Method and apparatus for assigning consequential rights to documents and documents having such rights

Abstract

A rights management system including one or more consequential rights associated with digital content, and specifying a manner of use of the digital content, a right management module that enforces the rights permitting use of the digital content in accordance with the rights upon occurrence of a consequential event. The consequential event is based on another usage right. In one embodiment, the consequential event is the exercise, expiration, or possession of another usage right.

1 - 42 . (canceled)  
   
   
       43 . A rights management system for managing and enforcing rights to digital works comprising: 
 a repository for enforcing rights associated with digital content;    a usage right associated with an item of digital content, the usage right specifying a manner of use of the digital content;    a consequential right associated with the digital content, said consequential right specifying a manner of use of the digital content and a consequential event such that the consequential right is exercisable only after the occurrence of the consequential event; and    a rights management module that enforces the consequential right by permitting use of the digital content in accordance with the specified manner of use only after the occurrence of the consequential event;    wherein said consequential event is at least one of exercise and expiration of the usage right.    
   
   
       44 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the rights management module is part of the repository.  
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the digital content associated with the usage right is the same item of digital content associated with the consequential right.  
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the repository is a portable device.  
   
   
       47 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the manner of use specified by the usage right includes at least one of, editing, approving, modifying, executing, updating, and copying.  
   
   
       48 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the manner of use specified by the usage right is a manner of rendering the digital content.  
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the digital content includes at least one of, books, audio information, music, multimedia presentations, executable code, and video information.  
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the consequential event is the exercise of the usage right.  
   
   
       51 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the consequential event is the expiration of the usage right.  
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the consequential event is based on a plurality of events, at least one of the plurality of events being at least one of exercise and expiration of the usage right.  
   
   
       53 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the consequential event is determined to have occurred upon occurrence of all of the plurality of events.  
   
   
       54 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the consequential event is determined to have occurred upon occurrence of any of the plurality of events.  
   
   
       55 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the consequential event is determined to have occurred upon sequential occurrence of the plurality of events.  
   
   
       56 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the digital content includes an educational course.  
   
   
       57 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the digital content includes an examination.  
   
   
       58 . A method of managing and enforcing rights to use digital works in a system having a repository for enforcing rights associated with content of the digital works, the method comprising the steps of: 
 electronically determining a usage right associated with an item of digital content, the usage right specifying a manner of use of the item of digital content;    electronically determining a consequential right associated with an item of digital content, the consequential right specifying a manner of use of the item of digital content and a consequential event, and the consequential right being exercisable only upon the occurrence of the consequential event; and    enforcing the consequential right to permit use of the item of digital content in accordance with the manner of use only upon the occurrence of the consequential event;    wherein the consequential event is at least one of exercise and expiration of the usage right.    
   
   
       59 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein the item of digital content associated with the usage right is the same item of digital content associated with the consequential right.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the manner of use specified by the usage right includes at least one of viewing, printing, editing, approving, modifying, updating, and copying.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the manner of use specified by the usage right is a manner of rendering the digital content.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the digital content includes at least one of books, audio information, music, multimedia presentations, executable code, and video information.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the condition is the exercise of the usage right.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the consequential event is the expiration of the usage right.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the consequential event is based on a plurality of events.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the consequential event is determined to have occurred upon occurrence of all of the plurality of events.  
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the consequential event is determined to have occurred upon occurrence of any of the plurality of events.  
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the consequential event is determined to have occurred upon sequential occurrence of the plurality of events.  
   
   
       69 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein the digital content includes an educational course.  
   
   
       70 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein the digital content includes an examination.  
   
   
       71 . A computer program product, including computer-readable instructions for managing and enforcing rights to digital works in a system having a repository for enforcing rights associated with content of the digital works, the computer-readable instructions configured to cause a computer processor to perform the steps of: 
 determining a usage right that specifies a manner of use of an item of digital content; and    determining a consequential right associated with an item of digital content, the consequential right specifying a manner of use of the item of digital content and a consequential event that must have occurred to exercise the consequential right;    wherein the consequential event is at least one of exercise and expiration of the usage right to thereby provide sequential access to the item of digital content.    
   
   
       72 . The computer program product of  claim 71 , wherein the item of digital content associated with the usage right is the same item of digital content associated with the consequential right.  
   
   
       73 . The computer program product of  claim 71 , wherein the repository is a portable device.  
   
   
       74 . The computer program product of  claim 71 , wherein the manner of use includes at least one of editing, approving, modifying, updating and copying.  
   
   
       75 . The computer program product of  claim 71 , wherein the manner of use is a manner of rendering.  
   
   
       76 . The computer program product of  claim 71 , wherein the digital work includes at least one of books, music, audio information, multimedia presentations, executable code, and video information.  
   
   
       77 . The computer program product of  claim 71 , wherein the consequential event is the exercise of the usage right.  
   
   
       78 . The computer program product of  claim 71 , wherein the consequential event is the expiration of the usage right.  
   
   
       79 . The computer program product of  claim 71 , wherein the consequential event is based on a plurality of events.  
   
   
       80 . The computer program product of  claim 79 , wherein the consequential event is determined to have occurred upon occurrence of all of the plurality of events.  
   
   
       81 . The computer program product of  claim 79 , wherein the consequential event is determined to have occurred upon occurrence of any of the plurality of events.  
   
   
       82 . The computer program product of  claim 79 , wherein the consequential event is determined to have occurred upon sequential occurrence of the plurality of events.  
   
   
       83 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein the digital content includes an educational course.  
   
   
       84 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein the digital content includes an examination.