Data transfer system, data transfer apparatus, data recording apparatus, data transfer method, and recording medium

• US 7,299,499 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2001
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Tadao, Abe, Miki
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami; Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cervetti; David Garcia
• Application Number:
  US10/005,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,177 Days
• Field of Search: 380/201, 726/26, 700/94
• US Class Current: 726/26
• 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 20/00731 involving a digital rights management system for enforcing a usage restriction
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00753 wherein the usage restriction limits the number of copies that can be made, e.g. CGMS, SCMS, or CCI flags
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00768 wherein copy control information is used, e.g. for indicating whether a content may be copied freely, no more, once, or never, by setting CGMS, SCMS, or CCI flags
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00789 wherein the usage restriction limits the number of functional copies, which can be accessed at a time, e.g. electronic bookshelf concept, virtual library, video rentals or check-in/check out
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00884 involving a watermark, i.e. a barely perceptible transformation of the original data which can nevertheless be recognised by an algorithm

Abstract

A SDMI-compliant portable medium and a non-SDMI-compliant portable medium can be selectively connected to a licensed compliant module. When transferring copyright-protected encrypted content data from the licensed compliant module, whether the destination of transfer is the SDMI-compliant portable medium or the non-SDMI-compliant medium is determined. When the destination is found to be the SDMI-compliant portable medium, the number of times the encrypted content data can be transferred is restricted. When the destination is found to be the non-SDMI-compliant portable medium, the return (or check-in) of the encrypted content data from the non-SDMI-compliant portable medium to the licensed compliant module is disabled.

Claims

1. A data transfer apparatus comprising:

transfer means for transferring content data encrypted in a predetermined manner from a first recording means which can store encrypted content data to a first external apparatus and a second external apparatus;

discrimination means for making discrimination between said first external apparatus which can record only encrypted content data to a second recording means accommodated in said first external apparatus connected to said data transfer apparatus and said second external apparatus which can record only decrypted content data to a third recording means accommodated in said second external apparatus connected to said data transfer apparatus; and

if said first external apparatus is discriminated by said discrimination means, control means for decrementing a transfer count of the encrypted content data when transferring said encrypted content data from said first recording means to said first external apparatus, incrementing said transfer count when said encrypted content data are returned from said first external apparatus, and disabling the transfer of said content data from said first recording means to said first external apparatus if said transfer count has exceeded a predetermined limit value and,

if said second external apparatus is determined by said discrimination means, said control means disabling the return of the encrypted content data from said second external apparatus.

2. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second recording means accommodated in said first external apparatus is a flash memory.

3. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said third recording means accommodated in said second external apparatus is a magneto-optical disk.

4. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first recording means is a hard disk.

5. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second external apparatus has decryption means for decrypting the encrypted content data transferred from said data transfer apparatus, recording the content data decrypted by said decryption means into said third recording means.

6. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

first receiving means for receiving the encrypted content data and a control signal from a content server;

second receiving means for receiving unencrypted content data from a package medium; and

if said second external apparatus is discriminated by said discrimination means, determination means for determining whether or not to transfer said content data from said content server on the basis of said control signal attached to said content data supplied from said content server.

7. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said control means restricts the transfer count of said content data supplied from said content server, said content data being transferred from said first recording means to said second external apparatus.

8. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

first receiving means for receiving encrypted content data and a control signal supplied from a content server;

second receiving means for receiving unencrypted content data supplied from a package medium; and

encryption means for encrypting said unencrypted content data supplied from said package medium and received by said second receiving means;

if said second external apparatus is discriminated by said discrimination means, transferring the content data encrypted by said encryption means to said second external apparatus.

9. A data transfer system having a data transfer apparatus and at least one of a first external apparatus and a second external apparatus which can be selectively connected to said data transfer apparatus, said data transfer apparatus comprising:

transfer means for transferring content data encrypted in a predetermined manner from a first recording means which can store encrypted content data to said first external apparatus and said second external apparatus;

discrimination means for making discrimination between said first external apparatus which can record only encrypted content data to a second recording means accommodated in said first external apparatus connected to said data transfer apparatus and said second external apparatus which can record only decrypted content data to a third recording means accommodated in said second external apparatus connected to said data transfer apparatus; and

if said first external apparatus is discriminated by said discrimination means, control means for decrementing a transfer count of the encrypted content data when transferring said encrypted content data from said first recording means to said first external apparatus, incrementing said transfer count when said encrypted content data are returned from said first external apparatus, and disabling the transfer of said content data from said first recording means to said first external apparatus if said transfer count has exceeded a predetermined limit value and,

if said second external apparatus is discriminated by said discrimination means, said control means disabling the return of the encrypted content data from said second external apparatus;

said second external apparatus comprising;

receiving means for receiving the content data encrypted in a predetermined manner from said transfer means;

decryption means for decrypting said content data encrypted in a predetermined manner received by said receiving means;

and recording means for recording said content data decrypted by said decryption means into said third recording means.

