Information converting apparatus

• US 20030103528A1
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tianma Microelectronics Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Eiji, Hatano, Kouji, Kawaguchi, Kyoko, Sugiura, Masataka, Tsukamoto, Yoshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,424,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/468
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1063 Personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1073 Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

A technique that can enhance convenience on each of both sides that distribute and use content under the conditions where use limitations intended to protect the copyright of content have diversified. According to this technique, a right gateway 100 is provided, that converts the condition of use in the right information of content subject to transmission from repository 20 at the transmitting end to repository 30 at the transmission destination in accordance with the right management capacity (capacity information 200) of content in repository 30 at the transmission destination. With right gateway 100 performing processing, the range of equipment and recording mediums capable of use of content expands, thereby promoting the use of content.

Claims

1. An information converting apparatus, comprising:

a first obtaining section that obtains right information of content transmitted from a repository at a transmitting end to a repository at a transmission destination;

a second obtaining section that obtains capacity information of the repository at the transmission destination;

a conversion section that converts the right information obtained by said first obtaining section, the conversion being based on the capacity information obtained by said second obtaining section and following a conversion policy; and

a transmission section that transmits a result of the conversion by said conversion section to the repository at the transmission destination.

2. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a conversion to a different attribute is described in the conversion policy.

3. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a right information conversion based on a difference in communication means is described.

4. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion policy is recorded in the right information.

5. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a holding section that holds the conversion policy.

6. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein an ID specifying the conversion policy is recorded in the right information,

further comprising a holding section that holds the conversion policy corresponding to the ID.

7. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

an ID specifying the conversion policy is recorded in the right information, and

said conversion section obtains the conversion policy corresponding to the ID from a conversion policy server that performs conversion policy management.

8. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a provision of an approval for conversion policy change is recorded in the right information,

further comprising a revision section that revises the conversion policy recorded in the right information based on the provision of the approval for conversion policy change recorded in the right information.

9. The information apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

a right execution history pertaining to use of content is recorded in the right information, and

said revision section changes a way of converting a condition of use of content provided by the conversion policy based on the right execution history recorded in the right information.

10. The information converting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

a right execution history pertaining to use of content is recorded in the right information, and

said revision section changes a way of modifying content provided by the conversion policy based on the right execution history recorded in the right information.

11. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1, when provided between repositories that mutually exchange files,

further comprising a holding section that holds a performance record of the file exchange,

wherein said converting section performs conversion processing in such a way that reflects the performance record of the file exchange.

12. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a capacity database in which capacity information and/or use history information of the repository at the transmission destination and services adequate to the capacity and/or use history of the repository at the transmission destination are recorded; and

a providing section that, by referring to said capacity database, provides a service adequate to the repository at the transmission destination.

13. The information converting apparatus according to claim 12,

further comprising a search section that searches for a service adequate to the repository at the transmission destination based on the capacity information and/or the use history information of the repository at the transmission destination and of other repositories,

wherein said providing section provides the service searched out by said search section.

14. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1, provided on a same device with the repository at the transmitting end.

15. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1, provided on a same device with the repository at the transmission destination.

16. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1, provided on a same device with the repository at the transmitting end and the repository at the transmission destination.

17. The information converting apparatus according to claim 1, provided on a device apart from the repository at the transmitting end and the repository at the transmission destination.

18. A content distribution system comprising the information converting apparatus of claim 1.

19. An information conversion method, comprising the steps of:

first obtaining whereby right information of content transmitted from a repository at a transmitting end to a repository at a transmission destination is obtained;

second obtaining whereby capacity information of the repository at the transmission destination is obtained;

conversion whereby the right information obtained in said first obtaining step is converted, the conversion being based on the capacity information obtained in said second obtaining step and following a conversion policy; and

transmission whereby a result of the conversion in said conversion step is transmitted to the repository at the transmission destination.

20. A information conversion program whereby a computer will execute the steps of:

first obtaining whereby right information of content transmitted from a repository at a transmitting end to a repository at a transmission destination is obtained;

second obtaining whereby capacity information of the repository at the transmission destination is obtained;

conversion whereby the right information obtained in said first obtaining step is converted, the conversion being based on the capacity information obtained in said second obtaining step and following a conversion policy; and

transmission whereby a result of the conversion in said conversion step is transmitted to the repository at the transmission destination.