License distribution method

• US 20060155620A1
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Morikawa, Takanori, Tsurubayashi, Ken
• Application Number:
  US10/560,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155620A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A license distribution system and a license distribution method for selling/purchasing a license securely are provided. When a purchase request of a license for viewing digital contents is received via a network from a client terminal, a reception window terminal of a storefront server receives the purchase request of a license and executes a process of settling accounts at a first stage. Then, a proof of purchase is issued and the license is sent in exchange for the proof of purchase. Accordingly, no mistake is made in acquiring money at the time of selling the license, and further a table and a process for checking whether charging is made or not are not necessary for a license selling process, thus an operational process and a process program can be simplified and a memory can be used effectively. A license for a subscription commodity and/or a package commodity can be purchased and/or sold as well.

Claims

1. A license distribution method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a purchase request of a license for viewing digital contents via a network;

executing a process of settling accounts for the purchase request of a license after receiving the purchase request of a license;

creating a proof of purchase corresponding to said purchase request of a license after a process of settling accounts is finished;

sending the created proof of purchase to a purchase requester of a license; and

creating a license in response to a license request including said proof of purchase so as to send it to a purchase requester of a license.

2. The license distribution method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

creating, after completing the process of settling accounts, a box set file of recording a history of the proof of purchase up to issuance from creation; and

adding a file ID and an ID of settling said accounts to the created box file.

3. The license distribution method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

creating a proof of purchase corresponding to said license request after creating said box set file; and

creating a box set by grouping created proofs of purchase and changing the file ID of said box set file based on the created box set.

4. The license distribution method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

sending the ID of said box set file to the purchase requester of a license while keeping the box set file temporarily;

receiving a box set request from the purchase requester of a license via a network; and

sending a box set corresponding to said box set request to the purchase requester of a license after receiving said box set request.

5. The license distribution method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of:

deleting a relevant box set file after receiving a box set receiving notice from the purchase requester of a license via a network.

6. The license distribution method according to claim 1, wherein telecommunication for said license request/receiving is terminated if accounts are not settled.

7. The license distribution method according to claim 1, wherein a refund process is executed if no response is returned from a task of creating and sending said proof of purchase after said process of settling accounts.

8. The license distribution method according to claim 1, wherein a list of unacquired proofs of purchase is sent and the unacquired proofs of purchase are issued once again if no response is returned from a task of creating and sending a proof of purchase after said process of settling accounts.

9. A license distribution method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a purchase request of a license for viewing digital contents via a network;

executing a process of settling accounts for the purchase request of a license after receiving the purchase request of a license;

creating, after completing the process of settling accounts, a box set file of recording history of the proof of purchase up to issuance from creation and adding a file ID and an ID of settling said accounts to the created box file;

creating a proof of purchase corresponding to said purchase request of a license after said box set file is created;

changing the file ID of said box file based on the created proof of purchase;

sending said proof of purchase to a requester of purchasing license;

deleting a relevant box set file after receiving a proof of purchase receiving notice from the purchase requester of a license via the network; and

creating a relevant license responding to a license request including said proof of purchase and sending it to the purchase requester of a license.

10. A license distribution system, comprising:

a client terminal for outputting a purchase request of a license and a license request;

a storefront server for receiving the purchase request of a license for viewing digital contents via a network from the client terminal; and

license distribution management means for creating a proof of purchase corresponding to said purchase request of a license, wherein

said storefront server includes a reception window terminal for receiving said purchase request of a license and a management terminal for executing a process necessary for issuing the license,

said storefront server receives the purchase request of a license for viewing digital contents via the network from the client terminal in the reception window terminal,

said storefront server executes a process of settling accounts for the purchase request of a license after receiving the purchase request of a license,

the license distribution management means creates a proof of purchase corresponding to said purchase request of a license after completing the process of settling accounts,

the license distribution management means sends the created proof of purchase to the client terminal via the storefront server from said license distribution management means, and

said license distribution management means creates, when the client terminal sends a license request including said proof of purchase, a relevant license and sends the license to the client terminal that made the license request.

11. The license distribution system according to claim 10, wherein the management terminal of the storefront server creates a box set file for recording a history of said proof of purchase up to issuance from creation after completing the process of settling accounts.

12. The license distribution system according to claim 11, wherein said license distribution management means creates a proof of purchase corresponding to said license request after the management terminal of the storefront server creates said box set file.

13. The license distribution system according to claim 12, wherein said management terminal of said storefront server creates a box set by grouping created proofs of purchase and changing a file ID of said box set file based on said box set.

