Content usage rule management system

• US 20030083954A1
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Namba, Takaaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A content user terminal A13 includes a utilization unit 135 that provides a content utilization, and an interface unit 137 that inquires the content utilization availability to the portable content usage rule management device A17 via a wireless communication and obtains a content utilization permission data which is a inquiry result via a wireless communication. The above-mentioned utilization unit 135 provides the content utilization based on the obtained content utilization permission data. The portable content usage rule management device A17 includes a copyright data storage management unit 173 that stores and manages the content usage rule, an interface unit 177 that receives the inquiry result of the content utilization availability from the content user terminal A13 via a wireless communication, and a copyright data processing is unit 175 that responds to the received inquiry result, judges the content utilization availability based on the stored content usage rule and creates a content utilization permission data based on the judge result. The above-mentioned interface unit 177 sends the created content utilization permission data to the content user terminal A13 via a wireless communication.

Claims

1. A content usage rule management system comprising a user terminal that provides a content utilization for users and a content usage rule management device that stores a content usage rule for permitting a content utilization with the user terminal and manages the content utilization,

wherein the user terminal includes:

a utilization unit having a playback device and a user interface for providing a desired content utilization to users; and

an inquiry unit operable to inquire a content utilization availability of the utilization unit to the content usage rule management device via a wireless communication and obtain a content utilization permission data, which is a result of the inquiry, from the content usage rule management device via a wireless communication,

the utilization unit provides the content utilization based on the obtained content utilization permission data, and the content usage rule management device, which is a portable device includes;

a copyright data storage management unit operable to store and manage the content usage rule;

an inquiry result receiving unit operable to receive an inquiry result of a content utilization availability from the user terminal via a wireless communication;

a copyright data processing unit operable to judge an availability for the content in the user terminal and create a content utilization permission data based on a judge result; and

a permission unit operable to send the created content utilization permission data to the user terminal via a wireless communication.

2. The content usage rule management system according to claim 1,

wherein the user terminal includes a plurality of the utilization units that provides a content utilization to a plurality of users in parallel,

the inquiry unit inquires the content utilization availability to a plurality of the content usage rule management devices and obtains a plurality of the content utilization permission data, and

the each utilization unit provides the content utilization in parallel based on the plurality of the content utilization permission data received from the plurality of the content usage rule management devices.

3. The content usage rule management system according to claim 2 further comprising a server that receives a content purchase request and provides the content usage rule which makes the content utilization available to the request side, in response to the received purchase request,

wherein the user terminal further includes:

a transmission unit operable to send a content purchase request to the server and, as a response, receive a content usage rule for the requested content from the server; and

a usage rule sending unit operable to send the content usage rule to the content usage rule management device via a wireless communication,

the content usage rule management device includes a usage rule receiving unit operable to receive a usage rule from the user terminal, and

the copyright data storage management unit stores the received content usage rule.

4. The content usage rule management system according to claim 3,

wherein the content usage rule management device further includes:

a user interface unit operable to notify a contractor of the content usage rule management device that a content is available upon receipt of the content usage rule from the user terminal.

5. The content usage rule management system according to claim 4,

wherein the content usage rule management device further includes a transmission unit that sends a content purchase request to the server, and, as a response, receives a content usage rule for the requested content from the server, and

the user interface unit accepts an input for a content purchase from a contractor.

6. The content usage rule management system according to claim 4,

wherein the user interface unit in the content usage rule management device, when the contractor permits a content utilization to another content user, accepts a setup input of a priority for each users for permitting the content utilization from the contractor, and

the copyright data processing unit creates the content utilization permission data based on the priority order.

7. The content usage rule management system according to claim 4,

wherein the user interface unit in the content usage rule management device, when a content user and a contractor are different, accepts the input for giving a permission from the contractor to the user for a content utilization, and

the copyright data processing unit judges based on the input for a permission from the user interface unit for the first consideration, and creates a content utilization permission data, which indicates a content utilization availability, based on the judge result.

8. The content usage rule management system according to claim 4,

wherein the user interface unit in the content usage rule management device accepts an input for setting a level for a user, who is designated by the contractor beforehand, regarding a content utilization permission for a user besides the contractor, and

the copyright data processing unit creates the content utilization permission data based on the level of the user.

