Patent ID: 8001053

Claim:
A method for sharing rights adapted to be associated with an item, the method comprising: specifying, in a first license, using a processor, at least one usage right and at least one meta-right for the item, wherein the usage right and the meta-right include at least one right that is shared among one or more users or devices; defining, via the at least one usage right, using a processor, a manner of use selected from a plurality of permitted manners of use for the item; defining, via the at least one meta-right, using a processor, a manner of rights creation for the item, wherein said at least one meta-right is enforceable by a repository and allows said one or more users or devices to create new rights; associating, using a processor, at least one state variable with the at least one right in the first license, wherein the at least one state variable identifies a location where a state of rights is tracked; generating, in a second license, using a processor, one or more rights based on the meta-right in the first license, wherein the one or more rights in the second license includes at least one right that is shared among one or more users or devices; and associating at least one state variable with the at least one right that is shared in the second license, wherein the at least one state variable that is associated with the second license is based on the at least one state variable that is associated with the first license.