Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Multiple computer communication using cryptography – Protection at a particular protocol layer
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-13
2002-11-05
Nguyen, Cuong (Department: 2165)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Multiple computer communication using cryptography
Protection at a particular protocol layer
C380S201000, C705S051000, C705S059000, C705S055000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06477649
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information recording apparatus for recording information on a recording medium such as a DVD, an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing information recorded on a recording medium such as a DVD, and an information distribution system including an information recording/reproducing apparatus for charging for use of information recorded on a recording medium or distributed through a network or by broadcasting.
In recent years, the advance of digital information processing technology and communication technology such as a broadband ISDN, and the development of an advanced information recording medium such as a DVD which realizes a large capacity and high-quality image and sound are progressing. Along with such development of a variety of advanced information transmission means, the circumstances are allowing users to make use of an enormous number of digitized works which are distributed to the users through a network, a recording medium, or the like. These circumstances increase opportunities for copies and alterations without permission of authors or distribution unintended by authors, so copyright holders are anxious about infringement on their benefits.
An important challenge for wiping out such anxiety of copyright holders is the development of a system which allows quick and easy distribution of digitized works and provides a fair digital information usage environment assuming protection by copyright.
A DVD is a large-capacity personal computer medium replacing a CD-ROM, and various applications to movie, music, game, karaoke, and the like can be expected. For popularization of DVDs, inexpensive DVD titles or spread of a rental DVD market is expected. From these viewpoints as well, it is essential to provide an information distribution system assuming protection by copyright of information, i.e., a system based on a concept of charging not for possession of a digitized work recorded on a recording medium such as a DVD but for use of the digitized work.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information recording apparatus, an information reproducing apparatus, and an accounting apparatus to constitute an information distribution system which allows quick and easy distribution of digitized works and provides a digital information usage environment assuming protection by copyright.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an information recording apparatus for quickly and easily distributing digitized works which are distributed through a network or a recording medium and constituting a digital information usage environment assuming protection by copyright by charging for use of digital information, an apparatus for reproducing the recorded information, and an accounting apparatus for charging for use of information.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information recording apparatus comprising an encryption section for encrypting contents information, a license information generator for encrypting at least a license condition referred to limit use of the contents information and a decoding key for decoding the encrypted contents information to generate license information, and a recording section for recording the contents information encrypted by the encryption section and the license information generated by the license information generator on a recording medium.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information reproducing apparatus comprising a storage section for storing second decoding key information for decoding license information, a first decoder section for decoding the license information recorded on the recording medium using the second decoding key stored in the storage section, a decision section for deciding, on the basis of a license condition contained in the license information decoded by the first decoder section, whether contents information can be used, a second decoder section for decoding the encrypted contents information recorded on the recording medium using the first decoding key contained in the license information decoded by the first decoder section when the decision section decides that the contents information can be used, and a reproduction section for reproducing the contents information decoded by the second decoder section.
According to the information recording apparatus of the present invention, the encrypted contents information and the license condition of the contents information are in separately recorded on the recording medium. only the information reproducing apparatus having an authentic decoding key for decoding the license information can reproduce the contents information recorded on the recording medium. In addition, since, before decoding, it is always decided on the basis of the license condition contained in the license information whether the contents information can be used, use of the contents information under an illicit use condition is disabled. Therefore, digital information assuming protection by copyright of the contents information can be quickly and easily distributed.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an accounting apparatus for charging for use of contents information recorded on a recording medium, comprising an input section for inputting a desired condition for use of the contents information recorded on the recording medium, a fee claiming section for claiming a fee for use of the contents information on the basis of the condition input by the input section, and a recording section for, upon confirming fee payment in response to the claim, recording, on the recording medium, license information containing at least a license condition for limiting use of the contents information recorded on the recording medium on the basis of the condition input by the input section. With this arrangement, for the recording medium on which the contents information and the license information containing the license condition for limiting use of the contents information are recorded, appropriate charging for use of the contents information is enabled. In addition, digital information assuming protection by copyright of the contents information can be quickly and easily distributed.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an accounting apparatus for charging for use of contents information through a recording medium on which contents information and encrypted license information containing at least a license condition referred to limit the use of the contents information are recorded, comprising a license information input section for inputting the encrypted license information recorded on the recording medium, a decoder section for decoding the encrypted license information input by the license information input section, a condition acceptance section for accepting a desired condition for use of the contents information, a fee claiming section for claiming a fee for use of the contents information on the basis of the condition accepted by the condition acceptance section, a license information update section for, upon confirming fee payment in response to the claim, updating the license information decoded by the decoder section, on the basis of the condition input by the condition input section, an encryption section for encrypting the license information updated by the license information update section, and an output section for outputting the license information encrypted by the encryption section. With this arrangement, for the recording medium on which the contents information and the license information containing the license condition for limiting use of the contents information are recorded, appropriat =e charging for use of the contents information is enabled. In addition, digital information assuming protection by copyright of the contents information can be quickly and easily distributed.
According to still another aspect of
Akiyama Koichiro
Hirakawa Hideki
Kambayashi Toru
Sugaya Toshihiro
Sumita Kazuo
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Nguyen Cuong
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