Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for controlling consumption of a distributed network service in accordance with rights expression information associated with the distributed network service and specifying a manner of use of the distributed network service, including interpreting the rights expression information associated with the distributed network service, the rights expression information indicating a manner of use of the distributed network service; and controlling consumption of the distributed network service based on the rights expression information.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a rights expression for association with an item for use in a system for controlling use of the item in accordance with the rights expression, including specifying rights expression information indicating a manner of use of an item, the rights expression information including at least one element, the element having a variable and corresponding value for the variable; and performing an encoding process, including determining an identifier associated with a template corresponding to the rights expression information, extracting from the rights expression information the value for the variable corresponding to the element, and encoding a license adapted to be enforced on a device based on the variable and the identifier, the license including an identification of the template and the value for the variable.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for controlling consumption of a distributed network service in accordance with rights expression information associated with the distributed network service and specifying a manner of use of the distributed network service, including interpreting the rights expression information associated with the distributed network service, the rights expression information indicating a manner of use of the distributed network service; and controlling consumption of the distributed network service based on the rights expression information.

Abstract: A method, system, and device for verifying authorized issuance of a statement or expression, including determining if a statement or expression is associated with a statement of trusted issuance; determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies; determining if issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized; and verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized, if the statement of trusted issuance applies, and the issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.

Abstract: A method, system, and device for verifying authorized issuance of a statement or expression, including determining if a statement or expression is associated with a statement of trusted issuance; determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies; determining if issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized; and verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized, if the statement of trusted issuance applies, and the issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.

Abstract: A method, system, and device for verifying authorized issuance of a statement or expression, including determining if a statement or expression is associated with a statement of trusted issuance; determining if the statement of trusted issuance applies; determining if issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized; and verifying that the issuance of the statement or expression was authorized, if the statement of trusted issuance applies, and the issuance of the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.

Abstract: A trust policy is constructed based upon a social relationship between real-world entities. The trust policy may determined based upon a social network and social network maps. The social network map provides a framework to determine social distances. The trust policy provides quick and secure access to desired or trusted nodes while providing security from entities outside the trusted sphere of nodes. The trust policy determined by the social distance may be used for various types of applications including filtering unwanted e-mail, providing secure access to resources, and accessing protected services. File sharing, referral querying, advertisement targeting, announcement targeting, access control, and various applications may be limited using the constructed trust policy.

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.

Abstract: An enforceable property right and a system for controlling the manner of use of an item in accordance with usage rights. The enforceable property right includes an item ticket having a security mechanism incorporated therein and specifying an item for which the item ticket can be redeemed and a license associated with the item ticket. The license includes usage rights specifying a manner of use for redeeming the item ticket and a mechanism for unlocking said security mechanism.

Abstract: An enforceable property right and a system for controlling the manner of use of an item in accordance with usage rights. The enforceable property right includes an item ticket having a security mechanism incorporated therein and specifying an item for which the item ticket can be redeemed and a license associated with the item ticket. The license includes usage rights specifying a manner of use for redeeming the item ticket and a mechanism for unlocking said security mechanism.

Abstract: An enforceable property right and a system for controlling the manner of use of an item in accordance with usage rights. The enforceable property right includes an item ticket having a security mechanism incorporated therein and specifying an item for which the item ticket can be redeemed and a license associated with the item ticket. The license includes usage rights specifying a manner of use for redeeming the item ticket and a mechanism for unlocking said security mechanism.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a rights expression for association with an item for use in a system for controlling use of the item in accordance with the rights expression, including specifying rights expression information indicating a manner of use of an item, the rights expression information including at least one element, the element having a variable and corresponding value for the variable; and performing an encoding process, including determining an identifier associated with a template corresponding to the rights expression information, extracting from the rights expression information the value for the variable corresponding to the element, and encoding a license adapted to be enforced on a device based on the variable and the identifier, the license including an identification of the template and the value for the variable.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a rights expression specifying a manner of use of an item, including specifying by a provider of an item a rights expression indicating a manner of use of the item by a recipient of the item and a condition for use of the item by the recipient, the condition indicating that the use by the recipient of the item is subject to control; associating the rights expression with the item; and controlling the use by the recipient of the item based on the condition in the rights expression. In further exemplary embodiments, the use by the recipient of the item is subject to control by a stakeholder and/or a provider of the item and can be used to provide consumer protection based on parameters of use.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a rights expression specifying a manner of use of an item, including specifying by a provider of an item a rights expression indicating a manner of use of the item by a recipient of the item and a condition for use of the item by the recipient, the condition indicating that the use by the recipient of the item is subject to control; associating the rights expression with the item; and controlling the use by the recipient of the item based on the condition in the rights expression. In further exemplary embodiments, the use by the recipient of the item is subject to control by a stakeholder and/or a provider of the item and can be used to provide consumer protection based on parameters of use.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a rights expression for association with an item for use in a system for controlling use of the item in accordance with the rights expression, including specifying rights expression information indicating a manner of use of an item, the rights expression information including at least one element, the element having a variable and corresponding value for the variable; and performing an encoding process, including determining an identifier associated with a template corresponding to the rights expression information, extracting from the rights expression information the value for the variable corresponding to the element, and encoding a license adapted to be enforced on a device based on the variable and the identifier, the license including an identification of the template and the value for the variable.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for exercising rights based on determining trust in an issuance of a rights expression, including issuing rights expressions by a chain of servers, forming a chain of rights expressions issued from server to server and finally from the last server to a client, such that each of the rights expressions except the last includes a specification of rights for the next server to issue the rights in the next rights expression; determining whether or not each of the servers has a right to issue the respective rights expression; exercising by the client the rights expressed in the last rights expression as being trusted, if it is determined that each of the servers had a right to issue the respective rights expression; and not exercising by the client the rights expressed in the last rights expression as not being trusted, if it is determined that at least one of the servers did not have the right to issue the respective rights expression.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a rights expression for association with an item for use in a system for controlling use of the item in accordance with the rights expression. A rights expression is specified in a conventional manner in an original format. An intermediate format of the rights expression is generated based on at least one of syntax information and semantics information associated with the original format. The rights expression specifies a manner of use of said item for enforcement on a device. The intermediate format can be converted to a device specific format or a simplified format for resource constrained devices to permit rights enforcement on various devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating transfer of usage rights for digital content. The system comprises digital content, a usage rights module containing usage rights information associated with the content for a user, a transfer permission module containing transfer permission information for the content, a current user identification module containing identity information indicating the identity of the user, and means for manipulating the current user identification module to change the identity information. The content can be transferred form one user to another and the current user identification module can be manipulated to reflect the current user and to permit the current user to have usage rights in the document.

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.

Abstract: A method and system for managing the state of a protected resource in a system for granting access to a protected resource in accordance with usage rights. The usage rights include at least one state variable indicating a status of an associated protected resource. A message related to the state variable is transmitted from a resource control device to an interface framework. The resource control device is coupled to the resource to control use of the resource by enforcing the usage right. A state controller operative to track the value of the state variable is loaded into the framework and instructed to manipulate the value of the state variable in accordance with said message. For example, the message can be a query of the current value of the state variable.