Utilizing and delivering contents
First Claim
1. A method for utilizing contents, comprising the steps of:
- acquiring authentication data including a start date of use for the contents, an end date of use for the contents, and a last date of use;
acquiring a current date from a system timer when using the contents;
determining whether said last date of use is prior to said current date;
determining whether said current date is prior to said end date of use;
regenerating said contents if both of said steps of determining result in true; and
updating said last date of use with a date when said regenerating step is finished.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides for deterring and/or preventing an illegal use of contents by users when an expiration date is established for the use of the contents. Contents or contents execution programs have information indicative of an expiration date. In an example, expiration date information is embedded into external files, contents or contents execution programs. The expiration date information could be a start, end or last date of use, which is used as authentication data to conduct authentication when making use of the contents. An example embodiment has two requirements satisfied when using the contents in order to execute the execution program, including (1) the current date acquired from the system timer is between the start date of use and the end date of use (expiration date); and (2) the current date is posterior to the last date of use (last date of access).
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for utilizing contents, comprising the steps of:
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acquiring authentication data including a start date of use for the contents, an end date of use for the contents, and a last date of use;
acquiring a current date from a system timer when using the contents;
determining whether said last date of use is prior to said current date;
determining whether said current date is prior to said end date of use;
regenerating said contents if both of said steps of determining result in true; and
updating said last date of use with a date when said regenerating step is finished. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 15, 19, 20, 22)
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5. A method for delivering contents;
- comprising the steps of;
in response to a download request of the contents, generating authentication data using a date when said request is accepted, wherein said authentication data includes a start date of use specifying the start date of use for the contents and an end date of use specifying an expiration date of the contents; and
sending the contents, a regeneration program for said contents, and said authentication data, wherein the regeneration program comprising the functions of;
acquiring a current date from a system timer;
determining first whether the last date of use of said contents is prior to said current date;
determining secondly whether said current date is prior to said end date of use;
regenerating said contents if determinations made by both of said determination functions result in true; and
updating said last date of use with a date when the regeneration of said contents is finished. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 16, 21, 23)
- comprising the steps of;
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9. A system for delivering contents;
- said system in response to a download request of the contents, comprising;
means for generating authentication data using a date when said request is accepted, wherein said authentication data includes a start date of use specifying the start date of use for the contents and an end date of use specifying an expiration date of the contents; and
means for sending said contents, a regeneration program for said contents, and said authentication data, wherein said regeneration program comprises functions of;
acquiring a current date from a system timer;
determining first whether the last date of use of said contents is prior to said current date;
determining secondly whether said current date is prior to said end date of use;
regenerating said contents if determinations made by both of said determining functions result in true; and
updating said last date of use with a date when the regeneration of said contents is finished. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, 24)
- said system in response to a download request of the contents, comprising;
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13. A program executable by a computer to perform a method for utilizing contents;
- the program comprising the functions of;
acquiring authentication data including a start date of use specifying the start date of use for the contents, an end date of use specifying an expiration date of the contents, and a last date of use specifying when the contents were last used;
acquiring a current date from a system timer;
determining first whether said last date of use is prior to said current date;
determining secondly whether said current date is prior to said end date of use;
regenerating said contents if determinations made by both of said determination functions result in true; and
updating said last date of use with a date when the regeneration of said contents is finished.
- the program comprising the functions of;
Specification