Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Multiple computer communication using cryptography – Protection at a particular protocol layer
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-14
2003-02-11
Hayes, Gail (Department: 2131)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Multiple computer communication using cryptography
Protection at a particular protocol layer
C380S201000, C380S202000, C380S270000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06519701
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an information processing apparatus and method and to an information processing system and method. More particularly, the invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method and an information processing system and method, all of which are suitably used for authentication protocols for use in copyright infringement protection.
2. Description of the Related Art
A system has been proposed in which electronic machines, such as an audio-visual (AV) machine and a personal computer, are interconnected to each other via, for example, an IEEE1394 serial bus and transmit and receive data. Accordingly, in this type of system, a variety of authentication methods for use in copyright protection have been proposed.
Authentication data usable in the proposed authentication methods has a size of approximately 16 to 132 bytes. Some electronic machines, such as AV machines, are, however, equipped with only a 32-byte transmitting and receiving buffer. Accordingly, authentication data having a number of bytes exceeding the capacity of a buffer provided for an AV machine cannot be transmitted in one packet, thereby failing to correctly perform authentication processing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in view of the above background, it is an object of the present invention to correctly perform authentication processing regardless of the buffer size of an electronic machine by transmitting authentication data together with a data length.
In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus for performing authentication processing with an external information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes storage means for storing authentication data. Writing means writes into the storage means authentication data transmitted together with a length of the authentication data from the external information processing apparatus in response to a write demand from the external information processing apparatus. Rejection means rejects a read demand for reading the authentication data stored in the storage means from the external information processing apparatus. Processing means performs authentication processing by using the authentication data stored in the storage means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus for performing authentication processing with an external information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes an authentication descriptor for storing authentication data. Authentication data transmitted with a length of the authentication data from the external information processing apparatus is written into the authentication descriptor in response to a write demand from the external information processing apparatus, and a read demand for reading the authentication data stored in the authentication descriptor from the external information processing apparatus is rejected, whereby authentication processing is performed by using the authentication data stored in the authentication descriptor.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus which includes a storage unit and which performs authentication processing with an external information processing apparatus. The information processing method includes the steps of: writing into the storage unit authentication data transmitted together with a length of the authentication data from the external information processing apparatus in response to a write demand from the external information processing apparatus; rejecting a read demand for reading the authentication data stored in the storage unit from the external information processing apparatus; and performing authentication processing by using the authentication data stored in the storage unit.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus which includes an authentication descriptor and which performs authentication processing with an external information processing apparatus. The information processing method including the steps of: writing into the authentication descriptor authentication data transmitted with a length of the authentication data from the external information processing apparatus in response to a write descriptor command, which serves as a write demand, from the external information processing apparatus; rejecting a read open command or a read descriptor command, which serves as a read demand, for reading the authentication data stored in the authentication descriptor from the external information processing apparatus; and performing authentication processing by using the authentication data stored in the authentication descriptor.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transmission medium for transmitting a computer program for use in an information processing apparatus which includes a storage unit and which performs authentication processing with an external information processing apparatus. The computer program including the steps of: writing into the storage unit authentication data transmitted together with a length of the authentication data from the external information processing apparatus in response to a write demand from the external information processing apparatus; rejecting a read demand for reading the authentication data stored in the storage unit from the external information processing apparatus; and performing authentication processing by using the authentication data stored in the storage unit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6047103 (2000-04-01), Yamauchi et al.
TCP/IP Illustrated Vol. 1 The Protocols, W. Richard Stevens, 1994, p. 34-37, and 225-227.
Endo Atsushi
Kawamura Harumi
Hayes Gail
Jackson Jenise
Maioli Jay H.
Sony Corporation
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