Program data distribution via open network

• US 6,684,198 B1
• Filed: 09/03/1997
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD. (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD. (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Noguchi, Yasuhiro, Uchida, Yoichi, Adachi, Seiji, Poling, Daniel Luke Jr., Heilman, Paul Mitchell III, Hammond, Eric Rayburn, Shimizu, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell; James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEWITT II, CALVIN L
• Application Number:
  US08/922,339
• Time in Patent Office: 2,337 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35,44,1,50,51,53,54,57,59,52,64,26 380/4,25,21,23 713/155,200
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

When program data is distributed to users across an open network, such as the Internet, a licensing agreement concluded between a server for the program data and a manager is maintained and the unauthorized copying of program data is prevented. Therefore, to fulfill such the situation, a program data distribution system includes an open network; a file server, connected to the open network, for distributing encrypted program data; a key server, connected to the open network, for distributing a decryption key used to decode the encrypted program data; and a terminal, connected to the open network, for processing program data, the terminal employing the decryption key distributed by the key server to decode the encrypted program data obtained from the file server.

Claims

1. A terminal comprising:

control means for processing encrypted program data transmitted by a file server connected to an open network;

a first memory for storing program data that is distributed by said file server and that is decoded by using a decryption key, which is transmitted from a key server connected to the open network; and

a second memory for storing a serial code;

before said program data that is decoded is stored in said first memory, said control means encrypting said program data by using the serial code stored in the second memory, and before said program data is read from said first memory, said control means decoding said program data by using said serial code.

2. A program data distribution method for use with an open network comprising the steps of:

issuing an identification code corresponding to program data, an encryption key which is used to encrypt said program data and a decryption key which is used to decode the program data encrypted by the encryption key;

distributing program data encrypted by the encryption key from a file server connected to said open network;

distributing a decryption key from a key server connected to said open network, said decryption key used to decode said encrypted program data; and

employing said decryption key distributed by said key server to decode said encrypted program data obtained from said file server by a terminal, which is connected to said open network for processing program data,

wherein, at the step of distributing encrypted program data, the identification code is transmitted along with the program data to the terminal, the terminal transmits the received identification code to the key server, and based on the identification code, the key server searches for a decryption key used to decrypt the program data and transmits the decryption key to the terminal.

3. The program data distribution method for use with an open network according to claim 2, wherein, at the step of distributing said encrypted program data, said file server has a table for each subscriber, and when said program data is transmitted to a subscriber, said transmission is recorded in said table for employment as charge data for a service afforded subscriber.

4. The program data distribution method for use with an open network according to claim 2, wherein at the step of distributing said decryption key, which is used to decode said encrypted program data, said key server has a table for each subscriber, and when said program data is transmitted to a subscriber, said transmission is recorded in said table for employment of charge data for a service afforded subscriber.

5. The program data distribution method for use with an open network according to claim 2, wherein said open network is the Internet.

6. The program data distribution method for use with an open network according to claim 2, wherein said encryption key is a public key and said decryption key is a secret key, and wherein, using the RSA encryption method, said program data is encrypted by employing said public key.

7. The program data distribution method for use with an open network according to claim 2, wherein said encryption key is a secret key and said decryption key is a public key, and wherein, using the RSA encryption method, said program data is encrypted by employing said secret key.

8. A program data distribution method, for use with an open network, comprising the steps of;

issuing an identification code corresponding to program data, an encryption key which is used to encrypt said program data and a decryption key which is used to decode the program data encrypted by the encryption key;

distributing program data encrypted by the encryption key from a file server connected to said open network;

downloading said encrypted program data, which is distributed by said file server, at a terminal that is connected to said open network and processes said program data;

distributing a decryption key from a key server connected to said open network, said decryption key used to decode said encrypted program data that is transmitted by said file server; and

employing, at said terminal, said decryption key received from said key server to decode said encrypted program data that is downloaded,

wherein at the step of distributing encrypted program data the identification code is distributed along with the program data, at the step of downloading the identification code is transmitted to the key server, and at the step of distributing a decryption key the identification code is employed by the key server to search for a decryption key that is used to decode the program data.

