Content reproduction apparatus, license issue server, and content reproduction system

• US 20040186853A1
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Masaya, Tokuda, Katsumi, Nakahara, Tohru
• Application Number:
  US10/755,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20040186853A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• 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 20/00144 involving a user identifier, e.g. a unique customer ID
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00478 wherein contents are decrypted and re-encrypted with a different key when being copied from/to a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00521 wherein each session of a multisession recording medium is encrypted with a separate encryption key
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00731 involving a digital rights management system for enforcing a usage restriction
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00746 wherein the usage restriction can be expressed as a specific number
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00782 wherein the usage restriction limits the number of times a program can be installed
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00797 wherein the usage restriction limits the number of times a content can be reproduced, e.g. using playback counters
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0084 wherein the usage restriction can be expressed as a specific time or date
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00855 involving a step of exchanging information with a remote server

Abstract

The first reproduction terminal (101) includes: a cipher communication unit (202) operable to perform cipher communication with a license issuance server (103), and obtain license information generated under a rights management method selected by a user, from among a plurality of rights management methods for protecting content copyrights; a license storage unit (203) operable to store the obtained license information; a plurality of use condition judgment units (204) corresponding respectively to each rights management method, operable to judge, based on a use condition included in license information generated under a corresponding rights management method, whether or not the use of a content corresponding to the license information is permitted; a method selection unit (205) operable to select a use condition judgment unit (204) corresponding to a rights management method by identifying such rights management method under which a license was generated, and cause such selected use condition judgment unit (204) to judge whether or not use of a condition is permitted; and a reproduction unit (206) operable to reproduce the content when it is judged that use is permitted.

Claims

1. A content reproduction apparatus for reproducing a content that is a digital copyrighted work, based on license information that includes a use condition, said use condition being information indicating an extent of use permitted for the content, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of use condition judgment units operable to judge, based on a use condition included in each license information, whether or not use of a content corresponding to said each license information is permitted, said each license information being generated under each of a plurality of different rights management methods for realizing protection of content copyrights using copyright protection technology, and said plurality of use condition judgment units corresponding respectively to said plurality of different rights management methods;

a method selection unit operable to select a use condition judgment unit that corresponds to a rights management method by identifying said right management method for the license information corresponding to the content, and cause said selected use condition judgment unit to judge whether or not use of the content is permitted; and

a reproduction unit operable to reproduce the content when it is judged, by said selected use condition judgment unit, that use of said content is permitted.

2. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cipher communication unit operable to obtain the license information corresponding to a desired content selected by a user, via a cipher communication channel, by performing cipher communication with a server, using an encryption method which is common to, and independent of the rights management methods,

wherein the method selection unit selects a use condition judgment unit by identifying a rights management method for the obtained license information, and causes said selected use condition judgment unit to judge whether or not use of the content is permitted.

3. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the cipher communication unit includes an authentication unit operable to perform authentication with the server to prevent spoofing by a third party, and

the cipher communication unit establishes a session with the server when authentication is successful.

4. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the cipher communication unit further includes at least one of an encryption unit operable to encrypt a message to be sent or received, and a signature affixation unit operable to affix a signature onto the message to be sent or received.

5. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the cipher communication unit includes a communication interruption countermeasure unit operable to take a countermeasure when communication is interrupted while a message is being sent or received.

6. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a license storage unit operable to store the license information,

wherein the cipher communication unit stores the obtained license information into the license storage unit, and

the selected use condition judgment unit judges whether or not use of the content is permitted based on the license information stored in the license storage unit.

7. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the license information further includes a content key for decrypting an encrypted content,

the content reproduction apparatus further comprises a content decryption unit operable to decrypt the encrypted content using the content key,

the method selection unit causes the content decryption unit to decrypt the encrypted content using the content key included in the license information, and

the reproduction unit reproduces the decrypted content.

8. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the license storage unit includes a plurality of license storage subunits for each rights management method,

each of the license storage subunits stores the license information of a corresponding rights management method, and

each of the use condition judgment units judges whether or not use of a content is permitted, based on license information stored in the license storage subunit corresponding to the same rights management method as the use condition judgment unit concerned.

9. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein a common SAC is used in communication between the reproduction unit and at least one of the method selection unit, the cipher communication unit, and the content decryption unit.

10. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein a common bus encryption is used in communication between the reproduction unit and at least one of the method selection unit, the cipher communication unit, and the content decryption unit.

11. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein at least the license storage unit, at least one of the plurality of use condition judgment units, the method selection unit, and the cipher communication unit, are packaged on the content reproduction apparatus using a detachable IC card.

12. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein at least the license storage unit, at least one of the plurality of use condition judgment units, the method selection unit, and the cipher communication unit, are formed collectively, in a tamper resistant module.

13. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the tamper resistant module is realized using hardware.

14. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a timing unit operable to count a present time,

wherein each of the use condition judgment units judges whether or not use of a content is permitted by comparing the present time measured by the timing unit with the use expiry date described in a use condition of corresponding license information.

15. A license issuance server for issuing license information for controlling use of a content on a content reproduction apparatus, comprising:

a use condition storage unit operable to store, in advance, a use condition which is information indicating an extent of use permitted for the content which is a digital copyrighted work;

a plurality of license generation units operable to generate license information that includes the use condition, based on a plurality of rights management methods for realizing protection of content copyrights using copyright protection technology, said plurality of license generation units corresponding respectively to said plurality of rights management methods; and

a method selection unit operable to select the license generation unit corresponding to a specific rights management method requested from the content reproduction apparatus, and cause said selected license generation unit to generate the license information requested from said content reproduction apparatus.

16. The license issuance server according to claim 15, further comprising:

a content key storage unit operable to store, in advance, a content key for decrypting an encrypted content; and

a cipher communication unit operable to perform cipher communication with the content reproduction apparatus,

wherein each of the plurality of license generation units generates license information that includes a content key and a use condition for the same content, and

the cipher communication unit issues the generated license information to the content reproduction apparatus via a cipher communication channel.

17. The license issuance server according to claim 16,

wherein the cipher communication unit includes an authentication unit operable to perform authentication with the server to prevent spoofing by a third party, and

the cipher communication unit establishes a session with the content reproduction apparatus when authentication is successful.

18. The license issuance server according to claim 17,

wherein the cipher communication unit further includes at least one of an encryption unit operable to encrypt a message to be sent or received, and a signature affixation unit operable to affix a signature onto the message to be sent or received.

19. The license issuance server according to claim 18,

wherein the cipher communication unit includes a communication interruption countermeasure unit operable to take a countermeasure when communication is interrupted in the middle of a message being sent or received.

20. A content reproduction system comprising a server and a content reproduction apparatus, said server generating and issuing license information for controlling use of a content on a content reproduction apparatus, and said content reproduction apparatus reproducing the content based on the license information obtained from the server,

wherein the server includes:

a use condition storage unit operable to store, in advance, a use condition which is information indicating an extent of use permitted for a content which is a digital copyrighted work;

a plurality of license generation units operable to generate license information that includes the use condition, based on a plurality of rights management methods for realizing protection of content copyrights using copyright protection technology, said plurality of license generation units corresponding respectively to said plurality of rights management methods; and

a method selection unit operable to select the license generation unit corresponding to a specific rights management method requested from the content reproduction apparatus, and cause said selected license generation unit to generate the license information requested from said content reproduction apparatus, and

the content reproduction apparatus includes;

a plurality of use condition judgment units operable to judge, based on the use condition included in each license information, whether or not use of the content corresponding to said each license information is permitted, said each license information being generated under each of a plurality of different rights management methods for realizing protection of content copyrights using copyright protection technology, and said plurality of use condition judgment units corresponding respectively to said plurality of different rights management methods;

a method selection unit operable to select a use condition judgment unit that corresponds to a rights management method by identifying said right management method for the license information corresponding to the content, and cause said selected use condition judgment unit to judge whether or not use of the content is permitted; and

a reproduction unit operable to reproduce the content when it is judged, by said selected use condition judgment unit, that use of said content is permitted.

21. The content reproduction system according to claim 20,

wherein the server further includes:

a content key storage unit operable to store in advance, a content key for decrypting an encrypted content; and

a first cipher communication unit operable to perform cipher communication with the content reproduction apparatus,

wherein each of the plurality of license generation units generates license information that includes a content key and a use condition for the same content, and

the first cipher communication unit issues the generated license information to the content reproduction apparatus, via a cipher communication channel, and

the content reproduction apparatus further includes;

a second cipher communication unit operable to obtain the license information corresponding to a desired content selected by a user, via a cipher communication channel, by performing cipher communication with a server, using an encryption method which is common to, and independent of the rights management methods; and

a content decryption unit operable to decrypt an encrypted content, using the content key,

wherein the method selection unit selects a use condition judgment unit by identifying a rights management method for the obtained license information, and causes said selected use condition judgment unit to judge whether or not use of the content is permitted, and causes the decryption unit to decrypt the encrypted content, and

the reproduction unit reproduces the decrypted content.

