Contents processing system

• US 7,310,731 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Asano, Tomoyuki, Oishi, Tateo, Osawa, Yoshitomo, Ishibashi, Yoshihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Heneghan; Matthew
• Application Number:
  US10/897,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20050005148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 713/170, 713/179
• US Class Current: 713/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/107 License processing; Key processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/72 in cryptographic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/008 Public Key, Asymmetric Key, Asymmetric Encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00724 wherein a prepaid credit balance is registered on the recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0822 using key encryption key
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]

Abstract

A first information processing unit stores identification information into a storage module, stores an encrypted contents signal into a mass storage unit, and supplies the encrypted contents signal and identification information to a second information processing unit through a communication section. In a receiving unit of the first information processing unit, log information generated by a purchase processing module is stored into the storage module every time the contents key is decoded, and the log information is transmitted at predetermined timing to a key management center through the transmission section. The second information processing unit receives the encrypted contents signal and the identification information through a communication section, and causes a contents processing section to decode the encrypted contents signal and to append the identification information thereto.

Claims

1. A contents signal receiving device comprising:

receiving means for receiving a contents signal from a first device, the contents signal being encrypted by a first key, and for receiving the first key from the first device, the first key being encrypted by a second key;

storage means for storing the encrypted contents signal received by the receiving means;

decoding means for decoding the encrypted contents signal stored in the storage means when an instruction to decode the encrypted contents signal stored in the storage means is given as user-designated information;

identification information appending means for appending identification information to the contents signal decoded by the decoding means;

transmission means for transmitting the first key encrypted by the second key to a second device that decrypts the first key; and

decrypting means;

wherein the receiving means receives the first key from the second device, the second device having encrypted the first key with a third key, and

wherein the decrypting means decrypts the first key encrypted with the third key.

2. The contents signal receiving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identification information is the identification information proper to the contents signal receiving device.

3. The contents signal receiving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identification information is embedded to the contents signal as a watermark.

4. The contents signal receiving device according to claim 1, further comprising a log information generating means for generating log information when the first key is decrypted by the decrypting means.

5. The contents signal receiving device according to claim 4, further comprising a storage means for storing the log information and for storing the first key.

6. A contents signal receiving method by a third device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a contents signal from a first device, the contents signal being encrypted by a first key;

receiving the first key from the first device, the first key being encrypted by a second key;

storing the received encrypted contents signal;

decoding the stored encrypted contents signal when an instruction to decode the stored encrypted contents signal is given as user-designated information;

appending identification information to the decoded contents signal;

transmitting the first key encrypted by the second key to a second device that decrypts the first key;

receiving the first key from the second device, the second device having encrypted the first key with a third key; and

decrypting the first key encrypted with the third key, the decrypting being done by the third device.

7. The contents signal receiving method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the identification information is the identification information proper to a contents signal receiving device.

8. The contents signal receiving method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the identification information is embedded to the contents signal as a watermark.

9. The contents signal receiving method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of generating log information when the first key is decrypted by the decrypting means.

10. The contents signal receiving method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of storing the log information and storing the first key.