9. The content usage rule management system according to claim 4,

wherein the user interface unit in the content usage rule management device accepts a setup input that the contractor'"'"'s permission input is necessary from the user interface in response to the inquiry result from a user who is designated by the contractor beforehand, and

the copyright data processing unit creates the content utilization permission data based on the input for the permission from the user interface.

10. The content usage rule management system according to claim 3,

wherein the user interface unit in the content usage rule management device accepts an input for a backup request, which is a request for the stored content usage rule to be recoded to the server, from the contractor,

the transmission unit sends the backup request, which includes the stored content usage rule, to the server, and

the server further includes a backup data recording unit that receives the backup request and records the content usage rule for the backup request.

11. The content usage rule management system according to claim 10,

wherein the user interface unit in the content usage rule management device accepts an input for a restore request, which is a request for using the content usage rule for the backup request, from the contractor,

the transmission unit sends the restore request to the server and receive the content usage rule recorded in the server, as a response to the restore request, from the server, and

the server further includes a restore unit that receives the restore request and sends the content usage rule recorded in the backup data recording unit to the request side.

12. The content usage rule management system according to claim 1,

wherein the copyright data processing unit in the content usage rule management device further includes a time management unit that obtains a current time, checks whether the content usage rule is expired or not, and creates a content utilization permission data, which indicates the content utilization is not permitted, as the judge result of the content usage rule to the inquiry result for the stored content usage rule expired.

13. A user terminal that provides a content utilization to users based on a content utilization permission data for a content usage rule management device, which is a portable device equipped with a copyright management function, comprising:

a utilization unit having a playback device and a user interface for providing a desired content utilization to users; and

an inquiry unit operable to inquire a content utilization availability of the utilization unit to the content usage rule management device via a wireless communication and obtain a content utilization permission data, which is a result of the inquiry, from the content usage rule management device via a wireless communication, and

the utilization unit provides the content utilization based on the obtained content utilization permission data.

14. The user terminal according to claim 13,

wherein the user terminal includes a plurality of the utilization units that provides a content utilization to a plurality of users in parallel,

the inquiry unit inquires the content utilization availability to a plurality of the content usage rule management devices and obtain a plurality of the content utilization permission data, and

the each utilization unit provides the content utilization in parallel based on the plurality of the content utilization permission data received from the plurality of the content usage rule management devices.

15. The user terminal according to claim 14 further including:

a transmission unit operable to send a content purchase request, and as a response, receive a requested content usage rule to and from a server, which receives a content purchase request, and in response to the received content purchase request, provide the content usage rule which makes the content utilization available; and

a usage rule sending unit operable to send the received content usage rule to the content usage rule management device via a wireless communication.

16. A content usage rule management device that stores a content usage rule and manages a content utilization in a user terminal, comprising:

a copyright data storage management unit operable to store and manage the content usage rule which makes the content utilization available;

an inquiry-result receiving unit operable to receive an inquiry result for a content utilization availability from the user terminal via a wireless communication;

a copyright data processing unit operable to judge an availability for a content utilization in the user terminal based on the stored content usage rule in response to the received inquiry result and create a content utilization permission data from the judge result; and

a permission unit operable to send the created content utilization permission data to the user terminal via a wireless communication.

17. The content usage rule management device according to claim 16 further includes a user interface unit that notifies to a contractor of the content usage rule management device that a content is available upon receipt of the content usage rule from the terminal device.

18. The content usage rule management device according to claim 17 further includes a transmission unit that sends a content purchase request to the server, and as a response, receives a requested content usage rule from the server, and

the user interface unit accepts an input for a content purchase from a contractor.

19. The content usage rule management device according to claim 18,

wherein the user interface unit in the content usage rule management device accepts an input for a backup request, which is a request for recording the stored content usage rule to the server, from the contractor, and

the transmission unit sends the backup request including a details of the stored content usage rule to the server.

20. The content usage rule management device according to claim 19,

wherein the user interface unit in the content usage rule management device accepts an input for a restore request, which is a request for using the content usage rule for the backup request, from the contractor, and

the transmission unit sends the restore request to the server, and as a response, receive a details of the content usage rule recorded in the server.

