Abstract: A method and computer-readable medium are provided for generating usage rights for an item based upon rights to access the item. According to the method, a request is received at a document management system for an item stored in a library. In response to the request, access rights to the item for the requester are determined and usage rights are generated based upon the access rights. An encrypted file is then created that contains the item and the usage rights for the item. The location of the item in the library may also be included in the protected file. When an attempt is made to store the item back in the library, a comparison is made between the location where the item was previously retrieved from (as specified within the item) and the requested location in the library for saving the item. The item is only saved in the library if the two locations match.

Abstract: A spreadsheet application provides a rich programming and modeling environment. The spreadsheet application of the present invention does this by recognizing a new “object” data type in addition to the conventional spreadsheet data types: numbers, text, date, Boolean, and error. The object data type can be used to create an instance of an external object and store the object in a cell of a spreadsheet. Once an object has been created in a spreadsheet, the object can be invoked or accessed from any other cell or formula in the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet application of the present invention provides several special object functions that operate to enable a user to create and invoke an object. A user can directly call functions from objects that are installed on a local or remote machine, by integrating an object function within a spreadsheet formula. Thus, the user is provided with a tool for integrating outside data services into a spreadsheet and may take advantage of pre-existing objects.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to automatically associate type-specific information with a document of a prescribed type. The type information includes instance-specific type information that can be instantiated to each document of the prescribed type. The type information also includes generic type information that is automatically applied to all documents of the prescribed type. Such generic type information includes policies that govern, for example, the life span of the documents or who can access the documents. Instance-specific type information can be demoted to and promoted from a document of the prescribed type. Generic type information can only be demoted to a document of the prescribed type. Type information may be demoted into a document only when the document is requested.

Abstract: A drag-and-drop user interface (DDUI) can generate multiple charts in an integrated chart report and supports the drag-and-drop method of adding fields to the integrated chart report. When a field is dropped from a field list into a multiple chart drop zone, the DDUI will automatically generate additional charts to represent the data in the dropped field. An additional chart will be generated for each unique entry in a data field. The number of charts can be modified by selecting particular elements in the dropped field, by means of a drop-down menu. The drop-down menu enables the elimination or addition of elements of the dropped field. Each additional field dropped into the multiple chart drop zone will add a chart to the chart report. Conversely, each field dragged out of the multiple chart drop zone will eliminate a chart from the chart report. The DDUI can accommodate various chart types.

Abstract: A software tool automatically places files and folders of a software program within segments of a DVD. The segments are defined by security placeholders, and the disposition of the placeholders is initially randomly determined, consistent with predefined rules. The placeholders are included on the disc to hinder unauthorized copying. A developer generally defines the order in which the files and folders are to be laid out, and the software tool automatically places the files and folders, filling successive segments and shifting the placeholders to accommodate files that will not fit in a current segment. However, any movement of the placeholders must be done by the tool and is only permitted if the new disposition of the placeholder is in accord with the predefined rules. A user can manually modify the automated layout, and in response, the files and folders are automatically shifted to accommodate the changes introduced by the user.

Abstract: The present invention allows for a pre-licensing process for content that is subject to rights management in order to allow a principal access to the content when the principal does not have access to the rights management server. Rather than requiring the principal to submit a rights account certificate and request for a use license to the rights management server, the present invention allows the message server to obtain a use license on behalf of the principal. Accordingly, the principal can access the use license from the message server and decrypt protected content without having to request the use license from the rights management server.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for a recipient to receive rights management (RM) protected content. The protected content is encrypted and decryptable according to a content key (KD), where (KD) is found in a corresponding license. In the method, the protected content is received while connectively coupled to a network through which the protected content may be obtained, and it is recognized that the received protected content is in fact protected content. In response to receiving the protected content and recognizing same, the license for the protected content is obtained from an RM server while still connectively coupled to the network and in an automatic manner. Thus, the license is available to the recipient even when such recipient is not connectively coupled to the RM server by way of the network at a later time. In one particular embodiment of the present invention, the protected content is received within an email.

Abstract: A method is employed to propagate rights management (RM) protection to an email and to an attachment thereof comprising an RM-protectable document. The email with the RM-protectable attachment is authored, and a content key (KD) and a bind ID are generated. RM protection is first applied to the RM-protectable attachment of the email based on the generated (KD) and the generated bind ID, and the RM-protected attachment is attached to the email. RM protection is then applied to the email with the attached RM-protected attachment based on the generated (KD) and the generated bind ID. The RM-protected email and the RM-protected attachment thereof thus share the generated (KD) and the generated bind ID such that a license obtained for the RM-protected email and having therein the generated bind ID and the generated (KD) can be applied to render the RM-protected email and also the RM-protected attachment thereof.

Abstract: A rights-managed email is provided for sending protected content from a sender to a recipient, whereby the recipient can render the protected content with a corresponding license if the recipient satisfies terms set forth in the license. In the email, a main information portion has a message that the email is rights management protected, and an attachment portion has the protected content. The recipient if enabled can render the protected content in the attachment portion. If not enabled, the recipient can only review the main information portion having the message. The enabled recipient recognizes that the email has the protected content in the attachment portion thereof, discounts the main information portion of the email, and examines the attachment portion of the email and proceeds based thereon to render the protected content in the attachment portion.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for rendering content encrypted according to a cryptographic key, where the content has corresponding rights data including a decryption key (KD) for decrypting the encrypted content, and where (KD) in the rights data is encrypted according to a public key of a rights management (RM) server (PU-RM) to result in (PU-RM(KD)). The RM server normally delivers (KD) within a license, but upon being decommissioned can no longer issue such license. In the method, a notification is received that the RM server has been decommissioned, and thereafter an attempt is made to render a piece of content. Such content is determined to be protected to the decommissioned RM server, and a request is sent to the decommissioned RM server for the content key (KD) for the content rather than any license. Thereafter (KD) is received from the decommissioned RM server.

