Systems and methods for matching, selecting, narrowcasting, and/or classifying based on rights management and/or other information

• US 6,112,181 A
• Filed: 11/06/1997
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation (Fidelio Acquisition Co LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation (Fidelio Acquisition Co LLC)
• Inventors: Weber, Robert P., Shear, Victor H., Van Wie, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dixon, Thomas A
• Application Number:
  US08/965,185
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/10, 705/14, 705/40, 705/400, 707/9, 707/10, 380/4
• US Class Current: 705/7.29
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2145 Inheriting rights or properties, e.g., propagation of permissions or restrictions within a hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 2001/085 Partner search devices

Abstract

Rights management information is used at least in part in a matching, narrowcasting, classifying and/or selecting process. A matching and classification utility system comprising a kind of Commerce Utility System is used to perform the matching, narrowcasting, classifying and/or selecting. The matching and classification utility system may match, narrowcast, classify and/or select people and/or things, non-limiting examples of which include software objects. The Matching and Classification Utility system may use any pre-existing classification schemes, including at least some rights management information and/or other qualitative and/or parameter data indicating and/or defining classes, classification systems, class hierarchies, category schemes, class assignments, category assignments, and/or class membership. The Matching and Classification Utility may also use at least some rights management information together with any artificial intelligence, expert system, statistical, computational, manual, or any other means to define new classes, class hierarchies, classification systems, category schemes, and/or assign persons, things, and/or groups of persons and/or things to at least one class.

Claims

1. A method for narrowcasting selected digital information involving a plurality of first appliances and a second appliance, the plurality of first appliances each being located remotely from the second appliance, the second appliance and at least one of the first appliances including a secure node used to process rights management information, including:

(a) at the second appliance, securely receiving from plural of the first appliances user rights management information associated with plural users and processing the received user rights management information in the second appliance'"'"'s secure node;

(b) using the received user rights management information in a process of creating a user class hierarchy;

(c) assigning a user to a user class defined by the user class hierarchy, the assignment based at least in part on the received user rights management information;

(d) associating digital rights management information with digital information;

(e) defining a digital information class hierarchy at least in part based on the digital rights management information;

(f) assigning the digital information to a digital information class defined by the digital information class hierarchy, the assignment based at least in part on the digital rights management information;

(g) matching the digital information class with the user class, the matching based at least in part on rights management information;

(h) selecting the digital information;

(i) selecting the user; and

(j) sending the digital information and associated rights management information to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the user rights management information is received in at least one secure container and the step of sending the digital information and associated rights management information to the user further includes storing the digital information and associated rights management information in at least one secure container and sending the at least one secure container to the user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital information and associated rights management information are sent to the user in the same secure container.

4. The method of claim 1 including the further step of at least one user appliance having a secure node receiving the digital information and associated rights management information, and the further step of using said digital information, the use governed by the secure node in accordance with the received associated rights management information.

5. The method of claim 1 including the further step of the secure node processing the secure container and using the received digital information, the use governed by the secure node in accordance with the received associated rights management information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said received user rights management information includes payment rules and controls information.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said received user rights management information includes usage audit information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said received user rights management information includes membership card information.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said received user rights management information includes digital certificate information.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the digital information is at least in part transaction information.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the digital information is at least in part event information.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the digital information is at least in part hard goods purchase information.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the digital information is at least in part entertainment information.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said entertainment information is at least in part music information.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the digital information is at least in part executable software.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said associated rights management information includes audit record information.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said associated rights management information at least in part governs saving the digital information outside the secure environment.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said associated rights management information at least in part governs modification of the digital information.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said associated rights management information at least in part governs creation of an excerpt of the digital information.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said associated rights management information at least in part governs reformatting the digital information.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said associated rights management information at least in part governs using the digital information in the creation of at least one derivative work that incorporates at least a part of the digital information.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the associated rights management information includes at least some rules and controls governing use of the digital information in at least one specified sovereignty.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the associated rights management information at least in part governs at least one value chain right.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the associated rights management information at least in part governs at least one right in a chain of handling and control.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the associated rights management information at least in part uses digital certificate information.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the associated rights management information at least in part uses membership card information.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the associated rights management information at least in part uses user attribute information.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the associated rights management information at least in part governs usage audit record creation.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the associated rights management information at least in part governs payment record creation.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending to the user step the associated rights management information specifies at least one clearinghouse acceptable to rightsholders.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a financial clearinghouse.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a usage clearinghouse.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a rights and permissions clearinghouse.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a secure directory service.

