Copyright management apparatus, electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus, electronic book display apparatus, key information management apparatus, and electronic copyrighted work distribution management system in which apparatuses are connected by communication line

• US 20040093279A1
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sato, Katsuhiko, Hirosawa, Masashi, Iwasaki, Keisuke, Yamanoue, Masafumi, Sawada, Yuji, Kitamura, Yoshihiro
• Application Number:
  US10/688,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20040093279A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• 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 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier

Abstract

An electronic copyrighted work distribution management system includes an electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus (1) selling an electronic copyrighted work, a copyright management apparatus (4) administering a copyright royalty of an electronic copyrighted work sold by the electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus (1), a seller terminal (5) used by a seller, and a copyright terminal (7) used by a copyright holder. The electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus (1) calculates and transmits to the copyright management apparatus (4) the copyright royalty of a selected electronic copyrighted work. The copyright management apparatus (4) stores the received copyright royalty data for each copyright holder. Since the copyright management apparatus (4) receives and stores for each copyright holder the copyright royalty data transmitted from the electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus (1), the copyright royalty can be administered.

Claims

1. An electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus comprising:

a manipulation unit (12) for selection of a desired electronic copyrighted work,

a copyright royalty information storage unit (20) storing copyright royalty information of an electronic copyrighted work,

a copyrighted work data storage unit (14) storing electronic copyrighted work data,

a copyright royalty calculation unit (19) calculating a copyright royalty of an electronic copyrighted work selected through said manipulation unit (12) based on the copyright royalty information stored in said copyright royalty information storage unit (20),

a communication unit (18) transmitting to an external source the copyright royalty calculated by said copyright royalty calculation unit (19), and

a copyrighted work data write unit (13) writing into a recording medium (2) electronic copyrighted work data corresponding to the electronic copyrighted work selected through said manipulation unit (12) out from electronic copyrighted work data stored in said copyrighted work data storage unit (14).

2. The electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sales information recording unit (30) recording sales status of a relevant electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus.

3. The electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an identification information storage unit (16) storing identification information of an electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus, and

a sales information control unit (31) sensing attachment of a sales information readout card (34) corresponding to the identification information stored in said identification information storage unit (16), and reading out sales status recorded in said sales information recording unit (30).

4. The electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said sales information control unit (31) reads out the sales status recorded in said sales information recording unit (30) by reading out and executing a portion of a program corresponding to the identification information stored in said identification information storage unit (16) and a remaining portion of said program recorded in said sales information readout card (34).

5. The electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

an identification information storage unit (16) storing identification information of an electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus, and

a sales information control unit (31) sensing attachment of a sales information management card (35) corresponding to identification information stored in said identification information storage unit (16), and reading out and then deleting the sales status recorded in said sales information recording unit (30).

6. The electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said sales information control unit (31) reads out and then deletes the sales status recorded in said sales information recording unit (17) by reading out and executing a portion of a program corresponding to identification information stored in said identification information storage unit (16) and a remaining portion of said program stored in said sales information management card (35).

7. The electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a recording media storage unit (38) storing a plurality of said recording media (2),

wherein said copyrighted work data write unit (31) writes electronic copyrighted work data sequentially into the plurality of recording media (2) stored in said recording media storage unit (38).

8. A copyright management apparatus comprising:

a communication unit (24) receiving from an external source copyright royalty data of an electronic copyrighted work sold,

a copyright information storage unit (25) storing copyright information of an electronic copyrighted work to be sold, and

a copyright royalty data storage unit (26) storing for each copyright holder copyright royalty data received by said communication unit (24) according to the copyright information stored in said copyright information storage unit (25).

9. The copyright management apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a copyright royalty data approval processing unit (27) causing said communication unit (24) to transmit to an external source copyright royalty data recorded in said copyright royalty data recording unit (26) when copyright royalty data stored in said copyright royalty data storage unit (26) is approved.

10. An electronic copyrighted work distribution management system comprising:

an electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus (1) selling an electronic copyrighted work,

a copyright management apparatus (4) administering a copyright royalty of an electronic copyrighted work sold by said electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus (1),

a seller terminal (5) used by a seller, and

a copyright holder terminal (7) used by a copyright holder,

wherein said electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus (1) includes

a manipulation unit (12) for selection of a desired electronic copyrighted work,

a copyright royalty information storage unit (20) storing copyright royalty information of an electronic copyrighted work,

a copyrighted work data storage unit (14) storing electronic copyrighted work data,

a copyright royalty calculation unit (19) calculating a copyright royalty of an electronic copyrighted work selected through said manipulation unit (12) according to the copyright royalty information stored in said copyright royalty information storage unit (20),

a first communication unit (18) transmitting to said copyright management apparatus (4) the copyright royalty calculated by said copyright royalty calculation unit (19), and

a copyrighted work data write unit (13) writing into a recording medium (2) electronic copyrighted work data corresponding to the electronic copyrighted work selected through said manipulation unit (12) out from electronic copyrighted work data stored in said copyrighted work data storage unit (14),

wherein said copyright management apparatus (4) includes

a second communication unit (24) receiving from said copyrighted work sales apparatus (1) copyright royalty data of an electronic copyrighted work sold,

a copyright information storage unit (25) storing copyright information of an electronic copyrighted work to be sold,

a copyright royalty data storage unit (26) storing for each copyright holder copyright royalty data received by said second communication unit (24) according to the copyright information stored in said copyright information storage unit (25), and

a copyright royalty data approval processing unit (27) causing said second communication unit (24) to transmit copyright royalty data recorded in said copyright royalty data storage unit (26) to said seller terminal (5) when the copyright royalty data stored in said copyright royalty data storage unit (26) is approved from said copyright terminal (7).

