System and method for managing copyrighted electronic media

A system for authorizing access to copyrighted electronic media, comprising an authorization server connected for data transfer between an internal memory and at least one external data processor, the server having

• (A) means for determining selected information about the electronic media, the selected information including one or more terms that enable auxiliary uses of the media;
• (B) relay means, responsive to a request signal by the data processor, for communicating the selected information to the data processor;
• and
• (C) data comparison means for receiving response signals from the data processor and comparing the selected information with the response signals, the data comparison means generating an acceptance signal when the response signals correspond to at least a part of the selected information, indicating acceptance of one or more terms, and communicating the acceptance signal to the data processor to authorize access to the media in accord with the uses corresponding to the accepted terms.

A method for authorizing data transfers of copyrighted digital media, comprising the steps of:

• affixing content-specific permission information to the media, the permission information
• specifying actions which are restricted and which require augmented access privileges to perform;
• storing selected information about the electronic media on an authorization server connected for data transfer with at least one computer, the selected information including one or more terms that specify augmented access to the media;
• electronically communicating selected information about the media to the computer in response to a request signal representing a request for augmented access to the media;
• receiving response signals from the computer and comparing the selected information with the response signals, the response signals including a representation indicating acceptance of the terms;
• and
• generating an acceptance signal when the response signals correspond to at least a part of the selected information, thereby authorizing augmented access to the media.

A method for maintaining an electronic bibliographic record of digital media, comprising the steps of:

• opening an object container containing the digital media, the object container including a representation of the media, a data identifier of media, and data specifying minimum permissions required to access the media;
• editing the digital media in an application environment;
• and
• attaching the data identifier and minimum permissions data to the edited media into a sourceworks list, the sourceworks list thereby providing a bibliographic record of the media.

A computer network for managing original works of authorship, comprising:

• means for affixing copyright information to a binary data element corresponding to an authored media;
• means for affixing minimum permissions information to the data element, the permission information specifying a minimum authorized use of the data element;
• a server for providing authorizations to the data element, the server including a control module for transacting licenses with one or more computers networked with the server;
• and
• means for tagging the data element with auxiliary permissions, the auxiliary permissions specifying the maximum authorized use of the media.

A system for packaging electronic media within a secure digital document, comprising:

• means for enclosing the media as a binary data object within a data container;
• means for attaching identification data to the data container;
• means for attaching minimum permissions data to the data container, the minimum permissions data specifying minimum uses authorized for the media without a license to the media;
• the data container, identification data, and minimum permissions thereby forming the digital document;
• and
• auxiliary permission means for appending use restrictions to the data container, the use restrictions forming a digital representation that extends the set of authorized uses available to a user of the media.

A system for packaging electronic media within a secure digital document, comprising:

• means for enclosing the media as a binary data object within a data container;
• means for attaching identification data to the data container;
• means for attaching minimum permissions data to the data container, the minimum permissions data specifying minimum uses authorized for the media without a license to the media;
• the data container, identification data, and minimum permissions thereby forming the digital document;
• and
• data header means for storing selected header information about the media, the header information being a digital representation of at least one of (i) a unique file format, (ii) a document format revision code, (iii) a creator application type, (iv) a media type, and (v) a comment field.

A system for packaging electronic media within a secure digital document, comprising;

• means for enclosing the media as a binary data object within a data container;
• means for attaching identification data to the data container;
• means for attaching minimum permissions data to the data container, the minimum permissions data specifying minimum uses authorized for the media without a license to the media;
• the data container, identification data, and minimum permissions thereby forming the digital document;
• and
• means for storing an unencrypted header for uniquely identifying the electronic media.

A system for packaging electronic media within a secure digital document, comprising:

• means for enclosing the media as a binary data object within a data container;
• means for attaching identification data to the data container;
• means for attaching minimum permissions data to the data container, the minimum permissions data specifying minimum uses authorized for the media without a license to the media;
• the data container, identification data, and minimum permissions thereby forming the digital document;
• and
• means for storing a data identifier, the data identifier specifying selected registration information about the electronic media.

A system for packaging electronic media within a secure digital document, comprising:

• means for enclosing the media as a binary data object within a data container;
• means for attaching identification data to the data container;
• means for attaching minimum permissions data to the data container, the minimum permissions data specifying minimum uses authorized for the media without a license to the media;
• the data container, identification data, and minimum permissions thereby forming the digital document;
• and
• means for packaging the media from within one of (i) a stand-alone software module, (ii) a plug-in software module corresponding to an application environment that generated or modified the media, (iii) a program extension corresponding to an application environment which generated or modified the media, (iii) a software module integrated into an application environment by way of a source code library or linkable object code performing substantially similar functions.

A method for protecting electronic media comprising the steps of:

• packaging the electronic media within a secure electronic container by (i) attaching a data identifier to the media, and (ii) attaching data specifying minimum permissions required to use the media;
• registering the container on a server connected for data transfer with at least one data processor;
• transferring auxiliary permissions from the server to the data processor upon acceptance of licensing terms associated with the media;
• and
• affixing use restrictions to the media selectively, the use restrictions forming a digital representation that is readable by the data processor to restrict subsequent access to the media by a second data processor connected on the network.