35. The method of claim 30 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a transaction authority clearinghouse.

36. The method of claim 30 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a certificate authority clearinghouse.

37. The method of claim 1 wherein the user or digital information class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical technique identifying at least one cluster of instances sharing similar profiles or features.

38. The method of claim 1 wherein the user or digital information class hierarchy is determined at least in part using numerical taxonomy techniques.

39. The method of claim 1 wherein the user or digital information class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one of cluster analysis, factor analysis, components analysis, and other similar data reduction or classification techniques.

40. The method of claim 1 wherein the user or digital information class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one pattern classification technique, including components analysis and neural approaches.

41. The method of claim 1 wherein the user or digital information class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical technique that identifies at least one underlying dimension of qualities, traits, features, and characteristics, and assigning parameter data indicating the extent to which a given instance has, possesses, or may be characterized by the underlying dimension, factor, class, or result in the definition of at least one class or the assignment of at least one instance to at least one class.

42. The method of claim 1 wherein the user or digital information class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical method employing fuzzy logic and fuzzy measurement or whose assignment to at least one class entails probabilities different from 1 or zero.

43. The method of claim 1 wherein the user or digital information class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one Baysian statistical classification techniques that uses an estimate of prior probabilities in determining class definitions or the assignment of at least one instance to at least one class.

44. The method of claim 1 wherein the user or digital information class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical or graphical classification or data reduction method that uses rotation of reference axes, regardless of whether orthogonal or oblique rotations are used.

45. The method of claim 1 wherein the user or digital information class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical method for two and three way multidimensional scaling.

46. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one first appliance is a personal computer.

47. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one first appliance is a consumer electronics appliance.

48. A method for narrowcasting selected digital information to specified recipients, including:

(a) at a receiving appliance, receiving selected digital information from a sending appliance remote from the receiving appliance, the receiving appliance having a secure node and being associated with a specified recipient;

(i) the digital information having been selected at least in part based on the digital information'"'"'s membership in a first class, wherein the first class membership was determined at least in part using rights management information; and

(ii) the specified recipient having been selected at least in part based on membership in a second class, wherein the second class membership was determined at least in part on the basis of information derived from the specified recipient'"'"'s creation, use of, or interaction with rights management information; and

(b) the specified recipient using the receiving appliance to access the received selected digital information in accordance with rules and controls, associated with the selected digital information, the rules and controls being enforced by the receiving appliance secure node.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes payment rules and controls information.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes audit record information.

51. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that governs saving the associated digital information outside a protected environment.

52. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that governs modifying the associated digital information.

53. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that governs creating an excerpt of the associated digital information.

54. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that governs using the associated digital information in the creation of at least one derivative work that incorporates at least part of the digital information.

55. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes usage audit information.

56. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes membership card information.

57. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes digital certificate information.

58. The method of claim 48 wherein said received selected digital information is at least in part transaction information.

59. The method of claim 48 wherein said received selected digital information is at least in part event information.

60. The method of claim 48 wherein said received selected digital information is at least in part hard goods purchase information.

61. The method of claim 48 wherein said received selected digital information is at least in part entertainment information.

62. The method of claim 61 wherein said entertainment information is at least in part music information.

63. The method of claim 48 wherein said received selected digital information is at least in part executable software.

64. The method of claim 48 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern use in at least one specified sovereignty.

