Embedded content requests in a rights locker system for digital content access control

1. A method for digital content access control, comprising:

determining, on a user device, a digital content specification and associated authenticated rights locker access request wherein said associated authenticated rights locker access request was authenticated by a right locker provider for the rights locker;

sending, from said user device to said rights locker provider for the rights locker, said authenticated rights locker access request and said digital content specification;

receiving, on said user device from said rights locker provider, a new authenticated rights locker access request for the rights locker and a Web page with one or more clickable links in response to said sending, at least one of said one or more clickable links associated with an authenticated digital content request;

receiving, on said user device, an indication of a user selection of one of said one or more clickable links;

sending, from said user device, said new authenticated rights locker access request and an indication of the right associated with said one of said one or more clickable links to said rights locker provider; and

receiving, on said user device from a digital content repository, said digital content in response to said sending said new authenticated rights locker access request.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein

said method further comprises determining, on said user device, one or more delivery parameters, said one or more delivery parameters indicating where said digital content should be sent, a delivery mechanism, or both; and

said sending said authenticated rights locker access request and said digital content specification further comprises sending said one or more delivery parameters.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing at least part of said new authenticated rights locker access request in a bookmark on said user device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said new authenticated rights locker access request is embedded in a Web cookie.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said new authenticated rights locker access request is encapsulated in a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Response message.

6. A method for digital content access control, comprising:

receiving, by a rights locker provider from a user device, a first authenticated rights locker access request and a digital content specification wherein said first authenticated rights locker access request was authenticated by said right locker provider for the rights locker;

validating, by said rights locker provider, said first authenticated rights locker access request; and

if said validating indicates said first authenticated rights locker access request is valid,

creating, by said rights locker provider, a Web page with one or more clickable links that comprise an authenticated digital content request for use in accessing digital content stored by a digital content repository;

sending, by said rights locker provider to said user device, a second authenticated rights locker access request for the rights locker and said Web page;

receiving, by said rights locker provider from said user device, and validating, by said rights locker provider, said second authenticated rights locker access request for the rights locker;

obtaining, by said rights locker provider, an authenticated digital content request if said second authenticated rights locker access request is valid; and

sending, by said rights locker provider, said authenticated digital content request to a digital content repository.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein at least part of said second authenticated rights locker access request is for storage in a bookmark on said user device.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising embedding said second authenticated rights locker access request in a Web cookie before said sending.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising encapsulating said second authenticated rights locker access request in a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Response message before said sending.

10. A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for digital content access control, the method comprising:

determining, on a user device, a digital content specification and associated authenticated rights locker access request wherein said associated authenticated rights locker access request was authenticated by a right locker provider for the rights locker;

sending, from said user device to said rights locker provider for the rights locker, said authenticated rights locker access request and said digital content specification;

receiving, on said user device from said rights locker provider, a new authenticated rights locker access request for the rights locker and a Web page with one or more clickable links in response to said sending, at least one of said one or more clickable links associated with an authenticated digital content request;

receiving, on said user device, an indication of a user selection of one of said one or more clickable links;

sending, from said user device, said new authenticated rights locker access request and an indication of the right associated with said one of said one or more clickable links to said rights locker provider; and

receiving, on said user device from a digital content repository, said digital content in response to said sending said new authenticated rights locker access request.

11. The program storage device of claim 10 wherein

said method further comprises determining, on said user device, one or more delivery parameters, said one or more delivery parameters indicating where said digital content should be sent, a delivery mechanism, or both; and

said sending said authenticated rights locker access request and said digital content specification further comprises sending said one or more delivery parameters.

12. The program storage device of claim 10 , said method further comprising storing at least part of said new authenticated rights locker access request in a bookmark on said user device.

13. The program storage device of claim 10 wherein said new authenticated rights locker access request is embedded in a Web cookie.

14. The program storage device of claim 10 wherein said new authenticated rights locker access request is encapsulated in a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Response message.