10. The data transfer system according to claim 9, wherein said second recording means accommodated in said first external apparatus is a flash memory.

11. The data transfer system according to claim 9, wherein said third recording means accommodated in said second external apparatus is a magneto-optical disk.

12. The data transfer system according to claim 9, wherein said first recording means is a hard disk.

13. The data transfer system according to claim 9 wherein said second external apparatus has decryption means for decrypting the encrypted content data transferred from said data transfer apparatus, recording the content data decrypted by said decryption means into said third recording means.

14. The data transfer system according to claim 9, further comprising:

first receiving means for receiving the encrypted content data and a control signal from a content server;

second receiving means for receiving unencrypted content data from a package medium; and

if said second external apparatus is discriminated by said discrimination means, determination means for determining whether or not to transfer said content data from said content server on the basis of said control signal attached to said content data supplied from said content server.

15. The data transfer system according to claim 14, wherein said control means restricts the transfer count of said content data supplied from said content server, said content data being transferred from said first recording means to said second external apparatus.

16. The data transfer system according to claim 9, wherein said data transfer apparatus further comprises:

first receiving means for receiving encrypted content data and a control signal supplied from a content server;

second receiving means for receiving unencrypted content data supplied from a package medium; and

encryption means for encrypting said unencrypted content data supplied from said package medium and received by said second receiving means;

if said second external apparatus is discriminated by said discrimination means, transferring the content data encrypted by said encryption means to said second external apparatus.

17. A data transfer method for transferring encrypted content data from a data transfer apparatus having a first memory which can store encrypted content data to a second memory accommodated in a first external apparatus connected to said data transfer apparatus and a third memory accommodated in a second external apparatus connected to said data transfer apparatus, said data transfer method comprising:

discriminating between said first external apparatus which can record only encrypted content data to said second memory and said second external apparatus which can record only decrypted content data to said third memory;

if said first external apparatus is discriminated, decrementing a transfer count of the encrypted content data when transferring said encrypted content data from said first memory to said first external apparatus, incrementing said transfer count when said encrypted data are returned from said first external apparatus, and disabling the transfer of said content data from said first memory to said first external apparatus if said transfer count has exceeded a predetermined limit value; and

if said second external apparatus is discriminated, disabling the return of the encrypted content data from said second external apparatus.

18. The data transfer method according to claim 17, wherein said second memory accommodated in said first external apparatus is a flash memory.

19. The data transfer method according to claim 17, wherein said third memory accommodated in said second external apparatus is a magneto-optical disk.

20. The data transfer method according to claim 17, wherein said first memory is a hard disk.

21. The data transfer method according to claim 17, wherein, if the encrypted content data to be stored in said first memory are supplied via a network, control information is attached to said encrypted content data and stored in said first memory, said data transfer method further comprising:

judging whether there is said control information when transferring said encrypted content data from said first memory to said second external apparatus; and

if said second external apparatus has been discriminated, determining whether to transfer said content data supplied from said content server depending on the presence of said control information.

22. The data transfer method according to claim 21, further comprising:

restricting a transfer count in which said content data supplied from said content server can be transferred from said first memory of said data transfer apparatus to said second external apparatus.

23. The data transfer method according to claim 17, wherein, if encrypted content data to be stored in said first memory are supplied from a package medium and said second external apparatus has been discriminated, said encrypted content data are supplied to said second external apparatus.

24. A data recording apparatus which receives encrypted content data from a data transfer apparatus having a first recording medium storing said encrypted content data and records the received encrypted content data to a second recording medium, comprising:

communication means for performing bidirectional communication with said data transfer apparatus;

authentication processing means for performing authentication with said data transfer apparatus through said communication means;

decryption means for decrypting said encrypted content data supplied from said data transfer apparatus through said communication means;

recording means for recording said content data decrypted by said decryption means to said second recording medium; and

control means for disabling the return of said content data from said second recording medium to said data transfer apparatus through said communication means.

25. A recording medium storing a computer-readable program for transferring encrypted content data from a data transfer apparatus having a first memory storing said encrypted content data to a second memory accommodated in a first external apparatus connected to said data transfer apparatus and a third memory accommodated in a second external apparatus connected to said data transfer apparatus, said computer-readable program comprising:

discriminating between said first external apparatus which can record only encrypted content data to said second memory and said second external apparatus which can record only decrypted content data to said third memory;

if said first external apparatus is discriminated, decrementing a transfer count of the encrypted content data when transferring said encrypted content data from said first memory to said first external apparatus, incrementing said transfer count when said encrypted data are returned from said first external apparatus, and disabling the transfer of said content data from said first memory to said first external apparatus if said transfer count has exceeded a predetermined limit value; and

if said second external apparatus is discriminated, disabling the return of the encrypted content data from said second external apparatus.