14. The license distribution system according to claim 13, wherein the management terminal of the storefront server sends said box set file ID to a client terminal while keeping a box set temporarily,

the client terminal sends a box set request to the storefront server based on the received box set file ID,

the management terminal of the storefront server sends a box set corresponding to said box set request to the client terminal after receiving said box set request.

15. The license distribution system according to claim 14, wherein the management terminal of the storefront server sends said box set to the client terminal and deletes a relevant box set file after receiving a box set receiving notice from the client terminal via a network.

16. A license distribution method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a purchase request of a license for viewing digital contents sold via a network as a subscription commodity or a package commodity grouping plural commodities;

executing a process of settling accounts for the purchase request of a license after receiving the purchase request of a license;

creating a pBox proof of purchase as a proof of purchase corresponding to a subscription commodity or a package commodity as an object of said purchase request of a license after the process of settling accounts is completed;

sending the created pBox proof of purchase to a purchase requester of a license;

creating a relevant eBox proof of purchase and sending it to the purchase requester of a license by responding to an eBox request as a proof of purchase corresponding to a license commodity having respective items including said pBox proof of purchase; and

creating a relevant license in response to a license request including said eBox proof of purchase and sending it to the purchase requester of a license.

17. The license distribution method according to claim 16, wherein a commodity is managed by linking the subscription commodity or the package commodity with its relevant license commodity.

18. The license distribution method according to claim 17, wherein an MPID which is a common identifier as a connector of management-linking the subscription commodity or the package commodity with the relevant license commodity is given to the both commodities.

19. The license distribution method according to claim 18, wherein an eBox proof of purchase can be created based on a pBox proof of purchase and a commodity as an object of the eBox proof of purchase by a link management means having an MPID connector is searched for and acquired in the process.

20. The license distribution method according to claim 19, wherein plural MPIDs being different to each other can be attached to license commodities.

21. The license distribution method according to claim 20, wherein the license commodities to which the plural MPIDs are attached can be included in plural groups of subscription commodities or packaging commodities being different to each other.

22. The license distribution method according to claim 16, wherein eBox/pBox type data is included in a proof of purchase to discriminate whether the proof of purchase is for the subscription commodity or the package commodity.

23. The license distribution method according to claim 16, wherein a proof of purchase creation history is recorded and purchase creation of the proof of process is monitored in creating a proof of purchase.

24. The license distribution method according to claim 19, wherein, when the eBox purchase proof is created based on the pBox purchase proof, a proof of purchase creation history is recorded, and a pBox proof of purchase ID as a parent is recorded in the proof of purchase creation history of the created pBox proof of purchase.

25. The license distribution method according to claim 16, wherein a box set file for a recording history of the proof of purchase up to issuance from creation is created after completing the process of settling accounts and the created box set file includes a step of attaching a file ID and an ID of said settlement.

26. The license distribution method according to claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

sending said box set file ID to a purchase requester of a license while keeping a pBox box set temporarily;

receiving a box set file request from the purchase requester of a license via a network; and

sending a box set corresponding to said box set request to the purchase requester of a license after receiving said box set request.

27. The license distribution method according to claim 16, wherein a request of a proof of purchase is received again and an unacquired proof of purchase is issued again if a response to a task of creating and sending a proof of purchase is not received after said process of settling accounts is completed.

28. A license distribution system, comprising:

a client terminal for outputting a purchase request of a license and a license request;

a storefront server for receiving the purchase request of a license for viewing digital contents via a network from the client terminal; and

license distribution management means for creating a proof of purchase corresponding to said purchase request of a license, wherein

said storefront server includes a reception window terminal for receiving said purchase request of a license and a management terminal for executing a process necessary for issuing the license,

said license distribution management means includes;

commodity management means for managing commodities by linking a subscription commodity or a package commodity with a relevant license commodity;

proof of purchase creation means for creating a pBox proof of purchase corresponding to the subscription commodity or package commodity as an object of said purchase request of a license; and

proof of purchase creation means for creating a relevant eBox proof of purchase in response to an eBox request corresponding to a license commodity having respective items including said pBox proof of purchase, and said storefront server includes the steps of;

receiving a purchase request of a license for viewing digital contents sold as the subscription commodity or package commodity by grouping plural commodities via a network from the client terminal at the reception window terminal;

executing a process of settling accounts for the purchase request of a license after receiving the purchase request of a license;

creating a pBox proof of purchase corresponding to the subscription commodity or package commodity as an object of license purchase after the process of settling accounts is completed;

sending the created pBox proof of purchase to the client terminal from the license distribution management means via the storefront server;

sending a relevant eBox proof of purchase created by the license distribution management means to said client terminal when the client terminal sends an eBox request corresponding to a license commodity having respective items including said pBox proof of purchase; and

sending a license created by said license distribution management means to the client terminal requesting the license when the client terminal sends a license request including said eBox proof of purchase.

