Information processing apparatus and method, and data communication system and method

• US 20050144141A1
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagao, Yutaka
• Granted Patent: US 8,126,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/487 Parts, accessories, attachments and adjuncts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5013 Canes, umbrellas, apparel

Abstract

A client obtains license information. The client has a client module for using content under conditions defined in the license information. When the client module is updated and a new function is added, the client obtains updating license information including permission of the new function. The client is allowed to use the content under the conditions defined in the previous license information and the conditions defined in the updating license information without obtaining new rights information for the updated client module.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for using content under condition information defined in license information, comprising executing means for obtaining license information including condition information for at least one usage function, and using the content under condition information defined in the obtained license information,

wherein when the executing means is updated by updating means to add usage function and the condition information defined in the license information obtained before the executing means is updated does not include condition information for the added usage function, the executing means obtains updating license information including the condition information for the added usage function, and uses the content under the condition information defined in the updating license information and the condition information defined in the license information obtained before the executing means is updated.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the executing means has a version number according to at least one usage function that can be used in the executing means, and

the license information includes version information indicating a version of the executing means, and condition information for a usage function that can be used in the version of the executing means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the updating license information includes additional condition information for the added usage function, and target-version information specifying a version of the executing means that requires the additional condition information.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein condition information defined in the license information obtained before the executing means is updated includes a permission condition for permitting use of the usage function, and a usage condition for the permitted usage function, and

the updating license information specifies a permission condition for permitting use of the added usage function.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the executing means obtains the updating license information using the updating means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising communicating means for obtaining information including the updating means via a network,

wherein the executing means is updated by the updating means obtained via the communicating means.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the license information includes information specifying at least the number of uses of the content or the usage period of the content.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the license information includes content identification information identifying the content.

9. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus that uses content under condition information defined in license information, the method comprising:

a license obtaining step of obtaining license information including condition information for at least one usage function to use the content; and

an executing step of using the content in executing means for using the content under the condition information defined in the license information obtained in the license obtaining step,

wherein when the executing means is updated by updating means to add a usage function and the condition information defined in the license information obtained in the license obtaining step before the executing means is updated does not include condition information for the added usage function, the executing step obtains updating license information including the condition information for the added usage function, and uses the content under the condition information defined in the updating license information and the condition information defined in the license information obtained in the license obtaining step.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the executing means has a version number according to at least one usage function that can be used in the executing means,

the license information includes version information indicating a version of the executing means, and condition information for a usage function that can be used in the version of the executing means, and

the executing step obtains the updating license information based on the version of the executing means and the version information of the license information.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the updating license information includes additional condition information for the added usage function, and target-version information specifying a version of the executing means that requires the additional condition information.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein condition information defined in the license information obtained in the license obtaining step before the executing means is updated includes a permission conditions for permitting use of the usage function, and a usage condition for the permitted usage function, and

the updating license information specifies a permission conditions for permitting use of the added usage function.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the executing step obtains the updating license information using the updating means.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising an executing means updating step of updating the executing means by obtaining the updating means via a network.

15. A data communication system for communicating data between a communication terminal and a server connected with the communication terminal via a network,

the server comprising license information issuing means for issuing license information to the communication terminal, the license information including condition information for at least one usage function to use content,

the communication terminal comprising executing means for obtaining the license information and using the content under the condition information defined in the obtained license information,

wherein when the executing means is updated by updating means to add a usage function and the condition information defined in the license information obtained before the executing means is updated does not include condition information for the added usage function, the license information issuing means issues updating license information including the condition information for the added usage function, and

the executing means obtains the updating license information, and uses the content under the condition information defined in the updating license information and the condition information defined in the obtained license information.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the server transmits the updating means to the communication terminal.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the executing means has a version number according to at least one usage function that can be used in the executing means, and

the license information includes version information indicating a version of the executing means, and condition information for a usage function that can be used in the version of the executing means.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein the updating license information includes additional condition information for the added usage function, and target-version information specifying a version of the executing means that requires the additional condition information.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein condition information defined in the license information obtained before the executing means is updated includes a permission condition for permitting use of the usage function, and a usage condition for the permitted usage function, and

the updating license information specifies a permission condition for permitting use of the added usage function.

20. A data communication method for communicating data between a communication terminal and a server connected with the communication terminal via a network, the communication terminal being allowed to use content under condition information defined in a license, the server issuing license information to the communication terminal, the license information including condition information for at least one usage function to use the content, a data communication comprising:

a license information issuing step of issuing the license information from the server to the communication terminal;

a license obtaining step of obtaining the license information in the communication terminal; and

an executing step of using the content in executing means of the communication terminal under the condition information defined in the obtained license information,

wherein when the executing means is updated by updating means to add a usage function and the condition information defined in the license information obtained in the license obtaining step before the executing means is updated does not include condition information for the added usage function, the license information issuing step issues updating license information including the condition information for the added usage function, and

the executing step obtains the updating license information, and uses the content under the condition information defined in the updating license information and the condition information defined in the license information obtained in the license obtaining step.