IDENTIFYING, MANAGING, ACCESSING, AND TRACKING DIGITAL OBJECTS AND ASSOCIATED RIGHTS AND PAYMENTS

摘要

A method of managing digital objects (1004) in a network is presented. The objects are stored at locations (1002) accessible in the network using a storage technique which renders the digital objects secure against anauthorized access. Pointer information (1016) which associates each digital object identifier with a pointer indicating the location of the stored digital object is also stored in the network. For each digital object validation information (1050) is stored, separately from the digital object, and is sufficient to permit a determination whether a purported instance of a digital object is identical to the original. Other aspects include providing multiple servers (1042) each of which accepts accepts identifiers of a subset of the digital objects and returns corresponding pointers to the locations of the digital objects in the network; registering rights in digital objects by submitting an application (62) including the validation information and the unique identifier of a digital object; enabling holders of rights in digital objects to control terms and conditions under which they are accessed by users in a network; maintaining a record of information concerning digital objects stored on a network; and tracking events (1052, 1053) in the system.