Contents distribution system with integrated recording rights control

• US 20050240548A1
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujioka, Naotaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 Multimedia

Abstract

In order to realize efficient content distribution, a distributing apparatus (1) stores contents (C) which are distributable to a recipient apparatus (4). One of the contents (C) which is designated by the recipient apparatus (4) is distributed by streaming technique. During distribution of the content (C) by streaming technique, in response to a saving request (SR) from the recipient apparatus (4), the distributing apparatus (1) generates and transmits a saving permission (SL) for notifying to the recipient apparatus (4) that saving of the content (C) which is being distributed is permitted. As a result, the received content (C) is saved in the recipient apparatus (4). After the distribution of the content (C) by streaming technique is completed, the distributing apparatus (1) distributes difference data (DC), which is a portion of the content (C) that has not been saved in the recipient apparatus (4), by downloading technique.

Claims

1. A contents distribution system for distributing a content from a distributing apparatus to a recipient apparatus,

the distributing apparatus comprising:

a content storage section operable to store a content which is distributable to the recipient apparatus;

a content reading section operable to read a content from the content storage section; and

a first distribution section operable to distribute the content read by the content reading section,

the recipient apparatus comprising;

a first storage section operable to temporarily store the content distributed from the first distribution section;

a reproduction section operable to reproduce the content temporarily stored to the first storage section; and

a saving request generation section operable to generate a saving request for permission to save the content which is currently reproduced by the reproduction section,

wherein, the distributing apparatus further comprises;

a saving request determination section operable to determine, in response to the saving request generated by the saving request generation section, whether or not to give a saving permission for the recipient apparatus to save the content which is currently distributed by the first distribution section;

a difference data reading section operable to read difference data if the saving request determination section has determined to give the saving permission and if the content reading section has completed reading the content, wherein the difference data is a portion of the content whose reading has currently been completed, which portion was distributed before the saving request determination section determines to give the saving permission; and

a second distribution section operable to distribute the difference data read by the difference data reading section, and

the recipient apparatus further comprises;

a non-volatile second storage section operable to, within the currently reproduced content, save a portion which is distributed from the distributing apparatus after the saving request is generated, and the difference data which is distributed from the second distribution section after the reproduction of the content is completed.

2. A distributing apparatus for distributing a content to a recipient apparatus, comprising:

a content storage section operable to store a content which is distributable to the recipient apparatus;

a content reading section operable to read a content from the content storage section;

a first distribution section operable to distribute the content read by the content reading section;

a saving request determination section operable to determine, in response to a saving request from the recipient apparatus, whether or not to give a saving permission for the recipient apparatus to save the content which is currently distributed by the first distribution section;

a difference data reading section operable to read difference data if the saving request determination section has determined to give the saving permission and if the content reading section has completed reading the content, wherein the difference data is a portion of the content whose reading has currently been completed, which portion was distributed before the saving request determination section determines to give the saving permission; and

a second distribution section operable to distribute the difference data read by the difference data reading section.

3. The distributing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first distribution section distributes the content by streaming technique, and the second distribution section distributes the difference data by downloading technique.

4. The distributing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first distribution section is operable to:

until the saving request determination section determines to give the saving permission, distribute the content read by the content reading section in a format which does not allow saving to the recipient apparatus, and

after the saving request determination section has determined to give the saving permission, distribute the content read by the content reading section in a format which allows saving to the recipient apparatus.

5. The distributing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein,

the recipient apparatus is operable to transmit a download request for downloading the content for which the saving permission has been given, and

the difference data reading section is operable to read the difference data in response to the download request from the recipient apparatus.

6. The distributing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein,

the first distribution section is operable to generate a plurality of data blocks for distribution by splitting the content read by the content reading section according to streaming technique, and

the distributing apparatus further comprises a data resending section operable to resend any data block which was transmitted by the first distribution section but was not received by the recipient apparatus.

7. The distributing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the content distributed by the first distribution section and the difference data distributed by the second distribution section are of different qualities.

8. The distributing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein,

the content is distributed to the recipient apparatus via a digital network, and

the difference data reading section is operable to read the difference data if the saving request determination section has determined to give the saving permission and if the digital network has a sufficient transmission band width.

9. A recipient apparatus for acquiring a content from a distributing apparatus, comprising:

a first storage section operable to temporarily store the content distributed from the distribution apparatus;

a reproduction section operable to reproduce the content temporarily stored to the first storage section;

a saving request generation section operable to generate a saving request for permission to save the content which is currently reproduced by the reproduction section; and

a non-volatile second storage section operable to save first saving data, wherein the first saving data is a portion of the content currently reproduced by the reproduction section that is distributed from the distributing apparatus after the saving request is generated,

wherein the second storage section is further operable to save second saving data, the second saving data being a remainder of the content which is transferred from the distributing apparatus or the first storage section, such that the first saving data and the second saving data compose the entire content.

