Abstract: An organization maintains a computer network comprising at least a forest A and a forest B, where forest A has a directory A and a querying entity A capable of querying directory A, and forest B has a directory B and a querying entity B capable of querying directory B. Querying entity A receives a request from the user and decides whether to grant the request based at least in part on whether the user is a member of the group. Thus, querying entity A queries directory A to return information on the group, is directed to forest B, contacts querying entity B, requests querying entity B to query directory B whether the user is a member of the group, receives a response, and grants the request from the user based at least in part on whether the user is a member of the group.

Abstract: A licensor receives a request from the requestor, where the request includes rights data associated with digital content, and where the rights data lists at least one identifier and a set of rights associated therewith. The licensor selects the identifier and the set of rights associated therewith, where such rights are expected to be set forth in a corresponding digital license, and also selects based on the identifier an alternate set of rights. The alternate set of rights are substituted for the set of rights from the rights data, and the license is issued to the requestor with the alternate set of rights, whereby the alternate set of rights in the issued license sets forth terms and conditions that the requestor must adhere to in connection with rendering the corresponding content.

Abstract: A licensor receives a request from a requestor including an identifier identifying the requestor and rights data associated with digital content, where the rights data lists at least one identifier and rights associated therewith. The licensor thereafter locates the identifier of the requestor in a directory, and locates in the directory based thereon an identifier of each group which the requestor is a member of. Each of the located requestor identifier and each located group identifier is compared to each identifier listed in the rights data to find a match, and a digital license to render the content is issued to the requestor with the rights associated with the matching identifier.

Abstract: A method for managing rights in digital content includes generating rights data for a piece of digital content and forming a piece of rights managed digital content by associating the rights data with the piece of digital content. The rights data includes parameters that govern the terms on which the content may be licensed, and may include a list of entities to which the content may be licensed, a respective set of one or more rights that each such entity has in the digital content, and any conditions that may be placed on those rights. A method for licensing rights managed digital content includes receiving a license request for a license to use the piece of rights managed digital content, where the license request includes such a signed rights label. The digital signature on the signed rights label is validated to determine whether a trusted entity issued the signed rights label.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing digital rights management services are disclosed. Such a system includes a service program that provides a processing framework for performing a digital rights management service, such as publishing or licensing rights managed digital content. A plurality of plug-in components are provided, each of which performs a respective task associated with the digital rights management service. The plug-in components are integrated into the processing framework according to predefined sets of interface rules.

Abstract: Content is encrypted according to a content key (CK) ((CK(content))), (CK) is protected according to a license server public key (PU-DRM), and rights data associated with the content is retrieved from a rights template and protected according to (PU-DRM). The protected items and a digital signature from the rights template are submitted as a rights label to the license server for signing. The license server verifies the rights template signature, and if such signature verifies signs the rights label to result in a signed rights label (SRL), and returns same. The SRL is concatenated with (CK(content)) and both are distributed to a user. To render the content, the user submits the SRL to the license server to request a license.

Abstract: Content is encrypted according to a content key (CK) ((CK(content))), (CK) is protected according to a license server public key (PU-DRM), and rights data associated with the content is protected according to (PU-DRM). The protected items are submitted as a rights label to the license server for signing. The license server validates the rights label and, if valid, digitally signs based on the protected rights data to result in a signed rights label (SRL), and returns same. The SRL is concatenated with (CK(content)) and both are distributed to a user. To render the content, the user submits the SRL to the license server to request a license. The license server verifies the SRL signature and reviews the SRL protected rights data to determine whether the user is entitled to the license, and if so issues the license, including (CK) in a protected form accessible to the user.

Abstract: A digital license corresponds to encrypted digital content and includes a content key for decrypting same. The content key is encrypted and is decryptable by a decryption key available only to the first persona, the license thereby being tied to the first persona. The license is a first license and further includes referral information specifying a first location at which a second persona may obtain a second license for the content tied thereto. The second persona requests to render the content by way of the first license and the request is denied because the first license is not tied to the second persona. The referral information is obtained from the first license and employed to initiate contact with the specified first location and obtain the second license tied to the second persona.