Digital works having usage rights and method for creating the same

Abstract

Digital work adapted to be distributed within a system for controlling at least one of the distribution and use of digital works. The digital work includes digital content representing a portion of a digital work suitable for being rendered by a rendering device and usage rights associated with the digital content. The usage rights specify a manner of use indicating one or more stated purposes for which the digital work can be at least one of used and distributed by an authorized party.

1 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon information relating to a digital work, the information comprising:
 a content portion adapted to be utilized by a computing device; and   a usage rights portion expressed as data stored in one or more fields according to a predefined format, the usage rights portion corresponding to one or more permitted utilizations of content including at least an expiration date,   wherein the digital work is associated with a description structure, the description structure including:
 one or more description blocks, at least one of the one or more description blocks including address information for the content portion, and 
 a usage rights part for associating the usage rights portion with the content portion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the usage rights part is part of at least one of the one or more description blocks. 
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the usage rights part comprises information corresponding to the usage rights portion. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the usage rights portion is associated with one or more computer readable instructions configured to permit or prohibit a computing device to utilize the content. 
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the usage rights portion is associated with information corresponding to a fee associated with utilization of the content. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the content is at least one of an electronic book, music, audio information, a multimedia presentation, a movie, a computer program, and video information. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the information relating to a digital work further comprises the description structure. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more permitted utilizations includes at least one of a sliding time interval and a fixed time interval. 
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for storing information relating to a digital work on a computer-readable medium, the method comprising:
 storing, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, a usage rights portion expressed with data stored in one or more fields, the usage rights portion corresponding to one or more permitted utilizations of content, thereby updating a description structure, the description structure including:
 a plurality of description blocks, at least one of the description blocks comprising address information for a content portion, and 
 a usage rights part for associating the usage rights portion with the content portion; and 
   storing, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, the content portion, the content portion being adapted to be utilized by a computing device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the usage rights part is part of at least one of the one or more description blocks. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the usage rights part comprises information corresponding to the usage rights portion. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the usage rights portion is associated with one or more computer readable instructions configured to permit or prohibit a computing device to utilize the content. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the usage rights portion is associated with information corresponding to a fee associated with utilization of the content. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the content is at least one of an electronic book, music, audio information, a multimedia presentation, a movie, a computer program, and video information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the information relating to a digital work further comprises the description structure. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more permitted utilizations includes at least one of a sliding time interval and a fixed time interval. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for controlling use of a digital work, the method comprising:
 processing, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, a request for content included in a digital work, the processing being based on information relating to the digital work, the request corresponding to a utilization of the content, the information comprising:
 a content portion adapted to be utilized by a computing device; and 
 a usage rights portion expressed as data stored in one or more fields according to a predefined format, the usage rights portion corresponding to one or more permitted utilizations of the content including at least an expiration date, 
 wherein the digital work is associated with a description structure, the description structure including:
 one or more description blocks, at least one of the one or more description blocks including address information for the content portion, and 
 a usage rights part for associating the usage rights portion with the content portion; and 
 
   granting, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, the request based at least in part on the utilization of the content that corresponds to the request corresponding to at least one of the one or more permitted utilizations of the content.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the usage rights part is part of at least one of the one or more description blocks. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the usage rights part comprises information corresponding to the usage rights portion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the usage rights portion is associated with one or more computer readable instructions configured to permit or prohibit a computing device to utilize the content. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the usage rights portion is associated with information corresponding to a fee associated with utilization of the content. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the information relating to a digital work further comprises the description structure. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the one or more permitted utilizations includes at least one of a sliding time interval and a fixed time interval. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for controlling use of a digital work, the apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more memories operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to:
 process a request for content included in a digital work, the processing being based on information relating to the digital work, the request corresponding to a utilization of the content, the information comprising:
 a content portion adapted to be utilized by a computing device; and 
 a usage rights portion expressed as data stored in one or more fields according to a predefined format, the usage rights portion corresponding to one or more permitted utilizations of the content including at least an expiration date, 
 wherein the digital work is associated with a description structure, the description structure including:
 one or more description blocks, at least one of the one or more description blocks including address information for the content portion, and 
 a usage rights part for associating the usage rights portion with the content portion; and 
 
 
 grant the request based at least in part on the utilization of the content that corresponds to the request corresponding to at least one of the one or more permitted utilizations of the content. 
   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the usage rights part is part of at least one of the one or more description blocks. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the usage rights part comprises information corresponding to the usage rights portion. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the usage rights portion is associated with one or more computer readable instructions configured to permit or prohibit a computing device to utilize the content. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the usage rights portion is associated with information corresponding to a fee associated with utilization of the content. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the information relating to a digital work further comprises the description structure. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein at least one of the one or more permitted utilizations includes at least one of a sliding time interval and a fixed time interval.