Patent ID: 8037541

Claim:
A method for processing content protected according to a first digital rights management format for access by at least one end user communication device configured to support a second digital rights management format, comprising the steps of: providing a Domain Authority configured for defining and managing a domain of end user communication devices allowed to share at least a portion of the protected content; providing a Limited Rights Issuer configured for receiving content and digital rights management information in the first digital rights management format and for issuing content and digital rights management information in the second digital rights management format to at least one end user communication device within the domain of end user communication devices defined by the Domain Authority; registering the Limited Rights Issuer with the Domain Authority in such a way that the Limited Rights Issuer is associated with the defined domain and issued a domain key, wherein the Limited Rights Issuer uses the domain key to generate at least a portion of the digital rights management information that allows end user communication devices within the defined domain to access protected content; translating content and digital rights management information in the first digital rights management format received by the Limited Rights Issuer to content and digital rights management information in the second digital rights management format; installing translated content and digital rights management information in the second digital rights management format from the Limited Rights Issuer to at least one end user communication device within the defined domain; and accessing the translated content in the second digital rights management format using the digital rights management information in the second digital rights management format by at least one end user communication device on which the translated content and associated digital rights management information was installed.