Method and apparatus for transferring usage rights and digital work having transferable usage rights

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for transferring a digital work, including receiving by a first device a first digital work including digital content which is associated with usage rights and transfer permission information; sending to a server a request to transfer the digital content to a second device, the request indicating an identification of the second device; receiving from the server permission to transfer the digital content, the permission being generated based on the identification indicated by the request and the permission indicating new usage rights associated with the digital content; and transferring the digital content associated with the new usage rights to the second device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method executed by one or more client-side computing devices for transferring rights to use digital content, the method comprising:
 receiving, by at least one of the one or more client-side computing devices, digital content and a transfer permission right, the digital content being associated with the transfer permission right and one or more usage rights, the one or more usage rights corresponding to one or more permitted uses of the digital content by a first client-side computing device of the one or more client-side computing devices;   transmitting, by at least one of the one or more client-side computing devices, a request to a server-side computing device for authorization to transfer a right to use the digital content to a second client-side computing device external to the one or more client-side computing devices in accordance with the transfer permission right, the right to use the digital content corresponding to at least one of the one or more permitted uses of the digital content;   receiving, by at least one of the one or more client-side computing devices, information authorizing the transfer of the right to use the digital content to the second client-side computing device; and   transferring, by at least one of the one or more client-side computing devices, the right to use the digital content to the second client-side computing device.   
     
     
         2 . A client-side apparatus for transferring rights to use digital content, the client-side apparatus comprising:
 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 the receipt of digital content and a transfer permission right, the digital content being associated with the transfer permission right and one or more usage rights, the one or more usage rights corresponding to one or more permitted uses of the digital content by the client-side apparatus; 
 transmit a request to a server-side computing device for authorization to transfer a right to use the digital content to a client-side computing device external to the client-side apparatus in accordance with the transfer permission right, the right to use the digital content corresponding to at least one of the one or more permitted uses of the digital content; 
 enable the receipt of information authorizing the transfer of the right to use the digital content to the client-side computing device; and 
 enable the transfer of the right to use the digital content to the client-side computing device. 
   
     
     
         3 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more client-side computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more client-side computing devices to:
 receive digital content and a transfer permission right, the digital content being associated with the transfer permission right and one or more usage rights, the one or more usage rights corresponding to one or more permitted uses of the digital content by a first client-side computing device of the one or more client-side computing devices;   transmit a request to a server-side computing device for authorization to transfer a right to use the digital content to a second client-side computing device external to the one or more client-side computing devices in accordance with the transfer permission right, the right to use the digital content corresponding to at least one of the one or more permitted uses of the digital content;   receive information authorizing the transfer of the right to use the digital content to the second client-side computing device; and   transfer the right to use the digital content to the second client-side computing device.