments, however, such a check can be performed at various times, frequencies, and the like.
  • the master license can be checked for a current state of the usage rights therein, for example, by interpreting, and the like, the master license.
  • the master license can be determined to have changed, the master license can be interpreted differently than when the master license was last referenced. Accordingly, an action that was permitted yesterday may not be permitted today or a requested action denied yesterday may be permitted today.
  • the master license can be changed at any suitable time.
  • a master license can be held by an issuer thereof or by some authority other than the issuer.
  • a studio owning a movie can employ an agent who can administer the master license for the studio.
  • the studio can maintain legal control of the master license, even thought the agent can hold or maintain physical control of the master license.
  • the studio or an agent thereof can change the master license as necessary.
  • a master license also can be held outside of the control of the issuer of the master license, for example, under the control of a government authority or entity.
  • a digital ticket that points to a reference or pointer that in turn points to a license can be employed.
  • a consumer can hold a digital ticket issued by a rights holder or other stakeholder, such as issued by a content owner as a rights holder or a government as a stakeholder, wherein the digital ticket includes a pointer to a reference pointer.
  • the reference pointer can be hosted, controlled, and the like, by the rights holder, which can include the item or content owner or another stakeholder.
  • a digital ticket need not be employed.
  • a pointer can be associated with an item, such as a digital work or other item, and included as part of a license including the usage rights associated with the item.
  • a pointer can point to a reference pointer, which in turn points to the actual license, for example, including a master license.
  • a user, consumer, distributor, and the like, of an item can hold a usage right, which is or can include a pointer to a reference pointer.
  • the reference pointer can be hosted, controlled, and the like, by a rights holder, which can include a content owner or another stakeholder.
  • a reference pointer can be configured to point to an actual usage right, advantageously, providing flexibility for implementing changes in usage rights.
  • a change can be implemented by merely changing the actual usage right being pointed to or can be implemented by having the reference pointer change the place, for example, the usage right, to which the reference pointer is pointing. Because the change of the pointer to the usage right occurs at the reference pointer, advantageously, the pointer associated with a digital ticket or a license need not be changed.
  • the person issuing a digital ticket, a license, a usage right, and the like need not be the same person hosting or controlling the reference pointer.
  • the issuer can be the owner of an item, such digital content, a digital work or other item
  • the reference pointer can be hosted or controlled by another stakeholder, such as a government authority or an authority within an enterprise.
  • another stakeholder such as a government authority or an authority within an enterprise.
  • the information technology office of the enterprise controlled the reference pointer, such an office can implement a technology action to change a right to make printed copies by the scientist, advantageously, avoiding a need to implement a change in a particular instance of a digital document.
  • the license 142 can provide flexibility and can be used in various ways.
  • the license 142 can be used to access a Web site, wherein, as a condition of access to the Web site, the license 142 can include a condition that the user must be located in a specific geographical area, for example, in the United States.
  • This can be useful for localization of the Web site, for example, in terms of language translation, customization or other aspects at the property right, including local customs, news, culture, hobbies, local sport news, local news makers, local industry, local merchandise or local advertisements.
  • the language can be English and American versions of spelling and dialect can be used.
  • advertisements can be based on American taste, season or political climate at that moment.
  • the exemplary embodiments enable localization, increasing the appeal of the Web site, facilitating provisioning of appropriate property rights and generally improving customer satisfaction and traffic of the Web site or the volume of sales.
  • the exemplary embodiments enable a property owner, for example, to release a specific property right in the United States first and three months later in Europe or another part of the world. This is common in movie industry, where the different releases in different geographical areas are restricted based on a time schedule designed to give maximum benefit to the owner or other recipient of revenue.
  • the release dates and/or time tables can be incorporated into a rights template, so that the assignment or modifications of the time table can be easy for the content owner, and keeping track of the various times can be done automatically, without further human intervention.
  • the exemplary embodiments are applicable Web crawlers for collecting data from a Web site.
  • a Web master or other authority in control of a Web site can, as a condition of access to the Web site, require the crawler to access or request the access after midnight when the Web site traffic is at a minimum, and therefore loads are reduced.
  • the Web site can impose varying conditions on the ability or right of the Web crawler to access the site, such as by specifying that the access will time out after a certain period of time, if access is obtained during peak hours.
  • the license 142 can be used to specify how to gain access to a property right. For example, how a user may distribute content or other items, such as by super-distribution, can be specified. This gives more control to the content owner, as to where and by what method the distribution is conducted.
  • the geographical location restriction can be one condition.
