Data transfer system, data transfer apparatus, data recording apparatus, edit controlling method and data processing method

• US 20030031319A1
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Masao, Matsuda, Hiromi, Abe, Miki, Hosoi, Takafumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,191,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/232
• 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 20/00166 involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier, e.g. music or software
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00297 the key being stored in a management area, e.g. the video manager [VMG] of a DVD
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2529 Mini-discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for causing either first content data transferred encrypted from a data transfer apparatus or second content data which are input unencrypted to be selectively recorded to a storage medium in a data recording apparatus. Given a command for editing the content data recorded on the storage medium, editing of the recorded data is inhibited or restricted if the data are judged to be the encrypted first content data. When the data recording apparatus is to return the encrypted first content data from the storage medium to the data transfer apparatus, the return of the first content data is inhibited if the data are judged to have been edited. Upon return of the encrypted first content data to the data transfer apparatus, a content ID held by the data recording apparatus regarding the first content data is matched against a content ID held by the data transfer apparatus regarding the same data. Where the encrypted first content data are known to have been edited, the content ID matching process is omitted.

Claims

1. A data recording apparatus for selectively receiving either first content data which are encrypted or second content data which are unencrypted, the received data being recorded to a storage medium constituted by a program area and a management area, said data recording apparatus comprising:

first receiving means for receiving the encrypted first content data;

second receiving means for receiving the unencrypted second content data;

decrypting means for decrypting said encrypted first content data received by said first receiving means;

recording means for selectively recording either said first content data decrypted by said decrypting means or said second content data received by said second receiving means to said program area of said storage medium, said recording means further recording an identifier to said management area of said storage medium, said identifier identifying either the decrypted first content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium or said second content data received by said second receiving means; and

controlling means which, given a command for editing the content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium, either permits or inhibits editing of the recorded content data in accordance with said identifier recorded in said management area of said storage medium.

2. A data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the editing command designates at least one of a dividing operation, a combining operation, and an erasing operation on the recorded content data.

3. A data recording apparatus connected via a communication line to a data transfer apparatus equipped with a primary storage medium accommodating first content data which is encrypted, said data recording apparatus exchanging the encrypted first content data with said data transfer apparatus over said communication line, said data recording apparatus comprising:

first receiving means for receiving said encrypted first content data transferred over said communication line from said data transfer apparatus;

second receiving means for receiving second content data which are unencrypted;

decrypting means for decrypting said encrypted first content data received by said first receiving means;

recording means for selectively recording either said first content data decrypted by said decrypting means or said second content data received by said second receiving means to a program area of a storage medium, said recording means further recording a first identifier to a management area of said storage medium;

said first identifier identifying either the decrypted first content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium or said second content data received by said second receiving means;

identifier generating means for generating a second identifier based on part of said encrypted first content data; and

transmitting means for transmitting said second identifier generated by said identifier generating means to said data transfer apparatus over said communication line.

4. A data recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said communication line is a universal serial bus.

5. A data recording apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising controlling means which, given a command for editing the content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium, either permits or inhibits editing of the recorded content data in accordance with said first identifier recorded in said management area of said storage medium.

6. A data recording apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

judging means which, given a command for editing the content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium, judges whether the content data to be edited are said first content data or said second content data based on said first identifier recorded in said management area of said storage medium; and

announcing means which, if said content data to be edited are judged to be said first content data by said judging means, announces that return of said first content data to said data transfer apparatus will become impossible following said editing.

7. A data recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, if a user persists in executing the editing command following the announcement by said announcing means, then said controlling means permits editing of said first content data and changes accordingly said first identifier corresponding to the edited first content data.

8. A data recording apparatus connected via a communication line to a data transfer apparatus equipped with a primary storage medium accommodating first content data which are encrypted, said data recording apparatus exchanging the encrypted first content data with said data transfer apparatus over said communication line, said data recording apparatus comprising:

first receiving means for receiving said encrypted first content data transferred over said communication line from said data transfer apparatus;

second receiving means for receiving second content data which are unencrypted;

decrypting means for decrypting said encrypted first content data received by said first receiving means;

recording means for selectively recording either said first content data decrypted by said decrypting means or said second content data received by said second receiving means to a program area of a storage medium, said recording means further recording a first identifier to a management area of said storage medium, said first identifier identifying either the decrypted first content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium or said second content data received by said second receiving means;

identifier generating means for generating a second identifier based on part of said encrypted first content data;

transmitting means for transmitting said second identifier generated by said identifier generating means to said data transfer apparatus over said communication line;

changing means which, if said decrypted first content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium have been edited, then changes said first identifier recorded in said management area of said storage medium; and

controlling means which, if said decrypted first content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium are to be returned to said data transfer apparatus, then either permits or inhibits said return of said decrypted first content data depending on a result of matching between said second identifier held by said data transfer apparatus and said second identifier held by said data recording means;

wherein, if said decrypted first content data to be returned are judged to have been edited, then said controlling means either permits or inhibits said return of said first content data not in accordance with said result of said matching but in keeping with said first identifier recorded in said management area of said storage medium.

9. A data recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the editing refers to at least one of a dividing operation, a combining operation, and an erasing operation on the recorded content data.