21. The content usage rule management device according to claim 17,

wherein the user interface unit in the content usage rule management device, when the contractor permits a content utilization to another content user, accepts a setup input of a priority for each users for permitting the content utilization from the contractor, and

the copyright data processing unit creates the content utilization permission data based on the priority order.

22. The content usage rule management device according to claim 17,

wherein the user interface unit in the content usage rule management device, when a content user and a contractor are different, accepts the input for giving a permission from the contractor to the user for a content utilization, and

the copyright data processing unit judges based on the input for a permission from the user interface unit for the first consideration, and creates a content utilization permission data, which indicates a content utilization availability, based on the judge result.

23. The content usage rule management device according to claim 17,

wherein the user interface unit in the content usage rule management device accepts an input for setting a level for a user, who is designated by the contractor beforehand, regarding a content utilization permission for a user besides the contractor, and

the copyright data processing unit creates the content utilization permission data based on the level of the user.

24. The content usage rule management device according to claim 17,

wherein the user interface unit in the content usage rule management device accepts a setup input that the contractor'"'"'s permission input is necessary from the user interface in response to the inquiry result from a user who is designated by the contractor beforehand, and

the copyright data processing unit creates the content utilization permission data based on the input for the permission from the user interface.

25. The content usage rule management device according to claim 16,

wherein the copyright data processing unit in the content usage rule management device further includes a time management unit that obtains a current time, checks whether the content usage rule is expired or not, and creates a content utilization permission data, which indicates the content utilization is not permitted, as the judge result of the content usage rule to the inquiry result for the stored content usage rule expired.

26. A server that provides a content usage rule which makes a content utilization available, comprising:

a backup request receiving unit operable to receive a backup request which is a request to record the details of the content usage rule stored in a content usage rule management device to the server, including the stored details of the content usage rule; and

a backup data recording unit operable to record a details of the content usage rule for the backup request.

27. The server according to claim 26 further comprising:

a restore request receiving unit operable to receive a restore request for using the content usage rule for the backup request; and

a restore unit operable to send details of the content usage rule recorded in the backup data recording unit to a request side based on the received restore request.

28. A content usage rule management method for a system comprising a user terminal to provide a content utilization for users and a content usage rule management device to store a content usage rule for permitting a content utilization in the user terminal and manage the content utilization,

the content usage rule management method including in the user terminal:

a utilization step of providing a desired content utilization to users; and

an inquiry step of inquiring the content utilization availability in the utilization step via a wireless communication and obtaining a content utilization permission data, which is a result of the inquiry, from the content usage rule management device via a wireless communication,

wherein in the utilization step, the content utilization is provided based on the obtained content utilization permission data, and

the content usage rule management method includes in the content usage rule management device which is a portable device;

a copyright data storage management step of storing and managing the content utilization in the content usage rule management device which is a portable device;

an inquiry result receiving step of receiving a content utilization availability with the user terminal via a wireless communication;

a copyright data processing step of judging a content utilization availability in the user terminal based on the stored content usage rule in response to the received inquiry result and creating a content utilization permission data from a judge result; and

a permission step of sending the created content utilization permission data to the user terminal via a wireless communication.

29. The content usage rule management method according to claim 28 further comprising a plurality of the utilization steps of providing a content utilization to a plurality of users in parallel in the user terminal,

wherein in the inquiry step, the content utilization availability is inquired to a plurality of the content usage rule management devices and a plurality of the content utilization permission data are obtained, and

in the each utilization step, the content utilization is provided in parallel based on the plurality of the content utilization permission data received from the plurality of the content usage rule management devices.

30. The content usage rule management method according to claim 29,

wherein the system further includes a server that receives a content purchase request and provides the content usage rule, which makes the content utilization available, to a request side in response to the received purchased request,

the content usage rule management method further includes in the user terminal:

a transmission step of sending a content purchase request to the server, and as a response, receiving a requested content usage rule from the server; and

a usage rule send step of sending the received content usage rule to the content usage rule management device via a wireless communication,

the content usage rule management method includes, in the content usage rule management device, a usage rule receiving step of receiving the content usage rule from the user terminal in the content usage rule management device, and

in the copyright data storage management step, the received content usage rule is stored.

