Production protection system dealing with contents that are digital production

• US 6,687,683 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1999
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sovereign Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kozuka, Masayuki, Minami, Masataka, Tatebayashi, Makoto, Harada, Shunji
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Worjloh, Jalatee
• Application Number:
  US09/415,169
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 705/50, 700/234, 700/94, 713/150, 380/255
• US Class Current: 705/51
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption

Abstract

A data protection system obtains data having a first content on which a first encryption has been performed and a second content on which a second encryption has been performed, the second encryption more difficult to break than the first encryption. A first content decryption unit decrypts the first content, using a first encryption method corresponding to the first encryption of the first content. A second content decryption unit decrypts the second content using a second decryption method that corresponds to the second encryption. The decrypting contents can be executed by a software, and the second content decryption unit can include one of tamperproof hardware and an apparatus that executes tamperproof software.

Claims

1. A production protection system dealing with contents that are digital productions and information seen or heard by people, comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining data including at least one of a first content, on which a first encryption has been performed and a second content, on which a second encryption has been performed, the second encryption being more difficult to break than the first encryption;

first content decryption means for decrypting the first content using a first decryption method that corresponds to the first encryption when the data that has been obtained by the obtaining means includes the first content; and

second content decryption means for decrypting the second content using a second decryption method that corresponds to the second encryption and is more difficult than the first decryption method when the data that has been obtained by the obtaining means includes the second content,

wherein the obtaining means and the first content decryption means are realized by a personal computer that executes software for decrypting contents, and

the second content decryption means is realized by one of tamperproof hardware and an apparatus that executes tamperproof software.

2. The production protection system according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining means obtains the data by receiving the data from an outside network,

the production protection system, further comprising:

replay means for audio-visually replaying the first content that has been decrypted by the first content decryption means;

encryption means for performing third encryption, which is different from the second encryption, on the second content that has been decrypted by the second content decryption means; and

recording means for recording at least part of the second content on which the third encryption has been performed by the encryption means on a recording medium.

3. The production protection system according to claim 2, wherein the encryption means and a data communication channel between the second content decryption means and the encryption means are realized by one of tamperproof hardware and an apparatus that executes tamperproof software.

4. The production protection system according to claim 2, wherein an encryption algorithm that is used by the second content decryption means partially differs from an encryption algorithm that is used for encryption by the encryption means.

5. The production protection system according to claim 2, further comprising:

PC connecting means for connecting to the personal computer via a predetermined interface; and

recording medium loading means where the recording medium is set, wherein

the second content decryption means, the encryption means, the recording means, the PC connecting means, and the recording medium loading means are realized by a piece of hardware,

the second content decryption means obtains the second content in the data that has been obtained by the obtaining means via the PC connecting means and decrypts the obtained second content, and

the recording means records the second content on the recording medium that has been set in the recording medium loading means.

6. The production protection system according to claim 1, wherein

the data that is to be obtained by the obtaining means includes control information, which has been encrypted, for controlling operations on each content included in the obtained data, and

at least one of the first content decryption means and the second content decryption means includes a control information decryption unit for decrypting the control information.

7. The production protection system according to claim 6, wherein

the second content decryption means includes the control information decryption unit, and

the personal computer that realizes the second content decryption means further executes software for decrypting the control information.

8. The production protection system according to claim 7, wherein

the control information includes a key used for decrypting the second content,

the control information decryption unit further includes a first authentification encryption unit, and

the second content decryption means further includes a second authentification encryption unit, wherein

the first authentification encryption unit performs authentification of the second authentification encryption unit, performs encryption communication with the second authentification encryption unit, and transmits the key in the control information that has been decrypted by the control information decryption unit to the second authentification encryption unit when the authentification is successfully performed,

the second authentification encryption unit performs authentification of the first authentification encryption unit, performs encryption communication with the first authentification encryption unit, and obtains the key, and

the second content decryption means decrypts the second content using the key that the second authentification encryption unit has obtained.

