Digital rights management of content when content is a future live event

Abstract

A system for managing use of digital content within a trusted community. An access list defines the trusted community. License requests for use of content made from outside the trusted community are handled in accordance with a license request policy process.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for managing use of content, the method comprising:
 creating, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, an access list defining a trusted community of content users subscribed to a content service;   associating, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, content with the content service;   specifying, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, a license request process to handle a license request made by a user that is not subscribed to the content service;   receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, a license request from a user device;   determining, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, based on the access list if the user is currently subscribed to the content service; and   issuing, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, a subscription license to the user if the user is currently subscribed to the content service and, if the user is not currently subscribed to the content service, executing the license request process to issue a usage license to the user for use of the requested content.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus for managing use 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:
 create an access list defining a trusted community of content users subscribed to a content service; 
 associate content with the content service; 
 specify a license request process to handle a license request made by a user that is not subscribed to the content service; 
 receive a license request from a user device; 
 determine based on the access list if the user is currently subscribed to the content service; and 
 issue a subscription license to the user if the user is currently subscribed to the content service and, if the user is not currently subscribed to the content service, executing the license request process to issue a usage license to the user for use of the requested content. 
   
     
     
         3 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by at least one of one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to:
 create an access list defining a trusted community of content users subscribed to a content service;   associate content with the content service;   specify a license request process to handle a license request made by a user that is not subscribed to the content service;   receive a license request from a user device;   determine based on the access list if the user is currently subscribed to the content service; and   issue a subscription license to the user if the user is currently subscribed to the content service and, if the user is not currently subscribed to the content service, executing the license request process to issue a usage license to the user for use of the requested content.