11. An electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus comprising:

a communication unit (205) carrying out data communication with an external source,

a user interface (208) for a user to select desired contents,

a storage unit (203) storing contents of an electronic book and a contents identifier in correspondence,

a communication port (210) to which a user identifier is input, and

a processing unit (201) extracting from said storage unit (203) a contents identifier corresponding to the contents selected by said user interface (208), causing said communication unit (205) to transmit said contents identifier and the user identifier input through said communication port (210) to said external source, and providing in a pair auxiliary information to display contents received by said communication unit (205) and the contents of an electronic book selected by said user interface (208).

12. The electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a charge account processing unit (211) carrying out charge accounting from a user,

wherein said processing unit (201) alters the contents identifier transmitted by said communication unit (205) according to charge account status by said charge account processing unit (221).

13. A key information management apparatus comprising:

a communication unit (405) carrying out data communication with an external source,

a first table (501) storing in correspondence a contents identifier corresponding to contents of an electronic book and a contents key,

a second table (502) storing in correspondence a user identifier and a user key, and

a processing unit (401) referring to said first table (501) and said second table (502) to extract a contents key and a user key according to the contents identifier and user identifier received by said communication unit (405), and generating and causing said communication unit (405) to transmit auxiliary information to display contents from said extracted contents key and user key.

14. An electronic book display apparatus comprising,

an input unit (305) to enter auxiliary information to display contents and encoded contents of an electronic book,

a processing unit (301) generating a contents key from the auxiliary information input by said input unit (305) and a prestored user key, and reproducing encoded contents input by said input unit (305) using said contents key, and

a display unit (308) displaying the contents reproduced by said processing unit (301).

15. The electronic book display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said encoded contents include a plurality of modules including at least one of data and a processing program,

wherein said processing unit (301) sequentially executes said plurality of modules and reproduces said electronic book contents.

16. The electronic book display apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said plurality of modules includes a module with a description of display attribute information,

wherein said processing unit (301) extracts a display attribute from said module with description of a display attribute, and selectively executes said plurality of modules according to said display attribute.

17. The electronic book display apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said plurality of modules include a module with a description of information indicating the type of contents key,

wherein said processing unit (301) extracts information indicating the type of contents key from said module with a description of information indicating the type of contents key, and determines whether to execute or not said module according to said information.

18. The electronic book display apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a recording medium in which auxiliary information to display contents and encoded contents of an electronic book are recorded,

wherein said input unit (305) reads out the auxiliary information and the encoded contents of an electronic book recorded in said recording medium.

19. The electronic book display apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said recording medium has said auxiliary information recorded in a nonreadable region.

20. An electronic copyrighted work distribution management system comprising:

an electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus (103) selling an electronic book,

a key information management apparatus (110) administering key information of an electronic book that is to be sold by said electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus (103), and

an electronic book display apparatus (101) reproducing and displaying an electronic book sold by said electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus (103),

wherein said electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus (103) includes

a first communication unit (205) carrying out data communication with said key information management apparatus (110),

a user interface (208) for a user to select desired contents,

a storage unit (203) storing in correspondence contents of an electronic book and a contents identifier,

a communication port (210) to which a user identifier is input, and

a first processing unit (201) extracting from said storage unit (203) a contents identifier corresponding to the contents selected by said user interface (208), transmitting by said first communication unit (205) said contents identifier and the user identifier input by said communication port (210), and providing auxiliary information to display contents received by said first communication unit (205) and contents of an electronic book selected by said user interface (208) in a pair,

wherein said key information management apparatus includes

a second communication unit (405) carrying out data communication with said electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus (103),

a first table (501) storing in correspondence a contents identifier and a contents key corresponding to contents of an electronic book,

a second table (502) storing in correspondence a user identifier and a user key, and

a second processing unit (401) referring to said first table (501) and said second table (502) to extract a contents key and user key according to the contents identifier and user identifier received by said second communication unit (405), and generating auxiliary information to display contents from said extracted contents key and user key and causing said second communication unit (405) to transmit said auxiliary information.

wherein said electronic book display apparatus (101) includes

an input unit (305) to input auxiliary information to display said contents and encoded contents of an electronic book,

a third processing unit (301) generating a contents key from auxiliary information input by said input unit (305) and a prestored user key, and reproducing encoded contents input through said input unit (305) using said contents key, and

a display unit (308) displaying contents reproduced by said third processing unit (301).

21. An electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus comprising a processing unit (814, 815, 817) generating and adding to electronic book data auxiliary information according to the electronic book data and an input user identifier.

22. The electronic copyrighted work sales apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said processing unit (814, 815, 817) comprises

a first processing unit (814) carrying out a process according to information defined in a header of input electronic book data and applying the result to electronic book data to be output,

a second processing unit (815) encrypting a portion of input electronic book data, and adding the encrypted data to electronic book data to be output, and

a third processing unit (817) receiving information including a user identifier, calculating auxiliary information and adding to electronic book data to be output.

23. An electronic book display apparatus comprising:

a first processing unit (823) generating auxiliary information according to electronic book data and a user identifier, and comparing said generated auxiliary information and auxiliary information added to said electronic book data, and

a reproduction processing unit (828) determining a reproduction processing method of contents according to a comparison result by said first processing unit (823) and reproducing the contents.

24. The electronic book display apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a second processing unit (825) comparing usage time limit information defined in a header of said electronic book data with the current time to determine whether to display contents or not and outputting a designation to said reproduction processing unit (828).

25. The electronic book display apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a third processing unit (826) determining whether to decode or not an encrypted portion of said electronic book data according to a comparison result by said first processing unit (823) and carrying out a process.

26. The electronic book display apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a user identifier registration unit (821) registering a user identifier that is automatically generated or input by a user.