System and method for rendering content associated with a digital work

Abstract

A method, system and software for permitting use of digital works having rights associated therewith in a system having repositories configured to enable use of the digital work in accordance with the rights, including associating a transfer right with a digital work, the transfer right specifying that the digital work is transferred from a first repository to a second repository; transferring the digital work from the first repository to the second repository in accordance with the transfer right; and in response to the transferring, step updating transfer right information in respect of the digital work.

1 . An apparatus for rendering digital content in accordance with rights that are enforced by the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 a rendering engine configured to render digital content;   a storage for storing the digital content;   means for requesting use of the stored digital content; and   a repository coupled to the rendering engine, the repository comprising:
 means for processing a request from the means for requesting, 
 means for checking whether the request is for a permitted rendering of the digital content in accordance with a right specified in the apparatus, 
 storage for an authorization object, wherein the repository is configured to receive the authorization object, the authorization object to be received only if a copy count limit for limiting the number of simultaneous authorization objects has not been reached; and 
 means for processing the request to make the digital content available to the rendering engine for rendering only when the request is for a permitted rendering of the digital content and the repository possesses the authorization object. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a time specification for restricting the permitted rendering. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the right is a rendering right that further comprises a time interval restriction starting the first time that the rendering right is invoked. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface for accepting user input, the user input initiating a transport transaction for receiving the authorization object from a master repository. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the user interface is a user interface of the repository. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the user interface is a user interface of the master repository. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface with facets that may be altered based upon the usage right-controlled functionality of the repository. 
     
     
         8 . A method for controlling rendering of digital content on an apparatus having a repository and a rendering engine configured to render digital content and a storage for storing the digital content, the method comprising:
 specifying a right within the apparatus for digital content stored in the storage, the right specifying how the digital content can be rendered;   storing the digital content in the storage;   receiving a request by the apparatus for rendering of the digital content;   checking whether the request is for a permitted rendering of the digital content in accordance with the right specified within the apparatus;   enforcing a copy count limit for limiting the number of simultaneous authorization objects, wherein the repository receives an authorization object only if the copy count limit has not been reached;   making the digital content available to the rendering engine for rendering when the request is for a permitted rendering of the digital content and when the repository possesses the authorization object; and   preventing access by the rendering engine to the digital content when the request is for an unpermitted rendering of the digital content or when the repository does not possess the authorization object.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the permitted rendering is time restricted. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the permitted right is a rendering right that may be exercised only for an interval starting the first time that the rendering right is invoked. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising accepting user input through a user interface, the user input initiating a transport transaction for receiving the authorization object from a master repository. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user input is accepted through a user interface of the repository. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user input is accepted through a user interface of the master repository. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising altering facets of a user interface based upon the usage right-controlled functionality of the repository. 
     
     
         15 . A system for controlling the rendering of digital content comprising:
 rights for digital content, the rights specifying how the digital content can be rendered;   a copy count limit for limiting the number of simultaneous authorization objects;   an apparatus having a rendering engine configured to render the digital content and a storage for storing the digital content; and   a repository coupled to the rendering engine, the repository including:
 a user interface for requesting use of the digital content; 
 storage for an authorization object, wherein the repository is configured to receive an authorization object from a master repository, the master repository being configured to send the authorization object only if the copy count limit has not been reached; and 
 a processor element and processor memory for checking whether the request is for a permitted rendering in accordance with the rights and processing the request to make the digital content available to the rendering engine for rendering when and only when the request is for a permitted rendering of the digital content and the repository possesses the authorization object. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a time specification for restricting the permitted rendering. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a time interval for specifying when the permitted right may be exercised, the interval starting the first time that the right is invoked. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a user interface for accepting user input, the user input initiating a transport transaction for receiving the authorization object from the master repository. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the user interface is a user interface of the repository. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the user interface is a user interface of the master repository. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a user interface with facets that may be altered based upon the usage right-controlled functionality of the repository.