System and method for utilizing content in accordance with usage rights

Abstract

Apparatus, method, and media for utilizing content. An exemplary method comprises storing a description structure comprising one or more usage rights, storing content associated with the one or more usage rights, receiving a request for the content, the request corresponding to a utilization of the content, determining whether the utilization corresponds to at least one of the one or more usage rights, determining whether the computing device is an authorized device, and utilizing the content in accordance with the at least one of the one or more usage rights based at least in part on a determination that the utilization corresponds to the at least one of the one or more usage rights and a determination that the computing device is an authorized device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for utilizing content, the apparatus comprising:
 a single client-side computing device including 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 storage of a description structure comprising one or more usage rights; 
 enable storage of content associated with the one or more usage rights; 
 receive a request for the content, the request corresponding to a utilization of the content; 
 determine whether the utilization corresponds to at least one of the one or more usage rights; 
 determine whether the single client-side computing device is an authorized device; and 
 utilize the content in accordance with the at least one of the one or more usage rights based at least in part on a determination that the utilization corresponds to the at least one of the one or more usage rights and a determination that the single client-side computing device is an authorized device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the description structure and the content are stored as a digital work. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the description structure and the content are stored on a removable storage device. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are stored separate from the content. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the utilization is rendering the content. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the utilization is at least one of distributing, 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 the single client-side computing device 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 a single client-side computing device for utilizing content, the method comprising:
 storing, by the single client-side computing device, a description structure comprising one or more usage rights;   storing, by the single client-side computing device, content associated with the one or more usage rights;   receiving, by the single client-side computing device, a request for the content, the request corresponding to a utilization of the content;   determining, by the single client-side computing device, whether the utilization corresponds to at least one of the one or more usage rights;   determining, by the single client-side computing device, whether the single client-side computing device is an authorized device; and   utilizing, by the single client-side computing device, the content in accordance with the at least one of the one or more usage rights based at least in part on a determination that the utilization corresponds to the at least one of the one or more usage rights and a determination that the single client-side computing device is an authorized device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the description structure and the content are stored as a digital work. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the description structure and the content are stored on a removable storage device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein instructions for executing the method are stored separate from the content. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the utilization is rendering the content. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the utilization is at least one of distributing, viewing, playing, printing, modifying, and copying. 
     
     
         16 . 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. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the single client-side computing device is associated with at least one of a printer, a video system, and an audio system that utilizes the content. 
     
     
         18 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a single client-side computing device, cause the single client-side computing device to:
 store a description structure comprising one or more usage rights;   store content associated with the one or more usage rights;   receive a request for the content, the request corresponding to a utilization of the content;   determine whether the utilization corresponds to at least one of the one or more usage rights;   determine whether the single client-side computing device is an authorized device; and   utilize the content in accordance with the at least one of the one or more usage rights based at least in part on a determination that the utilization corresponds to the at least one of the one or more usage rights and a determination that the single client-side computing device is an authorized device.   
     
     
         19 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the description structure and the content are stored as a digital work. 
     
     
         20 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the description structure and the content are stored on a removable storage device. 
     
     
         21 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions are stored separate from the content. 
     
     
         22 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the utilization is rendering the content. 
     
     
         23 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the utilization is at least one of distributing, viewing, playing, printing, modifying, and copying. 
     
     
         24 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , 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. 
     
     
         25 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the single client-side computing device is associated with at least one of a printer, a video system, and an audio system that utilizes the content. 
     
     
         26 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a single client-side computing device, cause the single client-side computing device to:
 store a description structure comprising one or more usage rights;   store, separate from the instructions, content associated with the one or more usage rights, at least one of the description structure and the content being stored on a removable storage device;   receive a request for the content, the request corresponding to rendering the content;   determine whether the rendering corresponds to at least one of the one or more usage rights;   determine whether the single client-side computing device is an authorized device; and   render the content in accordance with the at least one of the one or more usage rights based at least in part on a determination that the rendering corresponds to the at least one of the one or more usage rights and a determination that the single client-side computing device is an authorized device.   
     
     
         27 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the description structure and the content are stored as a digital work. 
     
     
         28 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 26 , 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. 
     
     
         29 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the single client-side computing device is associated with at least one of a printer, a video system, and an audio system that renders the content.