9. A production protection system that deals with music contents for trial, on which first encryption has been performed, and music contents for sale, on which second encryption has been performed, a music content for sale is same music as a music content for trial and has a higher audio quality than the music content for trial,

the production protection system, comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining data that is a combination of a music content for trial and a music content for sale from an outside network;

first content decryption means for decrypting a first content in the data that has been obtained by the obtaining means using a first decryption method;

replay means for replaying a music of the first content that has been decrypted by the first content decryption means;

second content decryption means for decrypting a second content in the data that has been obtained by the obtaining means using a second decryption method, which is more complicated than the first decryption method;

encryption means for performing third encryption, which is different from the second encryption, on the second content that has been decrypted by the second content decryption means; and

recording means for recording at least part of the second content on which the third encryption has been performed by the encryption means on a recording medium, wherein

the obtaining means and the first content decryption means are realized by a personal computer that executes software for decrypting contents, and

the second content decryption means, the encryption means, and a data communication channel between the second content decryption means and the encryption means are realized by one of tamperproof hardware and an apparatus that executes tamperproof software.

10. The production protection system according to claim 9, wherein an encryption algorithm that is used by the second content decryption means partially differs from an encryption algorithm that is used for encryption by the encryption means.

11. A production protection system that deals with a first entertainment data for a trial sampling by a potential user, on which a first encryption has been performed, and a second entertainment data for sale, on which a second encryption has been performed, the second entertainment data replicating at least a portion of the first entertainment data whereby the first entertainment data is a representative sample of the content of the second entertainment data, the production protection system comprising:

an obtaining unit for obtaining data including the first and second entertainment data from an outside network;

a first content decryption unit for decrypting the first entertainment data in the data that has been obtained by the obtaining unit using a first decryption method;

reproduction unit for reproduction of the decrypted content of the first entertainment data;

second content decryption unit for decrypting the second entertainment data in the data that has been obtained by the obtaining unit using a second decryption method, which is of a higher security than the first decryption method;

an encryption unit for performing a third encryption, which is different from the second encryption, on the second entertainment data that has been decrypted by the second content decryption unit; and

a recording unit for recording at least part of the second entertainment data on which the third encryption has been performed by the encryption unit on a recording medium, wherein

the obtaining unit and the first content decryption unit are realized by a personal computer that executes software for decrypting contents, and

the second content decryption unit, the encryption unit, and a data communication channel between the second content decryption unit and the encryption unit are realized by one of tamperproof hardware and an apparatus that executes tamperproof software.

12. The production protection system of claim 11, wherein the first and second entertainment data include one of audio data, video data, and audio/video data.

13. The production protection system of claim 12, wherein the audio data is music and the audio/video data is movies.

20. The production protection system according to claim 11, wherein the encryption means and a data communication channel between the second content decryption means and the encryption means are realized by one of tamperproof hardware and an apparatus that executes tamperproof software.

21. The production protection system according to claim 11, wherein

the first content is a music content for trial, and

the second content is a music content for sale and has a higher audio quality than the first content.

22. The production protection system according to claim 21, further comprising replay means for replaying the first content that has been decrypted by the first content decryption means.

23. The production protection system according to claim 11, wherein an encryption algorithm that is used by the second content decryption means partially differs from an encryption algorithm that is used for encryption by the encryption means.

24. The production protection system according to claim 11, wherein

the encryption means includes:

a master key storage unit for storing a master key in advance;

a disk key creation unit for creating a disk key;

a disk key encryption unit for encrypting the disk key that has been created by the disk key creation unit using the master key;

a title key creation unit for creating a title key;

a title key encryption unit for encrypting the title key that has been created by the title key creation unit using the disk key; and

a content encryption unit for encrypting at least part of the second content that has been decrypted by the second content decryption means using the title key, and

the recording means records the disk key that has been encrypted by the disk key encryption unit, the title key that has been encrypted by the title key encryption unit, and the second content that has been encrypted by the content encryption unit on the recording medium.

25. The production protection system according to claim 24, wherein

inherent information that is inherent in the recording medium is recorded on the recording medium in advance, and

the disk key creation unit creates the disk key according to the inherent information on the recording medium.

26. The production protection system according to claim 24, wherein the title key creation unit creates the title key according to information, which is part of the second content that has been decrypted by the second content decryption means.

