Digital works having usage rights and methodfor 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:
 receive 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; 
 associate a next set of usage rights with the content based at least in part on a determination that the utilization corresponds to at least one of the one or more usage rights associated with the content, the next set of usage rights corresponding to at least one of the one or more usage rights associated with the content; and 
 enable the transmission of the content for utilization in accordance with the next set of usage rights. 
   
     
     
         2 . 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 the establishment of a trusted session with one or more computing devices corresponding to the request. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more usage rights corresponding to the next set of rights is subject to at least one of a sliding time interval, a fixed time interval, and an expiration date. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are stored separate from the content. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is implemented as a single computing device. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the utilization corresponding to the request and the utilization in accordance with the next set of usage rights is rendering of the content. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the utilization corresponding to the request and the utilization in accordance with the next set of usage rights is distribution of the content. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the utilization corresponding to the request and the utilization in accordance with the next set of usage rights is at least one of viewing, playing, printing, modifying, and copying the content. 
     
     
         9 . 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. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more computing devices corresponding to the request are associated with at least one of a printer, a video system, and an audio system that utilizes the content. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for controlling utilization of content, the method comprising:
 receiving, 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;   associating, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, a next set of usage rights with the content based at least in part on a determination that the utilization corresponds to at least one of the one or more usage rights associated with the content, the next set of usage rights corresponding to at least one of the one or more usage rights associated with the content; and   transmitting, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, the content for utilization in accordance with the next set of usage rights   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising enabling the establishment of a trusted session with one or more computing devices corresponding to the request. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the one or more usage rights corresponding to the next set of rights is subject to at least one of a sliding time interval, a fixed time interval, and an expiration date. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the determining is performed based on instructions that are stored separate from the content. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method is executed by a single computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the utilization corresponding to the request and the utilization in accordance with the next set of usage rights is rendering of the content. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the utilization corresponding to the request and the utilization in accordance with the next set of usage rights is distribution of the content. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the utilization corresponding to the request and the utilization in accordance with the next set of usage rights is at least one of viewing, playing, printing, modifying, and copying the content. 
     
     
         19 . 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. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein one or more computing devices corresponding to the request are associated with at least one of a printer, a video system, and an audio system that utilizes the content. 
     
     
         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:
 receive 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;   associate a next set of usage rights with the content based at least in part on a determination that the utilization corresponds to at least one of the one or more usage rights associated with the content, the next set of usage rights corresponding to at least one of the one or more usage rights associated with the content; and   transmit the content for utilization in accordance with the next set of usage rights.   
     
     
         22 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , further 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 establishment of a trusted session with one or more computing devices corresponding to the request. 
     
     
         23 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the one or more usage rights corresponding to the next set of rights is subject to at least one of a sliding time interval, a fixed time interval, and an expiration date. 
     
     
         24 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions are stored separate from the content. 
     
     
         25 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions are executed by a single computing device. 
     
     
         26 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the utilization corresponding to the request and the utilization in accordance with the next set of usage rights is rendering of the content. 
     
     
         27 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the utilization corresponding to the request and the utilization in accordance with the next set of usage rights is distribution of the content. 
     
     
         28 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the utilization corresponding to the request and the utilization in accordance with the next set of usage rights is at least one of viewing, playing, printing, modifying, and copying the content. 
     
     
         29 . 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. 
     
     
         30 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein one or more computing devices corresponding to the request are associated with at least one of a printer, a video system, and an audio system that utilizes the content.