Method, system, and device for verifying authorized issuance of a rights expression

Abstract

A method, system, and device for verifying authorized issuance of a statement or expression, including determining if a statement or expression is associated with a statement of trusted issuance; determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies; determining if issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized; and verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized, if the statement of trusted issuance applies, and the issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.

1 . A computer-implemented method for verifying authorized issuance of a statement or expression, the method comprising: 
 determining if a statement or expression is associated with a statement of trusted issuance;    determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies;    determining if issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized; and    verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized, if the statement of trusted issuance applies, and the issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies an entity associated therewith, and the step of determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies includes determining if the entity associated with the statement of trusted issuance is a trusted entity.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies a grant associated therewith, and the step of determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies includes determining if the grant associated with the statement of trusted issuance is a trusted grant.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies a chain-ancestor rights expression associated therewith, and the step of determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies includes determining if the issuance of the chain-ancestor rights expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance comprises a rights expression.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance is a part of the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance is issued by a same entity that issued the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance and the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance are signed by a same entity using one signature.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining if issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized includes examining a rights expression authorizing issuance of the statement of trusted issuance and determining if the issuance of the authorizing rights expression is authorized.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining if the statement of trusted issuance is authorized uses a same root of trust for which it is verified that the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if a statement or expression is not associated with a statement of trusted issuance, the verifying step includes verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized using information associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the information associated with the statement or expression includes one or more rights expressions associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein if the authorized issuance of the statement of trusted issuance cannot be verified, the verifying step includes verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized using information associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the information associated with the statement or expression includes one or more rights expressions associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance is signed by an entity that issues the statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising restricting a right to issue the statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an entity can decline to rely on a statement of trusted issuance issued by another entity.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein entities are prohibited from relying on a statement of trusted issuance issued by an entity.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein entities can rely on a statement of trusted issuance or not rely on a statement of trusted issuance by verifying all or part of a rights expression chain associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein entities are required to rely on a statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an entity is not allowed to verify all or part of a rights expression chain or otherwise access or inspect the rights expression chain.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance comprises at least one of a proof of entitlement to a digital work, a proof of entitlement to a service, a proof of entitlement to a resource, a proof of purchase, a proof of transaction, a proof of purchase, a proof of certification, a proof of identity, a proof of approval, a statement of fact, a statement or expression of business intent, a statement or expression of a business contract, or a statement or expression of rules or policies.  
   
   
       23 . One or more computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium and configured to cause one or more computer processors to perform the steps recited in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       24 . A system for verifying authorized issuance of a statement or expression, the system comprising: 
 means for determining if a statement or expression is associated with a statement of trusted issuance;    means for determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies;    means for determining if issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized; and    means for verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized, if the statement of trusted issuance applies, and the issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.    
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies an entity associated therewith, and the means for determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies includes means for determining if the entity associated with the statement of trusted issuance is a trusted entity.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies a grant associated therewith, and the means for determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies includes means for determining if the grant associated with the statement of trusted issuance is a trusted grant.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies a chain-ancestor rights expression associated therewith, and the means for determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies includes means for determining if the issuance of the chain-ancestor rights expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance comprises a rights expression.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance is a part of the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance is issued by a same entity that issued the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance and the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance are signed by a same entity using one signature.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the means for determining if issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized includes means for examining a rights expression authorizing issuance of the statement of trusted issuance and means for determining if the issuance of the authorizing rights expression is authorized.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the means for determining if the statement of trusted issuance is authorized employs a same root of trust for which it is verified that the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein if a statement or expression is not associated with a statement of trusted issuance, the verifying means includes means for verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized using information associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the information associated with the statement or expression includes one or more rights expressions associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein if the authorized issuance of the statement of trusted issuance cannot be verified, the verifying means includes means for verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized using information associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the information associated with the statement or expression includes one or more rights expressions associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance is signed by an entity that issues the statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising means for restricting a right to issue the statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein an entity can decline to rely on a statement of trusted issuance issued by another entity.  
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein entities are prohibited from relying on a statement of trusted issuance issued by an entity.  
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein entities can rely on a statement of trusted issuance or not rely on a statement of trusted issuance by verifying all or part of a rights expression chain associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein entities are required to rely on a statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       44 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein an entity is not allowed to verify all or part of a rights expression chain or otherwise access or inspect the rights expression chain.  
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance comprises at least one of a proof of entitlement to a digital work, a proof of entitlement to a service, a proof of entitlement to a resource, a proof of purchase, a proof of transaction, a proof of purchase, a proof of certification, a proof of identity, a proof of approval, a statement of fact, a statement or expression of business intent, a statement or expression of a business contract, or a statement or expression of rules or policies.  
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the means for determining if a statement or expression is associated with a statement of trusted issuance, the means for determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies, the means for determining if issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized, and the means for verifying comprise one or more computer-readable instructions stored on a computer readable medium.  
   
