Patent ID: 6233684
Filing Date: 2001-05-15
Classification: G06F,G06Q,G06T,G07F,H04N

Abstract:
A system for controlling the distribution and use of digital works comprising:means for creating usage rights, each instance of a usage right representing a specific instance of how a digital work may be used or distributed;means for attaching a created set of usage rights to a digital work including a rendering right, said rendering right for permitting said digital work to be rendered, said rendering right further specifying watermark information to be embedded into a rendering of said digital work, said watermark information including information related to the rendering of said digital work and sand rendering right further specifying rendering criteria that an instance of a rendering system must satisfy before the digital work can be rendered, said rendering right originally being an external data with respect to the watermark;a communication medium for coupling repositories to enable exchange of repository transaction messages,a general repository for storing a securely exchanging digital works with attached usage rights;a rendering system comprising a rendering repository for receiving a digital work to be rendered from said general repository and a rendering device for rendering digital works, said rendering repository further comprising:means for gathering watermark information specified in a rendering right associated with said digital work to be rendered; andmeans for encoding said watermark information for embedding in said digital work when rendered.