  • the parameters of super- distribution also can be specified by the content owner as conditions, for example, to further limit the method of distribution, such as expiration date, the number of copies, and the people forbidden to get a copy, such as unfriendly customers or known hackers.
  • one user may want to share their personal calendar with others.
  • Access to the calendar can be the item specified in the item reference 134a, which can include an access code.
  • the user may require the accessing party to do a specific task.
  • a condition may require the user to open one specific file or share a calendar of the user.
  • the calendar can be used and edited by all or some of the other persons, who can be given the right to input, modify or edit, as expressed in usage rights of the license 142. Some of the parties can be given the right to view only or view and input only, with no modification rights.
  • the calendar can keep track of conflict of schedules for two or more people, and automatically notify the conflicting parties or all of the parties about the conflict.
  • the calendar also can highlight the unavailable days, when one or more parties are out of town or unavailable for other reasons.
  • the calendar also can suggest some days or hours that the calendar is relatively empty or for specified parties find the common acceptable dates or hours, based on the input by one or more users.
  • a property right that can be controlled can include access to a print shop service, wherein a policy to restrict the access of users to printing services specified by the item ticket 134 can be employed.
  • access to the service can be specified in the item reference 134a and restrictions can be expressed as usage rights and conditions of the license 142.
  • the user can send a large file to be printed by the print shop, for a fee.
  • smaller files that can get printed sooner for example, can have a higher priority.
  • the size of the files within a predetermined time frame can be compared and ordered for printing purposes. For example, a condition of license 142 can be that no smaller files are queued for printing.
  • the status of other files queued for printing can be tracked as a state variable. However, if a job must be printed before a deadline, then the length of the printing process can be estimated, and the job schedule can be modified to make the deadline. This out-of-order prioritization can be signified by a flag or a variable or set of variables/parameters, which can include the order of priority, the information about the deadline, and the like. In the case of the conflict of the schedules or having not enough time to satisfy all the deadlines, the jobs in a class with a higher priority can be handled before the other jobs. Thus, the size of a file to be printed can be significant within a specific class of priority.
  • a print job upon payment of a fee or satisfaction of another condition, a print job might jump the queue or color jobs and black and white jobs can be routed to different printers or the user can specify the priority the user desires based on the fee paid.
  • priority assignment, class of print jobs, negotiating the prices and fees, and the moving of priorities, rights to customers and print jobs can be assigned, and such rights can be expressed in the license 142.
  • a service provider can set conditions for quality in the rights label 132.
  • a lower quality image can be purchased for a lower fee or a slower delivery can be granted for a lower fee.
  • the resolution can be set to corresponded to the price, based on a table, a formula, a function or values on a curve.
  • variations other than quality such as, speed or timing, and the variation can be based on conditions other than the fee paid.
  • such services or items can be specified in the item reference 134a.
  • the condition can be the identification of the person as the system administrator.
  • the identification can be based on the role of the individual, which can be established by a smart card, ID, and the like. Such a role-based model makes it easier to effect a change in the right assignment or a change in the position of the individuals.
  • the applying of usage rights to items can be very useful for situations in which the item provider is not the same as the item seller, such as for airfares and car rentals, in which a travel agent or other party often sells the item.
  • one or more roundtrip tickets between Boston and Chicago can be purchased from a Web site, such as an auction site, a reverse-auction site, airline direct sales, a travel agency, an individual having the property right to transfer or resell the tickets, a clearinghouse, a reseller or a distributor.
  • the destination, the location or both can be variables.
  • an item specified in the item reference 134a of the item ticket 134 can be an airline ticket from Boston to a city in the Eastern part of the United States, a city within 2000 miles of Boston or to a city in the continental United States.
  • the usage rights of the license 142 can include the right to exchange the ticket for another ticket within the European continent provided that a condition, such a payment of a fixed or variable fee is satisfied.
  • the usage rights can include the right to convert the ticket to cash, points, coupons, and the like, for purchase of merchandise or services from affiliated retailers.
  • the conditions can require an extra fee for a given property right.
  • the predetermined times can be tracked as state variables.
  • the item ticket 134 can be used to specify that the user can rent a car for six days in Boston from one of several car rental companies.
  • the rental companies can have a contract with the clearinghouse 160 to recognize the item ticket 134 as valid and the item reference 134a can be used to specify the car rental.
  • Usage rights and conditions can be used to specify mileage limits, drop off locations, car size, car manufacturer, pick-up locations, various equipment in the car as additional features, and the like.
  • the item can include the rental of a car, for example, for six days within the month of August, and the like, and the owner of the car need not know exactly when or where they may be exercising such a property right.
