Patent ID: 8275709

Claim:
A system for managing use of an item of digital content based on usage rights associated with the item of digital content, the usage rights being enforceable by a user device, said system comprising: an access list defining a trusted community of content users subscribed to a content service; a content device configured to associate digital contents with the content service; a policy device specifying a license request process to handle a license request made by a user that is not subscribed to the content service, the license request process permitting issuance of a license to a user that is not subscribed to the content service upon payment of a fee; and a license device configured to issue a license to a user, wherein the license device is configured to: receive a license request from a user device, determine based on the access list if the user is currently subscribed to the content service, and issue a subscription license to the user if the user is currently subscribed to the content service, the subscription license granting the user the right to use digital contents associated with the content service, including future contents, and if the user is not currently subscribed to the content service, and the request is for use of a digital content associated with the content service, executing the license request process to issue a usage license to the user for use of the requested digital content upon receiving a fee.