Abstract: A system and method for managing use of items having usage rights associated therewith. The system includes an activation device adapted to issue a software package having a public and private key pair, the public key being associated with a user, a license device adapted to issue a license, a usage device adapted to receive the software package, receive the license and allow the user to access the item in accordance with the license, and a subscription managing device adapted to maintain a subscription list including the public key associated with the user. License's is issued by the license device upon verifying presence of the public key in the subscription list corresponding to requested content.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling use of digital works in accordance with usage rights associated with the digital works. The method includes the steps of receiving a request to use a digital work, and determining whether the request should be granted based on usage rights associated with the digital work. The usage rights include a manner of use for the digital work, conditions that must be satisfied in order to exercise the manner of use, and status information relating to the state of the usage. Use of the digital work is granted in accordance with the manner of use if the result of the determining step is that the request should be granted.

Abstract: A system for associating usage rights with digital content. Usage rights are created from a grammar. The usage rights specify a manner of use indicating one or more stated purposes for which the digital content can be at least one of used and distributed by an authorized party. The usage rights are associated with the digital content. Information is exchanged with a first repository for storing the digital content and the associated usage rights and for processing a usage transaction specifying the usage rights to determine if access to the digital content can be granted. Information is exchanged with a second repository for generating the usage transaction specifying the usage rights for requesting access to the digital content.

Abstract: A system and method for enforcing rights expressions specifying manners of use of an item, include specifying by a potential recipient of an item a first rights expression indicating a first manner of use of the item proposed by the recipient; specifying by a provider of the item a second rights expression indicating a second manner of use of the item proposed by the provider; determining if there is a correspondence between the first rights expression and the second rights expression; and applying a rule to a determined correspondence between the first rights expression and the second rights expression to determine if the recipient should be granted use of the item.