10. The recipient apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the recipient apparatus further comprises a synthesis section operable to combine the first and second saving data saved to the second storage section.

11. The recipient apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the recipient apparatus further comprises an update section operable to update management information used for the first and second saving data saved to the second storage section.

12. The recipient apparatus according to claim 9, wherein,

the first storage section comprises a volatile memory and is operable to buffer the content distributed from the distributing apparatus by streaming technique, and

the second storage section is operable to save as the first saving data a partial content which is distributed from the distributing apparatus by streaming technique after the saving request is generated, and to save as the second saving data a partial content which is distributed from the distributing apparatus by downloading technique after the distribution by streaming technique is completed.

13. The recipient apparatus according to claim 9, wherein,

the first storage section includes a rewritable storage medium for temporarily storing the content distributed from the distributing apparatus, and

the second storage section is operable to save as the first saving data a partial content which is distributed from the distributing apparatus after the saving request is generated, and to save as the second saving data a partial content in the first storage section after the reproduction of the content is completed.

14. The recipient apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the second storage section includes a removable distributable medium for storing the first and second saving data.

15. The recipient apparatus according to claim 9, wherein,

the first storage section includes a rewritable storage medium for temporarily storing the content distributed from the distributing apparatus,

the second storage section is operable to save as the first saving data a partial content which is distributed from the distributing apparatus after the saving request is generated,

the recipient apparatus further comprises a resend request generation section operable to, after the reproduction of the content is completed, generate a resend request for the distributing apparatus to resend any unsaved portion of the content whose reproduction is completed, and

the second storage section is further operable to save as the second saving data a partial content which is sent from the distributing apparatus after the resend request is generated.

16. The recipient apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the second storage section includes a removable distributable medium for storing the as the first and second saving data.

17. A distributing method for distributing a content to a recipient apparatus, comprising:

a content reading step of reading from a storage device a content which is distributable to the recipient apparatus;

a first distribution step of distributing the content read in the content reading step;

a saving request determination step of determining, in response to a saving request from the recipient apparatus, whether or not to give a saving permission for the recipient apparatus to save the content which is currently distributed by the first distribution step;

a difference data reading step of reading difference data if the saving request determination step has determined to give the saving permission and if the content reading step has completed reading the content, wherein the difference data is a portion of the content whose reading has currently been completed, which portion has not been saved by the recipient apparatus; and

a second distribution step of distributing the difference data read in the difference data reading step.

18. An acquisition method for acquiring a content from a distributing apparatus, comprising:

a first storage step of temporarily storing to a first storage device the content distributed from the distribution apparatus;

a reproduction step of reproducing the content temporarily stored in the first storage step;

a saving request generation step of generating a saving request for permission to save the content which is currently reproduced by the reproduction step; and

a second storage step of, within the content currently reproduced by the reproduction step, saving to a non-volatile second storage device a portion which is distributed from the distributing apparatus after the saving request is generated,

wherein, after the reproduction of the content in the reproduction step is completed, the second storage step further comprises saving any unsaved portion of the content which is transferred from the distributing apparatus or the first storage device.

19. A computer program for enabling a distributing apparatus to distribute a content to a recipient apparatus, comprising:

a content reading step of reading from a storage device a content which is distributable to the recipient apparatus;

a first distribution step of distributing the content read in the content reading step;

a saving request determination step of determining, in response to a saving request from the recipient apparatus, whether or not to give a saving permission for the recipient apparatus to save the content which is currently distributed by the first distribution step;

a difference data reading step of reading difference data if the saving request determination step has determined to give the saving permission and if the content reading step has completed reading the content, wherein the difference data is a portion of the content whose reading has currently been completed, which portion has not been saved by the recipient apparatus; and

a second distribution step of distributing the difference data read in the difference data reading step.

20. The computer program according to claim 19 which is recorded on a recording medium.

21. A computer program for enabling a recipient apparatus to acquire a content from a distributing apparatus, comprising:

a first storage step of temporarily storing to a first storage device the content distributed from the distribution apparatus;

a reproduction step of reproducing the content temporarily stored in the first storage step;

a saving request generation step of generating a saving request for permission to save the content which is currently reproduced by the reproduction step; and

a second storage step of, within the content currently reproduced by the reproduction step, saving to a non-volatile second storage device a portion which is distributed from the distributing apparatus after the saving request is generated,

wherein, after the reproduction of the content in the reproduction step is completed, the second storage step further comprises saving any unsaved portion of the content which is transferred from the distributing apparatus or the first storage device.

22. The computer program according to claim 21 which is recorded on a recording medium.