Remote control of VCR with electronic mail

• US 20050091493A1
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hirata, Shinichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,376,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/170
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

A security apparatus and a security method for controlling electric devices by use of electronic mails. A modem receives an electronic mail sent from a sending side and stores the received electronic mail into a RAM of a controller. A CPU extracts certification information encrypted by a secret key of a user of the sending side and decrypts the certification information by use of a public key. Based on the decrypted information, the CPU determines whether the user of the sending side is authentic or not. Only when the user is found authentic, the CPU extracts a control command from the received electronic mail and stores the extracted control command into a RAM. Then, the CPU transmits an electronic mail to the sending side for confirming content of the control. If an electronic mail for approving the confirmation is returned from the sending side, the CPU extracts second certification information obtained by encrypting information different from that mentioned above, determines again whether the sender of the electronic mail is authentic, and, if the sender is found authentic, executes the control command received before.

Claims

1-5. -5. (canceled)

6. A transmitting apparatus comprising:

electronic mail inputting means for inputting an electronic mail;

encrypting means for encrypting predetermined information;

first adding means for adding as certification information said predetermined information encrypted by said encrypting means to said electronic mail inputted through said electronic mail inputting means;

a second adding means for adding a control command for controlling a remote reservation function including an operation time of an external video recording device to said electronic mail inputted through said electronic mail inputting means, wherein said control command is selected by a user of said external video recording device and further indicates a manner in which said external video recording device will operate after said external video recording device is activated at said operation time;

transmitting means for transmitting through a network said electronic mail with said certification information added by said first adding means and said control command added by said second adding means; and

receiving means for receiving an electronic mail indication from the network that no reservation for the requested operation time has been made when there is an overlap of the requested operation time with any previously entered operation times.

7. A transmitting method comprising:

an electronic mail inputting step of inputting an electronic mail;

a first adding step of adding certification information generated by encrypting predetermined information to said electronic mail inputted in said electronic mail inputting step;

a second adding step of adding a control command for controlling a remote reservation function including an operation time of an external video recording device to said electronic mail inputted in said electronic mail inputting step, wherein said control command is selected by a user of the external video recording device and further indicates a manner in which the external video recording device will operate after the external video recording device is activated at said operation time;

a transmitting step of transmitting through a network said electronic mail with said certification information added in said first adding step and said control command added in said second adding step; and

a receiving step of receiving an electronic mail indication from the network that no reservation for the requested operation time has been made when there is an overlap of the requested operation time with any previously entered operation times.

8-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A terminal, comprising:

a modem for receiving electronic mail through a network;

a memory; and

a central processing unit for extracting encrypted certification information and a control command from said electronic mail for controlling a remote reservation function and an operation time of an external video recording device received by said modem, for decrypting said certification information, for determining from the decrypted certification information whether a sender of said electronic mail is an authorized user, for determining if the extracted control command is seeking an operation time duplicating one already reserved and informing the sender by electronic mail if it is, and for transmitting said control command to said memory if said sender is an authorized user, wherein

said control command is selected by a user of the external video recording device and indicates a manner in which the external video recording device will operate after the external video recording device is activated at the operation time.

11. A terminal, comprising:

an input block;

a display device;

a graphical user interface displayed on said display device and responsive to instructions from said input block to add encrypted certification information and a control command for controlling a remote reservation function and operation time of an external video recording device to electronic mail, wherein said control command is selected by a user of the external video recording device and indicates a manner in which the external video recording device will operate after the external video recording device is activated at said operation time; and

a modem for transmitting said electronic mail through a network to said external video recording device and receiving an electronic mail indication from the network that no reservation for the requested operation time has been made when there is an overlap of the requested operation time with any previously entered operation times.