APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DATABASE NAVIGATION

The present invention advantageously provides a rights management system. In one embodiment, a specification of a general level of rights owned by a first intellectual property rights owner is received. A query is received for a lower level right that is a descendent of at least one of the general level of rights. The system determines if the lower level rights is available for licensing by forming at least a first implicit relationship between the general level of rights owned, and a general level of rights licensed out.