Transmitter, signal transmitting method, data distributing system and its method, data receiver, data providing device and its method and data transmitter

• US 20020106082A1
• Filed: 03/13/2002
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fujii, Asako, Kori, Teruhiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,418,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing

Abstract

To enable usage of content at a receiver which does not have a copying function even if copyright protection is provided. Model names of receivers not having a function enabling copying of content are held in an authentication processing circuit (151) of a transmitter (10). When a model name obtained from a connected receiver (40) is held, regardless of whether the content is copyright protected, a signal selection circuit (122) selects a terminal a side, a switch (123) is turned on, and an unencrypted signal is transmitted. When a change of the receiver (40) is detected by a hot plug detection function or a plug and play function at a processing circuit (152) during the transfer of a signal of copyright protected content without providing copyright protection, the selection circuit (122) is made to select a terminal b side or the switch (123) is turned off to suspend the transfer of the non-copyright protected signal. The information indicating the receiver is held in a tamper-proof updateable manner.

Claims

1. A transmitter comprising:

a transmission processing means for transferring a content signal or processing copyright protection on a content signal and then transferring the processed content signal and

a transmission controlling means for holding information indicating a receiver which does not have a function enabling copying of content by using the content signal or the processed content signal transferred from the transmission processing means and controlling output of the signal to be transferred from the transmission processing means according to whether or not information indicating the receiver which is connected to the transmission processing means is included in the held information.

2. A transmitter as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said transmitter comprises a protection detecting means for determining if said content is copyright protected and

said transmission control means transfers a copyright protected content signal from said transmission processing means when said protection detecting means determines that said content is copyright protected and transfers a non-copyright protected content signal regardless of the result of decision at the protection detecting means when it is determined that information indicating the receiver connected to said transmission processing means is included in said held information.

3. A transmitter as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said transfer controlling means monitors for a change in connection of the receiver connected to said transmission processing means while transferring a content signal of copyright protected content without providing copyright protection and controls said transmission processing means so as not to transfer a non-copyright protected content signal when it detects that the connection has been changed.

4. A transmitter as set forth in claim 3, wherein

said transmission controlling means monitors for a change in connection of said receiver by a hot plug detection function or plug and play function.

5. A transmitter as set forth in claim 3, wherein

said transmission controlling means suspends the transfer of the non-copyright protected content signal or transfers a copyright protected content signal instead of the non-copyright protected content signal so that said non-copyright protected content signal is not transferred.

6. A transmitter as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said transmission controlling means holds information indicating said receiver in a tamper-proof updateable manner.

7. A signal transfer method including of the steps of

holding in a transmitter information indicating receivers not having the function of being able to receive a content signal to copy the content and

controlling the output of the content signal or copyright protected content signal at the transmitter according to whether or not information indicating a connected receiver is included in the held information.

8. A signal transfer method as set forth in claim 7, comprising the steps of

determining whether to provide copyright protection for said content using said content signal and

transferring said copyright protected content signal when determining that the content is copyright protected and receiving said non-copyright protected content signal regardless of whether said content is copyright protected when determining that information indicating the connected receiver is included in said held information.

9. A signal transfer method as set forth in claim 8, comprising the steps of

monitoring for a change in connection of the connected receiver while transferring a content signal of copyright protected content without providing copyright protection and

prohibiting the transfer of said non-copyright protected content signal when detecting that the connection has been changed.

10. A signal transfer method as set forth in claim 9, comprising

monitoring for a change in connection of said receiver by a hot plug detection function or plug and play function.

11. A signal transfer method as set forth in claim 9, comprising

suspending the transfer of the non-copyright protected content signal or transferring a copyright protected content signal instead of the non-copyright protected content signal so as to prohibit the transfer of said non-copyright protected content signal.

13. A data distribution system as set forth in claim 12, wherein

said data providing means superimposes said first control information as electronic watermark information on said content data and provides the superimposed content data as the data to be distributed to said data transmitting means,

said data transmitting means performs the predetermined second encryption on said provided data to be distributed and transmits the encrypted data to be distributed, and

said data receiving means receives said transmitted encrypted data to be distributed, performs the decryption of said second encryption, detects said superimposed first control information from the decrypted data to be distributed, and controls the output of said content data based on the detected first control information.

14. A data distribution system as set forth in claim 13, wherein

said data providing means performs predetermined first encryption on the content data with said first control information superimposed thereon as the electronic watermark information and provides the encrypted data as said data to be distributed to said data transmitting means,

said data transmitting means performs said second encryption for said provided data to be distributed and transmits the encrypted data to be distributed, and

said data receiving means receives said transmitted encrypted data to be distributed, performs the decryption of said second encryption, generates the content data with said electronic watermark information superimposed thereon by performing the decryption of said first encryption, detects said superimposed first control information from the generated content data, and controls the output of said content data based on the detected information.

