Patent ID: 7543140

Claim:
A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform a method of using a single digital certificate for authenticating a corresponding element in a digital rights management (DRM) system, the single certificate issued by an issuer for being verified by a trusted component of a user computing device to authenticate the element prior to access of digital content, the verification including ensuring that the single certificate is not revoked, the single certificate comprising: an identification of at least two entities as having delegated authority over the single certificate to revoke same as delegated by the issuer, the issuer and the at least two entities being separate entities, the at least two entities being delegated revocation authorities, the delegated revocation authorities revoking the single certificate by identifying same in a separate revocation list for each of the delegated revocation authorities, locations of respective revocation lists internal to the single certificate; and at least one revocation condition internal to the single certificate relating to possible revocation of the single certificate, each revocation condition having to be satisfied when the single certificate is employed to authenticate the element of the digital rights management system, wherein upon authentication of the corresponding element, access to the digital content is granted to the user computing device.