65. The method of claim 48 wherein said rules and controls include at least one value chain rule and control.

66. The method of claim 48 wherein said rules and controls include governing at least one right in a chain of handling and control.

67. The method of claim 48 wherein said rules and controls at least in part use digital certificate information.

68. The method of claim 48 wherein said rules and controls at least in part use membership card information.

69. The method of claim 48 wherein said rules and controls at least in part use user attribute information.

70. The method of claim 48 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern usage audit record creation.

71. The method of claim 48 wherein said rules and controls that at least in part govern payment record creation.

72. The method of claim 48 wherein said rules and controls in part specifying at least one clearinghouse acceptable to rightsholders.

73. The method of claim 72 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a financial clearinghouse.

74. The method of claim 72 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a usage clearinghouse.

75. The method of claim 72 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a rights and permissions clearinghouse.

76. The method of claim 72 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a secure directory service.

77. The method of claim 72 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a transaction authority clearinghouse.

78. The method of claim 72 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a VDE administration clearinghouse.

79. The method of claim 72 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a certificate authority clearinghouse.

80. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one statistical technique identifying at least one cluster of instances sharing similar profiles or features.

81. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using numerical taxonomy techniques.

82. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one of cluster analysis, factor analysis, components analysis, and other similar data reduction or classification techniques.

83. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one pattern classification technique, including components analysis and neural approaches.

84. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one statistical technique that identifies at least one underlying dimension of qualities, traits, features, or characteristics, and assigning parameter data indicating the extent to which a given instance has, possesses, or may be characterized by the underlying dimension, factor, class, or result in the definition of at least one class or the assignment of at least one instance to at least one class.

85. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one statistical method employing fuzzy logic or fuzzy measurement or whose assignment to at least one class entails probabilities different from 100 or zero.

86. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one Baysian statistical classification techniques that uses an estimate of prior probabilities in determining class definitions or the assignment of at least one instance to at least one class.

87. The method of claim 48 wherein is determined at least in part using at least one statistical or graphical classification or data reduction method that uses rotation of reference axes, regardless of whether orthogonal or oblique rotations are used.

88. The method of claim 48 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one statistical method for two and three way multidimensional scaling.

89. The method of claim 48 wherein said receiving appliance is a personal computer.

90. The method of claim 48 wherein said receiving appliance is a consumer electronics appliance.

91. A method for securely narrowcasting selected digital information to specified recipients including:

(a) receiving selected digital information in a secure container at a receiving appliance remote from a sending appliance, the receiving appliance having a secure node, the receiving appliance being associated with a receiving entity;

(i) the digital information having been selected at least in part based on the digital information'"'"'s membership in a first class,

(ii) the first class membership having been determined at least in part using rights management information;

(b) the receiving entity having been selected at least in part based on said receiving entity'"'"'s membership in a second class,

(i) the second class membership having been determined at least in part on the basis of information derived from the recipient entity'"'"'s creation, use of, or interaction with rights management information;

(c) receiving at the receiving appliance rules and controls in a secure container,

(i) the rules and controls having been associated with the selected digital information; and

(d) using at the receiving appliance the selected digital information in accordance with the rules and controls,

(i) the rules and controls being enforced by the receiving appliance secure node.

92. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes payment rules and controls information.

93. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes audit record information.

94. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using that includes controls for saving associated digital information outside the secure environment.

95. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes controls for modifying the associated digital information.

96. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes controls for creating an excerpt of the associated digital information.

97. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes controls for using the associated digital information in the creation of at least one derivative work that incorporates at least part of the associated digital information.

98. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes usage audit information.

99. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes membership card information.

100. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using rights management information that includes digital certificate information.

101. The method of claim 91 wherein said received selected digital information includes transaction information.

102. The method of claim 91 wherein said received selected digital information includes event information.

103. The method of claim 91 wherein said received selected digital information includes hard goods purchase information.

104. The method of claim 91 wherein said received selected digital information includes entertainment information.

105. The method of claim 91 wherein said received selected digital information includes executable software.

106. The method of claim 91 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern use in at least one specified sovereignty.