27. The production protection system according to claim 11, wherein

an inherent disk key inherent in the recording medium that has been encrypted using a master key is recorded on the recording medium in advance,

the encryption means includes:

a master key storage unit for storing the master key in advance;

a disk key creation unit for creating a disk key by decrypting the inherent disk key on the recording medium using the master key;

a title key creation unit for creating a title key;

a title key encryption unit for encrypting the title key that has been created by the title key creation unit using the disk key; and

a content encryption unit for encrypting at least part of the second content that has been decrypted by the second content decryption means using the title key, and

the recording means records the title key that has been encrypted by the title key encryption unit and the second content that has been encrypted by the content encryption unit on the recording medium.

28. The production protection system according to claim 11, wherein

the recording medium includes a recording apparatus authentification unit for transmitting authentification information, and

the recording means judges correctness of the recording medium according to the authentification information that has been transmitted from the recording apparatus authentification unit, and performs the recording, in which at least part of the second content on which the third encryption has been performed is recorded on a recording medium, only when the recording medium is correct.

14. A data distribution protection system for distributing, over a public network, entertainment data that can be selectively acquired by a user for reproduction as entertainment, comprising:

a network distributor source for providing over the public network a first entertainment data encrypted to a first level of security and a second entertainment data encrypted to a second level of security higher that the first level, the second entertainment data replicating at least a portion of the first entertainment data whereby the first entertainment data is a representative sample of the content of the second entertainment data;

a first decryption unit for decrypting the first entertainment data at the first level of security to enable the first entertainment data to be reproduced for sampling by the user; and

a second decryption unit having a plurality of embedded private encryption keys representative of different entertainment data for enabling the decryption of the second entertainment data at the second level of security to enable the second entertainment data to be decrypted and securely stored and reproduced, the second decryption unit including an intrusion protection member that destroys the functionality of the embedded private keys upon an unauthorized entry into the second decryption unit.

15. The data distribution protection system of claim 14 further including a portable memory storage medium,

wherein the first decryption unit includes a personal computer connected to the network and the second decryption unit is one of a hardware system for authenticating and recording on the portable memory storage medium and an apparatus that executes an intrusion protection software.

16. The data distribution protection system of claim 14, wherein the second decryption unit includes a music content replay/recording system.

17. A production protection system dealing with contents that are digital productions and information seen or heard by people, comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining data including at least one of a first content, on which a first encryption has been performed and a second content, on which a second encryption has been performed, the second encryption being more difficult to break than the first encryption;

first content decryption means for decrypting the first content using a first decryption method that corresponds to the first encryption when the data that has been obtained by the obtaining means includes the first content; and

second content decryption means for decrypting the second content using a second decryption method that corresponds to the second encryption and is more difficult than the first decryption method when the data that has been obtained by the obtaining means includes the second content, wherein

the obtaining means and the first content decryption means are realized by an apparatus that executes software for decrypting contents, and

the second content decryption means is realized by one of tamperproof hardware and an apparatus that executes tamperproof software.

18. The production protection system according to claim 17, wherein

the obtaining means obtains the data by receiving the data from an outside network, and

the first content and the second content are same production the is expressed by digital data in different styles.

19. The production protection system according to claim 18, further comprising:

encryption means for performing third encryption, which is different from the second encryption, on the second content that has been decrypted by the second content decryption means; and

recording means for recording at least part of the second content on which the third encryption has been performed by the encryption means on a recording medium.

29. The production protection system according to claim 17, further comprising:

encryption means for performing third encryption, which is different from the second encryption, on the second content that has been decrypted by the second content encryption means; and

recording means for recording at least part of the second content on which the third encryption has been performed by the encryption means on a recording medium.

30. The production protection system according to claim 29, wherein an encryption algorithm that is used by the second content decryption means partially differs from an encryption algorithm that is used for encryption by the encryption means.

31. The production protection system according to claim 17, wherein

the data that is to be obtained by the obtaining means includes first content charging information, which is charging information on decryption of the first content when the data to be obtained includes the first content, and the data that is to be obtained includes second content charging information, which is charging information on decryption of the second content when the data to be obtained includes the second content,

the first content decryption means performs a charging operation according to the first content charging information when the first content is decrypted, and

the second content decryption means performs the charging operation according to the second content charging information when the second content is decrypted.