System and method for supplying and managing usage rights of users and suppliers of items

• US 20040039704A1
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, Xin, Tadayon, Bijan, Valenzuela, Edgardo, Lao, Guillermo, Gilliam, Charles P., Romero-Lobo, Jose
• Application Number:
  US10/452,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20040039704A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213

Abstract

A system and method for enforcing rights specifying manners of use of an item, include 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.

Claims

1. A method for enforcing rights specifying manners of use of an item, said method comprising:

specifying by a recipient of an item a first rights expression indicating at least on of a desired manner of use of said item by said recipient and a condition of use of said item by said recipient;

associating said rights expression with said item; and

supplying said item to said recipient based on satisfaction of at least one of said desired manner of use of said item by said recipient and said condition of use of said item by said recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a plurality of the first rights expressions having respective desired manners of use with said item at at least at one of respective client repositories for said item and respective server repositories for said item.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

resolving conflicts between the plural rights expressions based on a rule.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said rule specifies that said conflicts are resolved in manner most favorable to said recipient.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said rule specifies that said conflicts are resolved in manner most favorable to a provider of said item.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said rule specifies that said conflicts are resolved in manner specified by said system.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the plural rights expressions include respective conditions for accessing said item.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a most restrictive manner of use of the plural rights expressions,

wherein said rule specifies that said conflicts are resolved in manner consistent with said most restrictive manner of use unless a condition of said respective conditions for accessing said item is met.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a least restrictive manner of use of the plural usage rights,

wherein said rule specifies that said conflicts are resolved in manner consistent with said least restrictive manner of use unless a condition of said respective conditions for accessing said item is not met.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing work on said item; and

specifying a rights expression indicating a desired manner of use of said work; and

associating said rights expression indicating said desired manner of use of said work with said work.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said desired manner of use comprises a usage right.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said desired manner of use includes a prohibited manner of use of said item.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said desired manner of use includes a permitted manner of use of said item.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating said first rights expression with said item at at least at one of a client repository for said item and a server repository for said item.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

specifying by said potential recipient of said item in said first rights expression a desired provider of said item to said recipient;

specifying by said provider of said item a second rights expression indicating a condition for use of said item by said recipient; and

supplying by said provider said item to said recipient based on satisfaction of said condition for use of said item by said recipient.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said desired provider of said item includes plural providers of said item.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said desired provider of said item includes any provider of said item.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said use of said item includes access to said item.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said recipient includes at least one of a user of said item, a distributor of said item and a consumer of said item.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said item includes at least one of digital content, digital goods, digital services, non-digital content, non-digital goods and non-digital services.

21. A computer system comprising one or more memories and one or more processors and configured to perform the method of claim 1.

22. A computer-readable medium bearing instructions arranged to cause one or more processors to perform the method of claim 1.

23. A system for enforcing rights specifying manners of use of an item, said system comprising:

means for specifying by a recipient of an item a first rights expression indicating at least on of a desired manner of use of said item by said recipient and a condition of use of said item by said recipient;

means for associating said rights expression with said item; and

means for supplying said item to said recipient based on satisfaction of at least one of said desired manner of use of said item by said recipient and said condition of use of said item by said recipient.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said means for specifying, said means for associating and said means for supplying comprise devices of a computer system.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said means for specifying, said means for associating and said means for supplying comprise computer readable instructions recorded on a computer readable medium.