Method and apparatus for establishing usage rights for digital content to be created in the future

Abstract

A method for creating a digital work having content and usage rights related to the content, the digital work being adapted to be used within a system having repositories for controlling use of content, the method including issuing a license to a consumer, the license permitting the consumer to access the content of the digital work to be created in the future. The issuing step further includes determining the usage rights that can be included in the license, the usage rights specifying a type of use of the content that is enforceable by a repository; electronically generating a license based on the usage rights; and creating the digital work as the content is being created or after the content is created, wherein the step of creating the digital work includes securing the content before the digital work is distributed to the consumer.

1 . A method for creating a digital work having content and usage rights related to the content, the digital work being adapted to be used within a system having repositories for controlling use of content, the method comprising:
 issuing a license to a consumer, the license permitting the consumer to access the content of the digital work to be created in the future, wherein the issuing step further includes:   determining the usage rights that can be included in the license, the usage rights specifying a type of use of the content that is enforceable by a repository;   electronically generating a license based on the usage rights; and   creating the digital work as the content is being created or after the content is created, wherein the step of creating the digital work includes securing the content before the digital work is distributed to the consumer.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said securing step comprises encrypting and storing the content. 
   
   
       3 . A method for creating a digital work having content and usage rights related to the content, the digital work being adapted to be used within a system having repositories for controlling use of content, the method comprising:
 issuing a license to a consumer, the license including a key that entitles the consumer to access the content of the digital work to be distributed in the future, wherein the issuing step further includes:   determining the usage rights that can be included in the license; the usage rights specifying a type of use of the content that is enforceable by a repository;   electronically generating a license based on the usage rights before the digital work is distributed; and   distributing the digital work to the consumer, wherein the digital work includes an encrypted content.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising granting access to the content in accordance with the usage rights. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said usage rights specify a user's right to at least one of alter, edit, copy, print, or view the content. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said content creates at least one of a written, aural, graphical, audio, pictorial or video based element. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said license includes a key for decrypting the encrypted content. 
   
   
       8 . A method for creating a digital work having content and usage rights related to the content, the digital work being adapted to be used within a system having repositories for controlling use of content, the method comprising:
 issuing an authorized token to a consumer, the authorization token entitling the consumer to exchange for a license to access the content of the digital work to be created in the future;   electronically generating a license based on the authorization token, the license includes a key that entitles the consumer to access the content of the digital work, wherein the license generating step further includes:   determining the usage rights that can be included in the license, the usage rights specifying a type of use of the content that is enforceable by a repository; and   exchanging the authorized token for the said license to access the content of the digital work, wherein the digital work includes an encrypted content and is created after the authorization token is issued to the consumer.   
   
   
       9 . A method for creating a digital work having content and usage rights related to the content, the digital work being adapted to be used within a system having repositories for controlling use of content, the method comprising:
 issuing an authorized token to a consumer, the authorization token entitling the consumer to exchange for a license to access the content of the digital work to be created in the future;   electronically exchanging the authorized token for a license to access the content of the digital work wherein the digital work includes encrypted content and is created after the authorization token is issued to the consumer, said exchanging step further includes:   determining the usage rights that can be included in the license, the usage rights specifying a type of use of the content that is enforceable by a repository;   generating a license based on the authorization token, the license includes a key that entitles the consumer to access the content of the digital work.