A method for sharing rights adapted to be associated with an item, the method comprising: specifying, in a first license, using a processor, at least one usage right and at least one meta-right for the item, wherein the usage right and the meta-right include at least one right that is shared among one or more users or devices; defining, via the at least one usage right, using a processor, a manner of use selected from a plurality of permitted manners of use for the item; defining, via the at least one meta-right, using a processor, a manner of rights creation for the item, wherein said at least one meta-right is enforceable by a repository and allows said one or more users or devices to create new rights; associating, using a processor, at least one state variable with the at least one right in the first license, wherein the at least one state variable identifies a location where a state of rights is tracked; generating, in a second license, using a processor, one or more rights based on the meta-right in the first license, wherein the one or more rights in the second license includes at least one right that is shared among one or more users or devices; and associating at least one state variable with the at least one right that is shared in the second license, wherein the at least one state variable that is associated with the second license is based on the at least one state variable that is associated with the first license. view more

A method for securely rendering digital documents, comprising: retrieving, by a document platform, a digital document and at least one usage right associated with the digital document from a document repository, the at least one usage right specifying a manner of use indicating the manner in which the digital document can be rendered; storing the digital document and the at least one usage right in separate files in the document platform; determining, by the document platform, whether the digital document may be rendered based on the at least one usage right; and if the at least one usage right allows the digital document to be rendered on the document platform, rendering the digital document by the document platform. view more

A rendering system adapted for use in a distributed system for managing use of content, said rendering system being operative to rendering content in accordance with usage rights associated with the content, said rendering system comprising: a rendering device configured to render the content; and a distributed repository coupled to said rendering device and including a requester mode of operation and server mode of operation, wherein the server mode of operation is operative to enforce usage rights associated with the content and permit the rendering device to render the content in accordance with a manner of use specified by the usage rights, the requester mode of operation is operative to request access to content from another distributed repository, and said distributed repository is operative to receive a request to render the content and permit the content to be rendered only if a manner of use specified in the request corresponds to a manner of use specified in the usage rights. view more

A recipient apparatus for rendering digital content in accordance with usage rights information, the recipient apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and one or more memories operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to: enable the receipt of the digital content by the recipient apparatus from at least one sending computing device only if the recipient apparatus has been determined to be trusted to receive the digital content from the at least one sending computing device; receive a request to render the digital content; determine, based on the usage rights information, whether the digital content may be rendered by the recipient apparatus; and render the digital content only if it is determined that the content may be rendered by the recipient apparatus. view more

A sending apparatus for distributing digital content to at least one recipient computing device to be rendered by the at least one recipient computing device in accordance with usage rights information, the sending apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and one or more memories operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to: determine if the at least one recipient computing device is trusted to receive the digital content from the sending apparatus; send the digital content, by the sending apparatus, to the at least one recipient computing device only if the at least one recipient computing device has been determined to be trusted to receive the digital content from the sending apparatus; and send usage rights information indicating how the digital content may be rendered by the at least one recipient computing device, the usage rights information being enforceable by the at least on recipient computing device. view more