  • inventory of extra seats for example, surplus tickets for movie seats, airline seats or rental cars, in which there need not be a one-to-one relationship
  • a property right to a movie ticket can be purchased from a Web site, and the property right can be exercised by redeeming the corresponding item ticket 134 at a movie theater, which can be configured accept the item tickets 134 and can have a relationship with the distributor Web site, for example, similar to the relationship that a credit card company has with various issuing banks, with respect to customers and card holders or similar to a more centralized form of control, such as employed by other credit card companies.
  • ATM Automated Teller Machine
  • the theater owner After honoring the item tickets 134, the theater owner, for example, can aggregate the item tickets 134 each day and obtain reimbursement.
  • tickets or seats for events with undetermined dates or specifications can be expressed as items of property rights.
  • the item of the property right can be hotel rooms and other reserved commodities, whereby the reservations become very liquid and exchangeable by permitting transfer of the license 142 through usage rights or meta- rights.
  • the clearinghouse 160 can have a contract with three car rental companies as vendors having Web servers 150a, for example, from which a user can rents a compact car for 6 days in August and to be used in New York City.
  • the item ticket 134 can be redeemable to thereby exercise the property right of a corresponding license 142 from one of the three car rental companies.
  • the usage rights of license 142 associated with the item ticket 134 can be used to specify various aspects of the property right, such as six days in August of the current year in a specific city, the ability to auction or otherwise transfer the property right, the ability to exchange the city for a fee, the ability to use part of the property right to obtain cash, and the like.
  • the flexibility in trading property rights can permits various item to be extended into an open market for trading or exchanging property rights, for example, similar to the NASDAQ stock market.
  • rights can become very liquid, similar to cash, stocks, bonds, certified checks, and the like.
  • property rights can be traded as commodities or objects, with certain predetermined or variable values, at the current moment or in the future, and the like. Accordingly, associating rights and conditions with items, through the mechanism of the license 142 and the item ticket 134, can provide a completely new dimension to trading of various goods, services, and the like.
  • Internet and computer networks can be configured to provide a very fast and convenient way for the distribution of property rights to various items.
  • the distribution of various items can be strictly limited, for example, as specified by the item owner or as desired by the user.
  • a property right to view or use personal or private data can be provided, wherein the manner of distribution, where data is distributed, who can use the data, who should not be able to inspect, copy, distribute or use the data, and the like, can be specified as one or more conditions and usage rights in the license 142.
  • access to private information can be treated as an item, and the exemplary usage rights management solutions can be used to safeguard such private data.
  • the exemplary embodiments can enable a user to provide private personal data to a Web site, and the Web site to sell the data to others, only if the user has granted such a property right to the Web site.
  • One parameter of such a property right for example, expressed as a condition, can be the tolerance level of the content owner, as can be quantified, and be represented by an integer, a descriptive name or other means.
  • such a tolerance value can correspond to geographical distribution limits, a list of authorized users, a list of unauthorized people, such as known hackers or infamous Web sites, pre-defined levels of trust, levels of security for different Web sites, pre-defined levels of privacy for different Web sites or other parameters or conditions.
  • Such parameters for example, can be static or dynamically determined and can be tracked as state variables.
  • Web sites or other distribution sites can be rated by individuals based on votes or can be rated by commercial or non-profit organizations based on surprise audits or scheduled audits, and with claims or rules set on such sites compared against the criteria of a rating organization.
  • Such ratings can be accomplished in any suitable manner.
  • the ratings can be a condition of the license 142 for determining if a party can access private information. If there is an unwanted leak of the private info ⁇ nation to the outside, the liability of such a site, in terms of monetary compensations or otherwise, can be stated as a parameter for the calculation of the rating of the site.
  • a condition can include an indication that a content owner is willing to sell personal data.
  • the license 142 granting access to a network or other service can have as a condition the requirement that the user grants permission to sell personal data.
  • conditions can include the price or other compensation or conditions set on such personal data.
  • the exemplary embodiments enable a content owner to receive a percentage or a fixed fee or other benefit, such as airline miles, for each sale or transaction of personal data. An aggregation of such micro-amounts, for example, can be paid at the end of each month or other period, based on the usage rights parameters in the license 142, and through one or more clearinghouses 160.
  • personal data can be aggregated or averaged for economic, cultural, regional, national, medical or other reasons, in which the individual data for a specific person need not be individually significant.
  • identity of individuals typically need not be disclosed.
  • Such data can be used in the aggregate for a number of purposes, for example, for a medical or census purposes by a non-profit or trusted organization.
