System and Method for Rights Offering and Granting Using Shared State Variables

Abstract

A method, system and device for sharing rights adapted to be associated with items, the method and system including generating at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; defining, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and defining, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items. The device including receiving at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; interpreting, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and interpreting, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items. The usage rights or the meta-rights include at least one state variable that is shared by one or more rights.

1 . A method for sharing rights associated with an item between a plurality of devices, the method comprising:
 associating a first meta-right with the item, wherein the first meta-right is enforceable by a computing device, and wherein the first meta-right permits a first device of the plurality of devices to generate at least one of a second meta-right and a usage right for the item;   associating a state variable with the first meta-right, wherein the state variable is assigned an identification unique to the first device, and wherein the state variable is managed by a license server;   storing the first meta-right and the item on the first device;   receiving, by the first device, a request to transfer the item to a second device of the plurality of devices;   generating, by the first device, a derived right that is at least one of a second meta-right and a usage right, wherein the derived right is generated in accordance with the first meta-right;   informing, by the first device, the license server that governing of the state variable is transferred to the second device; and   managing, by the license server, the state variable to associate the derived right with the second device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the state variable indicates which device is permitted to generate the derived right. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the state variable indicates how many devices are permitted to share rights. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the license server is configured to map the identification to a database of multiple variables, where each variable represents a distinct state. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first meta-right is derived from an offer, the offer is used to derive a plurality of meta-rights, wherein each of the plurality of meta-rights is associated with a distinct state variable. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the offer does not explicitly include meta-rights and the distinct state variable is created based on interpretation of the offer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the state variable is shared among multiple exercisable rights. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the state variable represents a plurality of states, wherein at least one of the states is managed by one of the devices and at least one of the states is managed by the license server. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the state variable represents a plurality of states, wherein at least one of the states is managed by one of the devices and at least one of the states is managed by the license server. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring, by the first device, the item to the second device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring, by the first device, the derived right to the second device. 
     
     
         12 . A system for sharing rights associated with an item between a plurality of devices, the system comprising:
 a computing device configured to associate a first meta-right with the item, wherein the first meta-right is enforceable by a computing device, and wherein the first meta-right permits a first device of the plurality of devices to generate at least one of a second meta-right and a usage right for the item;   a computing device configured to associate a state variable with the first meta-right, wherein the state variable is assigned an identification unique to the first device, and wherein the state variable is managed by a license server;   a first device comprising:
 a computing device configured to store the first meta-right and the item on the first device; 
 a computing device configured to receive a request to transfer the item to a second device of the plurality of devices; 
 a computing device configured to generate a derived right that is at least one of a second meta-right and a usage right, wherein the derived right is generated in accordance with the first meta-right; and 
 a computing device configured to inform the license server that governing of the state variable is transferred to the second device; and 
   a license server configured to manage the state variable to associate the derived right with the second device.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the state variable indicates which device is permitted to generate the derived right. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the state variable indicates how many devices are permitted to share rights. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the license server is configured to map the identification to a database of multiple variables, where each variable represents a distinct state. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first meta-right is derived from an offer, the offer is used to derive a plurality of meta-rights, wherein each of the plurality of meta-rights is associated with a distinct state variable. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the offer does not explicitly include meta-rights and the distinct state variable is created based on interpretation of the offer. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the state variable is shared among multiple exercisable rights. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the state variable represents a plurality of states, wherein at least one of the states is managed by one of the devices and at least one of the states is managed by the license server. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the state variable represents a plurality of states, wherein at least one of the states is managed by one of the devices and at least one of the states is managed by the license server. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first device further comprises a computing device configured to transfer the item to the second device. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first device further comprises a computing device configured to transfer the derived right to the second device. 
     
     
         23 . A method for sharing rights associated with an item between a plurality of devices, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a first device of the plurality of devices, the item and a first meta-right associated with the item, wherein the first meta-right is enforceable by a computing device, wherein the first meta-right is associated with a state variable, the state variable being assigned an identification unique to the first device and being managed by a license server, and wherein the first meta-right permits the first device to generate at least one of a second meta-right and a usage right for the item;   storing the first meta-right and the item on the first device;   receiving, by the first device, a request to transfer the item to a second device of the plurality of devices;   generating, by the first device, a derived right that is at least one of a second meta-right and a usage right, wherein the derived right is generated in accordance with the first meta-right; and   informing, by the first device, the license server that governing of the state variable is transferred to the second device to thereby notify the license server that the state variable should be managed to associate the derived right with the second device.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the state variable indicates which device is permitted to generate the derived right. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the state variable indicates how many devices are permitted to share rights. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the license server is configured to map the identification to a database of multiple variables, where each variable represents a distinct state. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first meta-right is derived from an offer, the offer is used to derive a plurality of meta-rights, wherein each of the plurality of meta-rights is associated with a distinct state variable. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the offer does not explicitly include meta-rights and the distinct state variable is created based on interpretation of the offer. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the state variable is shared among multiple exercisable rights. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the state variable represents a plurality of states, wherein at least one of the states is managed by one of the devices and at least one of the states is managed by the license server. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the state variable represents a plurality of states, wherein at least one of the states is managed by one of the devices and at least one of the states is managed by the license server. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising transferring, by the first device, the item to the second device. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising transferring, by the first device, the derived right to the second device. 
     
     
         34 . A device for sharing rights associated with an item between a plurality of devices, the device being a first device of the plurality of devices, the device comprising:
 a component configured to receive the item and a first meta-right associated with the item, wherein the first meta-right is enforceable by a computing device, wherein the first meta-right is associated with a state variable, the state variable being assigned an identification unique to the first device and being managed by a license server, and wherein the first meta-right permits the first device to generate at least one of a second meta-right and a usage right for the item;   a component configured to store the first meta-right and the item;   a component configured to receive a request to transfer the item to a second device of the plurality of devices;   a processor configured to generate a derived right that is at least one of a second meta-right and a usage right, wherein the derived right is generated in accordance with the first meta-right; and   a processor configured to inform the license server that governing of the state variable is transferred to the second device to thereby notify the license server that the state variable should be managed to associate the derived right with the second device.   
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 34 , wherein the state variable indicates which device is permitted to generate the derived right. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 34 , wherein the state variable indicates how many devices are permitted to share rights. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 34 , wherein the license server is configured to map the identification to a database of multiple variables, where each variable represents a distinct state. 
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 34 , wherein the first meta-right is derived from an offer, the offer is used to derive a plurality of meta-rights, wherein each of the plurality of meta-rights is associated with a distinct state variable. 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein the offer does not explicitly include meta-rights and the distinct state variable is created based on interpretation of the offer. 
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 34 , wherein the state variable is shared among multiple exercisable rights. 
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 40 , wherein the state variable represents a plurality of states, wherein at least one of the states is managed by one of the devices and at least one of the states is managed by the license server. 
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 34 , wherein the state variable represents a plurality of states, wherein at least one of the states is managed by one of the devices and at least one of the states is managed by the license server. 
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 34 , further comprising a processor configured to transfer the item to the second device. 
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 34 , further comprising a processor configured to transfer the derived right to the second device.