A digital content file including a license control mechanism controlling the
licensed
use of digital content and a system and method for distributing licensable digital
content files and licenses. A digital content file includes a digital content,
which may be executable code or data, an embedded file access control mechanism
and a dynamic license database associated with the file access mechanism for storing
license information used by the file access control mechanism in controlling use
of the digital content. The file access control mechanism includes a license monitor
and control mechanism communicating with the dynamic license database and controlling
use of the digital content and a license control utility providing communications
between a user system and an external system to communicate license definition
information and includes a graphical user interface. License information may be
stored initially in the dynamic license database or provided from an external system.
The system allows the distribution of digital content files and the acquisition
of licenses with seamless transaction processing through an order processing system
generating an order identification and authorization for a license and a product
configuration and order database containing license management databases associated
with the digital content files and containing license information to be transmitted
to a user system upon receipt of an order identifier. The product configuration
and order database also generates a license record for each transaction.
