Information storage medium, information processing system, content distribution server, methods and programs therefor, and storage medium for such programs

• US 20020169972A1
• Filed: 01/25/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Makoto, Inui, Tsutomu
• Application Number:
  US10/057,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20020169972A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00115 wherein the record carrier stores a unique medium identifier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00173 wherein the origin of the content is checked, e.g. determining whether the content has originally been retrieved from a legal disc copy or another trusted source
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00224 wherein the key is obtained from a remote server
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00246 wherein the key is obtained from a local device, e.g. device key initially stored by the player or by the recorder
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00557 wherein further management data is encrypted, e.g. sector headers, TOC or the lead-in or lead-out areas
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00855 involving a step of exchanging information with a remote server
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00862 wherein the remote server can grant the permission to use a content
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00869 wherein the remote server can deliver the content to a receiving device
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00884 involving a watermark, i.e. a barely perceptible transformation of the original data which can nevertheless be recognised by an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00971 involving measures for monitoring the industrial media production and distribution channels, e.g. for controlling content providers or the official manufacturers or replicators of recording media

Abstract

In an information processing system for use in verifying the validity of a data storage having a first storage area in which an original version of management information is stored and a second storage area in which an encrypted version of the management information is stored, the information processing system comprises a controlling unit adapted to read the original version of the management information and the encrypted version of the management information out of the data storage to control decryption of the read encrypted version of the management information; and a comparing unit adapted to determine whether the original version of the management information and the decrypted management information are in a predetermined relationship with each other and validate the data storage when the determination is affirmative.

Claims

1. A data storage comprising:

a first storage area for storing an original version of management information; and

a second storage area for storing an encrypted version of the management information.

2. A method for manufacturing a data storage comprising the steps of:

writing an original version of management information into a first storage area in the data storage; and

writing an encrypted version of the management information into a second storage area in the data storage.

3. A process carried out in an information processing system comprising:

reading an original version of management information stored on the data storage to be verified and an encrypted version of the management information;

decrypting the encrypted version of the management information; and

comparing the original version of the management information and the decrypted management information,

wherein the data storage subjected to verification is determined as valid when the comparison result indicates that the original version of the management information and the decrypted management information are in a predetermined relationship with each other.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the encrypted version of the management information is encrypted with an encryption scheme using secret key information and the decryption is performed with that secret key information.

5. A system for verifying the validity of a data storage having a first storage area for storing an original version of management information and a second storage area for storing an encrypted version of the management information, said system comprising:

a controlling unit adapted to read the original version of the management information and the encrypted version of the management information out of the data storage and control decryption of the encrypted version of the management information; and

a comparing unit adapted to determine whether the original version of the management information and the decrypted management information are in a predetermined relationship with each other and validate the data storage when the determination result is affirmative.

6. A method for managing a user terminal performed in a content distribution server adapted to deliver content data to a user terminal in response to a request from the user terminal connected to the content distribution server through a network, said method comprising:

requesting the user terminal to send an original version of management information and an encrypted version of the management information, the original and encrypted versions of the management information being stored on the data storage in the user terminal;

receiving the original and encrypted versions of the management information;

decrypting the received encrypted version of the management information;

determining whether the received original version of the management information is in a predetermined relationship with the decrypted management information; and

validating the management information when the determination result is affirmative, wherein

a predetermined request from the user terminal is fulfilled when the determination result is affirmative.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether the management information of which validity has been verified is contained in a predetermined management information list, wherein

fulfillment of a predetermined request from the user terminal is limited when the determination result is affirmative.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the predetermined management information list is a collection of management information for the user terminal(s) to which a content data file is to be delivered.

9. A content distribution server adapted to deliver content data to a user terminal in response to a request from the user terminal connected to the content distribution server through a network, said content distribution server comprising:

an interface for the transmission of data to and from the content distribution server through the network;

a controlling unit that makes a request to send an original version of management information and an encrypted version of the management information through said interface, the original and encrypted versions of the management information being stored on the data storage in the user terminal, and that controls decryption of the received encrypted version of the management information; and

a comparing unit adapted to determine whether the original version of the management information and the decrypted management information are in a predetermined relationship with each other and validate the management information when the determination result is affirmative, wherein

said controlling unit limits the delivery of the content data to the user terminal when the verification result is negative.

10. A content distribution server adapted to deliver content data to a user terminal in response to a request from the user terminal connected to the content distribution server through a network, said content distribution server comprising:

an interface for the transmission of data to and from the content distribution server through the network;

a controlling unit that makes a request to send an original version of management information and an encrypted version of the management information through said interface, the original and encrypted versions of the management information being stored on the data storage in the user terminal, and that controls decryption of the received encrypted version of the management information;

a first comparing unit adapted to determine whether the original version of the management information and the decrypted management information are in a predetermined relationship with each other and validate the management information when the determination result is affirmative;

a management information database which is a collection of pieces of management information for the data storage to which delivery of the content data is limited; and

a second comparing unit adapted to determine whether the management information of which validity has been verified is contained in a predetermined management information database, wherein

said controlling unit permits the delivery of the content data when the verification result obtained by said first comparing unit is affirmative and when the determination result obtained by said second comparing unit is negative.

11. A computer program for use in making an information processing system carry out the jobs of:

writing an original version of management information into a first storage area in a data storage; and

writing an encrypted version of the management information into a second storage area in the said data storage.

14. A computer-readable data storage having the computer program as claimed in claim 11 stored thereon.

15. A computer-readable data storage having the computer program as claimed in claim 12 stored thereon.

16. A computer-readable data storage having the computer program as claimed in claim 13 stored thereon.

12. A computer program for use in making an information processing system carry out the jobs of:

reading an original version of management information and an encrypted version of the management information out of the data storage to be verified;

decrypting the encrypted version of the management information;

comparing the read original version of the management information and the decrypted management information; and

validating the verified data storage when the comparison result indicates that the read original version of the management information and the decrypted management information are in a predetermined relationship with each other.

13. A computer program for use in making a content distribution server, which is adapted to deliver content data to a user terminal in response to a request from the user terminal connected to the content distribution server through a network, carry out the jobs of:

requesting delivery of an original version of management information and an encrypted version of the management information stored in a data storage of the user terminal;

receiving the original and encrypted versions of the management information;

decrypting the received encrypted version of the management information;

determining whether the received original version of the management information and the decrypted management information are in a predetermined relationship with each other; and

either validating the management information when the determination result is affirmative or limiting fulfillment of any request from the user terminal when the verification result is negative.