Backup-restoration system and right management server

• US 20030028592A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Masaya, Okamoto, Ryuichi, Miura, Kouji, Ooho, Masahiro
• Application Number:
  US10/208,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028592A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

A terminal (140) attaches a client ID and a whole or a part of LT to a backup request and sends them to a right management server (710). A right management server (710) verifies the client ID to see when the entity originating the request is an registered user, and it also verifies data identification ID on the LT to see when right data is the one issued by the server for the registered user, and then performs backup for the right data when the right data is the one issued by the server. The terminal (140) attaches the client ID to a restoration request and sends them to the right management server (710). The right management server (710) checks a user ID from the client ID, and then restores the right data to the terminal (140), which is backed-up in association with the user ID.

Claims

1. A backup-restoration system that comprises a sever device performing backup for data held in a terminal device and the terminal device connected to the server device via a communication network,

wherein the terminal device includes:

a data receiving unit operable to receive data issued from the server device; and

a backup request unit operable to request backup of the data, and

the server device includes;

a backup request receiving unit operable to receive the backup request from the terminal device;

a judgement unit operable to judge whether or not the data for backup is issued by the server device; and

a backup unit operable to internally hold the data for backup and perform backup for the data when the data for backup is judged to be the one issued by the server device.

2. The backup-restoration system according to claim 1,

wherein the backup request unit sends specific information that specifies data for backup to the server device, and

the server device further includes an adding unit operable to add additional information of a detail uniquely specifying the server device to the data issued for the terminal device,

in which the judgement unit judges that the data for backup is the one issued by the server device when the additional information is added to the data for backup that is specified by the specific information.

3. The backup-restoration system according to claim 2,

wherein the additional information is URL information of the server device.

4. The backup-restoration system according to claim 2,

wherein the additional information is data identification information that enables the server device to uniquely specify details of the data issued by the server device.

5. The backup-restoration system according to claim 1,

wherein the terminal device further includes an identification information holding unit operable to hold first identification information uniquely specifying the terminal device,

in which the backup request unit further sends the first identification information when the backup request is sent, and

the server device further includes an identification information registration unit operable to register the first identification information of each terminal device,

in which the backup unit performs backup when the backup request is from the terminal device containing the registered first identification information, and when the data for backup is the one issued by the server device as a result of the judgement.

6. The backup-restoration system according to claim 5,

wherein the terminal device further includes a restoration request unit operable to send the first identification information to the server device and request to restore the backup data,

the backup unit associates the data for backup with the first identification information and performs backup for the data, and

the server device further includes:

a searching unit operable to search the backup data associated with the first identification information in the backup unit when the restoration request is received from the terminal device; and

a restoration unit operable to restore the data to the terminal device sending the restoration request when the data concerned exists as a result of the search.

7. The backup-restoration system according to claim 1,

wherein the backup unit extracts data indicating a specific detail from the data for backup and performs backup for the extracted data, and

the restoration unit converts a format of the extracted data to a format of the data for backup, and restores it.

15. The backup-restoration system according to claim 1,

the terminal device further includes a storage right reporting unit operable to report the usage right indicated on each license ticket stored to the server device when the terminal device sends the backup request or in response to a query from the server device, and

the server device further includes:

a terminal device information memory unit operable to memorize the terminal device information indicating each terminal device owned by each user;

a terminal device specifying unit operable to specify, based on the terminal device information, the terminal device owned by the same user other than the terminal device sending the backup request when the backup request is received; and

a query unit operable to query about the usage right stored in the terminal device to the terminal device specified by the terminal device specifying unit, and

the backup unit holds the right information indicating the usage right summed from the usage right reported by the terminal device sending the backup request, the usage right reported by the terminal device querying about the usage right and the usage right memorized in the right information memory unit.

16. The backup-restoration system according to claim 15,

wherein the terminal device further includes a third restoration unit operable to request the server device to restore the backed-up usage right, and

the server device further includes a third restoration unit operable to update, for the restoration request from the terminal device, the content usage right of the user memorized in the right information memory unit to the usage right indicated in the right information held in the backup unit.

17. The backup-restoration system according to claim 16,

wherein the terminal device further includes a nullification unit operable to nullify the license ticket stored in the license ticket storage unit at the time of the restoration request.

18. The backup-restoration system according to claim 17,

wherein the server device further includes a reporting unit operable to specify, based on the terminal device information, the terminal device owned by the user receiving the restoration, and report completion of the restoration to the specified terminal device, and

the terminal device further includes a second nullification unit operable to nullify the license ticket stored in the license ticket storage unit when completion of the restoration is reported from the server device.

