Patent ID: 6885999

Claim:
A method for controlling intellectual properties in an intellectual property management system, said method comprising: assigning a unique digital identifier to an intellectual property, wherein said digital identifier comprises a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that points to an instantiation of said intellectual property, said digital identifier comprising an attribute associating said intellectual property to said intellectual property management system, wherein said digital identifier comprises multiple strings that provide information about said intellectual property and wherein further said digital identifier is parsable into XML (Extensible Markup Language) elements; assigning said digital identifier to known instantiations of said intellectual property; storing said digital identifier in a registry; and enabling executable links that link said digital identifier and other URIs that point to intellectual property elements that describe characteristics of said intellectual property, said intellectual property elements comprising at least one of a digital feature element that describes features of said intellectual property, a digital rights element that describes legal rights and limitations associated with said intellectual property and a digital license element that provides a license for said intellectual property, wherein an intellectual property element having an executable link to said intellectual property is automatically accessed in response to a request for said intellectual property by selection and execution of said executable link.