Method for controlling database copyrights

• US 20020021807A1
• Filed: 11/02/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Piracy Protection LLC (LF Capital Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Corporation
• Inventors: Saito, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 7,730,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/30 Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/44 Secrecy systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4406 Restricting access, e.g. according to user identity mechanisms actuated y cards, PIN or the like in apparatus for dispensing G07F7/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4426 involving separate means, e.g. a server, a magnetic card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4433 to an apparatus, part of an apparatus or an apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4486 using digital data encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3246 of data relating to permitted access or usage, e.g. level of access or usage parameters for digital rights management [DRM] related to still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3281 Encryption; Ciphering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/904 Usage protection of distributed files
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/908 : Software or content usage protection

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for controlling copyrights of digital data in a database system including real time transmission of a digital picture. Copyrights are controlled using one or more of the following, as necessary, in addition to a permit key: a copyright control program, copyright information or copyright control message. The copyright control program, the copyright information and the copyright control message are supplied together with the permit key, or they are supplied together with the data. Otherwise, a part of them is supplied together with the permit key and the other part of them is supplied together with the data. The data, the permit key, the copyright control message, the copyright information and the copyright control program are (1) transmitted while encrypted, but are decrypted when used, or (2) they are transmitted while encrypted and decrypted for display only, otherwise remaining encrypted, or (3) they may not be encrypted at all.

Claims

1. A method for controlling copyright of digital data encrypted and supplied from a database to a user, wherein:

a utilization permit key including a decryption key for said digital data is supplied from a key control center to said user;

said utilization permit key comprising at least one of the following;

a display permit key for displaying said digital data, an edit permit key for editing said digital data, a storage permit key for storing said digital data, a copy permit key for copying said digital data, a transfer utilization permit key for transferring said digital data; and

said user decrypts said digital data using said permit key and performs at least one of the following operations as provided by said utilization permit key;

displays said digital data, edits said digital data, stores said digital data, copies said digital data, transfers said digital data.

2. The method for data copyright control according to claim 1 wherein a digital signature is given to said digital data.

3. The method for data copyright control according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the following copyright control elements is used in addition to each of said permit keys:

a copyright control program for controlling copyright of said digital data;

copyright information for copyright of said digital data;

a copyright control message for use of said digital data under copyright.

4. The method for data copyright control according to claim 3 wherein said copyright information is stored, copied and transferred together with said digital data when said digital data is stored, copied and transferred respectively.

5. The method for data copyright control according to claim 3 wherein history information for edit, copy and transfer of said digital data is added to said copyright information when any one of said storing, copying and transferring operations is performed on said digital data.

6. The method for data copyright control according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said permit keys of which said utilization permit key is comprised is encrypted.

7. The method for data copyright control according to claim 6 wherein said encrypted data is decrypted by said copyright control program.

8. The method for data copyright control according to claim 3 wherein said copyright control program is encoded.

9. The method for data copyright control according to claim 3 wherein at least one of said copyright control elements is supplied together with said utilization permit key.

10. The method for data copyright control according to claim 3 wherein:

at least one of said copyright control elements is supplied together with said encrypted data from the database; and

said utilization permit key is supplied from said key control center.

11. The method for data copyright control according to claim 3 wherein:

a first part of at least one of said copyright control elements is supplied together with said encrypted data from the database; and

a second part of at least one of said copyright control elements is supplied together with said permit key from said key control center.

13. The method for data copyright control according to claim 12 wherein a digital signature is given to said digital data.

14. The method for data copyright control according to claim 12 wherein at least one of the following copyright control elements is used in addition to each of said permit keys:

a copyright control program for controlling copyright of said digital data;

copyright information for copyright of said digital data; and

a copyright control message for using said digital data under copyright.

15. The method for data copyright control according to claim 14 wherein said copyright information is stored, copied and transferred when said digital data is stored, copied and transferred respectively.

16. The method for data copyright control according to claim 14 wherein history information for edit, copy and transfer of said digital data is added to said copyright information when said digital data is edited, copied and transferred respectively.

17. The method for data copyright control according to claim 12 wherein at least one of said use permit keys of which said permit key is comprised is encrypted.

18. The method for data copyright control according to claim 17 wherein encryption of said digital data is decrypted by said copyright control program.

19. The method for data copyright control according to claim 14 wherein said copyright control program is encrypted.

20. The method for data copyright control according to claims 14 wherein at least one of said copyright control elements is supplied together with said permit key.

21. The method for data copyright control according to claim 14 wherein at least one of said copyright control elements is supplied together with said digital data encrypted from the database;

and

said permit key is supplied from said key control center.

22. The method for data copyright control according to claim 14 wherein a first part of at least one of said copyright control elements is supplied together with the digital data encrypted from the database;

and

a second part of said at least one copyright control element is supplied together with said permit key from said key control center.

12. A method for controlling copyright of digital data encrypted and supplied from a database to a user, wherein:

a permit key including a decoding key for said digital data is supplied from a key control center to said user;

said permit key comprising at least one of the following use permit keys;

a display permit key for displaying said digital data, an edit permit key for editing said digital data, a storage permit key for storing said digital data, a copy permit key for copying said digital data, and a transfer permit key for transferring said digital data;

said user performs at least one of the following operations using said permit key;

displays said digital data, edits said digital data, stores said digital data, copies said digital data, transfers said digital data;

said digital data encrypted is decrypted when said digital data is displayed and edited; and

said digital data is encrypted again when said digital data is subjected to one of the following operations;

storing, copying, transferring.