29. The license distribution system according to claim 28, wherein said commodity management means manages a commodity by giving an MPID which is a common identifier as a connector of management-linking the subscription commodity or the package commodity with a relevant license commodity to the both commodities.

30. The license distribution system according to claim 28, wherein the management terminal of the storefront server creates a box set file for recording a history of a proof of purchase up to issuance from creation after the process of settling accounts is completed.

31. The license distribution system according to claim 30, wherein said license distribution management means creates a proof of purchase corresponding to said license request after the management terminal of the storefront server creates said box file.

32. The license distribution system according to claim 31, wherein the management terminal of the storefront server sends said box set file ID to a client terminal while keeping a box set temporarily,

the client terminal sends a box set request to the storefront server based on the received box set file ID;

and

the management terminal of the storefront server sends a box set corresponding to said box set request to the client terminal after receiving said box set request.

33. A license and contents provision method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a purchase request of a license for viewing digital contents via a network;

executing a process of settling accounts for the purchase request of a license after receiving the purchase request of a license;

creating a proof of purchase corresponding to said purchase request of a license after a process of settling accounts is completed;

sending the created proof of purchase to a purchase requester of a license;

distributing contents in response to a contents request from a client side; and

creating a relevant license in response to a license request including said proof of purchase by attaching license contents linking data indicating linkage with said distributing contents and sending it to a client.

34. The license and contents provision method according to claim 33, further comprising the step of:

making a copy of the license contents linking data attached to a license in a predetermined data region of contents by a client after the license is sent to the client.

35. The license and contents provision method according to claim 34, wherein the license and contents having the license contents linking data are stored in separate files of a client.

36. The license and contents provision method according to claim 35, wherein the license and contents stored in the separate files of the client are, for their respective files, given file names using the license contents linking data.

37. The license and contents provision method according to claim 33, wherein network telecommunication for requesting and/or receiving said license is terminated if the process of settling accounts is not executed.

38. The license and contents provision method according to claim 33, wherein said contents includes a viewer program.

39. The license and contents provision method according to claim 33, wherein, if contents are incorrect after said license and contents are provided, a process of providing a license and contents again is executed.

40. The license and contents provision method according to claim 39, wherein a revoke check process is executed based on a proof of purchase ID when a process of providing a license and contents again is executed.

41. A license and contents provision system, comprising:

a client terminal for outputting a purchase request of a license and a license request;

a storefront server for receiving the purchase request of a license for viewing digital contents via a network from the client terminal; and

license distribution management means for creating a proof of purchase corresponding to said purchase request of a license, wherein

said storefront server includes a reception window terminal for receiving said purchase request of a license and a management terminal for executing a process necessary for issuing the license,

said storefront server receives the purchase request of a license for viewing digital contents via the network from the client terminal in the reception window terminal,

said storefront server executes a process of settling accounts for the purchase request of a license after receiving the purchase request of a license,

the license distribution management means creates a proof of purchase corresponding to said purchase request of a license after completing the process of settling accounts,

the license distribution management means sends the created proof of purchase to the client terminal via the storefront server from said license distribution management means,

a contents distribution server distributes relevant contents when the client terminal sends a contents request, and

the license distribution management means creates a relevant license by attaching license contents linking data indicating linkage with said distributing contents and sends it to the client terminal of requesting the license when the client terminal sends a license request including said proof of purchase.

42. The license and contents provision system according to claim 41, wherein the client terminal which received the license makes a copy of the license contents linking data attached to the license in a predetermined data region of contents.

43. An electronic book display terminal comprising:

bookshelf management means for managing data after receiving it from a memory medium storing contents of an electronic book and a license for browsing the contents;

electric power management means for managing an ON/OFF switching operation of a main electric power;

input means for inputting various indications;

time means for timekeeping the current time;

usage limit check means for checking a limit of using a license;

display means for displaying data; and

control means for controlling an operation of a function unit of a storing unit,

wherein said control means shifts to a waiting state by making the electric power management means turn OFF the main electric power immediately when said display means displays a result display according to an instruction from said input means.

44. The electronic book display terminal according to claim 43, wherein designation of a book to be browsed, an instruction of turning pages, and an operation instruction of a bookshelf is input from said input means.

45. The electronic book display terminal according to claim 43, wherein said usage limit check means checks to confirm whether browsing is permitted by checking contents of a license based on present time data acquired by the time means.

46. The electronic book display terminal according to claim 43, wherein said electric power management means includes a sub-CPU and monitors presence of an input for instructing a start operation while keeping a state in which the main electric power is turned OFF.