Abstract: A massively scalable architecture for providing a highly reliable storage system that is capable of handling hundreds of millions of users and tens of billions of files. The system includes one or more clusters storing data elements that are received from a plurality of clients. Each cluster comprises a plurality of storage servers. Each storage server maintains one or more indexes for responding to simple read requests such as retrieving a designated element. According to the invention, the storage system includes one or more database clusters each database cluster having one or more database servers. The storage system accesses the storage clusters in order to reply to simple read requests; however, the database clusters are used to resolve more complex queries that are based on attributes of elements stored within the storage system. In one configuration, the storage system includes a database cluster for each class of applications accessing the storage system.

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 first trusted component on a first computing device performs cryptography, evaluation, and enforcement and is tied thereto, and a first user-machine certificate associated with the first computing device is tied to a user. Correspondingly, a second trusted component on a second computing device performs cryptography, evaluation, and enforcement and is tied thereto, and a second user-machine certificate associated with the second computing device is also tied to the user. The first trusted component obtains the content for rendering on the first computing device by way of the first user-machine certificate and the license, and the second trusted component obtains the content for rendering on the second computing device by way of the second user-machine certificate and the same license.

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 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 system, method, and user interface for interacting with electronically displayed content is disclosed. In response to a selection of an object, a list of menu options is displayed close to the selected object. In one embodiment, the list of menu options is displayed in a font larger than that used to display the selected object. Through the use of the invention, a user is provided with a technique for actively reading displayed content with minimal distractions from the user interface.

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: A system, method, and user interface for interacting with electronically displayed content is disclosed. In response to a selection of an object, a list of menu options is displayed close to the selected object. In one embodiment, the list of menu options is displayed in a font larger than that used to display the selected object. Through the use of the invention, a user is provided with a technique for actively reading displayed content with minimal distractions from the user interface.

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.

Abstract: A scalable computing system for managing dynamic communities stores and provides access to community and member information. A community is a dynamic and virtual association of users. Some example features of a community include: a home page, membership, non-real time based messaging (threaded messages), chats, community calendar, annotations, and management tools for access control. The scalable architecture of the computing system for managing dynamic communities provides a computing system capable of handling the increasing number of community members and the community elements associated with the community.

Abstract: A massively scalable architecture for providing a highly reliable storage system that is capable of handling hundreds of millions of users and tens of billions of files. The system includes one or more clusters storing data elements that are received from a plurality of clients. Each cluster comprises a plurality of storage servers. A partition master assigns each client a unique partition within one of the clusters such that each data element is stored in the partition assigned to the client. The storage system can be easily scaled as the number of reads increases by adding individual storage servers to each storage cluster. In addition, the storage system easily scales to handle an increase in the number of writes, or as the number of files per cluster exceeds a predefined limit, by adding new storage clusters to the storage system.

Abstract: A massively scalable architecture for providing a self-monitoring and self-correcting storage system that is capable of handling hundreds of millions of users and tens of billions of files. The system includes one or more clusters storing data elements that are received from a plurality of clients. Each cluster comprises a plurality of storage servers. The storage system facilitates the addition of new storage servers, and the fast recovery of failed storage servers, by logging system transactions in multiple journals of different lengths. When a storage server fails, a cluster backup determines the time of failure and replays one of the journals in order to bring the failed storage server up to date.

Abstract: This invention describes a system and method for branding software deployed over computer networks. A user contacts the distributor's web site and initiates a download of the software. When the user visits the download website, the identity of the particular web site from which the download was initiated is transmitted to a branding server and captured on the user's computer, preferably in the form of a cookie. Subsequently, the user contacts the branding server and branding instructions are provided to the user's computer in accordance with the cookie. Branding may take the form of featuring the distributor's web site more prominently in an “integrated shopping service” or in a directory, or it may perform other alterations to the software. Branding is controlled by the software manufacturer's branding server, and can be modified at any time after the software is released.

Abstract: A massively scalable architecture has been developed for providing an extensible storage system that is capable of handling hundreds of millions of users and tens of billions of files. The storage system includes to a plurality of storage clusters, each storage cluster having one or more storage servers. Each storage element has a corresponding schema object that is used to parse the data elements into data and attributes. Applications executing on the web servers are able to dynamically define a new type of element for storage within storage system. In one configuration the schemas are defined in Extensible Markup Language (XML).

Abstract: An architecture for an integrated shopping service that enables electronic shopping from within a software application. The software application includes web browsing functionality, with the capability to navigate to a limited set of web sites. The client machine on which the software runs maintains a local list of the limited set of web sites that can be accessed from within the software application. A directory server maintains a list of retail web sites that can be added to the client's local list of accessible web sites. Each client machine that runs the software application connects to the directory server in order to add web sites to the locally-maintained list of sites that can be accessed from within the integrated shopping service.

Abstract: A method and system for providing an electronic shopping service integrated into a software application, and for controlling the set of web sites that are reachable from within the shopping service. Each web site is represented by data which is signed by a private key, and the data together with this signature is delivered to a plurality of computing devices that provide the shopping service. Each of the computing devices has access to the public key that corresponds to the private key, and uses the public key to verify the signature. The computing device displays links to those web sites whose representative data validates against the signature.