  • conditions can be used to specify the purpose of the collection of such data, and usage rights can be used to specify how such data can be used, such as in ' aggregate, on average, and the like.
  • a condition can be used to specify which section or part of the collection of personal data can be permitted to be used for a given purpose.
  • Such specification can be performed using an appropriately configured user interface, for example, including a template form, with flags specifying each piece of information, and the like.
  • permission can be granted to access the age, height, and weight of a person, but not the name, income, credit card number, credit history or address of the person.
  • the accessible information for example, can include street addresses or zip codes, the number of the accidents in the past six months, the number of cars owned per household, and the like.
  • a content owner can specify in the license 142 that data can be exchanged in the clearinghouse 160 with another data collection entity, to average, aggregate or sell or exchange such data.
  • the exemplary embodiments enable a content owner to verify the identity of the acquirer of the data and the associated level of trust in the new owner, for example, as specified conditions, on a case-by-case basis.
  • the licenses 142 and the redemption of the tickets 134 can be tracked as state variables.
  • the exemplary embodiments thus, enable a user to enter personal data only once and then maintain or keep track of such data, wherein the user or other designated party can be informed of how the data or which part of the data is being used.
  • the user can be notified where the data is by a tracking means, for example, including sending an e-mail messages back to the user, and the like.
  • the user can receive remuneration from the sale or use of such personal data.
  • an item, for example, including personal information can be divided into different components for which an owner or another authorized person can assign different values of privacy conditions.
  • the personal information can have just one component.
  • privacy parameters can be based on various kinds of scales.
  • a typical scale for a privacy parameter can be between 0 and 1, wherein zero can signify no privacy, such as non-conditional access, and one can signify absolute privacy, such as no access under any condition.
  • a set of rules can be used to define the scale for the privacy parameter. Different constraints, conditions, fees, rights, and the like, can be associated with the privacy parameters and each parameter can be assigned for a given component of the personal info ⁇ nation.
  • the owner of content, an independent trusted organization or some other entity can set trust ratings for different entities or persons, and such trust ratings can be used as conditions of access for such entity or persons to particular information associated with a given privacy parameter.
  • Such trust ratings can be based on a scale, such as with the privacy parameters. For example, persons with the highest possible trust ratings can be given access to information with the highest privacy parameters, and persons with the lowest trust ratings can be given access to information requiring no privacy.
  • the middle ratings can be used to grant access to corresponding portions of the information.
  • the content can have a rating and the viewer or user of the content can have a rating, and a condition to access the content can be that the two ratings have a complete or partial correspondence, as necessary.
  • different parts of the content can have different ratings, advantageously, providing greater flexibility.
  • usage rights, rights offers, tickets, licenses, and the like can be expressed by any suitable language, format, tag set, set of rules, grammar or formulations, for example, such as the XrML language, and the like.
  • the various aspects and limitations can be expressed as various combinations of items, principals, conditions, and the like.
  • a property right can be used to specify that Person A can transmit a purchase order of less than X dollars to Company C.
  • usage rights and conditions of such a license in a property right such as with the exemplary rights expressions provided below.
  • Exemplary rights expressions #1 Principal: Person A
  • a property right can be expressed in various ways and the restrictions can be set forth in a usage right, in the item, as conditions, and the like.
  • how people use or access goods, services or other items can be specified through enforceable property rights. For example, the owner of an item or distributor of an item can be given more control over the item and the user of the item can be given better management over what property rights are obtained and at what cost.
  • the exemplary embodiments thus, provide the ability to create an enforceable property right in various items and permit such items to be traded in an open market environment. While such an environment can be employed for commodities and stocks, the exemplary embodiments, advantageously, enable enforceable proper rights in goods, services, and the like.
  • the various rights, conditions, items, other indicators, and the like, of the exemplary embodiments can be expressed in any suitable manner and can be stored at the same location or in different locations.
  • the ticket 134 can be stored at one location, such as a user device, and the license 142 can be stored at another device or location, such as the license server 140.
  • the various aspects and components of the exemplary embodiments have individual utility and can exist separately.
  • the licenses 142 can exist separately from the tickets 134, and each can exist outside of a specific computer architecture or system.
  • the exemplary systems for distributing the tickets 134 and creating and enforcing the licenses 142 can utilize various devices, such as a personal computers, servers, workstations, PDAs, thin clients, and the like.
  • the client environment 120 can include a handheld device, such as a mobile phone, a PDA, and the like.
  • Various channels for communication can be employed with the exemplary embodiments and various functions can be integrated in one or more devices.
  • one or more functions performed by the license server 140 can be accomplished by appropriately configured software and/or hardware within the client environment 120.
