Information management method using a recording medium with a secure area and a user-use area

• US 7,325,247 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hasebe, Takayuki, Kotani, Seigo, Hirano, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Rambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Simitoski; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US09/800,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20010008016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,518 Days
• Field of Search: 713/193, 713/200, 705/59, 705/51, 705 54- 57, 380284-285, 726/6, 726/26
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1082 Backup or restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress

Abstract

An information management method restoring electronic data using backup information upon the loss of electronic data stored on a recording medium. Information stored in a predetermined area of the recording medium having medium-specific information is encrypted using medium-specific information or a key generated therefrom and is derived outside the predetermined area.

Claims

1. An information management method managing information of a recording medium by an information management apparatus, the recording medium having medium-specific information, and comprising a user-use area allowing writing and reading out of arbitrary information in accordance with external instructions, and a secure area that is not subject to control by external instructions, said information management apparatus having a write and read out means writing the arbitrary information to and reading the arbitrary information from said user-use area, and a predetermined information deriving means deriving the predetermined information stored in said secure area, comprising:

storing an encrypted electronic data to the user-use area of the recording medium as the arbitrary information;

storing license information based on use rights for using the encrypted electronic data stored in the user-use area to the secure area of the recording medium as the predetermined information;

deriving the license information outside said secure area of the recording medium and encrypting the license information stored in the secure area using medium-specific information or a key generated therefrom; and

storing the encrypted license information to the user-use area or other recording medium;

wherein the information management apparatus encrypts and stores license information to the user-use area, decrypts the encrypted license information stored in the user-use area using the medium-specific information or a key generated therefrom, and updates the license information stored in said secure area.

2. The information management method according to claim 1, wherein said license information is encrypted using said medium-specific information or said key generated therefrom and is stored in a second area.

3. The information management method of claim 1, wherein said license information is encrypted using an apparatus-specific information or a key generated therefrom, wherein the apparatus drives said recording medium.

4. The information management method of claim 1, wherein, when said license information is to be derived outside said secure area, the information management apparatus encrypts the license information using said medium-specific information or said key generated therefrom and apparatus-specific or said key generated therefrom.

5. The information management method of claim 1, wherein if said license information is encrypted and stored in said user-use area, said license information is decrypted using said apparatus-specific information specific to an apparatus that drives said recording medium or said key generated therefrom and said medium-specific information or said key generated therefrom, and said license information stored in said secure area is updated.

6. The information management method according to claim 1, wherein said license information is encrypted and stored on a second recording medium different from said recording medium.

7. The information management method of claim 6, wherein said license information encrypted and stored in said second recording medium is decrypted using said medium-specific information or said key generated therefrom and said license information stored in said secure area is updated.

8. The information management method of claim 6, wherein, when said license information is to be derived on said second recording medium, said license information is encrypted using said medium-specific information or said key generated therefrom and apparatus-specific information specific to an apparatus that drives said second recording medium or a key generated therefrom.

9. The information management method of claim 8, wherein said license information encrypted and stored in said second recording medium is decrypted using an apparatus-specific information specific to an apparatus that drives said second recording medium or a key generated therefrom and said medium-specific information or said key generated therefrom, and said license information stored in said secure area is updated.

10. The information management method according to claim 8, wherein said apparatus-specific information specific to an apparatus that drives said second recording medium can be electronically obtained from said second apparatus and is visually displayed on said second apparatus.

11. The information management method according to claim 1, wherein said medium-specific information is electronically obtained from said recording medium and is visually displayed on said recording medium.

12. The information management method according to claim 1, wherein apparatus-specific information specific to an apparatus that drives said recording medium can be electronically obtained from said apparatus and is visually displayed on said apparatus.

13. The information management method according to claim 1, wherein a second area outside the secure area is external to the recording medium.

14. An information management apparatus using a medium having medium-specific information, and comprising a user-use area allowing writing and reading out of arbitrary information in accordance with external instructions and a secure area that is not subject to control by external instructions, said information management apparatus managing information of a recording medium wherein license information based on use rights for said arbitrary information stored in a user-use area is stored in said secure area, said information management apparatus comprising:

write and read out means writing said arbitrary information to and reading said arbitrary information from said user-use area; and

predetermined information deriving means encrypting said license information stored in said secure area using said medium-specific information or a key generated therefrom, deriving said encrypted license information outside said secure area and storing the encrypted license information in the user-use area of the recording medium or another recording medium;

wherein said license information is encrypted and stored by said write and read out means in said user-use area.

15. The information management apparatus of claim 14, further comprising predetermined information update means decrypting said license information encrypted and stored in said user-use area using said medium-specific information and updating said license information stored in said secure area.

16. The information management apparatus according to claim 14, comprising apparatus-specific information, wherein said predetermined information deriving means encrypts said license information using said medium-specific information or said key generated therefrom and said apparatus-specific information specific to the apparatus or a key generated therefrom.

17. The information management apparatus of claim 16, further comprising predetermined information update means decrypting said license information encrypted and stored in said user-use area using said apparatus-specific information or said key generated therefrom and information specific to said apparatus or a key generated therefrom and said medium-specific information or said key generated therefrom and updating said predetermined information stored in said secure area, if the license information is encrypted and stored in said user-use area.

18. The information management apparatus of claim 14, wherein said predetermined information deriving means transmits said encrypted license information to a second recording medium different from said recording medium.

19. The information management apparatus of claim 18, further comprising predetermined information update means decrypting said license information encrypted and stored in said second recording medium using said medium-specific information and updating said license information stored in said secure area.

20. The information management apparatus of claim 18, wherein an apparatus that drives said second recording medium comprises apparatus-specific information and said predetermined information deriving means encrypts said license information using said medium-specific information or said key generated therefrom and information specific to the apparatus that drives said second recording medium or a key generated therefrom.

21. The information management apparatus of claim 20, further comprising predetermined information update means decrypting said license information encrypted and stored in said second recording medium using the apparatus-specific information specific to an apparatus that drives said second recording medium or said key derived therefrom and said medium-specific information or said key generated therefrom and updating said license information stored in said secure area.

22. The information management apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the area outside the secure area is external to the recording medium.