System for providing service related information to content reproducing apparatus

• US 20060271996A1
• Filed: 09/28/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sato, Koji
• Application Number:
  US11/236,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271996A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An apparatus reproducing content provided by a content providing server includes: a content processing unit for performing content reproduction; a communication unit providing communication through a prescribed network; and a template processing unit receiving service-related information including service identifying information indicating a content service and prescribed information related to the content service identified by the service identifying information from the network through the communication unit, processing the service-related information, and controlling the content processing unit such that the content indicated by the received service identifying information is processed using the service-related information.

Claims

1. A content reproducing apparatus, for reproducing content provided by a content providing server, comprising:

content processing means for applying a prescribed process to content;

communication means for providing communication using a prescribed network;

service-related information processing means for receiving and processing service-related information including service identifying information identifying a content service and prescribed information related to the content service identified by said service identifying information from said prescribed network through said communication means, and for controlling said content processing means such that the content processing means processes the content identified by said service identifying information using the service-related information.

2. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the content provided by said content providing server may require prescribed key information for processing;

said content reproducing apparatus further comprising service management means for managing a set of the service identifying information of said content providing service and the key information;

wherein

said content processing means includes means for obtaining, when the service identifying information is applied, the corresponding key information from said service management means for processing the content designated by said service identifying information;

said service-related information processing means includes

means for determining whether the key information for processing the content provided by the content service identified by the service identifying information received by said service-related information receiving means exists in said service management means or not, and

key information obtaining means responsive to a determination by said determining means that the key information does not exist in said service management means, for obtaining the key information corresponding to the content service identified by said service identifying information and applying the key information to said service management means;

whereby

processing of the content of which key information does not exist in said service management means becomes possible.

3. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said prescribed information includes access destination information indicating an access destination to obtain the key information required for processing the content provided by the content providing server identified by said service identifying information;

and

said key information obtaining means includes means responsive to a determination by said determining means that the key information does not exist in said service management means, for obtaining the key information corresponding to the content service identified by said service identifying information by transmitting the service identifying information included in said service-related information to the access destination indicated by said access destination information included in said service-related information through said communication means.

4. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said prescribed information further includes authentication information for authentication at the time of an access to said access destination;

and

said means for obtaining key information includes means responsive to a determination by said determining means that the key information does not exist in said service management means, for obtaining the key information corresponding to the content service identified by said service identifying information by transmitting the service identifying information included in said service-related information and said authentication information to the access destination indicated by said access destination information included in said service-related information through said communication means.

5. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said prescribed information further includes service access destination information indicating a service access destination to be accessed to receive the content service identified by said service identifying information;

said service-related information processing means further includes means for applying said service access destination information to said means for processing; and

said means for processing includes means for processing the content from the content providing server indicated by said service access destination information applied by said means for applying, using the key information obtained by said means for obtaining.

6. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said prescribed information further includes a key retrieving command string to be applied to said access destination when said key information is to be obtained;

and

said means for obtaining key information includes means responsive to a determination by said determining means that the key information does not exist in said service management means, for receiving the key information corresponding to the content service identified by said service identifying information from said access destination by transmitting the service identifying information included in said service-related information and said key retrieving command string to the access destination indicated by said access destination information included in said service-related information through said communication means.

7. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said prescribed information includes key information required for processing the content provided by the content service identified by said service identifying information;

and

said key information obtaining means includes means responsive to a determination by said means for determining that the key information does not exist in said service management means, for obtaining the key information included in said service-related information and applying the key information to said service management means.

8. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising

means for managing validity period of the key information obtained by said key information obtaining means and for invalidating the key information in response to expiration of the validity period.

9. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said prescribed information includes auxiliary content related to the content provided by the content providing server identified by said service identifying information;

said content reproducing apparatus further comprising;

means responsive to reception by said service-related information processing means of said service-related information, for presenting said auxiliary content to a user; and

means for receiving a user instruction as to whether the content provided by said content providing server identified by said service identifying information are to be processed or not;

wherein

said service-related information processing means includes means for controlling said content processing means such that in response to reception by said receiving means of an instruction from the user to process said content identified by the service identifying information received by said service-related information processing means, using the service-related information received by said service-related information processing means.

10. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

said presenting means includes means, responsive to reception of a plurality of pieces of service-related information related to said content service by said service-related information processing means, for successively presenting to the user auxiliary content included in each of said plurality of pieces of service-related information in accordance with a prescribed method of presentation,

means for receiving a selection instruction by the user selecting the content service corresponding to the auxiliary content presented by said successively presenting means, and

means for displaying the auxiliary content corresponding to the content service selected by said selection instruction.

11. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said content service includes a content service through broadcast via a plurality of channels;

and

said content processing means includes

receiving means for receiving said broadcast, and

means for selecting and reproducing a broadcasting signal corresponding to the designated content service, from broadcasting signals received by said receiving means.

12. A computer program causing, when executed by a computer having a communication function and a content receiving function, the computer to operate as the content reproducing apparatus according to claim 1.

13. A computer readable recording medium recording the computer program according to claim 12.

14. A method of providing service-related information facilitating an access to a content service provided by a prescribed content providing server to a potential user of said content service, comprising the steps of:

obtaining service identifying information for identifying the content service from said prescribed content providing server; and

transmitting said service identifying information to a content reproducing apparatus related to said potential user through a network.

15. The method of providing service-related information according to claim 14, wherein

said obtaining step includes the step of obtaining said service identifying information and authentication information related to access permission for the content provided by the content service, from said prescribed content providing server;

and

said transmitting step includes the step of transmitting said service identifying information and said authentication information to the content reproducing apparatus related to said potential user through the network.

16. The method of providing service-related information according to claim 14, wherein

said content service provides content that requires a prescribed key for reproduction;

said method further comprising the step of

obtaining key information required for reproducing the content provided by each content providing server from said prescribed content providing server;

wherein

said transmitting step includes the step of transmitting, in addition to said service identifying information, the key information of the content provided by said content providing server identified by said service identifying information to the content reproducing apparatus related to said potential user through the network.

17. The method of providing service-related information according to claim 14, wherein

said content service is a broadcasting service for broadcasting scrambled content in accordance with a timetable prepared in advance;

wherein

said obtaining step includes the step of obtaining, from said prescribed content providing server, service identifying information for identifying the content service, authentication information related to access permission to the content identified by the service identifying information, and schedule information representing broadcast schedule of the content provided by the content providing server; and

said transmitting step includes the step of transmitting, for each piece of service identifying information, said service identifying information and said authentication information at a timing determined by the broadcast schedule of the content identified by the service identifying information, to the content reproducing apparatus related to said potential user through the network.

18. The method of providing service-related information according to claim 14, wherein

said content service is a broadcasting service for broadcasting scrambled content in accordance with a timetable prepared in advance;

said method further comprising the step of

collecting, for each said potential user, selection information necessary for selecting content;

wherein

said obtaining step includes the step of obtaining, from said prescribed content providing server, service identifying information for identifying the content service, authentication information related to access permission to the content identified by the service identifying information, and attribute information representing content attribute attached to the content in advance; and

said transmitting step includes, for each said potential user and each piece of said service identifying information,

the step of selecting, from the content service identified by the service identifying information, content of which service related information is to be transmitted to the content reproducing apparatus related to the potential user, based on the selection information collected for the potential user and on the attribute information of the content, and

the step of transmitting, at a timing determined by broadcast schedule of the content, said service identifying information and said authentication information to the content reproducing apparatus related to the potential user through a network.

19. The method of providing service-related information according to claim 14, wherein

said content service is a broadcasting service for broadcasting scrambled content in accordance with a timetable prepared in advance;

said obtaining step includes the step of obtaining, from said prescribed content providing server, service identifying information for identifying the content service, authentication information related to access permission to the content identified by the service identifying information, schedule information indicating broadcast schedule of the content provided by the content service, and key information for descrambling content provided by the content service; and

said transmitting step includes the step of transmitting, for each piece of service identifying information, said service identifying information, said authentication information and said key information, at a timing determined by the broadcast schedule of the content of the content service identified by the service identifying information, to the content reproducing apparatus related to said potential user through the network.

20. The method of providing service-related information according to claim 14, wherein

said transmitting step includes the step of transmitting, in addition to said service identifying information, address information for accessing said content providing server, to the content reproducing apparatus related to said potential user through the network.

21. The method of providing service-related information according to claim 14, wherein

said transmitting step includes the step of transmitting, in addition to said service identifying information, address information for accessing an authentication server performing authentication related to access permission to the content service identified by the service identifying information, to the content reproducing apparatus related to said potential user through the network.