  • one or more of the functions performed by the license server 142 or other modules for selecting rights and granting the licenses 142 can be accomplished in the same device as that used to access and redeem the item tickets 134.
  • the disclosed functional modules are segregated by function for clarity.
  • the various functions of the exemplary systems can be combined or segregated as hardware and/or software modules in any suitable manner. Accordingly, the various functions can be useful separately or in combination.
  • the various elements, portions thereof, and the like, of the exemplary embodiments can be stored on the same device or on different devices.
  • the license 142 can be stored together with or separate from the item ticket 134.
  • the various elements of the license 142 can be stored on separate devices.
  • the values of the state variables can be stored in a state variable repository of a system that tracks the current value of the state variables.
  • the exemplary embodiments can employ various links, references, specifications, and the like, to associate such elements.
  • the exemplary embodiments can be further employed for offline modes of operation.
  • the item 134 and the license server 140 can reside on the same device as the client component 122, and the activation server 110 also can reside on the same device.
  • a device can include a hard drive of a personal computer or some other hand held or transportable device.
  • the exemplary embodiments enable a transaction to be consummated without having to establish a communication session with another device, through the Internet or otherwise.
  • a hard drive on a personal computer can include the ticket 134 generating software, document preparation software, the activation server 110 software, and the like.
  • Such software systems or components can provide the computing resources to prepare an item, for example, content, such as a song, movie, and the like, create the item ticket 134 and the license 142 defining the rights and conditions associated with the item and to redeem the ticket 134 in accordance with such rights and conditions.
  • content such as a song, movie, and the like
  • license 142 defining the rights and conditions associated with the item and to redeem the ticket 134 in accordance with such rights and conditions.
  • such software systems can communicate with each other within the hard drive of the personal computer, and the like.
  • the client device can communicate with the clearinghouse 160 and make an online payment.
  • the payment can be recorded in the device within, for example, but not exclusively, the license server 140 software component on the client device.
  • the record can be recorded as a monetary amount, such as $100.00, or as units, such as ten viewings of a movie file or ten one-day rentals of a Hertz rental car or in any other suitable manner. Each use can be recorded and deducted from the authorized amount or number of uses.
  • a digital storage device such as a smart card, removable storage device, and the like.
  • information to be exchanged can be exchanged using a physical device in substitution for online communication.
  • the license 142 can be presented by inserting a card into a personal computer.
  • the customer holding the item ticket 134 can present the ticket 134 and obtain an item, such as access to service, and the like, without having to be online at the time the service is obtained.
  • the service itself, which is obtained, can reside on a device controlled by the customer, such as a personal computer hard drive, and the like.
  • the service can include the execution of a computer program.
  • the clearinghouse 160 can have a contract with the three car rental companies as vendors 150, from which a user can rent a compact car for 6 days in August, to be used in New York City.
  • the item ticket 134 can configured to be redeemable to thereby exercise the property right of the corresponding license 142 from one of the three car rental companies.
  • the usage rights of the license 142 associated with the item ticket 134 can be used to specify various aspects of such a property right, such as six days in August of the current year in a specific city.
  • the item ticket 134 can be carried by the customer as digital information on a transportable device or in the form of a displayable or printable coupon and presented to one of the vendors 150.
  • the vendor 150 can read the digital information or extract information from a printed ticket, such as by scanning, and the like, with no need for the customer and the vendor to engage in an online form of communication.
  • a condition for allowing access to or use of a digital work or other item may be that the repository which is requesting access or which is proposed to receive or store or in any way be involved with the item have certain attributes or otherwise be configured in certain ways or not have certain attributes or configurations.
  • the repository can be required to possess minimal security attributes. If the repository is part of a personal document assistant (PDA) device, the repository can require that the PDA have specified or minimal security attributes and that the PDA be configured to permit the PDA to support the required conditions for access.
  • PDA personal document assistant
  • a repository including a device, such as a PDA, personal computer, and the like, can be reconfigured before such device can be involved with a digital work or other item.
  • a device such as a PDA, personal computer, and the like
  • reconfiguration could involve the installation of new software at the repository or system or devices that control the repository, could involve changing parameters or other settings of existing software, could take the form of a software plug in, and the like.
  • a condition for access, possession or the involvement with a digital work or other item of any suitable kind of repository or device can be that the repository or device pe ⁇ nits itself to be reconfigured.
  • such reconfiguration can include that the repository or device allowing itself to be accessed, for example, by the central control repository 706, for changing default settings, installing new software, modifying existing software, inserting a plug in, disabling certain software or features, and the like, for example, in a way that such changes cannot be negated or at least not easily negated.
