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 utilizing 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:
 generate a request for content, the request corresponding to a utilization of the content; 
 determine whether the utilization corresponds to at least one of one or more usage rights associated with the content; 
 enable the receipt of the content in response to the request; and 
 enable the utilization of the content in accordance with the at least one of the one or more usage rights that are determined to correspond to the utilization. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the content is received from a computing device external to the apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are stored separate from the content. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is implemented as a single computing device. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the utilization is rendering the content. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the utilization is distribution of the content. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the utilization is at least one of viewing, playing, printing, modifying, and copying. 
     
     
         8 . 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. 
     
     
         9 . 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. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for utilizing content, the method comprising:
 generating, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, a request for content, the request corresponding to a utilization of the content;   determining, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, whether the utilization corresponds to at least one of one or more usage rights associated with the content;   receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, the content in response to the request; and   utilizing, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, the content in accordance with the at least one of the one or more usage rights that are determined to correspond to the utilization.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the content is received from a computing device external to the one or more computing devices executing the method. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the determining is performed based on instructions that are stored separate from the content. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the method is executed by a single computing device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the utilization is rendering the content. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the utilization is distribution of the content. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the utilization is at least one of viewing, playing, printing, modifying, and copying. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , 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 10 , 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 . 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:
 generate a request for content, the request corresponding to a utilization of the content;   determine whether the utilization corresponds to at least one of one or more usage rights associated with the content;   receive the content in response to the request; and   utilize the content in accordance with the at least one of the one or more usage rights that are determined to correspond to the utilization.   
     
     
         20 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the content is received from a computing device external to the one or more computing devices executing the instructions. 
     
     
         21 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions are stored separate from the content. 
     
     
         22 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions are executed by a single computing device. 
     
     
         23 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the utilization is rendering the content. 
     
     
         24 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the utilization is distribution of the content. 
     
     
         25 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the utilization is at least one of viewing, playing, printing, modifying, and copying. 
     
     
         26 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , 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. 
     
     
         27 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , 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.