8. A backup-restoration system that comprises a terminal device using content as digital production and a server device managing usage of the content in the terminal device via a communication network,

wherein the server device includes:

a right information memory unit operable to memorize right information regarding a usage right of the content owned by a user who uses the terminal device;

a license ticket issuance unit operable to generate a license ticket that is the right information indicating a part of the usage right owned by the user and issue the license ticket to the terminal device based on a request from the user;

a judgement unit operable to judge whether or not the right related to a backup request from the terminal device is based on the license ticket issued by the server device; and

a backup unit operable to internally hold the right information indicating the usage right related to ownership at the time of the backup request from the user when the right related to the backup request from the terminal device is based on the license ticket issued by the server device as a result of the judgement, and

the terminal device includes;

a license ticket storage unit operable to store the license ticket sent from the server device;

a content usage control unit operable to control the content usage according to the usage right indicated on each license ticket stored; and

a backup request unit operable to request backup of the usage right currently owned by the user based on the license ticket stored.

9. The backup-restoration system according to claim 8,

wherein the license ticket issuance unit writes server device identification information that uniquely specifies the server device on the license ticket and issues the license ticket.

10. The backup-restoration system according to claim 9,

wherein the server device identification information is URL information of the server device.

11. The backup-restoration system according to claim 9,

wherein the server device identification information is right identification information that the server device uniquely specifies the content usage right indicated on the license ticket issued by the server device.

12. The backup-restoration system according to claim 8,

wherein the backup request unit sends a whole or a part of the license ticket to the server device at the time of the backup request, and

the backup unit analyzes the license ticket received at the time of the backup request from the terminal device, generates the right information showing the usage right indicated on the license ticket, and holds the generated right information.

13. The backup-restoration system according to claim 12,

wherein the terminal device further includes a restoration request unit operable to request the server device to restore the backed-up usage right, and

the server device further includes:

a terminal information memory unit operable to memorize terminal information indicating the terminal device owned by each user;

a readout unit operable to specify the user of the terminal device sending the restoration request based on the terminal information, and read out the right information generated for the specified user from the backup unit; and

a restoration unit operable to generate the license ticket indicating the readout right information, and issue the license ticket to the terminal device sending the restoration request.

14. The backup-restoration system according to claim 8,

wherein the terminal device further includes a second restoration request unit operable to request the server device to restore the backed-up usage right, and

the right information memory unit of the server device memorizes an initial value of the content usage right owned by the user, and

the server device further includes:

a terminal information memory unit operable to memorize the terminal information indicating each terminal device owned by each user;

a first user specifying unit operable to specify the user of the terminal device sending the backup request based on the terminal information;

a second user specifying unit operable to specify the user of the terminal device sending the restoration request; and

a second restoration unit operable to restore the content usage right of the user memorized in the right information memory unit to the initial value when the user specified by the second user specifying unit is consistent with the user specified by the first user specifying unit.

19. The backup-restoration system according to claim 8,

wherein the terminal device further includes a restoration request unit operable to request the server device to restore the backed-up usage right, and

the server further includes:

a readout unit operable to readout the right information held in the backup unit for the user of the terminal device sending the restoration request from the backup unit;

a restoration unit operable to generate the license ticket indicating the readout right information, and execute the restoration by issuing the license ticket to the terminal device sending the restoration request;

a restoration history holding unit operable to hold historical information of the restoration execution for the user; and

a restoration control unit operable to control the restoration execution by the restoration unit, based on the restoration request from the user, according to the historical information held for the user, and

the restoration unit executes the restoration according to the control of the restoration control unit.

20. The backup-restoration system according to claim 19,

wherein the restoration history holding unit counts a number of the restoration executed by the restoration unit for the user, and holds the historical information indicating the counted number of the restoration executed, and

the restoration control unit verifies availability of the restoration executed by the restoration unit according to the number of the restoration executed that is indicated in the historical information.

21. The backup-restoration system according to claim 19,

wherein the restoration history holding unit counts a number of the license tickets issued by the restoration unit for the user, and holds historical information indicating the counted number of the license tickets, and

the restoration control unit verifies availability of the restoration executed by the restoration unit according to the number of the license tickets indicated in the historical information.

22. The backup-restoration system according to claim 8,

wherein the right information memory unit memorizes the right information including prohibition information that indicates whether the backup of each right information is prohibited or not, and

the backup unit refers to the right information in the right information memory unit indicating the usage right for the backup request sent from the terminal device, and internally holds the right information as a backup process only for the right among the usage right, for which backup is not prohibited by the prohibition information.

23. The backup-restoration system according to claim 8,

wherein the right information memory unit memorizes the right information to which the prohibition information indicating whether the backup of each right information is prohibited or not is added, and

the license ticket issuance unit adds the prohibition information to the license ticket, which is added to the right information in the right information memory unit indicating the usage right requested from the user, and issues the license ticket, and

the terminal device further includes a backup availability indication unit operable to refer to the prohibition information added to the license ticket, and indicates availability of backup of the usage right based on the license ticket stored.

24. The backup-restoration system according to claim 8,

wherein the right information memory unit memorizes the right information including prohibition information that indicates whether the backup of each right information is prohibited or not,

the license ticket issuance unit adds the prohibition information to the license ticket, which is added to the right information in the right information memory unit indicating the usage right requested from the user, and issues the license ticket, and

the backup request unit requests backup of the usage right for which backup is not prohibited by the prohibition information based on the license ticket stored.

