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 . An apparatus for controlling utilization of content, 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:
 enable the receipt of an authorization object, wherein the authorization object is required to enable utilization of content; 
 receive a request to utilize content, the requested content being associated with a usage right; 
 determine whether the request corresponds to the usage right; and 
 process the request to make the requested content available for utilization in accordance with the usage right based at least in part on determining that the request corresponds to the usage right. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are stored separate from the requested content. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is implemented as a single computing device. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein utilization is rendering the content. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein utilization is distribution of the content. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein utilization includes at least one of viewing, playing, printing, modifying, and copying. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus 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. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more processors is associated with at least one of a printer, a video system, and an audio system that utilizes the content. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more memories has further 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 enable storing of the content. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more memories has further 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 enable transmission of a request for the authorization object and receive the authorization object. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for controlling utilization of content, the method comprising:
 enabling, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, the receipt of an authorization object, wherein the authorization object is required to enable utilization of content;   receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, a request to utilize content, the requested content being associated with a usage right;   determining, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, whether the request corresponds to the usage right; and   processing, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, the request to make the requested content available for utilization in accordance with the usage right based at least in part on determining that the request corresponds to the usage right.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method is executed by a single computing device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the determining is performed based on instructions that are stored separate from the content. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein utilization is rendering the content. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein utilization is distribution of the content. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein utilization includes at least one of viewing, playing, printing, modifying, and copying. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , 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. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the one or more computing devices is associated with at least one of a printer, a video system, and an audio system that utilizes the content. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising storing the content. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising transmitting a request for the authorization object. 
     
     
         21 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to:
 enable the receipt of an authorization object, wherein the authorization object is required to enable utilization of content;   receive a request to utilize content, the requested content being associated with a usage right;   determine whether the request corresponds to the usage right; and   process the request to make the requested content available for utilization in accordance with the usage right based at least in part on determining that the request corresponds to the usage right.   
     
     
         22 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions are stored separate from the content. 
     
     
         23 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions are executed by a single computing device. 
     
     
         24 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein utilization is rendering the content. 
     
     
         25 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein utilization is distribution of the content. 
     
     
         26 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein utilization includes at least one of viewing, playing, printing, modifying, and copying. 
     
     
         27 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , 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. 
     
     
         28 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the one or more computing devices is associated with at least one of a printer, a video system, and an audio system that utilizes the content. 
     
     
         29 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , further storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to store the content. 
     
     
         30 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , further storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to transmit a request for the authorization object.