Content Distribution Management Device

• US 20080019276A1
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takatsuji, Ayako, Iitsuka, Hiroyuki, Usuki, Naoshi
• Application Number:
  US11/661,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20080019276A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/236
• 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 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• 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 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention provides a content distribution management device that manages content distribution for a receiver which is permitted to share a content stored in a transmitter.

The content distribution management device is a content distribution management device that manages content distribution in the case where a transmitter distributes a content to a plurality of receivers, the content distribution management device including a registration information/counter changing unit (205) which sets, in a registration information/counter holding unit (203), a valid reception period which is a maximum length of time for which the receivers can receive the content, the receivers being permitted to share the content, and the registration information/counter changing unit (205) manages, in accordance with a status of distribution of the content from the transmitter, a length of time for which all the receivers permitted to share the content can receive the content.

Claims

1. A content distribution management device that manages content distribution in the case where a transmitter distributes a content to a plurality of receivers, said content distribution management device comprising:

a setting unit operable to set, in a holding unit, a valid reception period which is a maximum length of time for which the receivers can receive the content, the receivers being permitted to share the content; and

a management unit operable to manage, in accordance with a status of distribution of the content from the transmitter, a length of time for which all the receivers permitted to share the content can receive the content.

2. The content distribution management device according to claim 1,

wherein a unique identifier is assigned to each of the receivers, and

said content distribution management device further comprises

a registration unit operable to store, in the holding unit, the identifier of each of the receivers permitted to share the content which the transmitter distributes,

wherein said setting unit is operable to set the valid reception period in the holding unit in the case where said registration unit has stored the identifier of each of the receivers in the holding unit, and

said management unit is operable to delete the identifier registered in the holding unit in the case where a length of time for which the content is distributed has reached the end of the valid reception period after the valid reception period has been set in the holding unit, the content being distributed by the transmitter.

3. The content distribution management device according to claim 1,

wherein the length of time for which distribution is performed is an actual length of time for which the transmitter distributes the content, and

said management unit is operable to reduce, from the length of time for which the receivers can receive the content, the actual length of time for which the transmitter distributes the content.

4. The content distribution management device according to claim 1,

wherein the length of time for which distribution is performed is a length of time for which the content is reproduced, the content being distributed by the transmitter, and

said management unit is operable to reduce, from the length of time for which the receivers can receive the content, the length of time for which the content is reproduced, the content being distributed by the transmitter.

5. The content distribution management device according to claim 1,

wherein the transmitter distributes the content in an encrypted form,

each of the receivers permitted to share the content is a receiver, a connection status of which meets a predetermined relationship with the transmitter,

said setting unit is operable to set, in the holding unit, the identifier of each of the receivers, the connection status of which meets the predetermined relationship with the transmitter, and

the transmitter transmits, to each of the receivers associated with the identifier, information necessary for decrypting the encrypted content after the identifier has been set in the holding unit.

6. A content distribution management device that manages content distribution in the case where a transmitter distributes a content to one or more receivers,

wherein a unique identifier is assigned to each of the one or more receivers, and

said device comprises:

a registration unit operable to store, in a holding unit, the identifier of each of the one or more receivers permitted to share the content included in the transmitter;

a setting unit operable to set, in the holding unit, a valid reception period which is a maximum length of time for which the one or more receivers can receive the content in the case where said registration unit has stored, in the holding unit, the identifier of each of the one or more receivers; and

a management unit operable to delete the identifier registered in the holding unit in the case where a length of time for which the content is distributed has reached the end of the valid reception period after the valid reception period has been set in the holding unit, the content being distributed by the transmitter.

7. The content distribution management device according to claim 6,

wherein the length of time for which distribution is performed is an actual length of time for which the transmitter distributes the content, and

said management unit is operable to reduce, from the length of time for which the one or more receivers can receive the content, the actual length of time for which the transmitter distributes the content.

8. The content distribution management device according to claim 6,

wherein the length of time for which distribution is performed is a length of time for which the content is reproduced, the content being distributed by the transmitter, and

said management unit is operable to reduce, from the length of time for which the one or more receivers can receive the content, the length of time for which the content is reproduced, the content being distributed by the transmitter.

9. The content distribution management device according to claim 6,

wherein the transmitter distributes the content in an encrypted form,

each of the one or more receivers permitted to share the content is a receiver, a connection status of which meets a predetermined relationship with the transmitter,

said setting unit is operable to set, in the holding unit, the identifier of each of the one or more receivers, the connection status of which meets the predetermined relationship with the transmitter, and

the transmitter transmits, to each of the one or more receivers associated with the identifier, information necessary for decrypting the encrypted content after the identifier has been set in the holding unit.

10. A content distribution management method used for managing content distribution in the case where a transmitter distributes a content to a plurality of receivers, said content distribution management method comprising:

a setting step of setting, in a holding unit, a valid reception period which is a maximum length of time for which the receivers can receive the content, the receivers being permitted to share the content; and

a management step of managing, in accordance with a status of distribution of the content from the transmitter, a length of time for which all the receivers permitted to share the content can receive the content.

11. A content distribution management method used for managing content distribution in the case where a transmitter distributes a content to one or more receivers,

wherein a unique identifier is assigned to each of the one or more receivers, and

said method comprises:

a registration step of storing, in a holding unit, the identifier of each of the one or more receivers permitted to share the content included in the transmitter;

a setting step of setting, in the holding unit, a valid reception period which is a maximum length of time for which the one or more receivers can receive the content in the case where, in said registration step, the identifier of each of the one or more receivers has been stored in the holding unit; and

a management step of deleting the identifier registered in the holding unit in the case where a length of time for which the content is distributed has reached the end of the valid reception period after the valid reception period has been set in the holding unit, the content being distributed by the transmitter.