10. A data recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said communication line is a universal serial bus.

11. A data transfer apparatus connected via a communication line to a data recording apparatus for selectively receiving either first content data which are encrypted or second content data which are unencrypted, said data transfer apparatus exchanging the encrypted first content data with said data recording apparatus over said communication line, said data transfer apparatus comprising:

first memory means for storing said encrypted first content data;

transmitting means for transmitting said encrypted first content data from said first memory means to said data recording apparatus over said communication line;

receiving means for receiving at least either a content identifier transmitted from said data recording apparatus or said encrypted first content data returned from said data recording apparatus;

second memory means for storing said content identifier received by said receiving means;

matching means for causing said receiving means to receive said content identifier corresponding to said encrypted first content data when said encrypted first content data are returned from said data recording apparatus, said matching means further matching the received content identifier against said content identifier stored in said second memory means; and

controlling means for either permitting or inhibiting said return of said encrypted first content data from said data recording apparatus depending on a result of the matching.

12. A data transfer system comprising:

a data transfer apparatus including first memory means for storing first content data which are encrypted, and transmitting means for transmitting the encrypted first content data from said first memory means; and

a data recording apparatus including;

first receiving means for receiving said encrypted first content data transmitted by said transmitting means of said data transfer apparatus;

decrypting means for decrypting said encrypted first content data received by said receiving means;

second receiving means for receiving second content data which are unencrypted; and

recording means for selectively recording either said first content data decrypted by said decrypting means or the unencrypted second content data received by said second receiving means to a program area of a storage medium, said recording means further recording to a management area of said storage medium an identifier identifying either said first content data or said second content data;

wherein said data recording apparatus further comprises;

content identifier generating means for generating a content identifier based on part of the decrypted first content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium; and

transmitting means for transmitting to said data transfer apparatus said content identifier generated by said content identifier generating means; and

wherein said data transfer apparatus further comprises;

second memory means for storing said content identifier transmitted by said transmitting means of said data recording apparatus;

receiving means which, when said decrypted first content data are to be returned from said storage medium of said data recording apparatus to said data transfer apparatus, receives the content identifier corresponding to said first content data to be returned;

matching means for matching said content identifier received by said receiving means against said content identifier stored in said second memory means; and

controlling means for either permitting or inhibiting said return of said first content data from said data recording apparatus depending on a result of the matching by said matching means.

13. A data transfer system according to claim 12, wherein said data recording apparatus further comprises controlling means which, given a command for editing the content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium, either permits or inhibits editing of the recorded content data in accordance with said identifier recorded in said management area of said storage medium, said identifier identifying either said first content data or said second content data.

14. A data transfer system according to claim 12, wherein said data recording apparatus further comprises:

judging means which, given a command for editing the content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium, judges whether the content data to be edited are said first content data or said second content data based on said identifier recorded in said management area of said storage medium, said identifier identifying either said first content data or said second content data; and

announcing means which, if said content data to be edited are judged to be said first content data by said judging means, announces that return of said first content data to said data transfer apparatus will become impossible following said editing.

15. A data transfer system according to claim 14, wherein, if a user persists in executing the editing command following the announcement by said announcing means, then said controlling means permits editing of said first content data and changes accordingly said first identifier corresponding to the edited first content data.

16. A data transfer system according to claim 13, wherein the editing command designates at least one of a dividing operation, a combining operation, and an erasing operation on the recorded content data.

17. A data transfer system according to claim 14, wherein the editing command designates at least one of a dividing operation, a combining operation, and an erasing operation on the recorded content data.

18. A data transfer system according to claim 12, wherein, if said decrypted first content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium are to be returned to said data transfer apparatus, then said controlling means either permits or inhibits said return of said decrypted first content data depending on a result of the matching by said matching means;

wherein, if said decrypted first content data to be returned are judged to have been edited, then said controlling means either permits or inhibits said return of said first content data not in accordance with said result of said matching but in keeping with said identifier recorded in said management area of said storage medium.

19. An edit controlling method for selectively receiving either first content data which are input encrypted upon transfer from a data transfer apparatus or second content data which are input unencrypted, in order to record the received data unencrypted to a program area of a storage medium while recording an identifier corresponding to the recorded content data to a management area of said storage medium, said identifier identifying either said first content data or said second content data, whereby the content data recorded in said program area of said storage medium are edited, said edit controlling method comprising the steps of:

reproducing from said management area, said identifier identifying either said first content data or said second content data;

judging, given a command for editing the content data recorded in said program area, whether the recorded content data are said first content data or said second content data in accordance with the reproduced identifier; and

either inhibiting or restricting said editing if the content data to be edited in said program area of said storage medium are judged to be said first content data in said judging step.

20. An edit controlling method according to claim 19, wherein the editing command designates at least one of a dividing operation, a combining operation, and an erasing operation on the recorded content data.

21. An edit controlling method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of, if the content data to be edited are judged to be said first content data in said judging step, then announcing that return of said first content data to said data transfer apparatus will become impossible following said editing.

22. An editing controlling method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of, if a user persists in executing the editing command following the announcement in said announcing step, then permitting editing of said first content data while updating said management area of said storage medium in such a manner as to change said identifier corresponding to the edited first content data.

23. A data processing method for causing encrypted content data to be exchanged between a data transfer apparatus and a data recording apparatus over a communication line which connects the two apparatuses, said data processing method comprising the steps of:

causing, when said data transfer apparatus transmits said encrypted content data to said data recording apparatus, said data transfer apparatus to receive a content identifier generated by and transferred from said data recording apparatus;

storing the received content identifier into a memory;

judging, when said data recording apparatus is to return said encrypted content data to said data transfer apparatus, whether or not said encrypted content data to be returned have been edited;

inhibiting the return of said encrypted content data, if said encrypted content data are judged to have been edited in said judging step;

matching the content identifier corresponding to said encrypted content data to be returned against the content identifier stored in said memory, if said encrypted content data are not judged to have been edited in said judging step; and

permitting the return of said encrypted content data, if the matching in said matching step reveals a match.