107. The method of claim 91 wherein said rules and controls govern at least one value chain right.

108. The method of claim 91 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern at least one right in a chain of handling and control.

109. The method of claim 91 wherein said rules and controls at least in part use digital certificate information.

110. The method of claim 91 wherein said rules and controls at least in part use membership card information.

111. The method of claim 91 wherein said rules and controls at least in part use user attribute information.

112. The method of claim 91 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern usage audit record creation.

113. The method of claim 91 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern payment record creation.

114. The method of claim 91 wherein said rules and controls specify at least one clearinghouse acceptable to rightsholders.

115. The method of claim 114 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a financial clearinghouse.

116. The method of claim 114 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a usage clearinghouse.

117. The method of claim 114 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a rights and permissions clearinghouse.

118. The method of claim 114 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a secure directory service.

119. The method of claim 114 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a transaction authority clearinghouse.

120. The method of claim 114 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a VDE administration clearinghouse.

121. The method of claim 114 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a certificate authority clearinghouse.

122. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one statistical technique identifying at least one cluster of instances sharing similar profiles or features.

123. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using numerical taxonomy techniques.

124. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one of cluster analysis, factor analysis, components analysis, and other similar data reduction or classification techniques.

125. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one pattern classification technique, including components analysis and neural approaches.

126. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one statistical technique that identifies at least one underlying dimension of qualities, traits, features, or characteristics, and assigning parameter data indicating the extent to which a given instance has, possesses, or may be characterized by the underlying dimension, factor, class, or result in the definition of at least one class or the assignment of at least one instance to at least one class.

127. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one statistical method employing fuzzy logic or fuzzy measurement or whose assignment to at least one class entails probabilities different from 200 or zero.

128. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one Baysian statistical classification techniques that uses an estimate of prior probabilities in determining class definitions or the assignment of at least one instance to at least one class.

129. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one statistical or graphical classification or data reduction method that uses rotation of reference axes, regardless of whether orthogonal or oblique rotations are used.

130. The method of claim 91 wherein the first or second class membership is determined at least in part using at least one statistical method for two and three way multidimensional scaling.

131. The method of claim 91 wherein said receiving appliance is a personal computer.

132. The method of claim 91 wherein said receiving appliance is a consumer electronics appliance.

133. A method for operating a subject switching system including:

(a) at the subject switch, receiving information identifying a class hierarchy made up of one or more digital information classes from a remote source,

(i) the class hierarchy having been defined at least in part using rights management information associated with digital information,

(ii) the class hierarchy having been used to classify the digital information, classification based at least in part on the rights management information;

(b) the subject switch publishing the class hierarchy to a user located remotely from the subject switch, the user having a user appliance containing a secure node;

(c) the user subscribing to one of the digital information classes;

(d) the user appliance monitoring received messages for digital information in the subscribed digital information class;

(e) the user appliance identifying one such received message;

(f) receiving at the user appliance rights management information associated with the identified digital information; and

(g) using at the user appliance the identified digital information in accordance with the received rights management information, the use governed by the user appliance secure node.

134. The method of claim 133 wherein said using step the identified digital information is at least in part transaction information.

135. The method of claim 133 wherein said using step the identified digital information is at least in part event information.

136. The method of claim 133 wherein said using step the identified digital information is at least in part hard goods purchase information.

137. The method of claim 133 wherein said using step the identified digital information is at least in part entertainment information.

138. The method of claim 133 wherein said using step the identified digital information is at least in part executable software.

139. The method of claim 133 wherein said class hierarchy defining step said rights management information includes audit record information.

140. The method of claim 133 wherein said class hierarchy defining step, said rights management information includes at least some rules and controls information.

141. The method of claim 133 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern saving associated digital information out of the protected environment.

142. The method of claim 133 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern modification of the associated digital information.

