Information providing device and method

• US 20020152381A1
• Filed: 05/06/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kurihara, Akira, Kuriya, Shinobu
• Granted Patent: US 7,272,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/170
• 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: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user

Abstract

The authentication function (221) authenticates a PDA. The content database (224) holds the usage conditions of a content and the information about the content. The communication function (225) controls the reception of the usage conditions and the content information, both transmitted from the PDA. The content management function (222) updates the usage conditions and the content information received, on the basis of the usage conditions and the content information held. The desired content is thereby retrieved quickly.

Claims

1. An information providing apparatus for providing information about a content via a transmission path to a first information processing device which stores the content on the basis of usage conditions restricting the operation of the content, said apparatus comprising:

device authentication means for authenticating the first information processing device via the transmission path;

holding means for holding the usage conditions and the information about the content;

first reception control means for controlling the reception of the usage conditions and the information about the content, which have been transmitted from the first information processing device; and

updating means for updating the usage conditions and the information, which are held, on the basis of the usage conditions and information which have been received.

2. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising transmission control means for controlling the transmission to a second information processing device when the information is updated.

3. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display control means for controlling the display of the information about the content.

4. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

second reception control means for controlling the reception of a request for the operation of the content, transmitted from the first information processing device; and

transmission control means for controlling the transmission of the request for the operation of the content, to the second information processing device.

5. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for determining whether the operation of the content should be permitted; and

operating means for operating the content when it is determined that the operation of the content should be permitted.

6. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising user authentication means for authenticating a user of the information providing apparatus.

7. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising user authentication means for authenticating a user of the first information processing device.

8. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding means further holds a flag indicating whether the first information processing device is connected by the transmission path, and the updating means updates the flag.

9. An information providing method of providing information about a content via a transmission path to an information processing device which stores the content on the basis of usage conditions restricting the operation of the content, said method comprising the steps of:

authenticating the first information processing device via the transmission path;

holding the usage conditions and the information about the content;

controlling the reception of the usage conditions and the information about the content, which have been transmitted from the information processing device; and

updating the usage conditions and the information, which are held, on the basis of the usage conditions and information which have been received.

10. A recording medium that records a program for providing information about a content via a transmission path to an information processing device which stores the content on the basis of usage conditions restricting the operation of the content, said program describing the steps of:

authenticating the information processing device via the transmission path;

holding the usage conditions and the information about the content;

controlling the reception of the usage conditions and the information about the content, which have been transmitted from the information processing device; and

updating the usage conditions and the information, which are held, on the basis of the usage conditions and information which have been received.

11. An information processing device connected to an information providing apparatus by a transmission path and designed to process a content on the basis of usage conditions restricting the operation of the content, said device comprising:

holding means for holding the usage conditions of content and the information associated with the content;

first updating means for updating the usage conditions and the information, held in the holding means, in accordance with the operation of the content if the content have been operated;

apparatus authentication means for authenticating an information providing apparatus though the transmission path;

first transmission control means for controlling the transmission of the usage conditions and the information to the information providing apparatus when the content are operated;

reception control means for controlling the reception of the usage conditions and the information associated with the content, which have been transmitted from the information providing apparatus;

second updating means for updating the usage conditions and the information, both held, on the basis of the usage conditions and the information which have been received; and

display control means for controlling the displaying of the information.

12. The information processing device according to claim 11, further comprising means for determining whether to permit an operation of the content, in accordance with the usage conditions held;

and operating means for operating the content if it has been determined that the operation of the content is permitted.

13. The information processing device according to claim 11, further comprising user authentication means for authenticating a user of the information processing device.

14. The information processing device according to claim 11, further comprising second transmission control means for controlling the transmission of a content operation request to the information providing apparatus.

15. An information processing method for use in a information processing device connected to an information providing apparatus by a transmission path and designed to process a content on the basis of usage conditions restricting the operation of the content, said method comprising:

a holding step of holding the usage conditions of content and the information associated with the content;

a first updating step of updating the usage conditions and the information, held in the holding means, in accordance with the operation of the content if the content have been operated;

an apparatus authentication step of authenticating an information providing apparatus though a transmission path;

a transmission control step of controlling the transmission of the usage conditions and the information to the information providing apparatus when the content is operated;

a reception control step for controlling the reception of the usage conditions and the information associated with the content, which have been transmitted from the information providing apparatus;

a second updating step of updating the usage conditions and the information, both held, on the basis of the usage conditions and the information which have been received; and

a display control step of controlling the displaying of the information.

16. A recording medium recording a program for use in a information processing device connected to an information providing apparatus by a transmission path and designed to process a content on the basis of usage conditions restricting the operation of the content, said program describing:

a holding step of holding the usage conditions of content and the information associated with the content;

a first updating step of updating the usage conditions and the information, held in the holding means, in accordance with the operation of the content if the content have been operated;

an apparatus authentication step of authenticating an information providing apparatus though a transmission path;

a transmission control step of controlling the transmission of the usage conditions and the information to the information providing apparatus when the content is operated;

a reception control step of controlling the reception of the usage conditions and the information associated with the content, which have been transmitted from the information providing apparatus;

a second updating step of updating the usage conditions and the information, both held, on the basis of the usage conditions and the information which have been received; and

a display control step of controlling the displaying of the information.