22. A computer program causing, when executed by a computer having a communication function, the computer to execute the method of providing service-related information according to claim 14.

23. A computer readable recording medium recording the computer program according to claim 22.

24. A service-related information providing apparatus for providing service-related information of services made available by prescribed key information, comprising:

authentication information storing means for storing authentication information for authentication of an external apparatus;

first transmitting means responsive to a request from a first external apparatus for service-related information related to the service provided by said service-related information providing apparatus, for authenticating the first external apparatus using the authentication information stored in said authentication information storing means, and for transmitting the service-related information to said external apparatus only when the first external apparatus is authenticated; and

second transmitting means responsive to a request from a second external apparatus for key information designating any of said services, for transmitting the designated key information to said second external apparatus;

wherein

said request for the key information includes authentication information for obtaining key information for using any of said services; and

said second transmitting means includes key transmitting means for authenticating whether the request for key information was made based on the service-related information transmitted by said first transmitting means or not, using the authentication information included in said key information request, and for transmitting, for the key information request authenticated by said authentication means, the key information requested by the key information request to the second external apparatus that transmitted the request.

25. The service-related information providing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

said first transmitting means includes

means responsive to a request from said first external apparatus for the service-related information related to the service provided by said service-related information providing apparatus and for key information for using the service, for authenticating the first external apparatus using the authentication information stored in said authentication information storing means, and

means for transmitting, to said first external apparatus authenticated by said authentication means, the service-related information related to the service requested by said first external apparatus and key information with validity period for using the service.

26. The service-related information providing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein

said request for key information further includes apparatus identifying information of said second external apparatus;

and

said transmitting means includes

authentication means for authenticating whether a request for key information was made based on the service-related information transmitted by the first transmitting unit or not, using the authentication information included in the request for key information,

registering means for registering said apparatus identifying information and service identifying information designated by said request for key information authenticated by said authentication means associated with each other, and

means for transmitting, to the apparatus identified by the identifying information registered in said registering means, the key information for using the service identified by the corresponding service identifying information registered in said registering means.

27. The service-related information providing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

said key transmitting means includes

authentication means for authenticating whether a request for key information was made based on the service-related information transmitted by the first transmitting unit or not, using the authentication information included in the request for key information, and

means for transmitting, in response to the key information request authenticated by the authentication means, the key information requested by the key information request with validity period, to said second external apparatus that transmitted the request.

28. The service-related information providing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising

service providing means for providing said service made available by using said prescribed key information.

29. A service providing system, comprising:

a service related information providing apparatus responsive to a request from an external apparatus for service-related information, the requested service-related information to the external apparatus;

a service information transmitting apparatus for requesting said service-related information providing apparatus for said service-related information, and based on the service-related information transmitted in response from said service-related information providing apparatus, transmitting to a prescribed apparatus notice information including service specifying information specifying a prescribed service and service utilizing information necessary for using the service specifying information; and

a service using apparatus responsive to the notice information, for accessing the service specified by the service specifying information included in the notice information and using the service using said service utilizing information included in said notice information.

30. The service providing system according to claim 29, wherein

said service-related information providing apparatus includes means responsive to a request from an external apparatus for the service-related information, for transmitting to the external apparatus the requested service-related information and key information required for using a service related to the service-related information;

said service information transmitting apparatus includes means requesting said service-related information providing apparatus for said service-related information, and based on the service-related information transmitted in response from said service-related information providing apparatus and on said key information, transmitting to a prescribed apparatus notice information including service specifying information specifying a prescribed service and the key information required for using the service specified by the service specifying information; and

said service using apparatus includes means responsive to said notice information for accessing the service specified by the service specifying information included in the notice information, and using the service utilizing said key information included in said notice information.

31. The service providing system according to claim 29, wherein

said notice information transmitting apparatus includes means requesting said service-related information providing apparatus for said service-related information, and based on the service-related information transmitted in response from said service-related information providing apparatus, transmitting to a prescribed apparatus notice information including service specifying information specifying a prescribed service and key obtaining information for obtaining the key information required for using the service specifying information;

and

said service using apparatus includes means responsive to said notice information for obtaining the key information based on said key obtaining information included in said notice information, accessing the service specified by the service specifying information and using the service utilizing said key information.