143. The method of claim 133 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern creation of an excerpt of the associated digital information.

144. The method of claim 133 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern reformatting the associated digital information.

145. The method of claim 133 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern creation of at least one derivative work that incorporates at least a part of the associated digital information.

146. The method of claim 133 wherein said receiving at the subject switch step includes receiving class hierarchy information in a secure container.

147. The method of claim 133 wherein said monitoring step includes monitoring messages that are received at least in part in a secure container.

148. The method of claim 133 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step include receiving rules and controls in a secure container.

149. The method of claim 133 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step includes receiving identified digital information and associated rules and controls in the same secure container.

150. The method of claim 133 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls governing use in at least one specified sovereignty.

151. The method of claim 133 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls governing at least one value chain right.

152. The method of claim 133 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls governing at least one right in a chain of handling and control.

153. The method of claim 133 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls that use digital certificate information.

154. The method of claim 133 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls that use membership card information.

155. The method of claim 133 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls that use user attribute information.

156. The method of claim 133 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls that govern usage audit record creation.

157. The method of claim 133 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls specifying at least one clearinghouse acceptable to rightsholders.

158. The method of claim 157 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a financial clearinghouse.

159. The method of claim 157 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a usage clearinghouse.

160. The method of claim 157 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a rights and permissions clearinghouse.

161. The method of claim 157 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a secure directory service.

162. The method of claim 157 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a transaction authority clearinghouse.

163. The method of claim 157 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a VDE administration clearinghouse.

164. The method of claim 157 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a certificate authority clearinghouse.

165. The method of claim 133 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical technique identifying at least one cluster of instances sharing similar profiles or features.

166. The method of claim 133 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using numerical taxonomy techniques.

167. The method of claim 133 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one of cluster analysis, factor analysis, components analysis, and other similar data reduction or classification techniques.

168. The method of claim 133 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one of cluster analysis, factor analysis, components analysis, and other similar data reduction or classification techniques.

169. The method of claim 133 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one pattern classification technique, including components analysis and neural approaches.

170. The method of claim 133 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical technique that identifies at least one underlying dimension of qualities, traits, features, or characteristics, and assigning parameter data indicating the extent to which a given instance has, possesses, or may be characterized by the underlying dimension, factor, class, or result in the definition of at least one class or the assignment of at least one instance to at least one class.

171. The method of claim 133 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical method employing fuzzy logic or fuzzy measurement or whose assignment to at least one class entails probabilities different from 1 or zero.

172. The method of claim 133 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one Baysian statistical classification techniques that uses an estimate of prior probabilities in determining class definitions or the assignment of at least one instance to at least one class.

173. The method of claim 133 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical or graphical classification or data reduction method that uses rotation of reference axes, regardless of whether orthogonal or oblique rotations are used.

174. The method of claim 133 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical method for two and three way multidimensional scaling.

175. The method of claim 133 wherein said using step the user appliance is a personal computer.

176. The method of claim 133 wherein said using step the user appliance is a consumer electronics appliance.

177. A method for operating a subject switching system including:

(a) at the subject switch, receiving rights management information associated with digital information from at least one remote source;

(b) creating at the subject switch a class hierarchy made up of one or more digital information classes,

(i) the class hierarchy having been defined at least in part using rights management information associated with digital information,

(ii) the class hierarchy having been used to classify the digital information, classification based at least in part on the rights management information;

(c) the subject switch publishing the class hierarchy to a user located remotely from the subject switch, the user having a user appliance containing a secure node;

(d) the user subscribing to one of the digital information classes;

(e) the user appliance monitoring received messages for digital information in the subscribed digital information class;

(f) the user appliance identifying one such received message;

(g) receiving at the user appliance rights management information associated with the identified digital information; and

(h) using at the user appliance the identified digital information in accordance with the received rights management information, the use governed by the user appliance secure node.