   
       47 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the means for determining if a statement or expression is associated with a statement of trusted issuance, the means for determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies, the means for determining if issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized, and the means for verifying comprise one or more computer devices of a computer system.  
   
   
       48 . A device for verifying authorized issuance of a statement or expression, the system comprising: 
 means for determining if a statement or expression is associated with a statement of trusted issuance;    means for determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies;    means for determining if issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized; and    means for verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized, if the statement of trusted issuance applies, and the issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.    
   
   
       49 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies an entity associated therewith, and the means for determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies includes means for determining if the entity associated with the statement of trusted issuance is a trusted entity.  
   
   
       50 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies a grant associated therewith, and the means for determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies includes means for determining if the grant associated with the statement of trusted issuance is a trusted grant.  
   
   
       51 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies a chain-ancestor rights expression associated therewith, and the means for determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies includes means for determining if the issuance of the chain-ancestor rights expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.  
   
   
       52 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance comprises a rights expression.  
   
   
       53 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance is a part of the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       54 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance is issued by a same entity that issued the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       55 . The device of  claim 54 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance and the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance are signed by a same entity using one signature.  
   
   
       56 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the means for determining if issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized includes means for examining a rights expression authorizing issuance of the statement of trusted issuance and means for determining if the issuance of the authorizing rights expression is authorized.  
   
   
       57 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the means for determining if the statement of trusted issuance is authorized employs a same root of trust for which it is verified that the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.  
   
   
       58 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein if a statement or expression is not associated with a statement of trusted issuance, the verifying means includes means for verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized using information associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       59 . The device of  claim 58 , wherein the information associated with the statement or expression includes one or more rights expressions associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       60 . The device of  claim 56 , wherein if the authorized issuance of the statement of trusted issuance cannot be verified, the verifying means includes means for verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized using information associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       61 . The device of  claim 60 , wherein the information associated with the statement or expression includes one or more rights expressions associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       62 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance is signed by an entity that issues the statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       63 . The device of  claim 48 , further comprising means for restricting a right to issue the statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       64 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein an entity can decline to rely on a statement of trusted issuance issued by another entity.  
   
   
       65 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein entities are prohibited from relying on a statement of trusted issuance issued by an entity.  
   
   
       66 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein entities can rely on a statement of trusted issuance or not rely on a statement of trusted issuance by verifying all or part of a rights expression chain associated with the statement or expression.  
   
   
       67 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein entities are required to rely on a statement of trusted issuance.  
   
   
       68 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein an entity is not allowed to verify all or part of a rights expression chain or otherwise access or inspect the rights expression chain.  
   
   
       69 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the statement or expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance comprises at least one of a proof of entitlement to a digital work, a proof of entitlement to a service, a proof of entitlement to a resource, a proof of purchase, a proof of transaction, a proof of purchase, a proof of certification, a proof of identity, a proof of approval, a statement of fact, a statement or expression of business intent, a statement or expression of a business contract, or a statement or expression of rules or policies.