  • a repository or other device will not allow itself to be accessed or configured, then such a device need not be allowed to handle the digital work or other item.
  • such a device might be denied the right to handle certain types of items or not be allowed to perfo ⁇ n functions otherwise permitted.
  • the purpose of access to the repository or device can be to ascertain whether or not such as device meets one or more conditions. For example, if it is determined that such as device does meet such conditions, then reconfiguration need not be necessary or if it is determined that such a device does meet such conditions in part, then limited reconfiguration could be necessary.
  • the condition that a repository or device be reconfigurable or reconfigured, for example, can apply to any suitable type of repository or device and to any suitable function that such a device might perform.
  • a condition could apply to any repository or device which is to store a digital work or other item or which is to render the item or which is to transmit the item across a communications medium or which is a communications medium.
  • FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for processing rights expressions of a recipient of an item based on rules and that can be employed in the exemplary Digital Rights Management systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7. In FIG.
  • a potential recipient of an item specifies a rights expression indicating a first manner of use of the item proposed by the recipient and a provider of the item specifies a second rights expression indicating a second manner of use of the item proposed by the provider.
  • a correspondence between the first rights expression and the second rights expression is determined. If a correspondence can be determined, as verified at step 906, then, at step 908, a rule is applied to the detennined correspondence to determine if the recipient should be granted use of the item. If use of the item can be granted, as verified at step 910, then, at step 912, the recipient can be granted use of the item. If, however, there is no correspondence or if use of the item cannot be granted, then, at step 914, the recipient can be denied use of the item.
  • FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for processing rights expressions of a recipients and suppliers of an item and that can be employed in the exemplary Digital Rights Management systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7.
  • a recipient of an item specifies a rights expression indicating a desired manner of use of the item by the recipient and/or a condition of use of the item by the recipient.
  • the rights expression is associated with the item. If the desired manner of use of the item and the condition of use of the item can be satisfied by the provider, as verified at step 1006, then, at step 1008, the item can be supplied to the recipient. If, however, the desired manner of use of the item and the condition of use of the item cannot be satisfied by the provider, at step 1010, the item need not be supplied to the recipient.
  • FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for processing rights expressions associated with a repository and that can be employed in the exemplary Digital Rights Management systems of FIGs. 1 and 5-7.
  • a repository rights expression indicating a manner of use of an item at a repository can be specified.
  • the repository rights expression can be associated with the repository. If a request for the item is received at the repository, as verified at step 1106 or the item is processed by the repository, as verified at step 1010, then, at step 1108, an action the repository is to take when the repository processes the item or the repository receives the request for the item based on the repository rights expression can be performed by the repository. If, however, the request for the item is not received at the repository or the item is not processed by the repository, at step 1010, no action need be taken by the repository.
  • a rights expression can include a tangible, for example, electronic, and the like, articulation of usage rights, conditions, licenses or portions thereof.
  • a rights expressions can include an XrML file or fragment, but also can be expressed in any suitable language, grammar, format, alphabet, and the like.
  • Usage rights can be expressed as a rights expression and can include a manner of use, conditions, and the like. Licenses also can include the noted elements of a usage right and can further include principals, keys, identifications, and the like.
  • a recipient of an item of the exemplary embodiments can include a user, a distributor, a consumer, and the like, of the item.
  • the granting of access to an item can include granting use of an item, allowing lending of an item, allowing access to an item, and the like.
  • the devices and subsystems of the exemplary systems described with respect to FIGs. 1-11 can communicate, for example, over a communications network 170, and can include any suitable servers, workstations, personal computers (PCs), laptop computers, PDAs, Internet appliances, set top boxes, modems, handheld devices, telephones, cellular telephones, wireless devices or other devices capable of performing the processes of the disclosed exemplary embodiments.
  • the devices and subsystems can communicate with each other using any suitable protocol and can be implemented using a general-purpose computer system, and the like.
  • One or more interface mechanisms can be employed, for example, including Internet access, telecommunications in any suitable form, such as voice, modem, and the like, wireless communications media, and the like.
  • communications network 170 can include, for example, wireless communications networks, cellular communications networks, satellite communications networks, Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTNs), Packet Data Networks (PDNs), the Internet, intranets, hybrid communications networks, combinations thereof, and the like. Accordingly, the communications network 170 can include one or more networks.
  • PSTNs Public Switched Telephone Networks
  • PDNs Packet Data Networks
  • the communications network 170 can include one or more networks.