178. The method of claim 177 wherein said using step the identified digital information is at least in part transaction information.

179. The method of claim 177 wherein said using step the identified digital information is at least in part event information.

180. The method of claim 177 wherein said using step the identified digital information is at least in part hard goods purchase information.

181. The method of claim 177 wherein said using step the identified digital information is at least in part entertainment information.

182. The method of claim 177 wherein said using step the identified digital information is at least in part executable software.

183. The method of claim 177 wherein said class hierarchy defining step said rights management information includes audit record information.

184. The method of claim 177 wherein said class hierarchy defining step, said rights management information includes at least some rules and controls.

185. The method of claim 184 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern saving the associated digital information out of the protected environment.

186. The method of claim 184 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern modification of the associated digital information.

187. The method of claim 184 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern creation of an excerpt of the associated digital information.

188. The method of claim 184 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern reformatting the associated digital information.

189. The method of claim 184 wherein said rules and controls at least in part govern creation of at least one derivative work that incorporates at least part of the associated digital information.

190. The method of claim 177 wherein said receiving at the subject switch step includes receiving class hierarchy information in a secure container.

191. The method of claim 177 wherein said monitoring step includes monitoring messages received at least in part in a secure container.

192. The method of claim 177 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step include receiving rules and controls in a secure container.

193. The method of claim 177 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step includes receiving identified digital information and associated rules and controls in the same secure container.

194. The method of claim 177 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls governing use in at least one specified sovereignty.

195. The method of claim 177 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls governing at least one value chain right.

196. The method of claim 177 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls governing at least one right in a chain of handling and control.

197. The method of claim 177 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls that use digital certificate information.

198. The method of claim 177 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls that use membership card information.

199. The method of claim 177 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls that use user attribute information.

200. The method of claim 177 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls that govern usage audit record creation.

201. The method of claim 177 wherein said receiving at the user appliance step said rights management information includes rules and controls specifying at least one clearinghouse acceptable to rightsholders.

202. The method of claim 201 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a financial clearinghouse.

203. The method of claim 201 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a usage clearinghouse.

204. The method of claim 201 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a rights and permissions clearinghouse.

205. The method of claim 201 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a secure directory service.

206. The method of claim 201 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a transaction authority clearinghouse.

207. The method of claim 201 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a VDE administration clearinghouse.

208. The method of claim 201 wherein said at least one acceptable clearinghouse is a certificate authority clearinghouse.

209. The method of claim 177 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical technique identifying at least one cluster of instances sharing similar profiles or features.

210. The method of claim 177 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using numerical taxonomy techniques.

211. The method of claim 177 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one of cluster analysis, factor analysis, components analysis, and other similar data reduction or classification techniques.

212. The method of claim 177 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one of cluster analysis, factor analysis, components analysis, and other similar data reduction or classification techniques.

213. The method of claim 177 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one pattern classification technique, including components analysis and neural approaches.

214. The method of claim 177 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical technique that identifies at least one underlying dimension of qualities, traits, features, or characteristics, and assigning parameter data indicating the extent to which a given instance has, possesses, or may be characterized by the underlying dimension, factor, class, or result in the definition of at least one class or the assignment of at least one instance to at least one class.

215. The method of claim 177 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical method employing fuzzy logic or fuzzy measurement or whose assignment to at least one class entails probabilities different from 1 or zero.

216. The method of claim 177 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one Baysian statistical classification techniques that uses an estimate of prior probabilities in determining class definitions or the assignment of at least one instance to at least one class.

217. The method of claim 177 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical or graphical classification or data reduction method that uses rotation of reference axes, regardless of whether orthogonal or oblique rotations are used.

218. The method of claim 177 wherein said class hierarchy is determined at least in part using at least one statistical method for two and three way multidimensional scaling.

219. The method of claim 177 wherein said using step the user appliance is a personal computer.

220. The method of claim 177 wherein said using step the user appliance is a consumer electronics appliance.