License management server, terminal device, license management system and usage restriction control method
First Claim
1. A license management server that manages usage rules in accordance with which terminal devices use contents, wherein the terminal devices include a first terminal device used by a first user and a second terminal device used by a second user, comprising:
- an information storing unit operable to store license information that associates a usage rule with either (a) each of the first terminal device and the second terminal device or (b) each of the first user and the second user;
a restriction managing unit operable to obtain restriction information from either the first terminal device or the first user and to store the restriction information, which shows a restriction on content use by either the second terminal device or the second user; and
a ticket issuing unit operable to (1) obtain a usage request from either the first terminal device or the first user, the obtained usage request requesting content use by either the second terminal device or the second user, (2) add, in response to the obtained usage request, the restriction shown in the restriction information in the restriction managing unit to a usage rule associated by the license information with one of the first terminal device, the first user, the second terminal device, and the second user to produce a new usage rule, (3) produce a first license ticket that permits content use under the new usage rule, and (4) send the first license ticket to either the first terminal device or the first user.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A management server (5) manages usage rules in accordance with which terminals use contents, and includes a usage rule database (52), a parental control unit (56), a parental database (53), and a ticket producing unit (54). The usage rule database (53) stores usage rule information (13˜14) that associates each user with the usage rules. The parental control unit (56) obtains, from a parent terminal (6), parental information (15˜16) that is a request made by the parent terminal (6) for placing a restriction on content usage by a child terminal (7), and the parental database (53) stores the obtained parental information (15˜16). On receiving, from the parent terminal (6), a content request made by a user of the child terminal (7) for content use, the ticket producing unit (54) adds a restriction shown in the stored parental information for the child terminal (7) to a usage rule shown in the stored rule information for the child terminal (7) to produce a new usage rule, produces a license ticket that permits content use under the new usage rule, and sends the license ticket to the parent terminal (6).
188 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A license management server that manages usage rules in accordance with which terminal devices use contents, wherein the terminal devices include a first terminal device used by a first user and a second terminal device used by a second user, comprising:
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an information storing unit operable to store license information that associates a usage rule with either (a) each of the first terminal device and the second terminal device or (b) each of the first user and the second user;
a restriction managing unit operable to obtain restriction information from either the first terminal device or the first user and to store the restriction information, which shows a restriction on content use by either the second terminal device or the second user; and
a ticket issuing unit operable to (1) obtain a usage request from either the first terminal device or the first user, the obtained usage request requesting content use by either the second terminal device or the second user, (2) add, in response to the obtained usage request, the restriction shown in the restriction information in the restriction managing unit to a usage rule associated by the license information with one of the first terminal device, the first user, the second terminal device, and the second user to produce a new usage rule, (3) produce a first license ticket that permits content use under the new usage rule, and (4) send the first license ticket to either the first terminal device or the first user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A terminal device that makes a request for content use to a license management server that manages usage rules for contents, comprising:
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a restriction storing unit operable to obtain and store restriction information showing a restriction to be placed on content use by either a certain terminal device or a certain user of the certain terminal device;
a ticket requesting unit operable to make a ticket request to the license management server in response to a request from either the certain terminal device or the certain user, the ticket request requesting a license ticket that permits content use under a certain usage rule;
a ticket obtaining unit operable to obtain the requested license ticket from the license management server; and
a ticket issuing unit operable to (1) add the restriction shown in the restriction information in the restriction storing unit to the certain usage rule shown in the obtained license ticket to produce a new usage rule, (2) produce a restricted license ticket that permits the content use under the new usage rule, and (3) send the restricted license ticket to either the certain terminal device or the certain user. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A license management system that comprises a license management server and a plurality of terminal devices, the license management server managing usage rules in accordance with which the terminal devices use contents, the terminal devices including a first terminal device used by a first user and a second terminal device used by a second user, each terminal device making a request for content use to the license management server,
wherein the license management server includes: -
an information storing unit operable to store license information that associates a usage rule with either (a) each of the first terminal device and the second terminal device or (b) each of the first user and the second user;
a restriction managing unit operable to obtain restriction information from either the first terminal device or the first user and to store the restriction information, which shows a restriction on content use by either the second terminal device or the second user;
a ticket issuing unit operable to (1) obtain a usage request from either the first terminal device or the first user, the obtained usage request requesting content use by either the second terminal device or the second user, (2) add, in response to the obtained usage request, the restriction shown in the restriction information in the restriction managing unit to a usage rule associated by the license information with one of the first terminal device, the first user, the second terminal device, and the second user to produce a new usage rule, (3) produce a first license ticket that permits content use under the new usage rule, and (4) send the first license ticket to either the first terminal device or the first user, the first terminal device includes;
a restriction sending unit operable to send the restriction information to the license management server;
a first usage requesting unit operable to make the usage request requesting issuance of the first license ticket to the license management server in response to a request from either the second terminal device or the second user;
a first ticket obtaining unit operable to obtain the requested first license ticket from the license management server and send the obtained first license ticket to either the second terminal device of the second user; and
the second terminal device includes;
a second usage requesting unit operable to make the request for content use to either the first terminal device or the first user;
a second ticket obtaining unit operable to obtain the first license ticket from either the first terminal device or the first user; and
a using unit operable to use the content in accordance with the obtained first license ticket. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A license management system that comprises a license management server and a plurality of terminal devices, the license management server managing usage rules in accordance with which the terminal devices use contents, the terminal devices including a first terminal device used by a first user and a second terminal device used by a second user, each terminal device making a request for content use to the license management server,
