Apparatus and method for managing contents in a computer

• US 20010026287A1
• Filed: 01/25/2001
• Published: 10/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Satoshi
• Application Number:
  US09/768,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20010026287A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00347 wherein the medium identifier is used as a key
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00789 wherein the usage restriction limits the number of functional copies, which can be accessed at a time, e.g. electronic bookshelf concept, virtual library, video rentals or check-in/check out
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory is used for storing A/V content storing computer data in solid state memories G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

A library display section and a PD display section are displayed in a management window on a PD edit screen. By selecting conditions to be retrieved by a retrieval condition setting section and clicking a retrieval key in a retrieval key setting section, a music data storage section is retrieved and relevant contents are displayed on a library list display section. By selecting contents displayed on the library list display section and operating an add button, the selected contents are transmitted to the PD and displayed in a PD contents list display section. At this time, the contents-transferable number of times that is displayed in the list of the library list display section is decreased by one. If the contents-transferable number of times is managed, the number of duplicated contents can be limited.

Claims

1. A contents management apparatus in a computer for managing the number of times contents are transferred between the computer and a recording and reproduction device, the contents management apparatus comprising:

management screen display means for displaying on a display section of the computer a library management screen of contents and a device management screen for managing contents of a device; and

contents management means for displaying the contents-transferable number of times, which is predetermined for each content, on the library management screen, and for displaying a number obtained by subtracting a predetermined number from the contents-transferable number of times every check-out when contents are transferred from the library management screen to the device management screen, and displaying a number obtained by adding a predetermined number to the contents-transferable number of times every check-in when the contents transferred to the device management screen are returned to the library management screen.

2. The contents management apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the contents management means includes a check-out list for managing a device whose contents are checked out.

3. The contents management apparatus according to

claim 2

, wherein the contents management means adds a contents-transferred device to the check-out list every check-out of each content, and deletes a contents-transferring device from the check-out list every check-in of each content.

4. The contents management apparatus according to

claim 2

, wherein the check-out list includes a flag indicating whether a check-out is allowed for each content, and the apparatus further comprises inhibit means for inhibiting a check-out of contents when the flag indicates that the check-out is not allowed.

5. A contents management apparatus in a computer for managing the number of times contents are transferred between the computer and a plurality of recording and reproduction devices, the contents management apparatus comprising:

management screen display means for displaying on a display section of the computer a library management screen for managing transfer of contents between the computer and each of the devices; and

contents screen selection means for selecting a tag corresponding to each of the devices on the library management screen and displaying a device management screen for managing the device of the selected tag to the forefront.

6. The contents management apparatus according to

claim 5

, further comprising contents management means for displaying the contents-transferable number of times, which is predetermined for each content, on the library management screen, and for displaying a number obtained by subtracting a predetermined number from the contents-transferable number of times every check-out when contents are transferred from the library management screen to the device management screen, and displaying a number obtained by adding a predetermined number to the contents-transferable number of times every check-in when the contents transferred to the device management screen are returned to the library management screen.

7. The contents management apparatus according to

claim 6

, wherein the contents management means includes a check-out list for managing a device whose contents are checked out.

8. The contents management apparatus according to

claim 7

, wherein the contents management means adds a contents-transferred device to the check-out list every check-out of each content, and deletes a contents-transferring device from the check-out list every check-in of each content.

9. The contents management apparatus according to

claim 7

, wherein the check-out list includes a flag indicating whether a check-out is allowed for each content, and the apparatus further comprises inhibit means for inhibiting a check-out of contents when the flag indicates that the check-out is not allowed.

10. A contents management apparatus in a computer for managing the number of times contents are transferred between the computer and a recording and reproduction device, the contents management apparatus comprising display means for displaying on a display section of the computer a library management screen of contents and a device management screen for managing contents of a device,

wherein the library management screen serves to display the number of times contents are transferable.

11. A contents management method in a computer for managing the number of times contents are transferred between the computer and a recording and reproduction device, the contents management method comprising the steps of:

displaying on a display section of the computer a library management screen of contents and a device management screen for managing contents of a device, and displaying the contents-transferable number of times, which is predetermined for each content, on the library management screen; and

displaying a number obtained by subtracting a predetermined number from the contents-transferable number of times every check-out when contents are transferred from the library management screen to the device management screen, and displaying a number obtained by adding a predetermined number to the contents-transferable number of times every check-in when the contents transferred to the device management screen are returned to the library management screen.