22. A content reproduction method for reproducing a content that is a digital copyrighted work, based on license information that includes a use condition, said use condition being information indicating an extent of use permitted for the content, the method comprising:

a plurality of use condition judgment steps of judging, based on a use condition included in each license information, whether or not use of a content corresponding to said each license information is permitted, said each license information being generated under each of a plurality of different rights management methods for realizing protection of content copyrights using copyright protection technology, and each of said plurality of use condition judgment steps being different for each of said plurality of different rights management methods;

a method selection step of selecting a use condition judgment step that corresponds to a rights management method by identifying said right management method for the license information corresponding to the content, and causing judgment of whether or not use of the content is permitted in said selected use condition judgment step; and

a reproduction step of reproducing the content, when it is judged in said selected use condition judgment step that use of said content is permitted.

23. The content reproduction method according to claim 22, further comprising a cipher communication step of obtaining the license information corresponding to a desired content selected by a user, via a cipher communication channel, by performing cipher communication with a server, using an encryption method which is common to, and independent of the rights management methods,

wherein, in the method selection step, a use condition judgment step is selected by identifying the rights management method for the obtained license information, and caused to judge whether or not use of the content is permitted.

24. The content reproduction method according to claim 23,

wherein the license information further includes a content key for decrypting an encrypted content,

the content reproduction method further includes a content decryption step of decrypting the encrypted content using the content key,

in the method selection step, the encrypted content is caused to be decrypted in the content decryption step using the content key included in the license information, and

in the reproduction step, the decrypted content is reproduced.

25. A license issuance method for issuing license information for controlling use of a content on a content reproduction apparatus,

wherein a use condition which is information indicating the extent of use permitted for a content that is a digital copyrighted work, is stored in advance,

the method comprising:

a plurality of license generation steps of generating license information that includes the use condition, based on a plurality of rights management methods for realizing protection of content copyrights using copyright protection technology, said plurality of license generation steps respectively generating license information in said plurality of rights management methods; and

a method selection step of selecting the license generation step corresponding to a specific rights management method requested from the content reproduction apparatus, and causing the license information requested from said content reproduction apparatus to be generated in said selected license generation step.

26. The license issuance method according to claim 25,

wherein a content key for decrypting an encrypted content is stored, in advance,

the method further comprises a cipher communication step of performing cipher communication with the content reproduction apparatus,

in the plurality of license generation steps, license information that includes a content key and a use condition for the same content is generated, and

in the cipher communication step, the generated license information is issued to the content reproduction apparatus via a cipher communication channel.

27. A program for a content reproduction apparatus for reproducing a content that is a digital copyrighted work, based on license information that includes a use condition, said use condition being information indicating an extent of use permitted for the content, the program causing a computer to execute:

a plurality of use condition judgment steps of judging, based on a use condition included in each license information, whether or not use of a content corresponding to said each license information is permitted, said each license information being generated under each of a plurality of different rights management methods for realizing protection of content copyrights using copyright protection technology, and each of said plurality of use condition judgment steps being different for each of said plurality of different rights management methods;

a method selection step of selecting a use condition judgment step that corresponds to a rights management method by identifying said right management method for the license information corresponding to the content, and causing judgment of whether or not use of the content is permitted in said selected use condition judgment step; and

a reproduction step of reproducing the content, when it is judged in said selected use condition judgment step that use of said content is permitted.

28. The program according to claim 27,

wherein license information further includes a content key for decrypting an encrypted content,

the program further including a content decryption step of decrypting an encrypted content using the content key,

in the method selection step, the encrypted content is caused to be decrypted in the content decryption step, using the content key included in the license information, and

in the reproduction step, the decrypted content is reproduced.

29. A program for a license issuance server which issues license information for controlling use of a content on a content reproduction apparatus,

wherein a use condition which is information indicating the extent of use permitted for a content that is a digital copyrighted work, is stored in advance,

the program causing a computer to execute:

a plurality of license generation steps of generating license information that includes the use condition, based on a plurality of rights management methods for realizing protection of content copyrights using copyright protection technology, said use condition judgment units respectively generating license information in said rights management methods; and

a method selection step of selecting the license generation step corresponding to a specific rights management method requested from a content reproduction apparatus, and causing the license information requested from said content reproduction apparatus to be generated in said selected license generation step.

30. The program according to claim 29,

wherein a content key for decrypting an encrypted content is stored, in advance,

the program further includes a cipher communication step of performing cipher communication with the content reproduction apparatus,

in each of the plurality of license generation steps, license information that includes a content key and a use condition for the same content is generated, and

in the cipher communication step, the generated license information is issued to the content reproduction apparatus via a cipher communication channel.