Method for loaning digital works

1. A method for permitting use of digital works, the digital works having one or more rights associated therewith, within a system having repositories configured to enable use of the digital works in accordance with the one or more rights, the method comprising:

electronically associating a transfer right with a digital work, the transfer right specifying that the digital work is permitted to be transferred from a first repository to a second repository, wherein the transfer right is created from a grammar including one or more symbols selected from a set of predetermined symbols to define a valid sequence of symbols to indicate how the digital work is transferred, wherein at least one of the symbols included in the grammar represents a constraint on how the digital work may be transferred;

electronically transferring the digital work from the first repository to the second repository in accordance with the transfer right;

in response to the transferring step, electronically updating transfer right information in respect of the digital work; and

electronically associating a usage right with the digital work transferred from the first repository to the second repository, the usage right specifying that the digital work is permitted to be used in a specific manner,

wherein the first repository includes at least a server mode of operation, the server mode of operation being configured for processing a transfer request message received from the second repository, and the second repository includes both a requester mode of operation and a server mode of operation, the requester mode of operation being configured for sending to the first repository a transfer request message specifying a digital work and the server mode of operation being configured for processing a use request message for using the digital work transferred from the first repository in accordance with the usage right associated with the transferred digital work.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising limiting use of the digital work by the first repository after the transferring step.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transfer right specifies a number of times the digital work is permitted to be transferred.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the updating step comprises decrementing the number of times the digital work is permitted to be transferred in response to a transfer of the digital work.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transfer right enables use of the digital work as permitted by copyright laws.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein original rights are associated with the digital work and wherein the transferring step comprises transferring the original rights from a first party to a second party.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the original rights specify a principal who is entitled to exercise usage rights, and wherein the transferring step comprises changing the principal of the original rights from the first party to the second party.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the transferring step comprises transferring a next set of rights associated with the digital work to the second party.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the limiting step further comprises disabling a party from using the digital work from the first repository.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the limiting step further comprises erasing the digital work from the first repository.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reporting a fee transaction in response to the transferring step.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating rights information associated with the digital work to reflect the transferring step.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transfer right is stored on the same physical device as the associated digital work.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transfer right and the associated digital work are stored on different physical devices.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital work is a music work.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital work is a video work.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital work is a multimedia work.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital work is a composite digital work.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital work is software.

20. The method of claim 6 , wherein the digital work is software and the original rights specify how the digital work is executed.

21. The method of claim 6 , wherein the digital work is software and the original rights specify how the digital work is installed.

22. The method of claim 6 , wherein the digital work is software and the original rights specify how the digital work is uninstalled.

23. A method for permitting use of digital works within a system comprising at least one repository configured to permit the use of the digital works in accordance with one or more rights, the method comprising:

electronically associating rights with a digital work, the rights specifying a manner of use indicating one or more purposes for which the digital work is used and wherein at least one of the rights specifies a use to which an authorized requester is entitled pursuant to applicable law, wherein the rights are created from a grammar including one or more symbols selected from a set of predetermined symbols to define a valid sequence of symbols to indicate how the digital work is used, wherein at least one of the symbols included in the grammar represents a constraint on how the digital work may be transferred;

receiving from a requester a request to access the digital work; and

processing the request to determine if access is granted, the access being granted if the request is permitted by the rights associated with the digital work.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising making a copy of the digital work if the access is granted, the copy of the digital work having a next set of rights associated therewith.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the next set of rights does not include a copy right.

26. The method of claim 24 , further comprising reporting a fee transaction in response to making a copy of the digital work.

27. The method of claim 24 , further comprising updating rights information associated with the digital work to reflect the step of making a copy of the digital work.

28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the copy right is stored on the same physical device as the associated digital work.

29. The method of claim 24 , wherein the copy right and the associated digital work are stored on different physical devices.

30. The method of claim 23 , wherein the digital work is a music work.

31. The method of claim 23 , wherein the digital work is a video work.

32. The method of claim 23 , wherein the digital work is a multimedia work.

33. The method of claim 23 , wherein the digital work is a composite digital work.

34. The method of claim 23 , wherein the digital work is software.

35. The method of claim 24 , wherein the digital work is software and the next set of rights specify how the digital work is executed.

36. The method of claim 24 , wherein the digital work is software and the next set of rights specify how the digital work is installed.

37. The method of claim 24 , wherein the digital work is software and the next set of rights specify how the digital work is uninstalled.

38. The method of claim 24 , wherein the copy right is a right to make a backup copy and the next set of rights includes a right to restore the backup copy if the digital work is rendered unusable.

39. The method of claim 38 , further comprising restoring the backup copy.

40. The method of claim 23 , wherein at least one of the rights is a copy right.

41. The method of claim 23 , wherein at least one of the rights is an edit right.

42. The method of claim 23 , wherein at least one of the rights is a backup right.

43. The method of claim 23 , wherein at least one of the rights is a distribution right.

44. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital work includes a content file.

45. The method of claim 23 , wherein the digital work includes a content file.