31. The content usage rule management method according to claim 30 further comprising, in the content usage rule management device, a user interface step of notifying a contractor of the content usage rule management device that a content utilization is available upon receipt of the content usage rule form the user terminal.

32. The content usage rule management method according to claim 30 further comprising, in the content usage rule management device, a transmission step of sending a content purchase request to the server, and as a response, receiving a requested content utilization from the server,

wherein in the user interface step, an input for a content purchase from a contractor is accepted.

33. The content usage rule management method according to claim 32,

wherein in the user interface step in the content usage rule management device, when the contractor permits a content utilization to another user, an setup input of a priority for each users for permitting the content utilization is accepted from the contractor, and

in the copyright data processing step, the content utilization permission data is created based on the priority order.

34. The content usage rule management method according to claim 30,

wherein in the user interface step in the content usage rule management device, when a content user and a contractor are different, the input for giving a permission from the contractor to the user for a content utilization is accepted, and

in the copyright data processing step, the input for permission from the user interface unit is judged for the first consideration and a content utilization permission data, which indicates a content utilization availability, is created based on the judge result.

35. The content usage rule management method according to claim 30,

wherein in the user interface step in the usage rule management device, an input for setting a level for a user, who is designated by the contractor beforehand, is accepted regarding for a content utilization permission from a user besides the contractor, and

in the copyright data processing step, the content utilization permission data is created based on the level of the user.

36. The content usage rule management method according to claim 30,

wherein in the user interface step in the usage rule management device, a setup input that the contractor'"'"'s permission input is necessary from the user interface is accepted in response to the inquiry result from a user who is designated by the contractor beforehand, and

in the copyright data processing step, the content utilization permission data is created based on an input for a permission using the interface.

37. The content usage rule management method according claim 28,

wherein in copyright data processing step in the content usage rule management device, a current time is obtained, whether the content usage rule is expired or not is checked, and a content utilization permission data, which indicates the content utilization is not permitted, is created as the judge result of the content usage rule to the inquiry result for the stored content usage rule after the content usage rule expired.

38. The content usage rule management method according to claim 28,

wherein in the user interface step in the content usage rule management device, an input for a backup request, which is a request for the stored content usage rule to be recorded to the server, is accepted from the contractor,

in the transmission step, a backup request, which includes the stored content usage rule, is sent to the server, and the content usage rule management method further includes

in the server a backup data recording step of receiving the backup request and recording a details of the content usage rule for the backup request.

39. The content usage rule management method according to claim 38,

wherein in the user interface step in the content usage rule management device an input for a restore request, which is a request for using the content usage rule for the backup request, is accepted from the contractor,

in the transmission step, the restore request is sent to the server and the content usage rule recorded in the server is received as a response to the restore request, from the server, and

the content usage rule management method further includes in the server a restore step of receiving the restore request and sending a details of the content usage rule recorded in the backup data recording step to a request side.

40. A program for a user terminal in a content usage rule management system comprising a user terminal to provide a content utilization to users and a content usage rule management device to store a content usage rule for a content utilization which has a permission and manages the content utilization,

the program causing a computer to function as:

a utilization unit having a reproduction device and a user interface for providing a desired content utilization to users;

an inquiry unit operable to inquire the content utilization availability for the utilization unit in the content usage rule management device via a wireless communication and obtain the content utilization permission data, which is a result of the inquiry, from the content usage rule management device via a wireless communication; and

a utilization management unit operable, to manage the content utilization by the utilization unit based on the obtained content utilization permission data.

41. A program for a user terminal in a content usage rule management system comprising a user terminal to provide a content utilization to users and a content usage rule management device to store a content usage rule for a content utilization which has a permission and manages the content utilization,

wherein the content usage rule management device is a portable device,

the program causes a computer to function as:

a copyright data storage management unit operable to store and manage the content usage rule;

an inquiry result receiving unit operable to receive the content utilization availability from the user terminal via a wireless communication;

a copyright data processing unit operable to judge the content utilization availability in the user terminal and create a content utilization permission data from the judge result; and

a permission unit operable to send the created content utilization permission data to the user terminal via a wireless communication.