wherein the license management server includes: -
an information storing unit operable to store license information that associates a usage rule with either (a) each of the first terminal device and the second terminal device or (b) each of the first user and the second user; and
a ticket issuing unit operable to obtain a usage request from either the first terminal device or the first user, the obtained usage request requesting content use by either the second terminal device or the second user, (2) produce a license ticket that permits content use under a usage rule associated by the license information with one of the first user, the first terminal, the second user, and the second terminal, and (3) send the produced license ticket to either the first terminal device or the first user, the first terminal device includes;
a restriction storing unit operable to obtain and store restriction information showing a restriction to be placed on content use by either the second terminal device or the second user;
a first usage requesting unit operable to make the usage request requesting issuance of the license ticket to the license management server in response to a request from either the second terminal device or the second user;
a first ticket obtaining unit operable to obtain the license ticket from the license management server; and
a restricted ticket issuing unit operable to (1) add the restriction shown in the restriction information in the restriction storing unit to the usage rule shown in the obtained license ticket to produce a new usage rule, (2) produce a restricted license ticket that permits the content use under the new usage rule, and (3) send the restricted license ticket to either the second terminal device or the second user, and the second terminal device includes;
a second usage requesting unit operable to make the request for content use to either the first terminal device or the first user;
a second ticket obtaining unit operable to obtain the restricted license ticket from either the first terminal device or the first user; and
a using unit operable to use the content in accordance with the obtained restricted license ticket. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A usage restriction control method for a license management server that manages usage rules in accordance with which terminal devices use contents,
wherein the terminal devices include a first terminal device used by a first user and a second terminal device used by a second user, the license management server includes (a) a license information storing unit operable to store license information that associates a usage rule with either each of the first terminal device and the second terminal device or each of the first user and the second user, and (b) a restriction information storing unit operable to store restriction information which shows a restriction on content use by either the second terminal device or the second user, and the usage restriction control method includes: -
a step for obtaining the restriction information from either the first terminal device or the first user and placing the restriction information into the restriction information storing unit;
a step for (1) obtaining a usage request from either the first terminal device or the first user, the obtained usage request requesting content use by either the second terminal device or the second user, (2) adding, in response to the obtained usage request, the restriction shown in the restriction information in the restriction storing unit to a usage rule associated by the license information with one of the first terminal device, the first user, the second terminal device, and the second user to produce a new usage rule, (3) producing a license ticket that permits content use under the new usage rule, and (4) sending the license ticket to either the first terminal device or the first user.
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30. A program to have a computer function as a license management server that manages usage rules in accordance with which terminal devices use contents,
wherein the terminal devices include a first terminal device used by a first user and a second terminal device used by a second user, the license management server includes (a) a license information storing unit operable to store license information that associates a usage rule with either each of the first terminal device and the second terminal device or each of the first user and the second user, and (b) a restriction information storing unit operable to store restriction information which shows a restriction on content use by either the second terminal device or the second user, and the program includes: -
a step for obtaining the restriction information from either the first terminal device or the first user and placing the restriction information into the restriction information storing unit;
a step for (1) obtaining a usage request from either the first terminal device or the first user, the obtained usage request requesting content use by either the second terminal device or the second user, (2) adding, in response to the obtained usage request, the restriction shown in the restriction information in the restriction storing unit to a usage rule associated by the license information with one of the first terminal device, the first user, the second terminal device, and the second user to produce a new usage rule, (3) producing a license ticket that permits content use under the new usage rule, and (4) sending the license ticket to either the first terminal device or the first user.
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31. A usage restriction control method for a terminal device that makes a request for content use to a license management server that manages usage rules of contents,
wherein the terminal device includes a restriction storing unit operable to store restriction information showing a restriction to be placed on content use by either a certain terminal device or a certain user of the certain terminal device, and the usage restriction control method includes: -
a step for obtaining the restriction information and placing the obtained restriction information into the restriction storing unit;
a step for making a ticket request to the license management server in response to a request from either the certain terminal device or the certain user, the ticket request requesting a license ticket that permits content use under a certain usage rule;
a step for obtaining the requested license ticket from the license management server; and
a step for (1) adding the restriction shown in the restriction information in the restriction storing unit to the certain usage rule shown in the obtained license ticket to produce a new usage rule, (2) producing a restricted license ticket that permits the content use under the new usage rule, and (3) sending the restricted license ticket to either the certain terminal device or the certain user.
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32. A program to have a computer function as a terminal device that makes a request for content use to a license management server that manages usage rules of contents,
wherein the terminal device includes a restriction storing unit operable to store restriction information showing a restriction to be placed on content use by either a certain terminal device or a certain user of the certain terminal device, and the program includes: -
a step for obtaining the restriction information and placing the obtained restriction information into the restriction storing unit;
a step for making a ticket request to the license management server in response to a request from either the certain terminal device or the certain user, the ticket request requesting a license ticket that permits content use under a certain usage rule;
a step for obtaining the requested license ticket from the license management server; and
a step for (1) adding the restriction shown in the restriction information in the restriction storing unit to the certain usage rule shown in the obtained license ticket to produce a new usage rule, (2) producing a restricted license ticket that permits the content use under the new usage rule, and (3) sending the restricted license ticket to either the certain terminal device or the certain user.
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Specification