  • the exemplary systems described with respect to FIGs. 1-11 are for exemplary purposes, as many variations of the specific hardware used to implement the disclosed exemplary embodiments are possible.
  • the functionality of the devices and the subsystems of the exemplary systems can be implemented via one or more programmed computer systems or devices.
  • a single computer system can be programmed to perform the functions of one or more of the devices and subsystems of the exemplary systems.
  • two or more programmed computer systems or devices can be substituted for one or more of the devices and subsystems of the exemplary systems.
  • principles and advantages of distributed processing such as redundancy, replication, and the like, also can be implemented, as desired, for example, to increase the robustness and performance of the exemplary systems described with respect to FIGs. 1-11.
  • the exemplary systems described with respect to FIGs. 1-11 can be used to store information relating to various processes described herein. This information can be stored in one or more memories, such as a hard disk, floppy disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, RAM, ROM, and the like, of the devices and sub-systems of the exemplary systems described with respect to FIGs. 1-11.
  • One or more databases of the devices and subsystems can store the information used to implement the exemplary embodiments.
  • the databases can be organized using data structures, such as records, tables, arrays, fields, graphs, trees, lists, and the like, included in one or more memories, such as the memories listed above.
  • All or a portion of the exemplary systems described with respect to FIGs. 1-11 can be conveniently implemented using one or more general-purpose computer systems, microprocessors, digital signal processors, micro-controllers, and the like, programmed according to the teachings of the disclosed exemplary embodiments.
  • Appropriate software can be readily prepared by programmers of ordinary skill based on the teachings of the disclosed exemplary embodiments.
  • the exemplary systems can be implemented by the preparation of application-specific integrated circuits or by interconnecting an appropriate network of component circuits.
  • the exemplary embodiments of the present invention can include software for controlling the devices and sub-systems of the exemplary systems described with respect to FIGs.
  • Such software can include, but is not limited to, device drivers, firmware, operating systems, development tools, applications software, etc.
  • Such computer readable media further can include the computer program product of an embodiment of the present invention for performing all or a portion (if processing is distributed) of the processing performed in implementing the invention.
  • Computer code devices of the embodiments of the present invention can include any interpretable or executable code mechanism, including but not limited to scripts, interpretable programs, dynamic link libraries (DLLs), Java classes and applets, complete executable programs, Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) objects, etc.
  • the computer readable medium can include any suitable medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution. Such a medium can take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, transmission media, and the like.
  • Non-volatile media can include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, and the like.
  • Volatile media can include dynamic memory, and the like.
  • Transmission media can include coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that make up one or buses of a computer. Transmission media also can take the fo ⁇ n of acoustic, optical, or electromagnetic waves, such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data communications.
  • RF radio frequency
  • IR infrared
  • the exemplary systems described with respect to FIGs. 1- 11 can include one or more computer readable medium or memory for holding instructions programmed according to the teachings of the invention and for including data structures, tables, records or other data described herein.
  • Common forms of computer-readable media can include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, CDRW, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, optical mark sheets, any other physical medium with patterns of holes or other optically recognizable indicia, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read.
  • Various forms of computer-readable media can be involved in providing instructions to a processor for execution.
  • the instructions for carrying out at least part of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention can initially be borne on a magnetic disk of a remote computer connected to the network 170.
  • the remote computer can load the instructions into main memory and send the instructions, for example, over a telephone line using a modem.
  • a modem of a local computer system can receive the data on the telephone line and use an infrared transmitter to convert the data to an infrared signal and transmit the infrared signal to a portable computing device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop,- an Internet appliance, and the like.
  • PDA personal digital assistant
  • An infrared detector on the portable computing device can receive the information and instructions borne by the infrared signal and place the data on a bus.
  • the bus can convey the data to main memory, from which a processor retrieves and executes the instructions.
  • the instructions received by the main memory can optionally be stored on storage device either before or after execution by a processor.
  • the exemplary embodiments described herein can be employed to allow a consumer or user of digital content or other items to provide usage rights specifying conditions or terms for accepting the content or items to be consumed or otherwise used. Partial satisfaction of the usage rights or conditions can be employed to allow access, including reconciling of varying or conflicting usage rights or conditions.
  • Usage rights can be associated with a repository, which then can pass the usage rights along to the content or items.
  • the usage rights can be used to determine what functions the repository is authorized to perform with respect to the content or items.
  • the distribution and use of the content or items can be determined and controlled without usage rights associated the content or items, wherein the usage rights are associated with the repository, which examine, analyze, and process the digital content or other items.
  • the exemplary embodiments can be employed in conjunction with systems where a repository handling the content or items assigns usage rights to the content or items.
