Patent ID: 8484751

Claim:
An apparatus for permitting use of content, the apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and one or more memories operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to: transmit, while in a requester mode of operation, a transfer request message to at least one of one or more external computing devices that are external to the apparatus, wherein the transfer request message indicates content to be transferred, and wherein at least one of the one or more external computing devices includes at least a server mode of operation, the server mode of operation being configured for processing the transfer request message; enable the receipt of the content from at least one of the one or more external computing devices in accordance with a transfer right, wherein the transfer right indicates that the content is permitted to be transferred to the apparatus from at least one of the one or more external computing devices, wherein the transfer right is updated based at least in part on the transfer of the content to the apparatus from at least one of the one or more external computing devices, and wherein the content is associated with a usage right, the usage right corresponding to a utilization of the content; and process, while in a server mode of operation, a utilization request message for utilizing the content in accordance with the usage right associated with the content.