Patent ID: 7849100
Filing Date: 2010-12-07
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for generating usage rights for an item stored in a library, the computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a request to retrieve an item stored in the library, wherein the item is unencrypted; in response to the request, determining whether a protector exists for the item, wherein the determining comprises ascertaining whether digital rights management (DRM) has been enabled for the library and determining whether a plug-in capable of applying the DRM to the item's type of file is available; retrieving access rights for the item if the protector exists; determining an access level of an entity requesting access to the item, wherein the access level is associated with one of an owner, a contributor, and a viewer; in response to the request to retrieve the item, dynamically generating a mapping table based on un-stored usage rights for the item, the access rights, and the access level; wherein only viewing, editing, saving, copying, and printing usage rights are associated with the access rights when the access level is associated with the contributor; wherein only viewing usage rights are associated with the access rights when the access level is associated with the viewer; and wherein all usage rights are associated with the access rights when the access level is associated with the owner; passing the item to the protector, wherein the protector encrypts the item and the usage rights in a protected file, includes a location of the item in the library in the protected file, and includes owner usage rights in the protected file; wherein the owner usage rights being present in the file permits a computer system operative to access the library; and returning the protected file in response to the request to retrieve the item from the library.