Digital rights framework

• US 6,959,289 B1
• Filed: 05/10/2000
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: James, Arthur, Brent, Michelle, Corless, Peter P., Khera, Sanjay, Park, Soyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Winter, John
• Application Number:
  US09/569,095
• Time in Patent Office: 1,994 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 705/1, 709/229, 709/232, 709/250, 713/168, 713/201
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]

Abstract

A method and system thereof for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property (e.g., a “digital rights framework”). The intellectual property is modeled and offered for different types of distribution (e.g., for sale, rent, etc.). In response to a request for access to and use of the intellectual property, the legal rights and limitations associated with the type of distribution requested are provided. For example, a hypertext reference can be used to invoke the legal rights and limitations associated with the type of distribution. An agreement to these legal rights and limitations is reached and executed, and stored for subsequent reference and use. The digital rights framework provides a method and system for processing information encoded in a standardized and extensible format (e.g., Extensible Markup Language, XML) for modeling and representing the legal rights, limitations and responsibilities for intellectual properties distributed, for example, over the World Wide Web using Internet Protocol.

Claims

1. In a computer system network, a computer-implemented method for establishing legal rights and limitations for using electronically distributed intellectual property, said method comprising:

storing a model of said intellectual property in a memory unit of a computer system, wherein said intellectual property is assigned a unique digital identifier comprising a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that points to an instantiation of said intellectual property;

enabling executable links between said digital identifier and other URIs that point to intellectual property elements that describe characteristics of said intellectual property, said executable links pointing to said intellectual property elements and automatically accessing said intellectual property elements when executed, said intellectual property elements comprising at least one of a digital feature element that describes features of said intellectual property, a digital rights element that describes legal rights and limitations associated with said intellectual property and a digital license element that provides a license for said intellectual property;

offering said intellectual property for distribution;

receiving a request for access to and use of said intellectual property;

in response to said request, providing an electronic version of said legal rights and limitations according to descriptions in said intellectual property elements;

receiving agreement to said legal rights and limitations; and

storing said agreement in a memory unit of a computer system.

2. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations for using electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 1 wherein said storing said model further comprises:

storing information identifying an individual or party with a legal interest in said intellectual property; and

establishing relationships between said intellectual property, said legal rights and limitations and said individual or party.

3. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations for using electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 1 wherein said offering further comprises:

specifying legal rights and limitations associated with said distribution according to said descriptions in said intellectual property elements.

4. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations for using electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 1 wherein said receiving said request further comprises:

receiving in said request a selection of a type of distribution to be made.

5. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations for using electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 1 wherein said providing further comprises:

receiving proposed terms and conditions for said distribution;

identifying any deviations between said proposed terms and conditions and a standard for terms and conditions; and

mitigating said deviations and errors.

6. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations for using electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 1 wherein said providing further comprises:

describing entitlements provided by said legal rights and limitations associated with said distribution.

7. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations for using electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

establishing relationships between common elements of a first intellectual property and a second intellectual property; and

creating sets of intellectual properties sharing said common elements.

8. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations for using electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

establishing relationships between common elements of a first distribution of said intellectual property and a second distribution of said intellectual property.

9. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations for using electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 1 wherein said intellectual property is distributed using Internet Protocol.

10. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations for using electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 1 wherein said intellectual property and said legal rights and limitations are modeled using XML (Extensible Markup Language).

11. A computer-implemented method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property, said method comprising:

storing information describing said legal rights and limitations in a memory unit of a computer system, wherein said legal rights and limitations are particular to a type of distribution;

assigning to said intellectual property a unique digital identifier comprising a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that points to an instantiation of said intellectual property;

enabling an executable link between said digital identifier and another URI that points to an intellectual property element that describes said legal rights and limitations;

storing information identifying an individual or party with a legal interest in said intellectual property in a memory unit of a computer system;

establishing relationships between said intellectual property, said legal rights and limitations and said individual or party with another individual or party;

offering said intellectual property for distribution; and

upon acceptance of an offer, reaching an agreement governing distribution of said intellectual property.

12. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 11 wherein said offering further comprises:

specifying legal rights and limitations associated with said distribution according to descriptions in said intellectual property element.

13. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 11 wherein said reaching an agreement further comprises:

receiving proposed terms and conditions for said distribution;

identifying any deviations between said proposed terms and conditions and a standard for terms and conditions; and

mitigating said deviations and errors.

14. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 11 further comprising:

describing entitlements provided by said legal rights and limitations associated with said distribution.

15. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the, use of electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 11 further comprising:

establishing relationships between common elements of a first intellectual property and a second intellectual property; and

creating sets of intellectual properties sharing said common elements.

16. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 11 further comprising:

establishing relationships between common elements of a first distribution of said intellectual property and a second distribution of said intellectual property.

17. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 11 wherein said intellectual property is distributed using Internet Protocol.

18. The method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property as recited in claim 11 wherein said intellectual property and said legal rights and limitations are modeled using XML (Extensible Markup Language).

19. A computer system comprising:

a bus;

a processor coupled to said bus; and

a memory unit coupled to said bus, said memory unit containing instructions that when executed implement a computer-implemented method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property, said method comprising;

storing a model of said intellectual property in said memory unit, wherein said intellectual property is assigned a unique digital identifier comprising a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that points to an instantiation of said intellectual property;

enabling executable links between said digital identifier and other URIs that point to intellectual property elements that describe characteristics of said intellectual property said executable links pointing to said intellectual property elements and automatically accessing said intellectual property elements when executed, said intellectual property elements comprising at least one of a digital feature element that describes features of said intellectual property, a digital rights element that describes legal rights and limitations associated with said intellectual property and a digital license element that provides a license for said intellectual property;

offering said intellectual property for distribution;

receiving a request for access to and use of said intellectual property;

in response to said request, providing an electronic version of said legal rights and limitations according to descriptions in said intellectual property elements;

receiving agreement to said legal rights and limitations; and

storing said agreement in said memory unit.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said processor performs said method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property wherein said storing said model further comprises:

storing information identifying an individual or party with a legal interest in said intellectual property; and

establishing relationships between said intellectual property, said legal rights and limitations and said individual or party.

21. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said processor performs said method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property wherein said offering further comprises:

specifying legal rights and limitations associated with said distribution according to said descriptions in said intellectual property elements.

22. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said processor performs said method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property wherein said receiving said request further comprises:

receiving in said request a selection of a type of distribution to be made.

23. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said processor performs said method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property wherein said providing further comprises:

receiving proposed terms and conditions for said distribution;

identifying any deviations between said proposed terms and conditions and a standard for terms and conditions; and

mitigating said deviations and errors.

24. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said processor performs said method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property wherein said providing further comprises:

describing entitlements provided by said legal rights and limitations associated with said distribution.

25. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said processor performs said method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property further comprising:

establishing relationships between common elements of a first intellectual property and a second intellectual property; and

creating sets of intellectual properties sharing said common elements.

26. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said processor performs said method for establishing legal rights and limitations regarding the use of electronically distributed intellectual property further comprising:

establishing relationships between common elements of a first distribution of said intellectual property and a second distribution of said intellectual property.

27. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said intellectual property is distributed using Internet Protocol.

28. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said intellectual property and said legal rights and limitations are modeled using XML (Extensible Markup Language).

29. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method for controlling intellectual properties, said method comprising:

storing a model of said intellectual property in a memory unit of a computer system, wherein said intellectual property is assigned a unique digital identifier comprising a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that points to an instantiation of said intellectual property;

enabling executable links between said digital identifier and other URIs that point to intellectual property elements that describe characteristics of said intellectual property, said executable links pointing to said intellectual property elements and automatically accessing said intellectual property elements when executed, said intellectual property elements comprising at least one of a digital feature element that describes features of said intellectual property, a digital rights element that describes legal rights and limitations associated with said intellectual property and a digital license element that provides a license for said intellectual property;

offering said intellectual property for distribution;

receiving a request for access to and use of said intellectual property;

in response to said request, providing an electronic version of said legal rights and limitations according to descriptions in said intellectual property elements;

receiving agreement to said legal rights and limitations; and

storing said agreement in a memory unit of a computer system.

30. The computer-usable medium of claim 29 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform said method comprising:

storing information identifying an individual or party with a legal interest in said intellectual property; and

establishing relationships between said intellectual property, said legal rights and limitations and said individual or party.

31. The computer-usable medium of claim 29 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform said method comprising the step of:

specifying legal rights and limitations associated with said distribution according to said descriptions in said intellectual property elements.

32. The computer-usable medium of claim 29 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform said method comprising:

receiving in said request a selection of a type of distribution to be made.

33. The computer-usable medium of claim 29 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform said method comprising:

receiving proposed terms and conditions for said distribution;

identifying any deviations between said proposed terms and conditions and a standard for terms and conditions; and

mitigating said deviations and errors.

34. The computer-usable medium of claim 29 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform said method comprising:

describing entitlements provided by said legal rights and limitations associated with said distribution.

35. The computer-usable medium of claim 29 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform said method comprising:

establishing relationships between common elements of a first intellectual property and a second intellectual property; and

creating sets of intellectual properties sharing said common elements.

36. The computer-usable medium of claim 29 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform said method comprising:

establishing relationships between common elements of a first distribution of said intellectual property and a second distribution of said intellectual property.