Data application method

• US 20030154378A1
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hirano, Hideyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0085 Time domain based watermarking, e.g. watermarks spread over several images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467

Abstract

Data application method enabling evaluations to be properly received while content is being protected, enabling content users to use only what they want to use in the amount they want to use it, and enabling advertising providers in certainty to have users use ads. The method includes: a step of converting first data for permitting use based on predetermined conditions, into encrypted first data by means of a predetermined encryption key; a step of generating watermarked second data in which the encryption key is embedded, as an invisible electronic watermark, into second data for permitting use unconditionally; and a step of compositing and distributing the encrypted first data and the watermarked second data.

Claims

1. A data application method for distributing digital content including moving-image data, the data application method comprising:

a step of converting first data for permitting use based on predetermined conditions, into encrypted first data by means of a predetermined encryption key;

a step of generating watermarked second data in which the encryption key is embedded, as an invisible electronic watermark, into second data for permitting use unconditionally; and

a step of compositing and distributing the encrypted first data and the watermarked second data.

2. The data application method set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the first data is encrypted with encryption keys that differ image frame by image frame, and a first encryption key with which an initial frame is encrypted is embedded into the second data as the invisible electronic watermark; and

encryption-key generation information gotten by logical operations on the encryption keys by which the second and succeeding frames are encrypted, and on the first encryption key, is contained in image headers for each of the respective frames.

3. The data application method set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second data is advertising publicity information.

4. The data application method set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

a step of sending to a user use-permission information for the first data in response to payment of a charge; and

a step of discounting the charge in response to a time interval, or a count of times, the second data is used.

5. The data application method set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a step of verifying whether or not a user that is a distrubutee of the digital content satisfies the predetermined conditions for using the first data; and

a step, based on results of the verification as to whether or not the user satisfies the predetermined conditions for using the first data, of letting the user use the digital content according to an applicable use method.

6. The data application method set forth in claim 5, wherein based on results of the verification the user is allowed to use the first data by reproducing it.

7. The data application method set forth in claim 5, wherein based on results of the verification the user is allowed to use the first data by editing it.

8. A data application method for distributing digital content including moving-image data, the data application method comprising:

a step of converting first data for permitting use based on predetermined conditions, into encrypted first data by means of a predetermined encryption key;

a step of generating second data for permitting use unconditionally, and third data in which the encryption key is embedded as metadata; and

a step of compositing and distributing the encrypted first data, the second data and the third data.

9. The data application method set forth in claim 8, wherein use-privilege information that includes information as to whether permission to use the first data is granted is included as metadata in the third data.

10. The data application method set forth in claim 9, wherein the use-privilege information includes information as to whether reproducing the first data is allowed.

11. The data application method set forth in claim 9, wherein the use-privilege information includes information as to whether editing the first data is allowed.

12. A data use device for using digital content including encrypted first data into which first data is encrypted by means of predetermined encryption keys, and watermarked second data in which the encryption keys are embedded as invisible electronic watermarks, the data use device comprising:

an encryption-key extraction means for extracting encryption keys from the watermarked second data;

a data decryption means for decrypting, utilizing encryption keys extracted by said encryption-key extraction means, the encrypted first data into the first data;

an authentication means for verifying whether or not predetermined conditions for using the first data are met; and

a data output means for causing to be executed, based on user instructions and on results of verification by said authentication means, decryption of the first data by said encryption-key extraction means and said data decryption means, and for reproducing the decrypted first data as output or otherwise reproducing the second data as output.

13. The data use device set forth in claim 12, further comprising a time-administration-information recording means for storing, in a predetermined region of data included in digital content having been distributed, time administration information based on use times or use counts for each of the data.

14. The data use device set forth in claim 13, further comprising a time-administration-information output means for outputting, in order to administrate billing, the time administration information contained in the predetermined region of the data.

15. The data use device set forth in claim 13 or 14, wherein said time-administration-information recording means embeds, as an invisible electronic watermark in the second data, time administration information for each of the data.

16. The data use device set forth in claim 15, further comprising a tampering detection means for comparing time administration information contained in the predetermined region of the data with reference information on use status that all the data possesses and inspecting for presence/absence of tampering.

17. The data use device set forth in any of claims 12 through 16, wherein said authentication means accesses a usage monitoring server that administrates administration information including permission information for all of the data, and performs verification of the permission information by consulting the administration information on the usage monitoring server.

18. The data use device set forth in any of claims 12 through 17, further comprising an editing-permission means for, based on results of verification by said authentication means, permitting editing of the first data.

19. A computer product for a data use device using digital content including encrypted first data into which first data is encrypted by means of predetermined encryption keys, and watermarked second data in which the encryption keys are embedded as invisible electronic watermarks, the computer product for causing a computer to function as a data use device comprising:

an encryption-key extraction means for extracting encryption keys from the watermarked second data;

a data decryption means for decrypting, utilizing encryption keys extracted by said encryption-key extraction means, the encrypted first data into the first data;

an authentication means for verifying whether or not predetermined conditions for using the first data are met; and

a data output means for causing to be executed, based on user instructions and on results of verification by said authentication means, decryption of the first data by encryption-key extraction output and said data decryption means, and for reproducing the decrypted first data as output or otherwise reproducing the second data as output.