US 5,715,403 A · System for controlling the distribution and use of digital works having attached usage rights where the usage rights are defined by a usage rights grammar

Abstract

A system for controlling use and distribution of digital works. The present invention allows the owner of a digital work to attach usage rights to their work. The usage rights define how the individual digital work may be used and distributed. Instances of usage rights are defined using a flexible and extensible usage rights grammar. Conceptually, a right in the usage rights grammar is a label associated with a predetermined behavior and conditions to exercising the right. The behavior of a usage right is embodied in a predetermined set of usage transactions steps. The usage transaction steps further check all conditions which must be satisfied before the right may be exercised. These usage transaction steps define a protocol for requesting the exercise of a right and the carrying out of a right.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A distribution system for distributing digital works, said digital works having one or more usage rights attached thereto, said distribution system comprising:

a grammar for creating instances of usage rights indicating a manner by which a possessor of an associated digital work is able to transport said associated digital work, and said grammar further specifies a default plurality of conditions for an instance of a usage right, wherein said one or more conditions must be satisfied before said usage right may be exercised;
means for creating usage rights from said grammar;
means for attaching created usage rights to a digital work;
a requester repository for accessing digital works, said requesting repository having means for generating usage transactions, each said usage transactions specifying a usage right;
a server repository for storing digital works with attached created usage rights, said server repository having means for processing usage transactions from said requester repository to determine if access to a digital work can be granted.

2 more elements

A computer based system for controlling distribution and use of digital works comprising:

a usage rights grammar for creating instances of usage rights which define how a digital work is capable of being used or distributed, said usage rights grammar comprising a first plurality of grammar elements for defining transport usage rights and a second plurality of grammar elements for defining rendering usage rights;
means for attaching usage rights to digital works;
a plurality of repositories for storing and exchanging digital works, each of said plurality of repositories comprising:
means for storing digital works and their attached usage rights;
transaction processing means having a requester mode of operation for requesting access to a requested digital work, said request specifying a usage right, and a server mode of operation for processing requests to access said requested digital work based on said usage right specified in said request and the usage rights attached to said requested digital work;
and
a coupling means for coupling to another of said plurality of repositories across a communications medium.

4 more elements

A method for controlling distribution and use of digital works comprising the steps of:

a) creating a set of usage rights from a usage rights grammar, each of said usage rights defining a specific instance of how a digital work is capable of being used or distributed, each of said usage rights specifying one or more conditions which must be satisfied in order for said usage right to be exercised;
b) attaching said set of usage rights to a digital work;
c) storing said digital work and its attached usage rights in a first repository;
d) a second repository initiating a request to access said digital work in said first repository, said request specifying a usage right;
e) said first repository receiving said request from said second repository;
f) said first repository determining if said specified usage right is attached to said digital work;
g) said first repository denying access to said digital work if said identified usage right is not attached to said digital work;
h) if said identified usage right is attached to said digital work, said first repository determining if conditions specified by said usage right are satisfied;
i) if said conditions are not satisfied, said first repository denying access to said digital work;
and
j) if said conditions are satisfied, said first repository transmitting said digital work to said second repository.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for controlling the distribution and use of digital works having attached usage rights where the usage rights are defined by a usage rights grammar

Life of this patent

System for controlling the distribution and use of digital works having attached usage rights where the usage rights are defined by a usage rights grammar

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28