Information processing apparatus with a software protecting function

• US 5,995,623 A
• Filed: 01/27/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Taguchi, Masahiro, Saito, Kazuo, Kawano, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, Tod R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Darrow, Justin T.
• Application Number:
  US08/791,486
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 380/21, 380/4, 380/28, 380/42, 380/44, 380/49, 380/50
• US Class Current: 713/189
• 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]

Abstract

The present invention provides an information processing apparatus which comprises separating means for separating inputted data into identification data and data to be encrypted, determination means for determining an encryption method specified by a combination of an encryption key and an encryption algorithm in accordance with the identification data separated by the separating means, encryption means for encrypting the data to be encrypted by utilizing the encryption method determined by the determination means and generating encrypted data having the number of bits same as that of the data to be encrypted, and locating means for locating the identification data showing the encryption method used for encrypting the data to be encrypted in a predetermined position in the encrypted data.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

separating means for separating inputted data into identification data and data to be encrypted;

determination means for determining an encryption method specified by a combination of an encryption key and an encryption algorithm in accordance with said identification data separated by said separating means;

encryption means for encrypting said data to be encrypted by utilizing said encryption method determined by said determination means, and generating encrypted data having the number of bits same as that of said data to be encrypted; and

locating means for locating said identification data showing said encryption method used for encrypting said data to be encrypted in a predetermined position in said encrypted data.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

tamper-resistant means for erasing data which manages a processing function of said encryption means if a member surrounding said encryption means is damaged by an external physical action.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

changing means for changing said encryption method determined by said determination means.

4. An information processing apparatus having an encryption unit for encrypting inputted data, comprising:

selection means for selecting an encryption method specified by a combination of an encryption key and an encryption algorithm;

encryption means for encrypting said inputted data by utilizing said encryption method selected by said selection means and generating encrypted data;

computing means for inputting said encrypted data encrypted by said encryption means to a hash function and computing a value of said hash function;

decryption method storing means for storing a decryption method for decrypting said encrypted data, which is specified by a combination of a decryption key and a decryption algorithm corresponding to a value of said hash function obtained by said computing means; and

hash table for registering a set of values of said hash function corresponding to decryption keys.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

tamper-resistant means for erasing data which manages a processing function of said encryption means if a member surrounding said encryption means is damaged by an external physical action.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

changing means for changing said encryption method determined by said determination means.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

decryption means with a known method for decrypting an encrypted data already specifying a decryption key and a decryption method when it is inputted, wherein said encryption means also encrypts said data decrypted by said decryption means with said known method as data to be encrypted.

8. An information processing apparatus comprising:

determination means for determining an encryption method specified by a combination of an encryption key and an encryption algorithm;

encryption means for encrypting data to be encrypted by utilizing said encryption method determined by said determination means and generating encrypted data; and

location means for locating identification data showing said encryption method used for encryption of said encrypted data in intermixed positions in said encrypted data.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

tamper-resistant means for erasing data which manages a processing function of said encryption means if a member surrounding said encryption means is damaged by an external physical action.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

changing means for changing said encryption method determined by said determination means.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

decryption means with a known method that decrypts an encrypted data specifying a decryption key and a decryption method when it is inputted, wherein said encryption means also encrypts said data decrypted by said decryption means with said known method as data to be encrypted.

12. An information processing apparatus comprising:

separating means for separating inputted data wherein identification data is located in intermixed positions of data to be decrypted into said identification data and said data to be decrypted;

determination means for determining a decryption method specified by a combination of a decryption key and a decryption algorithm in accordance with said identification data separated by said separating means;

decryption means for decrypting said data to be decrypted to the number of bits same as that of said data to be decrypted by utilizing said decryption method determined by said determination means; and

location means for locating said identification data in a predetermined position in said data decrypted by said decryption method.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

tamper-resistant means for erasing data which manages a processing function of said encryption means if a member surrounding said encryption means is damaged by an external physical action.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

changing means for changing said encryption method determined by said determination means.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

encryption means for encrypting data decrypted by said decryption means by adopting an encryption method different from an encryption method used for encrypting said inputted data.

16. An information processing apparatus having a decryption unit for decrypting encrypted data which has been inputted, comprising:

computing means for inputting said encrypted data into a hash function and computing a value of said hash function;

hash table for registering a set of values of said hash function corresponding to decryption keys;

decryption method storing means for storing a decryption algorithm for decrypting said encrypted data in correspondence with said value of said hash function;

decryption method selection means for selecting a decryption method corresponding to said value of said hash function computed by said computing means from said decryption method storing means; and

decryption means for decrypting said encrypted data by utilizing said decryption method selected by said decryption method selection means.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

tamper-resistant means for erasing data which manages a processing function of said encryption means if a member surrounding said encryption means is damaged by an external physical action.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

changing means for changing said encryption method determined by said determination means.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

encryption means for encrypting data decrypted by said decryption means by adopting an encryption method different from an encryption method used for encrypting said inputted data.

