Method and system for managing licenses to content

A system for managing the use of content over a network, comprising:

• a server for enabling actions, including:
• storing at least one of a source digital fingerprint or a source identifier that corresponds to each of a plurality of items of source content, wherein at least one use of a copy of each source content item is licensable;
• determining if another identifier included with an item of content received from a user affirmatively corresponds to at least one of the stored source identifiers associated with each source content item;
• if the determination of the other identifier is negative, determining if another digital fingerprint determined for the received content item is substantially similar to at least one of the source digital fingerprints associated with each source content item;
• determining each license previously provided for a user that corresponds to the received content item based on an affirmative correspondence between at least one of the source identifiers and the other identifier or a substantially similar comparison between the source digital fingerprints and the other digital fingerprint;
• and
• if at least one license for the user for at least one type of use for the received content item is determined to be unavailable, determining at least one source content item that is both substantially equivalent to the received content item and available for licensing for at least one type of use by the user;
• and
• a client for enabling actions, including offering at least one license for at least one type of use to the user for the at least one determined equivalent source content item.

A network device for managing the use of content over a network, comprising:

• a memory for storing data;
• a processor for enabling actions based at least in part on the stored data;
• and
• an application that includes components, including:
• a first component for enabling the storing of at least one of a source digital fingerprint or a source identifier that corresponds to each of a plurality of items of source content, wherein at least one use of a copy of each source content item is licensable;
• a second component for determining if another identifier included with an item of content received from a user affirmatively corresponds to at least one of the stored source identifiers associated with each source content item;
• a third component for determining if another digital fingerprint determined for the received content item is substantially similar to at least one of the source digital fingerprints associated with each source content item, if the determination of the correspondence of the other identifier to the stored source identifiers is negative;
• a fourth component for determining each license previously provided for a user that corresponds to the received content item based on an affirmative correspondence between at least one of the source identifiers and the other identifier or a substantially similar comparison between the source digital fingerprints and the other digital fingerprint;
• a fifth component for if a license for the user for at least one type of use for the received content item is unavailable, determining at least one source content item that is both substantially equivalent to the received content item and available for licensing for at least one type of use by the user;
• and
• a sixth component for enabling the offering of the license for at least one type of use to the user for the at least one determined equivalent source content item.

A mobile device for managing the use of content over a network, comprising:

• a transceiver for communicating over a network;
• a memory for storing data;
• a processor for enabling actions based at least in part on the stored data;
• and
• an application that includes components, including:
• a first component for enabling the storing of at least one of a source digital fingerprint or a source identifier that corresponds to each of a plurality of items of source content, wherein at least one use of a copy of each source content item is licensable;
• a second component for determining if another identifier included with an item of content received from a user affirmatively corresponds to at least one of the stored source identifiers associated with each source content item;
• a third component for determining if another digital fingerprint determined for the received content item is substantially similar to at least one of the source digital fingerprints associated with each source content item, if the determination of the correspondence of the other identifier to the stored source identifiers is negative;
• a fourth component for determining each license previously provided for a user that corresponds to the received content item based on an affirmative correspondence between at least one of the source identifiers and the other identifier or a substantially similar comparison between the source digital fingerprints and the other digital fingerprint;
• a fifth component for if a license for the user for at least one type of use for the received content item is unavailable, determining at least one source content item that is both substantially equivalent to the received content item and available for licensing for at least one type of use by the user;
• and
• a sixth component for enabling the offering of the license for at least one type of use to the user for the at least one determined equivalent source content item.