15. A data distribution system as set forth in claim 14, wherein

said data transmitting means adds second control information for controlling a usage state of the content data to said provided data to be distributed, performs said second encryption on said data to be distributed with the second control information added thereto, and transmits the encrypted data to be distributed, and

said data receiving means receives said transmitted encrypted data to be distributed, performs the decryption of said second encryption, detects said second control information, generates the content data with the electronic watermark information superimposed thereon by performing the decryption of said first encryption for said decrypted data to be distributed, detects the first control information superimposed as said electronic watermark information from the generated content data, and controls the output of said content data based on said detected first control information and second control information.

16. A data distribution system as set forth in claim 12, wherein

said data providing means adds a control descriptor indicating said first control information to said content data and provides the content data with the control descriptor added thereto as the data to be distributed to said data transmitting means,

said data transmitting means performs the predetermined second encryption for said provided data to be distributed and transmits the encrypted data to be distributed, and

said data receiving means receives said transmitted encrypted data to be distributed, performs the decryption of said second encryption, detects said added first control information from the decrypted data to be distributed, and controls the output of said content data based on the detected first control information.

17. A data distribution system as set forth in claim 12, wherein

said data transmitting means adds second control information for controlling a usage state of the content data to said provided data to be distributed, performs said second encryption for said data to be distributed with the second control information added thereto, and transmits the encrypted data to be distributed, and

said data receiving means receives said transmitted encrypted data to be distributed, performs the decryption of said second encryption, detects said second information, performs the decryption of said first encryption for said decrypted data to be distributed to generate content data with the control descriptor added thereto, detects the first control information added as the control descriptor from the generated content data, and controls the output of said content data based on said detected first control information and second control information.

18. A data distribution system as set forth in claim 12, wherein

said data providing means superimposes third control information for controlling a usage state of the signal when outputting said content data by an analog signal on the content data as the electronic watermark information and provides the content data with the third control information superimposed thereon as said data to be distributed,

said data transmitting means performs the predetermined second encryption for said provided data to be distributed, transmits the encrypted data to be distributed, and

said data receiving means receives said transmitted encrypted data to be distributed, performs the decryption of said second encryption, and outputs the signal with the decrypted said third control information superimposed thereon as the electronic watermark information as an analog signal output in response to a request.

19. A data distribution system as set forth in claim 12, wherein

said data receiving means further has a memory means for storing information concerning charging with respect to a usage of the content data based on a usage state of said received content data.

12. A data distribution system comprising:

a data providing means for adding first control information for controlling a usage state of the content data to the intended content data and providing the result as the data to be distributed,

a data transmitting means for performing predetermined second encryption on said provided data to be distributed and transmitting the encrypted data to be distributed, and

a data receiving means for receiving said transmitted encrypted data to be distributed, performing decryption of said second encryption, detecting said first control information from the decrypted data to be distributed, and controlling the output of said content data based on the detected first control information.

20. A data distribution method including the steps of

adding first control information for controlling a usage state of content data to intended content data based on an instruction of an owner of the content data and providing the result as the data to be distributed,

performing predetermined second encryption on said provided data to be distributed,

transmitting the encrypted data to be distributed,

receiving said transmitted encrypted data to be distributed at any receiver,

performing the decryption of said second encryption,

detecting said first control information from the decrypted data to be distributed, and

controlling the output of said content data based on the detected first control information.

21. A data distribution method as set forth in claim 20, comprising

superimposing said first control information as electronic watermark information on said content data and providing the superimposed content data as the data to be distributed and

detecting said first control information from the decrypted data to be distributed by detecting said electronic watermark information from said decrypted data to be distributed.

22. A data distribution method as set forth in claim 21, comprising

performing predetermined first encryption on the content data with said first control information superimposed thereon as the electronic watermark information and providing the encrypted data as said data to be distributed,

performing decryption of said first encryption on the data for which decryption of said second encryption was performed to generate content data with said electronic watermark information superimposed thereon, and

detecting said superimposed first control information from said generated content data.

23. A data distribution method as set forth in claim 22, comprising

adding second control information for controlling a usage state of the content data to said provided data to be distributed,

performing said second encryption on said data to be distributed with the second control information added thereto,

transmitting the encrypted data to be distributed,

receiving said transmitted encrypted data to be distributed at any receiver,

performing the decryption of said second encryption,

detecting said second control information,

generating the content data with the electronic watermark information superimposed thereon by performing the decryption of said first encryption for said decrypted data to be distributed,

detecting the first control information superimposed as said electronic watermark information from the generated content data, and

controlling the output of said content data based on said detected first control information and second control information.

24. A data distribution method as set forth in claim 20, comprising

adding said first control information by adding a control descriptor indicating said first control information to said content data and

detecting said first control information by detecting said added first control information from the data to be distributed for which decryption of said second encryption is performed.

25. A data distribution method as set forth in claim 24, comprising

adding second control information for controlling a usage state of the content data to said provided data to be distributed,

performing said second encryption for said data to be distributed with the second control information added thereto,

transmitting the encrypted data to be distributed,

receiving said transmitted encrypted data to be distributed,

performing the decryption of said second encryption,

detecting said second information,

performing the decryption of said first encryption for said decrypted data to be distributed to generate content data with the control descriptor added thereto,

detecting the first control information added as the control descriptor from the generated content data, and

controlling the output of said content data based on said detected first control information and second control information.