  • the exemplary embodiments described herein can be employed in offline systems, online systems, and the like, and in applications, such as TV applications, computer applications, DVD applications, VCR applications, appliance applications, CD player applications, and the like.
  • the signals employed to transmit the legality expression of the exemplary embodiments can be configured to be transmitted within the visible spectrum of a human, within the audible spectrum of a human, not within the visible spectrum of a human, not within the audible spectrum of a human, combinations thereof, and the like.
  • the exemplary embodiments are described in terms of applications in music, games, movies, coupons, legal arenas, and the like, the exemplary embodiments are applicable to any suitable application, such as digital and non-digital content, devices, software, services, goods, resources, and the like, and can be practiced with variations in technology, interface, language, grammar, content, rights, offerings, services, speed, size, limitations, devices, and the like.
  • any suitable application such as digital and non-digital content, devices, software, services, goods, resources, and the like, and can be practiced with variations in technology, interface, language, grammar, content, rights, offerings, services, speed, size, limitations, devices, and the like.

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Abstract

L'invention a trait à des systèmes et à des procédés permettant de veiller à l'application d'expressions de droits. Selon lesdits procédés, un destinataire et un fournisseur spécifient chacun une expression de droits concernant un article, laquelle indique les modes d'utilisation respectifs de l'article ; une correspondance entre lesdites expressions de droits est établie ; et une règle est appliquée à la correspondance pour que le destinataire puisse utiliser l'article. Selon d'autres modes de réalisation, le destinataire spécifie, dans une expression de droits associée à un article, un mode et/ou une condition d'utilisation souhaitée, et l'article est remis si ladite expression de droits est satisfaite ; le mode d'utilisation est spécifié dans une expression de droits associée à un référentiel. L'invention concerne aussi un ou plusieurs référentiels contenant des expressions de droits associées indiquant également une condition d'utilisation ; et un référentiel qui comprend une unité de processeur destinée à traiter une expression de droits associée, et une unité de détermination destinée à déterminer, sur la base de cette dernière, la mesure à prendre lors du traitement ou de la réception d'une demande liée à l'article, conformément aux indications concernant un mode ou une condition d'utilisation.
PCT/US2003/017265 2002-06-03 2003-06-03 Systeme et procede de fourniture et de gestion d'expressions de droits WO2003102736A2 (fr)

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2003240981A AU2003240981B9 (en) 2002-06-03 2003-06-03 System and method for supplying and managing rights expressions
JP2004509755A JP2005528685A (ja) 2002-06-03 2003-06-03 権利表示を供給しかつ管理するためのシステムおよび方法
EP03731486A EP1456797A4 (fr) 2002-06-03 2003-06-03 Systeme et procede de fourniture et de gestion d'expressions de droits
BR0311592-5A BR0311592A (pt) 2002-06-03 2003-06-03 Sistema e método para suprir e administrar expressões de direitos
KR1020047019632A KR100683376B1 (ko) 2002-06-03 2003-06-03 권리표현의 제공 및 관리를 위한 시스템 및 방법
MXPA04012119A MXPA04012119A (es) 2002-06-03 2003-06-03 Sistema y metodo para proveer y administrar expresiones de derechos.

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

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US10/159,272 US7028009B2 (en) 2001-01-17 2002-06-03 Method and apparatus for distributing enforceable property rights
US10/159,272 2002-06-03
US10/162,212 US7774279B2 (en) 2001-05-31 2002-06-05 Rights offering and granting
US10/162,212 2002-06-05

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WO2003102736A3 WO2003102736A3 (fr) 2004-04-08

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JP (6) JP2005528685A (fr)
KR (1) KR100683376B1 (fr)
AU (1) AU2003240981B9 (fr)
BR (1) BR0311592A (fr)
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KR100683376B1 (ko) 2007-02-15
EP1456797A4 (fr) 2005-02-16
JP2012084163A (ja) 2012-04-26
BR0311592A (pt) 2005-05-10
AU2003240981B9 (en) 2006-03-16
JP2005528685A (ja) 2005-09-22
MXPA04012119A (es) 2005-04-19
EP1456797A2 (fr) 2004-09-15
JP2012164339A (ja) 2012-08-30
WO2003102736A3 (fr) 2004-04-08
AU2003240981B2 (en) 2006-03-09
JP2016129052A (ja) 2016-07-14
AU2003240981A1 (en) 2003-12-19
JP2014139818A (ja) 2014-07-31
JP2013109780A (ja) 2013-06-06
KR20050010857A (ko) 2005-01-28

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