9. The program data distribution method for use with an open network according to claim 8, wherein at the step of employing said decryption key, said terminal employs an inherent serial code to encrypt said program data that is decoded, and stores encrypted program data in a memory;

and when said program data stored in said memory is to be read, said terminal decrypts said encrypted program data by using said inherent serial code.

10. The program data distribution method for use with an open network according to claim 8, wherein said key server has a table for each subscriber, and when said program data is transmitted to a subscriber, said transmission is recorded in said table for employment of charge data for a service afforded subscriber.

11. The program data distribution method for use with an open network according to claim 8, wherein, at the step of distributing said encrypted program data, said file server has a table for each subscriber, and when said program data is transmitted to a subscriber, said transmission is recorded in said table for employment as charge data for a service afforded subscriber.

12. The program data distribution method for use with an open network according to claim 8, wherein said open network is the Internet.

13. The program data distribution method for use with an open network according to claim 8, wherein said encryption key is a public key and said decryption key is a secret key, and wherein, using the RSA encryption method, said program data is encrypted by employing said public key.

14. The program data distribution method for use with an open network according to claim 8, wherein said encryption key is a secret key and said decryption key is a public key, and wherein, using the RSA encryption method;

said program data is encrypted by employing said secret key.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for being executed in a terminal connected to an open network, for use in a data distribution method, the control program controlling the terminal to perform a method comprising the steps of:

receiving the encrypted program data distributed from a file server connected to said open network;

receiving an identification code corresponding to the encrypted program data from the file server;

sending the identification code to a key server connected to the open network;

receiving a decryption key used to decode said encrypted program data from the key server; and

employing said decryption key distributed by said key server to decode said encrypted program data obtained from said file server,

wherein the method performed by the terminal further comprises the steps of employing an inherent serial code to encrypt the decoded program data, storing encrypted program data in a memory, and decrypting the encrypted program data by using inherent serial code when the program data encrypted and stored in the memory is read out.

16. A program data distribution system for use with an open network comprising:

a manager for issuing an identification code corresponding to program data, an encryption key which is used to encrypt said program data and a decryption key which is used to decode the program data encrypted by the encryption key;

a file server, connected to said open network and holding distribution rights for the program data based on a contract with said manager, for encrypting program data by the encryption key issued from the manager and distributing the encrypted program data along with the corresponding identification code;

a key server, connected to said open network, and independent from the file server, for distributing the decryption key issued by said manager; and

a terminal, connected to said open network, for receiving the encrypted program data along with the corresponding identification code from the file server, and obtaining the decryption key corresponding to the identification code from the key server to decode and process the encrypted program data.

17. The program data distribution system for use with an open network according to claim 16, wherein said terminal includes

control means for processing said decoded program data that is decrypted by using said decryption key,

a first memory for storing said decoded program data, and

a second memory for storing a serial code inherent to said terminal; and

when said decoded program data is to be stored in said first memory, said control means encrypts said decoded program data by using said serial code stored in the second memory; and

when said program data stored in said first memory is to be read, said control means decrypts said encrypted program data by using said serial code.

18. The program data distribution system for use with an open network according to claim 16, wherein said file server has a table for each subscriber;

and when said program data is transmitted to a subscriber, said transmission is recorded in said table for employment as charge data for a service afforded subscriber.

19. The program data distribution system for use with an open network according to claim 16, wherein said key server has a table for each subscriber, and wherein when said program data is transmitted to a subscriber, said transmission is recorded in said table for employment of charge data for a service afforded subscriber.

20. The program data distribution system for use with an open network according to claim 16, wherein said open network is the Internet.

21. The program data distribution system for use with an open network according to claim 16, wherein said encryption key is a public key and said decryption key is a secret key, and using the RSA encryption method, said program data is encrypted by employing said public key.

22. The program data distribution system for use with an open network according to claim 16, wherein said encryption key is a secret key and said decryption key is a public key, and using the RSA encryption method, said program data is encrypted by employing said secret key.