Method for controlling database copyrights

• US 7,036,019 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2000
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Piracy Protection LLC (LF Capital Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intarsia Software LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Saito, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Hosuk
• Application Number:
  US09/544,497
• Time in Patent Office: 2,209 Days
• Field of Search: 713/180, 713/155, 713/202, 713/193, 380/29, 380/33, 380/43, 380/45, 380/46, 380/47, 380/51, 380/57, 380/239, 380/259, 380/262, 380/277, 380/280, 380/281, 705/62, 705/57, 705/59
• US Class Current: 713/193
• 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 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00224 wherein the key is obtained from a remote server
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/605 Copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/088 Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4406 Restricting access, e.g. according to user identity mechanisms actuated y cards, PIN or the like in apparatus for dispensing G07F7/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4426 involving separate means, e.g. a server, a magnetic card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4433 to an apparatus, part of an apparatus or an apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4486 using digital data encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3246 of data relating to permitted access or usage, e.g. level of access or usage parameters for digital rights management [DRM] related to still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3281 Encryption; Ciphering

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for controlling copyrights of digital data in a database system including real time transmission of a digital picture. Copyrights are controlled using one or more of the following, as necessary, in addition to a permit key: a copyright control program, copyright information or copyright control message. The copyright control program, the copyright information and the copyright control message are supplied together with the permit key, or they are supplied together with the data. Otherwise, a part of them is supplied together with the permit key and the other part of them is supplied together with the data. The data, the permit key, the copyright control message, the copyright information and the copyright control program are (1) transmitted while encrypted, but are decrypted when used, or (2) they are transmitted while encrypted and decrypted for display only, otherwise remaining encrypted, or (3) they may not be encrypted at all.

Claims

1. A digital data management method, comprising the steps of:

encrypting digital data to produce encrypted digital data supplied to a user, using a utilization permit key pre-defined to permit at least one of displaying, editing, storing, copying, and transferring of said digital data;

decrypting said encrypted digital data to decrypted digital data by using a display permit key, which is utilization permit key permitting displaying of said digital data, and displaying said decrypted digital data;

decrypting said encrypted digital data to decrypted digital data by using a display permit key, which is said utilization permit key permitting displaying of said digital data, and displaying said decrypted digital data;

decrypting said encrypted digital data to decrypted digital data by using an edit permit key, which is said utilization permit key permitting editing of said digital data, and editing said decrypted digital data;

decrypting said encrypted digital data to decrypted digital data by using a storage permit key, which is said utilization permit key permitting storing of said digital data, encrypting again said decrypted digital data to encrypted digital data by using said storage permit key, and storing said encrypted digital data;

decrypting said encrypted digital data to decrypted digital data by using a copy permit key, which is said utilization permit key permitting copying of said digital data, encrypting again said decrypted digital data to encrypted digital data by using said copy permit key, and copying said encrypted digital data; and

decrypting said encrypted digital data to decrypted digital data by using a transfer permit key, which is said utilization permit key permitting transferring of said digital data, encrypting again said decrypted digital data to encrypted digital data by using said transfer permit key, and transferring said encrypted digital data.

2. A digital data management method according to claim 1, wherein said utilization permit key includes a crypt key specific to said digital data.

3. A digital data management method according to claim 1, wherein said utilization permit key includes a crypt key not specific to said digital data.

4. A digital data management method according to claim 1, wherein:

said utilization permit key is hierarchized; and

said utilization permit key at an upper hierarchy level includes a function of said utilization permit key at a lower hierarchy level.

5. A digital management method according to claim 4, wherein said transfer permit key is said utilization permit key at the highest hierarchy level.

6. A digital data management method according to claim 4, wherein said edit permit key is said utilization permit key at the highest hierarchy level.

7. A digital data management method according to claim 1, wherein:

said encrypted digital data is decrypted to decrypted digital data only when said digital data is displayed or edited; and

said decrypted digital data, when stored, copied or transferred, is encrypted again to said encrypted digital data.

8. A digital data management method according to claim 1, wherein:

said encrypted digital data is, when displayed or edited, decrypted to said decrypted digital data; and

said decrypted digital data is, when stored, copied or transferred, encrypted again to said encrypted digital data.

9. A digital data management method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of using a copyright management program for managing utilization of said digital data.

10. A digital data management method according to claim 9, wherein said copyright management program is included in said utilization permit key.

11. A digital data management method according to claim 9, wherein a crypt key is added to said copyright management program.

12. A digital data management method according to claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein said copyright management program is encrypted to an encrypted copyright management program.

13. A digital data management method according to claim 12, wherein said encrypted copyright management program is decrypted by using said utilization permit key.

14. A digital data management method according to claim 9, wherein said copyright management program is separate from said digital data.

15. A digital data management method according to claim 9, wherein said copyright management program is integrated with said digital data.

16. A digital data management method according to claim 1, wherein said utilization permit key includes a crypt key.

17. A digital data management method according to claim 9, wherein said copyright management program includes said crypt key.

18. A digital data management method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein said crypt key is encrypted.

19. A digital data management method according to claim 1, wherein copyright information is added to said digital data.

20. A digital data control method according to claim 19, wherein said copyright information includes original copyright information and edit copyright information added to said digital data by a copyright management program.

21. A digital data management method according to claim 19, wherein said copyright information is added in a file body of said digital data.

22. A digital data management method according to claim 19, wherein said copyright information is added in a file header of said digital data.

23. A digital data management method according to claim 19, wherein said copyright information is added in a copyright management program.

24. A digital data management method according to claim 23, wherein said copyright management program is added in a file body of said digital data.

25. A digital data management method according to claim 19, wherein said copyright information must be present in order to use said digital data.

26. A digital data management method according to claim 25, wherein utilization of said digital data is managed by a copyright management program.

27. A digital data management method according to claim 25, wherein said digital data, excluding said copyright information, is encrypted again to said encrypted digital data by using said utilization permit key.

28. A digital data management method according to claim 25, wherein said digital data, excluding said copyright information, is encrypted again to said encrypted digital data by a copyright management program.