Revocation information updating method, revocation information updating apparatus and storage medium

• US 20050154880A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Makoto Tatebayashi, Masafumi Tamura, Masayuki Kozuka, Shunji Harada, Teruto Hirota, Toru Kamibayashi
• Original Assignee: Makoto Tatebayashi, Masafumi Tamura, Masayuki Kozuka, Shunji Harada, Teruto Hirota, Toru Kamibayashi
• Inventors: Tamura, Masafumi, Tatebayashi, Makoto, Harada, Shunji, Kozuka, Masayuki, Hirota, Teruto, Kamibayashi, Toru
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• 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

At least one set of revocation information for identifying electronic appliances that should be revoked for content protection and master revocation information for identifying electronic appliances that have special permission to update the revocation information are recorded in advance into a special storage region on a storage medium. When the storage medium is loaded into an electronic appliance indicated by the master revocation information, the revocation information can be updated. However, when the storage medium is loaded into an electronic appliance indicated by the revocation information, the electronic appliance is revoked and so the protection of contents is improved.

Claims

1. A revocation information updating method for updating revocation information on a storage medium, the storage medium (1) being capable of recording and playing back a digital content when used by an electronic appliance having at least one of a function for playing back a digital content and a function for recording a digital content and (2) storing, in advance, revocation information that is used to judge which electronic apparatuses should be prevented from using the storage medium in order to protect digital contents,

the revocation information updating method comprising:

(a) a recording step for recording master revocation information, which is judgeable by revocation information updating apparatuses, in advance into a special storage region provided on the storage medium;

(b) a determining step for determining, based on the master revocation information, whether the revocation information on the storage medium can be updated by a revocation information updating apparatus into which the storage medium has been inserted;

(c) an updating step for updating the revocation information, depending on a determination made in the determining step.

2-4. -4. (canceled)

5. A storage medium that is capable of recording and playing back a digital content when used by an electronic appliance having at least one of a function for playing back a digital content and a function for recording a digital content, the storage medium comprising:

a special storage region in which master revocation information for identifying revocation information updating apparatuses is recorded in advance;

a judging means for judging, when the storage medium is loaded into a revocation information updating apparatus, whether the revocation information updating apparatus is permitted to update revocation information present on the storage medium, based on the master revocation information;

an updating means for updating the revocation information, depending on the judgement made by the judging means.

6. (canceled)

7. A revocation information updating method for having a revocation information updating apparatus update revocation information recorded on a recording medium, the revocation information updating apparatus being permitted to perform updating, the revocation information including information on an electronic device which is cancelled permission for recording digital contents onto the recording medium or for reproducing digital contents recorded on the recording medium, the revocation information updating method comprising:

a recording step of pre-recording master revocation information on a predetermined area allocated in the recording medium, the master revocation information including information on a revocation information updating apparatus which has been cancelled permission to update revocation information;

a judging step of, upon detecting the recording medium being inserted to the revocation information updating apparatus, judging whether updating is permitted to the revocation information updating apparatus, based on information on the revocation information updating apparatus that the revocation information updating apparatus has; and

an updating step of

     1) having the inserted revocation information updating apparatus update the revocation information, when the updating is judged to be permitted, and

     2) prohibiting the revocation information updating apparatus from updating the revocation information, when the updating is not judged to be permitted.

8. The revocation information updating method of claim 7,

wherein the revocation information recorded on the recording medium is associated with an application system for processing digital contents to be recorded on the recording medium,

the revocation information updating apparatus is permitted updating of revocation information for at least one application system,

and the judging step further bases on the revocation information recorded on the recording medium, in judging whether updating is permitted to the revocation information updating apparatus.

9. The revocation information updating method of claim 8,

wherein the revocation information updating apparatus stores thereon first identification information and second identification information, the first identification information identifying an electronic device which is permitted updating of revocation information, and the second identification information identifying an electronic device which is permitted to use digital contents processed by a certain application system,

the judging step a) judges whether the revocation information updating apparatus is permitted to update revocation information, based on the master revocation information and on the first identification information, and b) judges, only when the revocation information updating apparatus is judged to be permitted to update revocation information, whether updating of revocation information for the certain application system is permitted to the revocation information updating apparatus, according to the revocation information for the certain application system, and to the second identification information,

and the updating step has the revocation information updating apparatus update the revocation information for the certain application system, only when the revocation information updating apparatus is judged to be permitted to update the revocation information for the certain application system.