15. A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for digital content access control, the method comprising:

receiving, by a rights locker provider from a user device, a first authenticated rights locker access request and a digital content specification wherein said first authenticated rights locker access request was authenticated by said right locker provider for the rights locker;

validating, by said rights locker provider, said first authenticated rights locker access request; and

if said validating indicates said first authenticated rights locker access request is valid,

creating, by said rights locker provider, a Web page with one or more clickable links that comprise an authenticated digital content request for use in accessing digital content stored by a digital content repository;

sending, by said rights locker provider to said user device, a second authenticated rights locker access request for the rights locker and said Web page;

receiving, by said rights locker provider from said user device, and validating, by said rights locker provider, said second authenticated rights locker access request for the rights locker;

obtaining, by said rights locker provider, an authenticated digital content request if said second authenticated rights locker access request is valid; and

sending, by said rights locker provider, said authenticated digital content request to a digital content repository.

16. The program storage device of claim 15 wherein at least part of said second authenticated rights locker access request is for storage in a bookmark on said user device.

17. The program storage device of claim 15 , further comprising embedding said second authenticated rights locker access request in a Web cookie before said sending.

18. The program storage device of claim 15 , further comprising encapsulating said second authenticated rights locker access request in a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Response message before said sending.

19. An apparatus for digital content access control, comprising:

a memory for storing said digital content; and

a processor configured to:

determine, on a user device, a digital content specification and associated authenticated rights locker access request wherein said associated authenticated rights locker access request was authenticated by a right locker provider for the rights locker;

send, from said user device to said rights locker provider for the rights locker, said authenticated rights locker access request and said digital content specification;

receive, on said user device from said rights locker provider, a new authenticated rights locker access request for the rights locker and a Web page with one or more clickable links in response to said sending, at least one of said one or more clickable links associated with an authenticated digital content request;

receive, on said user device, an indication of a user selection of one of said one or more clickable links;

send, from said user device, said new authenticated rights locker access request and an indication of the right associated with said one of said one or more clickable links to said rights locker provider; and

receive, on said user device from a digital content repository, said digital content in response to said sending said new authenticated rights locker access request.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said processor is further configured to:

determine, on said user device, one or more delivery parameters, said one or more delivery parameters indicating where said digital content should be sent, a delivery mechanism, or both; and

said sending said authenticated rights locker access request and said digital content specification further comprises sending said one or more delivery parameters.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said apparatus comprises a smart card.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said smart card comprises a Java Card™ technology-enabled smart card.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said smart card comprises a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) technology-enabled smart card.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said smart card comprises a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said smart card comprises a WIM (Wireless Interface Module).

26. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said smart card comprises a USIM (Universal Subscriber Identity Module).

27. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said smart card comprises a UIM (User Identity Module).

28. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said smart card comprises a R-UIM (Removable User Identity Module).

29. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said processor is further configured to store at least part of said new authenticated rights locker access request in a bookmark on said user device.

30. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said new authenticated rights locker access request is embedded in a Web cookie.

31. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said new authenticated rights locker access request is encapsulated in a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Response message.

32. An apparatus for digital content access control, comprising:

a memory for storing one or more rights lockers that describe digital content access rights; and

a processor configured to:

receive, by a rights locker provider from a user device, a first authenticated rights locker access request and a digital content specification wherein said first authenticated rights locker access request was authenticated by said right locker provider for the rights locker;

validate, by said rights locker provider, said first authenticated rights locker access request; and

if said validating indicates said first authenticated rights locker access request is valid,

create, by said rights locker provider, a Web page with one or more clickable links that comprise an authenticated digital content request for use in accessing digital content stored by a digital content repository;

send, by said rights locker provider to said user device, a second authenticated rights locker access request for the rights locker and said Web page;

receive, by said rights locker provider from said user device, and validating, by said rights locker provider, said second authenticated rights locker access request for the rights locker;

obtain, by said rights locker provider, an authenticated digital content request if said second authenticated rights locker access request is valid; and

send, by said rights locker provider, said authenticated digital content request to a digital content repository.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein at least part of said second authenticated rights locker access request is for storage in a bookmark on said user device.

34. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said processor is further configured to embed said second authenticated rights locker access request in a Web cookie before said sending.

35. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said processor is further configured to encapsulate said second authenticated rights locker access request in a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Response message before said sending.