CONTENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD AND CONTENT DISTRIBUTION PACKAGE

• US 20110035579A1
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Akihiro Kasahara, Akira Miura, Hiroshi Suu, Kazunori Nakano
• Inventors: MIURA, Akira, SUU, Hiroshi, NAKANO, Kazunori, KASAHARA, Akihiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,402,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/150
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A content distribution method distributes a package containing a content from a content distribution apparatus to a terminal of a content distribution destination and causes the terminal to expand and display the content contained in the distributed package by using expansion software provided in the terminal. Update data of the expansion software is inserted in the package in addition to the content. When the terminal cannot expand the content by using the expansion software provided in it, the terminal updates the expansion software provided in it by using the update data contained in the distributed package and expands the content by using the updated expansion software.

Claims

1. A content distribution apparatus, for distributing a package containing a content to a terminal so that the content contained in the distributed package is read and displayed by using reading software provided in the terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a first inserting module configured to insert update data for the reading software or additional data for the reading software in the package in addition to the content;

a second inserting module configured to insert, into the package, metadata representing attributes of the content, the attributes of the content including content title, content size, and content type;

a third inserting module configured to insert, into the package, a distribution route of the package;

an encrypting module configured to encrypt the content; and

a distributing module configured to distribute, using the inserted distribution route, the package to the terminal;

wherein when the terminal cannot read and display the encrypted content by using the reading software provided in the terminal,

the update data inserted in the distributed package is used for allowing the terminal to read and display the encrypted content, or

the additional data inserted in the distributed package is added to the reading software provided in the terminal to generate added reading software and to allow the terminal to read and display the encrypted content by using the generated added reading software.

2. The content distribution apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a deleting module configured to delete the additional data after the terminal reads and displays the encrypted content by using the added reading software to return the reading software provided in the terminal to the reading software originally provided.

3. The content distribution apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the terminal acquires a key to decrypt the encrypted content contained in the distributed package from a key management apparatus in exchange for payment.

4. The content distribution apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the terminal acquires a key to decrypt the encrypted content contained in the distributed package from a key management apparatus in exchange for payment.

5. The content distribution apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the terminal comprises a portable information terminal, and

the distributed package and key are received by the portable information terminal while being recorded on separate recording media.

6. The content distribution apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the terminal comprises a portable information terminal, and the distributed package and key are received by the portable information terminal while being recorded on separate recording media.

7. The content distribution apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the terminal comprises a client terminal having a communication function, and the distributed package and key are received by the client terminal through a network.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions of a computer program which, when executed by a computer, performs a method of distributing a package containing a content to a terminal and allow the terminal to read and display the content contained in the distributed package by using reading software provided in the terminal, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting update data for the reading software or additional data for the reading software in the package in addition to the content;

inserting, into the package, metadata representing attributes of the content, the attributes of the content including content title, content size, and content type;

inserting, into the package, a distribution route of the package;

encrypting the content;

distributing, using the inserted distribution route, the package from the content distribution apparatus to the terminal; and

causing the terminal to update the reading software provided in the terminal by using the update data inserted in the distributed package and to read and display the encrypted content by using the updated reading software;

or causing the terminal to add the additional data inserted in the distributed package to the reading software provided in the terminal to generate added reading software and to read and display the encrypted content by using the generated added reading software, when the terminal cannot read and display the encrypted content by using the reading software provided in the terminal.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the method further comprises deleting the additional data after the terminal reads and displays the encrypted content by using the added reading software to return the reading software provided in the terminal to the reading software originally provided.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the method comprises acquiring by the terminal a key to decrypt the encrypted content contained in the distributed package from a key management apparatus in exchange for payment.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the method comprises acquiring by the terminal a key to decrypt the encrypted content contained in the distributed package from a key management apparatus in exchange for payment.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the method comprises receiving the distributed package and key by a portable information terminal while being recorded on separate recording media.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the method comprises receiving the distributed package and key by a portable information terminal while being recorded on separate recording media.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the method comprises receiving the distributed package and key by a client terminal having a communication function through a network.

15. A terminal receiving a package containing a content distributed from a content distribution apparatus, the terminal comprising:

a memory configured to store reading software;

a receiver configured to receive a package containing a content distributed from a content distribution apparatus, the package including update data for the reading software or additional data for the reading software in addition to the content, and metadata representing attributes of the content, the attributes of the content including content title, content size, and content type, a distribution route of the package;

an encrypting module configured to encrypt the content; and

a display device configured to read and display the content contained in the distributed package by using reading software;

when the terminal cannot read and display the encrypted content by using the reading software,

the terminal updates the reading software by using the update data inserted in the distributed package and to read and display the encrypted content by using the updated reading software;

or

the terminal adds the additional data inserted in the distributed package to the reading software to generate added reading software and to read and display the encrypted content by using the generated added reading software.

16. The terminal according to claim 15, further comprising a deleting module configured to delete the additional data after the terminal reads and displays the encrypted content by using the added reading software to return the reading software to the reading software originally provided.

17. The terminal according to claim 16, further comprising an acquiring module configured to acquire a key to decrypt the encrypted content contained in the distributed package from a key management apparatus in exchange for payment.

18. The terminal according to claim 15, further comprising an acquiring module configured to acquire a key to decrypt the encrypted content contained in the distributed package from a key management apparatus in exchange for payment.

19. The terminal according to claim 17, further comprising a portable information terminal, and the distributed package and key are received by the portable information terminal while being recorded on separate recording media.

20. The terminal according to claim 18, further comprising a portable information terminal, and the distributed package and key are received by the portable information terminal while being recorded on separate recording media.

21. The terminal according to claim 18, further comprising a client terminal having a communication function, and the distributed package and key are received by the client terminal through a network.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions of a computer program which, when executed by a computer to cause a terminal to read and display a package containing a content which is distributed from a content distribution apparatus, results in performance of a method comprising:

storing reading software in a memory;

receiving a package containing a content distributed from a content distribution apparatus, the package including update data for the reading software or additional data for the reading software in addition to the content;

metadata representing attributes of the content, the attributes of the content including content title, content size, and content type, a distribution route of the package;

encrypting the content;

reading and displaying the content contained in the distributed package by using reading software; and

updating the reading software by using the update data inserted in the distributed package and to read and display the encrypted content by using the updated reading software or adding the additional data inserted in the distributed package to the reading software to generate added reading software and to read and display the encrypted content by using the generated added reading software, when the terminal cannot read and display the encrypted content by using the reading software.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 22, wherein the method further comprises deleting the additional data after the terminal reads and displays the encrypted content by using the added reading software to return the reading software to the reading software originally provided.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 23, wherein the method further comprises acquiring a key to decrypt the encrypted content contained in the distributed package from a key management apparatus in exchange for payment.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 22, wherein the method further comprises acquiring a key to decrypt the encrypted content contained in the distributed package from a key management apparatus in exchange for payment.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 24, wherein the method further comprises receiving the distributed package and key by a portable information terminal while being recorded on separate recording media.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 25, wherein the method further comprises receiving the distributed package and key by a portable information terminal while being recorded on separate recording media.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 25, wherein the method comprises receiving the distributed package and key by a client terminal having a communication function through a network.