Abstract: A spreadsheet application provides a rich programming and modeling environment. The spreadsheet application of the present invention does this by recognizing a new “object” data type in addition to the conventional spreadsheet data types: numbers, text, date, Boolean, and error. The object data type can be used to create an instance of an external object and store the object in a cell of a spreadsheet. Once an object has been created in a spreadsheet, the object can be invoked or accessed from any other cell or formula in the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet application of the present invention provides several special object functions that operate to enable a user to create and invoke an object. A user can directly call functions from objects that are installed on a local or remote machine, by integrating an object function within a spreadsheet formula. Thus, the user is provided with a tool for integrating outside data services into a spreadsheet and may take advantage of pre-existing objects.

Abstract: A document store delivers a document requested therefrom from a folder having rights information associated therewith. In response to a request for a copy of the document, rights data for the copy of the document is defined based on the rights information of the folder, and the copy of the document and the defined rights data thereof are published to result in a package with the rights data and the copy of the document encrypted according to a content key (KD) to result in (KD(copy)). The formed package is then delivered to the requester. The rights data can be discovered upon the requester attempting to render the package and such discovery triggers a request for a corresponding license based on such rights data. The license includes (KD) therein in a form available to the requester to decrypt (KD(copy)) if the requester satisfies the rights data.

Abstract: An email comprises a body having at least one related and previously sent email, where each previously sent email is represented in the body of the email as a body object. Each of the email and each body object therein is rights-managed as protected content, whereby a recipient of the email can render the protected content of each of the email and each body object therein with a corresponding license if the recipient satisfies terms set forth in the license.

Abstract: A rights-managed document has protected content from an author thereof, whereby a recipient of the document can render the protected content with a corresponding license if the recipient satisfies terms set forth in the license. In the document, a storage portion has a message that the document is rights management protected, and a custom data portion has a section including the protected content. The recipient if enabled can render the protected content in the custom data portion and if not enabled can only review the storage portion having the message. An enabled recipient handles the received rights-managed document by recognizing that the document has the protected content in the custom data portion thereof, and discounting the storage portion of the document. Thus, the recipient examines the custom data portion of the document and proceeds based thereon to render the protected content in the custom data portion.

Abstract: Content is encrypted according to a content key (CK) to result in (CK(content)) and the content key (CK) is protected according to a public key for a license server (PU-RM). Rights data is retrieved from a rights template to be associated with the content, and rules for modifying the retrieved rights data are also retrieved from the retrieved rights template. The retrieved rights data from the rights template is modified according to the rules, and the rights data and the protected content key (CK)) are submitted as a rights label to the license server for signing thereby. The license server thus validates the rights label and, if valid, creates a digital signature based on a private key (PR-RM) corresponding to (PU-RM) and based at least in part on the rights data to result in a signed rights label (SRL), and returns the SRL.

Abstract: A spreadsheet application provides a rich programming and modeling environment. The spreadsheet application of the present invention does this by recognizing a new “object” data type in addition to the conventional spreadsheet data types: numbers, text, date, Boolean, and error. The object data type can be used to create an instance of an external object and store the object in a cell of a spreadsheet. Once an object has been created in a spreadsheet, the object can be invoked or accessed from any other cell or formula in the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet application of the present invention provides several special object functions that operate to enable a user to create and invoke an object. A user can directly call functions from objects that are installed on a local or remote machine, by integrating an object function within a spreadsheet formula. Thus, the user is provided with a tool for integrating outside data services into a spreadsheet and may take advantage of pre-existing objects.

Abstract: Upon receipt of the hierarchical data structure, a shape tree is constructed corresponding to the hierarchical data structure. The shape tree is an intermediate data structure containing only one unique node for each element of the hierarchical data structure. After the shape tree is constructed, it is annotated with properties describing the hierarchical relationships between elements of the hierarchical data structure. The annotated shape tree is used to create the structure of the flat data structure. Once the shape tree is annotated, the column names for the flat data structure are built utilizing the annotated shape tree. With the column names built, data is emitted from the hierarchical data structure into the proper columns and rows of the flat data structure.

Abstract: A spreadsheet application provides a rich programming and modeling environment. The spreadsheet application of the present invention does this by recognizing a new “object” data type in addition to the conventional spreadsheet data types: numbers, text, date, Boolean, and error. The object data type can be used to create an instance of an external object and store the object in a cell of a spreadsheet. Once an object has been created in a spreadsheet, the object can be invoked or accessed from any other cell or formula in the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet application of the present invention provides several special object functions that operate to enable a user to create and invoke an object. A user can directly call functions from objects that are installed on a local or remote machine, by integrating an object function within a spreadsheet formula. Thus, the user is provided with a tool for integrating outside data services into a spreadsheet and may take advantage of pre-existing objects.