20. An information processing apparatus having an encryption unit and a decryption unit executing encryption of data and decryption of encrypted data, respectively, comprising:

separating means for separating inputted data into identification data and data to be encrypted;

encryption method determination means for determining an encryption method specified by a combination of an encryption key and an encryption algorithm in accordance with said identification data separated by said separating means;

encryption means for encrypting said data to be encrypted by utilizing said encryption method determined by said encryption method determination means and generating encrypted data having the number of bits same as that of said data to be encrypted;

location means for locating said identification data showing said encryption method used for encryption of said encrypted data in a predetermined position in said encrypted data;

storing means for storing said encrypted data in which said identification data is located by said location means;

separating means for separating said encryption data, in which said identification data is located by said location means, stored in said storing means into identification data and said encrypted data;

decryption method determination means for determining a decryption method specified by a combination of a decryption key and a decryption algorithm corresponding to said encryption method in accordance with said identification data separated by said separating means;

decryption means for decrypting said encrypted data to the number of bits same as that of said encrypted data by utilizing said decryption method determined by said decryption method determination means;

second location means for locating said identification data showing said decryption means determined by said decryption means determination means in a predetermined position in said data decrypted by said decryption means; and

information processing means for processing said data decrypted by said decryption means.

21. The information processing apparatus according to claim 20 further comprising:

second decryption means with a known method decrypting an encrypted data already specifying a decryption key and a decryption method when it is inputted, wherein said encryption means also encrypts said data decrypted by said decryption means with said known method as data to be encrypted.

22. The information processing apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:

second encryption means for encrypting data decrypted by said decryption means by adopting an encryption method different from said encryption method used for encrypting said inputted data.

23. An information processing apparatus having an encryption unit and a decryption unit performing encryption of data and decryption of encrypted data respectively, comprising:

encryption method selection means for selecting an encryption method specified by a combination of an encryption key and an encryption algorithm;

encryption means for encrypting data to be encrypted by utilizing said encryption method selected by said selection means to generate encrypted data;

first computation means for inputting said encrypted data encrypted by said encryption means into a hash function and computing a hash function value;

hash table for registering a set of values of said hash function corresponding to decryption keys;

decryption method storing means for storing a decryption method specified by a combination of the decryption key and a decryption algorithm in correspondence with said hash function value computed by said first computation means;

storing means for storing said encrypted data encrypted by said encryption means;

second computation means for inputting said encrypted data stored in said storing means into a hash function and computing a hash function value;

decryption method selection means for selecting a decryption method corresponding to said hash function value computed by said second computation means from said decryption method storing means;

decryption means for decrypting said encrypted data by utilizing said decryption method selected by said decryption method selection means; and

information processing means for processing said data decrypted by said decryption means.

24. The information processing apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising:

second decryption means with a known method decrypting an encrypted data already specifying a decryption key and a decryption method when it is inputted, wherein said encryption means also encrypts said data decrypted by said decryption means with said known method as data to be encrypted.

25. The information processing apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising:

second encryption means for encrypting data decrypted by said decryption means by adopting an encryption method different from said encryption method used for encrypting said inputted data.

26. An information processing apparatus comprising:

determination means for determining an encryption method specified by a combination of an encryption key and an encryption algorithm in accordance with a value of a parity bit of inputted data to be encrypted; and

encryption means for encrypting said data to be encrypted by utilizing said encryption method determined by said determination means.

27. An information processing apparatus comprising:

determination means for determining a decryption method specified by a combination of a decryption key and a decryption algorithm in accordance with a value of parity bit of data to be decrypted; and

decryption means for decrypting said data to be decrypted by utilizing said decryption method determined by said determination means.

28. An information processing apparatus comprising:

encryption method determination means for determining an encryption method specified by a combination of an encryption key and an encryption algorithm in accordance with a value of parity bit of inputted data to be encrypted;

encryption means for encrypting said data to be encrypted by utilizing said encryption method determined by said encryption method determination means;

decryption method determination means for determining a decryption method specified by a combination of a decryption key and a decryption algorithm in accordance with a value of parity bit of data to be decrypted; and

decryption means for decrypting said data to be decrypted by utilizing said decryption method determined by said decryption method determination means.