25. A server device that performs backup for data held in a terminal device according to a request from the terminal device connected via a communication network, the server device including:

a backup request receiving unit operable to receive the backup request from the terminal device;

a judgement unit operable to judge whether or not data for the backup request is the one issued by the server device; and

a backup unit operable to internally hold the data for backup and performs backup when the data for the backup request is judged to be the one issued by the server device.

26. The server device according to claim 25,

wherein the server device further includes an identification information registration unit operable to register first identification information of each terminal device, and

the backup unit performs backup when the backup request is from the terminal device holding the registered first identification information, and when the data for backup is the one issued by the server device as a result of the judgement.

27. The server device according to claim 26,

wherein the backup unit holds the data for backup in association with the first identification information, and

the server device further includes:

a searching unit operable to search the backup data associated with the first identification information in the backup unit when a restoration request is received from the terminal device; and

a restoration unit operable to restore the data to the terminal device sending the restoration request when the data concerned exists as a result of the search.

28. A right management server device in a content distribution system that comprises a terminal device using content as digital production and the server device managing content usage in the terminal device via a communication network, the right management server including:

a right information memory unit operable to memorize right information regarding a usage right of the content owned by a user who uses the terminal device;

a license ticket issuance unit operable to generate a license ticket as the right information indicating a part of the usage right owned by the user and issue the license ticket to the terminal device based on a request from the user;

a judgement unit operable to judge whether or not the right related to a backup request from the terminal device is based on the license ticket issued by the server device; and

a backup unit operable to internally hold the right information indicating the usage right related to ownership at the time of the backup request from the user when the right related to a backup request from the terminal device is based on the license ticket issued by the server device as a result of the judgement.

29. The right management server device according to claim 28,

wherein the server device further includes:

a terminal device information memory unit operable to memorize terminal device information indicating each terminal device owned by each user;

a terminal device specifying unit operable to specify the terminal device owned by the same user other than the terminal device sending the backup request based on the terminal device information when the backup request is received; and

an query unit operable to query the terminal device specified by the terminal device specifying unit about the usage right stored in the terminal device, and

the backup unit holds the right information indicating the usage right summed from the usage right reported by the terminal device sending the backup request, the usage right reported by the terminal device querying about the usage right, and the usage right memorized in the right information memory unit.

30. A backup-restoration method for a server device to perform backup for data held in a terminal device for a system comprising the server device and the terminal device connected to the server device via a communication network,

wherein the terminal device includes:

a data receiving step that receives data issued from the server device; and

a backup request step that requests backup of the data, and

the server device includes;

a backup request receiving step that receives the backup request from the terminal device;

a judgement step that judges whether or not the data for the backup request is the one issued by the server device; and

a backup step that internally holds the data for backup and performs backup when the data for the backup request is judged to be the one issued by the server device.

31. A backup-restoration method for a server device to perform backup for data held in a terminal device for a system comprising the terminal device using content as digital production and the server device managing usage of the content in the terminal device via a communication network,

wherein the server device includes:

a license ticket issuance step that memorizes right information in advance regarding a usage right of the content owned by a user who uses the terminal device, generates a license ticket as the right information indicating a part of the usage right owned by the user based on a request from the user, and issues the license ticket to the terminal device;

a judgement step that judges whether or not the right related to a backup request from the terminal device is based on the license ticket issued by the server device; and

a backup step that internally holds the right information indicating the usage right related to ownership at the time of the backup request from the user when the right related to the backup request from the terminal device is judged to be the one issued by the server device as a result of the judgement, and

the terminal device includes;

a license ticket storage step that stores the license ticket sent from the server device;

a content usage control step that controls the content usage according to the usage right indicated on the license ticket stored; and

a backup request step that requests backup of the usage right currently owned by the user based on the license ticket stored.

32. A program for a server device to perform backup for data held in a terminal device according to a request from the terminal device connected via a communication network, the program making a computer function as:

a backup request receiving unit operable to receive a backup request from the terminal device;

a judgement unit operable to judge whether or not data for the backup request is the one issued by the server device; and

a backup unit operable to internally hold the data for backup and performs backup for the data when the data for the backup request is judged to be issued by the server device.

33. A program for a server device in a content distribution system comprising a terminal device using content as digital production and a server device managing usage of the content in the terminal device via a communication network, the program making a computer function as:

a right information memory unit operable to memorize right information regarding a usage right of the content owned by a user who uses the terminal device;

a license ticket issuance unit operable to generate a license ticket that is the right information indicating a part of the usage right owned by the user and issue the license ticket to the terminal device based on a request from the user;

a judgement unit operable to judge whether or not the right related to a backup request from the terminal device is based on the license ticket issued by the server device; and

a backup unit operable to internally hold the right information indicating the usage right related to ownership at the time of the backup request from the user when the right related to the backup request from the terminal device is based on the license ticket issued by the server device as a result of the judgement.