Broadcast receiving method and apparatus and information distributing method and apparatus

• US 20020001386A1
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Akiyama, Koichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,072,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/25 Arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A broadcast receiving method comprises storing first control information in a storage device, the first control information containing information unique to a receiver and required for the receiver to select broadcasted and encrypted contents information, and receiving second control information with a receiver via a bi-directional communications channel, the second control information being for updating at least some contents of the first control information, updating the first control information in the storage device on the basis of the second control information, receiving broadcasted key information independent from the receiver and required to decrypt the contents information, and selecting and decrypting the encrypted contents information based on the key information and updated first control information.

Claims

1. A broadcast receiving method comprising:

storing first control information in a storage device, the first control information containing information unique to a receiver and required for the receiver to select broadcasted and encrypted contents information;

receiving second control information with the receiver via a bi-directional communications channel, the second control information being for updating at least some contents of the first control information;

updating the first control information in the storage device on the basis of the second control information;

receiving broadcasted key information independent from the receiver and required to decrypt the contents information; and

selecting and decrypting the contents information based on the key information and updated first control information.

2. A broadcast receiving method comprising:

storing first control information in a storage device, the first control information containing information unique to a receiver and required for the receiver to select broadcasted encrypted contents information;

receiving second control information with the receiver via a bi-directional communications channel, the second control information being for updating at least some contents of the first control information;

updating at least some contents of the first control information in the storage device based the second control information;

receiving broadcasted key information independent from the receiver and required to decrypt the contents information; and

decrypting the contents information based on the key information and the control information the at least some of which are updated.

3. A broadcast receiving apparatus communicating with a first distributor which performs bi-directional communications, and a second distributor which performs broadcast transmission, comprising:

a storage device configured to store first control information containing unique information required to select encrypted contents information broadcasted by the second distributor;

a first receiver configured to receive second control information distributed by the first distributor via the bi-directional communications, the second control information being used to update at least some contents of the control information stored in the storage device;

an update device configured to update the first control information in the storage device based on the second control information;

a second receiver configured to receive key information broadcasted by the second distributor, the key information being required to decrypt the contents information and common to all broadcast receivers; and

a selection/decrypting device configured to select and decrypt the contents information based on the first control information and the key information.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first receiver receives the second control information after the broadcast receiving apparatus is certified by the first distributor.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first receiver sends a use history required to charge a fee for use of the contents information to the first distributor, and then receives the second control information.

6. A broadcast receiving apparatus communicating with a first distributor which performs bi-directional communications, and a second distributor which performs broadcast transmission, comprising:

a storage device configured to store first control information containing unique information required to decrypt encrypted contents information broadcasted by the second distributor;

a first receiver configured to receive second control information distributed by the first distributor in the bi-directional communications, the second control information being used to update at least some contents of the first control information stored in the storage device;

an update device configured to update the first control information in the storage device based on the second control information;

a second receiver configured to receive key information broadcasted by the second distributor, the key information being required to decrypt the contents information and common to all broadcast receivers; and

a decrypting device configured to decrypt the contents information based on the first control information and the key information.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first receiver receives the second control information after the broadcast receiving apparatus is certified by the first distributor.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first receiver sends a use history required to charge a fee for use of the contents information to the first distributor, and then receives the second control information.

9. A method of distributing information between a distributor and at least one receiver, comprising:

receiving broadcasted and encrypted contents information with the receiver; and

distributing first control information between the receiver and distributor via a bi-directional communications channel, the first control information being used to update at least some contents of second control information stored in the receiver, and the second control information containing information unique to the receiver and required for the receiver to decrypt the contents information.

10. A method of distributing information between a distributor and at least one receiver, comprising:

receiving broadcasted encrypted contents information; and

broadcasting key information to the receiver, the key information being independent from the receiver and being required for the receiver to decrypt the contents information, the contents information being decrypted based on the key information and decrypt control information containing information unique to the receiver and required to decrypt the contents information.

11. An information distributing apparatus communicating with a receiver, comprising:

a distributor configured to distribute individual control information for updating at least some contents of decrypt control information to the receiver, the receiver decrypting the contents information based on decrypt control information including information unique to the receiver and key information independent from the receiver and required for the receiver to decrypt the contents information.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said distributor certifies the receiver, and then distributes the individual control information.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said distributor receives a use history required to charge a fee for use of the contents information from the receiver, and then distributes the individual control information.

14. An information distributing apparatus communicating with a receiver, comprising:

a broadcaster configured to broadcast key information, the key information being independent from the receiver and required to decrypt contents information, the receiver receiving broadcasted encrypted contents information, and decrypting the contents information based on decrypt control information and the key information, the decrypt information containing individual control information unique to the receiver and required to decrypt the contents information.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said broadcaster certifies the receiver, and then distributes the individual control information.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said broadcaster receives a use history required to charge a fee for use of the contents information from the receiver, and then distributes the individual control information.

17. A method for distributing information to a receiver comprising:

broadcasting key information to the receiver, the key information being independent from the receiver and required to decrypt encrypted contents information, the receiver selecting and decrypting the contents information based on first control information and the key information, the first control information containing information unique to the receiver and required to select the contents information;

distributing second control information to the receiver via a bidirectional communications channel, the second control information being for updating at least some contents of the first control information in the receiver; and

broadcasting the individual control information if receipt of the individual control information is not confirmed by the receiver.

18. A method for distributing information to a receiver comprising:

broadcasting key information to the receiver, the key information being independent from the receiver and required to decrypt encrypted contents information, the receiver decrypting the contents information based on decrypt control information and the key information, the decrypt control information containing information unique to the receiver and required to select the contents information;

distributing individual control information to the receiver via a bi-directional communications channel, the individual control information being for updating at least some contents of the decrypt control information stored in the receiver; and

broadcasting the individual control information when receipt of the individual control information cannot be confirmed by the receiver.

19. An apparatus distributing information to a receiver comprising:

a first distributor configured to distribute broadcasted key information independent from the receiver and required to decrypt encrypted contents information;

a second distributor configured to distribute first control information to the receiver via a bi-directional communications channel, the first control information being for updating at least some contents of second control information stored in the receiver and containing information unique to the receiver and required to select the contents information; and

a third distributor configured to broadcast the first control information when receipt of the first control information is not confirmed by the receiver as a destination of the individual control information.

20. An apparatus distributing information to a receiver comprising:

a first distributor configured to broadcast key information independent from the receiver and required to decrypt encrypted contents information;

a second distributor configured to distribute first control information to the receiver via a bidirectional communications channel, the first control information being for updating at least some contents of second control information stored in the receiver, the second control information containing information unique to the receiver and required to decrypt the encrypted contents information; and

a third distributor configured to broadcast the first control information when receipt of the first control information is not confirmed by the receiver as a destination of the individual control information.

21. An information receiving apparatus which communicates with first and second distributors, comprising:

a storage device configured to store first control information required to decrypt broadcasted and encrypted contents information;

a first receiver configured to receive second control information distributed from the first distributor via a bi-directional communication channel, the second control information being used to update at least some contents of the first control information stored in the storage device or broadcasted by the first distributor;

a transmitter configured to transmit receipt of the information when the first receiver receives the second control information via the bi-directional communications channel;

an update device configured to update the second control information in the storage device based on the second control information received by the first receiver; and

a second receiver configured to receive key information broadcasted by the second distributor, the key information being required to decrypt the encrypted contents information and common to a plurality of broadcast receiving apparatuses,

wherein the contents information is decrypted based on the decrypt control information stored in the storage device and the key information received by the second receiver.