26. A data distribution method as set forth in claim 20, comprising

superimposing third control information for controlling a usage state of the signal when outputting said content data by an analog signal on the content data as the electronic watermark information and providing the content data with the third control information superimposed thereon as said data to be distributed,

performing the predetermined second encryption for said provided data to be distributed,

transmitting the encrypted data to be distributed,

receiving said transmitted encrypted data to be distributed at any receiver,

performing the decryption of said second encryption, and

outputting the signal with the decrypted said third control information superimposed thereon as the electronic watermark information when at least an analog signal output is requested.

27. A data distribution method as set forth in claim 20, comprising

charging for usage of the content data based on a usage state of said received content data.

29. A data receiver as set forth in claim 28, wherein

said signal to be transmitted is a signal comprised of content data plus first control information on which predetermined first encryption is performed and further on which predetermined second encryption is performed,

said receiver further comprises a first decrypting means for performing decryption of said first encryption with respect to the data decrypted by said second decrypting means, and

said first control information detecting means detects said first control information from said data to be distributed resulting from the decryption at said first decrypting means.

30. A data receiver as set forth in claim 29, wherein

said first decrypting means performs said decryption using predetermined key data distributed by an owner of said content data.

31. A data receiver as set forth in claim 30, wherein

said second decrypting means performs said decryption using predetermined key data distributed by a transmitting party of said signal.

32. A data receiver as set forth in claim 31, wherein

said first control information is superimposed on said content data as electronic watermark information, and

said first control information detecting means detects said first control information superimposed as said electronic watermark information from said decrypted data to be distributed.

33. A data receiver as set forth in claim 28, wherein

said signal to be transmitted is a signal comprised of content data plus said first control information and second control information for controlling a usage state of said content data on which predetermined first encryption is performed and further predetermined second encryption is performed,

said receiver further comprises

a second control information detecting means for detecting said second control information from said decrypted data to be distributed and

a control content determining means for determining a content of control based on said detected first control information and second control information, and

said output controlling means controls the output of said content data in accordance with the determined content of control.

34. A data receiver as set forth in claim 33, wherein

said first control information is information set by an owner of said content data,

said second control information is information set by a transmitting party of said signal, and

said control content determining means determines said content of control so that the setting by the owner of said content data is given priority over the setting by the transmitting party of said signal based on said detected first control information and second control information.

35. A data receiver as set forth in claim 31, wherein

said first control information is added to said content data as a control descriptor, and

said first control information detecting means detects first control information added as said control descriptor from said decrypted data to be distributed.

36. A data receiver as set forth in claim 28, wherein

said signal to be transmitted is a signal comprised of said content data plus third control information for controlling a usage state of the signal when outputting said content data by an analog signal as the electronic watermark information, and

said output controlling means outputs a signal including said third control information superimposed as electronic watermark information when outputting said content data by an analog signal in response to a request.

37. A data receiver as set forth in claim 28, further having

a memory means for storing information concerning charging with respect to a usage of the content data based on a usage state of said received content data.

39. A data provider as set forth in claim 38, which

further has an encrypting means for encrypting by a predetermined scheme the content data to which said control information is added and

provides said encrypted content data.

40. A data provider as set forth in claim 39, wherein

said control information adding means superimposes said control information on said content data as electronic watermark information.

41. A data provider as set forth in claim 39, wherein

said control information adding means adds said control information to said content data as a control descriptor.

42. A data provider as set forth in claim 38, which

further has an analog signal control information adding means for superposing, as electronic watermark information on said content data, analog signal control information, designated by an owner of said content data, for controlling a usage state of a signal when said content data is output as an analog signal and

provides content data on which said analog signal control information is superimposed.

28. A data receiver for receiving a signal comprised of data to be distributed including intended content data plus first control information for controlling a usage state of the content data and transmitted after performing predetermined second encryption, comprising

a receiving means for receiving said transmitted signal,

a second decrypting means for performing decryption of said second encryption with respect to said received signal,

a first control information detecting means for detecting said first control information from said decrypted data to be distributed, and

an output controlling means for controlling the output of said content data based on said detected first control information.

38. A data provider comprising

a control information adding means for adding control information for controlling a usage state of content data designated by an owner of the content data to intended content data and

provides the content data with said control information added thereto as data to be distributed.

43. A data providing method including the steps of

adding control information for controlling a usage state of content data designated by an owner of content data to intended content data,

encrypting said content data with the control information added thereto by a predetermined method, and

providing the encrypted content data as the data to be distributed.

44. A data providing method as set forth in claim 43, including

providing key data for decrypting said encrypted content data to only a receiver receiving said distributed encrypted content data.

45. A data transferer comprising

an encrypting means for further encrypting, by a predetermined method, data to be distributed including intended content data plus control information for controlling a usage state of said content data designated by an owner of the content data and encrypted by a predetermined scheme and

a transferring means for transferring said encrypted data to be distributed to any channel.