Networked services licensing system and method

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for controlling consumption of a distributed network service in accordance with rights expression information associated with the distributed network service and specifying a manner of use of the distributed network service, including determining the rights expression information associated with the distributed network service, the rights expression information indicating a manner of use of the distributed network service; and controlling consumption of the distributed network service based on the rights expression information.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for controlling consumption of a distributed network service in accordance with rights expression information associated with said distributed network service and specifying a manner of use of said distributed network service, said method comprising: 
 determining said rights expression information associated with said distributed network service, said rights expression information indicating a manner of use of said distributed network service; and    controlling consumption of said distributed network service based on said rights expression information.    
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 transmitting said rights expression information from a client to a provider of said distributed network service.    
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 receiving said rights expression information at said client from a rights expression information issuing service.    
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 receiving a right to issue said rights expression information at said rights expression information issuing service from a business network associated with said rights expression information issuing service.    
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 interpreting said rights expression information transmitted from said client to said provider at a rights expression information interpretation service to determine if said provider has allowed access to said distributed network service.    
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 interpreting said rights expression information transmitted from said client to said provider based on state data associated with said rights expression information and received from a state tracking service.    
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 receiving at least a portion of said state data at said state tracking service from said provider.    
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 configuring said rights expression information issuing service, said rights expression information interpretation service, and said state tracking service as a middle layer provided between a trust authority service and said service provider and said client, wherein said trust authority service manages trust relationships between said rights expression information issuing service, said rights expression information interpretation service, and said state tracking service.    
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 configuring said rights expression information issuing service, said rights expression information interpretation service, and said state tracking service as specialized services provided by a specialized service provider provided between a trust authority service and said service provider and said client, wherein said trust authority service manages trust relationships between said rights expression information issuing service, said rights expression information interpretation service, and said state tracking service.    
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said trust authority service attests to information included in a trust certificate associated with said rights expression information.  
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 expressing said rights expression information using a rights expression language.    
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said rights expression language includes a grammar-based rights expression language.  
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said grammar-based rights expression language includes eXtensible rights Markup Language (XrML).  
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said step of controlling access, comprises: 
 authorizing access to said distributed network service based on said rights expression information.    
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 specifying in said rights expression information identification information for said distributed network service.    
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 specifying in said rights expression information identification information for a service that is associated with said distributed network service.    
     
     
         17 . A computer system for controlling consumption of a distributed network service in accordance with rights expression information associated with said distributed network service and specifying a manner of use of said distributed network service, said system comprising: 
 a distributed network services provider configured to provide said distributed network service;    a client of said provider configured to consume said distributed network service;    a license issuing server configured to determine said rights expression information associated with said distributed network service, said rights expression information indicating a manner of use of said distributed network service; and    a license interpretation server configured to control consumption of said distributed network service based on said rights expression information.    
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for controlling consumption of a distributed network service in accordance with rights expression information associated with said distributed network service and specifying a manner of use of said distributed network service, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the following steps: 
 determining said rights expression information associated with said distributed network service, said rights expression information indicating a manner of use of said distributed network service; and    controlling consumption of said distributed network service based on said rights expression information.    
     
     
         19 . A system for controlling consumption of a distributed network service in accordance with rights expression information associated with said distributed network service and specifying a manner of use of said distributed network service, said system comprising: 
 means for determining said rights expression information associated with said distributed network service, said rights expression information indicating a manner of use of said distributed network service; and    means for controlling consumption of said distributed network service based on said rights expression information.