Hub apparatus with copyright protection function

• US 6,915,427 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Maruyama, Junichi, Iguchi, Shinya, Tsunoda, Motoyasu, Katayama, Kunihiro, Totsuka, Takashi, Tsunehiro, Takashi, Mizushima, Nagamasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Hosuk
• Application Number:
  US09/800,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20020015497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 380277-278, 380/201, 380/200, 380/283, 713168-170, 713/189, 713192-193, 713/176, 713/200, 705/51, 705/43, 705/59, 705/57
• US Class Current: 713/168
• 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

A license hub including a hub apparatus to which one or more apparatus and devices can be electrically connected, and a safe storage device for storing therein keys used to decode the encrypted contents data is added to the existing system to construct a license network. A controller of the license network acquires the information of various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to the license hub, and determines automatically the apparatus and/or the device suitable for executing the processing when carrying out the playback of contents or movement of the key to execute these processings.

Claims

1. A hub system to which at least one storage device and at least one contents reproducing apparatus can be electrically connected, said hub system comprising:

a hub apparatus to which said at least one storage device and said at least one contents reproducing apparatus can be electrically connected; and

a key storing apparatus, electrically connected to said hub apparatus, for storing therein keys, each being used to decode encrypted contents data,

wherein said key storing apparatus comprises;

store means for storing said keys,

authentication means for authenticating said at least one contents reproducing apparatus and said at least one storage device which are electrically connected thereto,

means for transmitting a key in said store means to said at least one contents reproducing apparatus as a partner of communication by utilizing cipher communication if said at least one contents reproducing apparatus to which the key is transmitted is authenticated as the partner of communication by said authentication means, and

means for reading out a key from said store means, transmitting the key thus read to a storage device as a partner of communication by utilizing cipher communication, and deleting from said store means the key thus read, if said storage device to which the key thus read is transmitted is authenticated as the partner of communication by said authentication means.

2. A hub system according to claim 1, wherein said key storing apparatus is removably attached to said hub apparatus.

5. A hub system according to claim 2, further comprising:

acquirement means for acquiring information from various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to said hub system;

selection means, electrically connected to said acquirement means, for selecting a contents reproducing apparatus to be used to reproduce contents from among said various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to said hub system by utilizing the information acquired by said acquirement means;

means, electrically connected to said acquirement means, for retrieving contents data from a contents storing device in which encrypted contents data of the contents to be reproduced is stored by utilizing the information acquired by said equipment means, said contents storing device being among said various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to said hub apparatus;

means, electrically connected to said acquirement means, for retrieving a key from a key storing apparatus by utilizing the information acquired by said acquirement means, said key being used to decode said contents data, said key storing apparatus being among said various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to said hub apparatus; and

means for transmitting an instruction to reproduce said contents to be reproduced to said contents reproducing apparatus which is selected by said selection means.

3. A controller which is electrically connected to a hub system comprising:

acquirement means for acquiring information from various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to said hub system;

selection means, electrically connected to said acquirement means, for selecting a contents reproducing apparatus to be used to reproduce contents from among said various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to said hub system by utilizing the information acquired by said acquirement means;

means, electrically connected to said acquirement means, for retrieving contents data from a contents storing device in which encrypted contents data of the contents to be reproduced is stored by utilizing the information acquired by said equipment means, said contents storing device being among said various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to said hub apparatus;

means, electrically connected to said acquirement means, for retrieving a key from a key storing apparatus by utilizing the information acquired by said acquirement means, said key being used to decode said contents data, said key storing apparatus being among said various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to said hub apparatus; and

means for transmitting an instruction to reproduce said contents to be reproduced to said contents reproducing apparatus which is selected by said selection means.

4. A controller according to claim 3, further comprising:

means for transmitting an instruction to move said key which is used to decode, to said key storing apparatus, in which said key being used to decode said contents data, is stored.

6. A contents reproducing system which manages encrypted contents data and a key used to decode said encrypted contents data, said contents reproducing system comprising:

a hub apparatus;

a controller electrically connected to said hub apparatus;

a contents storing device which is electrically connected to said hub apparatus;

a contents reproducing apparatus which is electrically connected to said hub apparatus; and

a key storing apparatus, electrically connected to said hub apparatus, for storing therein keys each being used to decode encrypted contents data,

wherein said key storing apparatus comprises;

store means for storing said keys,

authentication means for authenticating said contents reproducing apparatus and said contents storing device which are electrically connected thereto;

means for transmitting a key in said store means to said contents reproducing apparatus as a partner of communication by utilizing cipher communication, if said contents reproducing apparatus to which the key is transmitted is authenticated as the partner of communication by said authentication means, and

means for reading out a key from said store means, transmitting the key thus read to said contents storing device as a partner of communication by utilizing cipher communication, and deleting from said store means the key thus read, if said contents storing device to which the key thus read is transmitted is authenticated as the partner of communication by said authentication means;

wherein said controller comprises;

acquirement means for acquiring information as to apparatus and device from various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to said hub apparatus,

selection means electrically connected to said acquirement means, for selecting a contents reproducing apparatus to be used to reproduce contents, from among said various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to said hub apparatus, by utilizing the information as to apparatus and device acquired by said acquirement means;

means, electrically connected to said acquirement means, for retrieving a contents storing device in which encrypted contents data of contents to be reproduced is stored, from among said various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to said hub apparatus, by utilizing the information as to apparatus and device acquired by said acquirement means;

means, electrically connected to said acquirement means, for retrieving a key storing apparatus in which a key which is used to decode said contents data is stored, from among said various kinds of apparatuses and devices which are electrically connected to said hub apparatus, by utilizing the information as to the apparatus and device acquired by said acquirement means; and

means for transmitting an instruction to reproduce said contents to be reproduced to said contents reproducing apparatus which is selected by said selection means.

7. A contents reproducing system according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for retrieving, from said contents reproducing system, encrypted contents data to be moved and a key for decoding the contents data to be moved, which are separately stored in discrete contents storing devices, respectively, to reproduce or move them thus retrieved, when the contents to be moved is specified.