10. A revocation information updating apparatus which is permitted to update revocation information recorded on a recording medium, the revocation information including information on an electronic device which is cancelled permission for recording digital contents onto the recording medium or for reproducing digital contents recorded on the recording medium, the recording medium having an area in which master revocation information is pre-recorded, the master revocation information including a revocation information updating apparatus which has been cancelled permission to update revocation information, the revocation information updating apparatus comprising:

a judging means for, upon detecting the recording medium being inserted to the revocation information updating apparatus, judging whether updating is permitted to the revocation information updating apparatus, based on information on the revocation information updating apparatus that the revocation information updating apparatus has; and

an updating means for

     1) having the inserted revocation information updating apparatus update the revocation information, when the updating is judged to be permitted, and

     2) prohibiting the revocation information updating apparatus from updating the revocation information, when the updating is not judged to be permitted.

11. The revocation information updating apparatus of claim 10,

wherein the revocation information recorded on the recording medium is associated with an application system for processing digital contents to be recorded on the recording medium,

the revocation information updating apparatus is permitted updating of revocation information for at least one application system,

and the judging step further bases on the revocation information recorded on the recording medium, in judging whether updating is permitted to the revocation information updating apparatus.

12. The revocation information updating apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the revocation information updating apparatus stores thereon first identification information and second identification information, the first identification information identifying an electronic device which is permitted updating of revocation information, and the second identification information identifying an electronic device which is permitted to use digital contents processed by a certain application system,

the judging means a) judges whether the revocation information updating apparatus is permitted to update revocation information, based on the master revocation information and on the first identification information, and b) judges, only when the revocation information updating apparatus is judged to be permitted to update revocation information, whether updating of revocation information for the certain application system is permitted to the revocation information updating apparatus, according to the revocation information for the certain application system, and to the second identification information,

and the updating means has the revocation information updating apparatus update the revocation information for the certain application system, only when the revocation information updating apparatus is judged to be permitted to update the revocation information for the certain application system.

13. A recording medium storing revocation information which is updated by a revocation information updating apparatus, the revocation information updating apparatus being permitted to perform updating, the revocation information including information on an electronic device which is cancelled permission for recording digital contents onto the recording medium or for reproducing digital contents recorded on the recording medium, the recording medium comprising:

a recording means for pre-recording master revocation information on a predetermined area allocated in the recording medium, the master revocation information including information on a revocation information updating apparatus which has been cancelled permission to update revocation information;

a judging means for, upon detecting the recording medium being inserted to the revocation information updating apparatus, judging whether updating is permitted to the revocation information updating apparatus, based on information on the revocation information updating apparatus that the revocation information updating apparatus has; and

an updating means for

     1) having the inserted revocation information updating apparatus update the revocation information, when the updating is judged to be permitted, and

     2) prohibiting the revocation information updating apparatus from updating the revocation information, when the updating is not judged to be permitted.

14. The recording medium of claim 13, storing thereon revocation information associated with an application system which is for processing digital contents to be recorded on the recording medium,

the revocation information updating apparatus is permitted updating of revocation information for at least one application system,

and the judging means further bases on the revocation information recorded on the recording medium, in judging whether updating is permitted to the revocation information updating apparatus.

15. The recording medium of claim 14,

wherein the revocation information updating apparatus stores thereon first identification information and second identification information, the first identification information identifying an electronic device which is permitted updating of revocation information, and the second identification information identifying an electronic device which is permitted to use digital contents processed by a certain application system,

the judging means a) judges whether the revocation information updating apparatus is permitted to update revocation information, based on the master revocation information and on the first identification information, and b) judges, only when the revocation information updating apparatus is judged to be permitted to update revocation information, whether updating of revocation information for the certain application system is permitted to the revocation information updating apparatus, according to the revocation information for the certain application system, and to the second identification information,

and the updating means has the revocation information updating apparatus update the revocation information recorded on the revocation medium, only when the distributing channel is judged to be the permitted distributing channel.