Usage rights grammar and digital works having usage rights created with the grammar

1. A system for associating usage rights with digital content, said system comprising:

means for electronically creating usage rights from a grammar, said usage rights specifying a manner of use indicating one or more stated purposes for which the digital content can be at least one of used and distributed by an authorized party;

means for electronically associating the usage rights with the digital content;

means for electronically processing a usage transaction specifying the usage rights to determine if access to the digital content can be granted; and

means for electronically storing said usage rights in a non-centralized repository,

wherein the usage rights also specify one or more conditions which must be satisfied before the manner of use may be exercised,

said means for creating comprises means for selecting one or more symbols from a first set of predetermined symbols to define a valid sequence of symbols to indicate the manner use,

said means for creating comprises means for selecting symbols from a second set of predetermined symbols to define a valid sequence of symbols to indicate the conditions,

said means for creating comprises means for designating a set of default conditions, and

said means for creating further comprises means for changing the default set of conditions.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the manner of use specifies a manner by which an authorized user is able to render the digital content.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the manner of use specifies the manner by which an authorized party can use the digital content to create a new digital content.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the manner of use specifies the manner by which an authorized party is able to make a back-up copy of the digital content.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the manner of use specifies the manner by which an authorized party is able to conceal the corresponding digital content on a device on which the digital content is stored.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the manner of use specifies the manner by which an authorized party is able to delete the digital content from a device on which digital content is stored.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the digital content is a software program.

8. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the manner of use specifies the manner by which an authorized party is able to install the software program.

9. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the manner of use specifies the manner by which an authorized party is able to uninstall the software program.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the usage rights comprise a revenue identifier for identifying a revenue owner of the digital content.

11. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the usage rights comprise a class identifier for identifying a class of rendering devices upon which the digital content can be rendered.

12. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said means for creating comprises means for creating a first version of usage rights having a first set of conditions and means for creating a second version of usage rights having a second set of conditions.

13. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said means for creating comprises means for selecting one or more codes from a set of predetermined codes to define a valid sequence of codes to indicate the manner of use.

14. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said means for creating comprises means for selecting one or more identifiers from a set of predetermined identifiers to define a valid sequence of identifiers to indicate the manner of use.

15. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said means for creating comprises means for selecting one or more parameters from a set of predetermined parameters to define a valid sequence of parameters to indicate the manner of use.

16. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said means for creating and said means for designating, and said means for associating each comprise computer readable instructions recorded on media.

17. A method for associating usage rights with digital content, said method comprising:

electronically creating usage rights from a grammar, said usage rights specifying a manner of use indicating one or more purposes of plural purposes for which the digital content can be at least one of used and distributed by an authorized party;

electronically associating the usage rights with a digital content;

electronically processing a usage transaction specifying the usage rights to determine if access to the digital content can be granted; and

electronically storing said usage rights in a non-centralized repository,

wherein the usage rights also specify one or more conditions which most be satisfied before the manner of use may be exercised,

the conditions comprise a set of default conditions,

said step of creating comprises selecting symbols from a first set of predetermined symbols to define a valid sequence of symbols to indicate the manner of use,

said step of creating comprises selecting one or more symbols from a second set of predetermined symbols to define a valid sequence of symbols to indicate the conditions, and

said step of creating further comprises changing the default set of conditions.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the manner of use specifies a manner by which an authorized party is able to render the digital content.

19. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the manner of use specifies the manner by which an authorized party can use the digital content to create new digital content.

20. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the manner of use specifies the manner by which an authorized party is able to make a back-up copy of the digital content.

21. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the manner of use specifies the manner by which an authorized party is able to conceal the digital content on a device on which the digital content is stored.

22. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the manner of use specifies the manner by which an authorized party is able to delete the digital content from a device on which the digital content is stored.

23. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the digital content is a software program.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein the manner of use specifies the manner by which an authorized party is able to install the software program.

25. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein the manner of use specifies the manner by which an authorized party is able to uninstall the software program.

26. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the usage rights comprise a revenue identifier for identifying a revenue owner of the digital content.

27. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the usage rights comprise a class identifier for identifying a class of rendering devices upon which the digital content can be rendered.

28. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein said step of creating further comprises creating a first version of usage rights having a first set of conditions and a second version of usage rights having a second set of conditions.

29. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein said step of creating comprises selecting one or more codes from a set of predetermined codes to define a valid sequence of codes to indicate the manner of use.

30. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein said step of creating comprises selecting one or more identifiers from a set of predetermined identifiers to define a valid sequence of identifiers to indicate the manner of use.

31. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein said step of creating comprises selecting one or more parameters from a set of predetermined parameters to define a valid sequence of parameters to indicate the manner of use.