Content transmitting device, content receiving device and content transmitting method

• US 7,644,265 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Okamoto, Hiroo, Kudo, Yoshimichi, Sasamoto, Manabu
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hailu; Teshome
• Application Number:
  US10/770,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20040268131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,162 Days
• Field of Search: 713/150
• US Class Current: 713/150
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273

Abstract

Before content transmission, the content transmitting device and the content receiving device mutually authenticate each other to verify that the other device respects copyright and rightfully handles content, and then content is encrypted by shared key data and transmitted. It is arranged that in an authentication process, a time from transmission of an authentication request or a time from transmission of an authentication response until arrival of receipt acknowledgement data is measured and only when a measured time is less than a fixed upper-limit value, content is transmitted.

Claims

1. A content transmitting device comprising:

network communication process means for transmitting and receiving data via a network;

send-content generating means for supplying said network communication process means with a content to be transmitted to a content receiving device connected via said network;

authenticating means for receiving an authentication request from said content receiving device and authenticating said authentication request;

encrypting means for generating key information by key information generated based on information obtained by performing an authentication process by said authenticating means, and carrying out an encryption process of a content to be transmitted to said content receiving device, by using said key information;

timer means for measuring a time from transmission of information to said content receiving device until arrival of acknowledgement of receipt from said content receiving device,

wherein when the time is larger than a predetermined value, said authenticating means decides that the authentication of said content receiving device is a failure, so that the transmittable range of the content is restricted to within a location or house in which said content transmitting device is placed to prohibit the transmission of the content to an outside of said location or said house, listening and viewing of the content is restricted, and copying and transmitting of the content is limited to personal use;

wherein if said authenticating means decides that said authentication request was transmitted and received via a number of external devices in said network, where the number being more than or equal to a predetermined value, said authentication request is not accepted.

5. A content transmitting device according to claim 1, wherein said timer means further measures a second time from when an authentication response responding to said information from said content receiving device is transmitted from said content transmitting device until acknowledgement of receipt from said content receiving device.

6. A content transmitting device according to claim 5, wherein when said content transmitting device receives the authentication request from said content receiving device and transmits an acknowledgement of receipt to said content receiving device, said content receiving device measures a third time from when said authentication request is transmitted to said content transmitting device until acknowledgement of receipt from said content transmitting device.

7. A content transmitting device according to claim 1, wherein when said content transmitting device receives the authentication request from said content receiving device and transmits an acknowledgement of receipt to said content receiving device, said content receiving device measures a third time from when said authentication request is transmitted to said content transmitting device until acknowledgement of receipt from said content transmitting device.

10. An information transmitting device according to claim 1, wherein said network communication processor transmits and receives data by wireless communication, and said information transmitting device further comprises another encryptor for encrypting data transmitted to the content receiving device by wireless communication.

2. A method for transmitting a content between a content transmitting device and a content receiving device connected via a network, wherein in said content transmitting device, said content transmitting method comprises the steps of:

authentication of receiving an authentication request from said content receiving device, authenticating said authentication request;

encryption of generating key information generated based on information obtained by performing said authentication step, and performing an encryption process of a content transmitted to said content receiving device by said key information;

measuring a transmitting-end time from transmission of information to said content receiving device until arrival of acknowledgement of receipt from said content receiving device,

wherein in said content receiving device, the content transmitting method comprises the step of;

authentication of issuing an authentication request to said content transmitting device, and making a pass/fail decision on the authentication of the authentication request received from said content transmitting device;

decryption of generating key information by key information generated based on information obtained by performing said authentication process, and decrypting a content from said content transmitting device by said key information;

measuring a receiving-end time from transmission of an authentication request to said content transmitting device or a time from when transmission of a response to the authentication request of said content transmitting device until arrival of acknowledgement of receipt from said content transmitting device,

wherein when a measured said transmitting-end time is larger than a predetermined value, said authenticating means decides that the authentication of said content receiving device is a failure, so that the transmittable range of the content is restricted to within a location or house in which said content transmitting device is placed to prohibit the transmission of the content to an outside of said location or said house, listening and viewing of the content is restricted, and copying and transmitting of the content is limited to personal use;

wherein if said authentication request was transmitted and received via a number of external devices in said network, where the number being more than or equal to a predetermined value, said authentication request is not accepted.

11. A method for transmitting a content according to claim 2, wherein said content transmitting device transmits and receives the content by wireless communication, and said method further comprises a step for encrypting data transmitted to the content receiving device by wireless communication.

3. A content transmitting method in a content transmitting device for transmitting a content to a content receiving device connected via a network, said method comprising the steps of:

when transmitting a content, receiving an authentication request from said content receiving device and authenticating said authentication request; and

measuring a time from when information is transmitted to said content receiving device until arrival of acknowledgement of receipt from said content receiving device,

wherein when a measured said time is larger than a predetermined value, said authenticating means decides that the authentication of said content receiving device is a failure, so that the transmittable range of the content is restricted to within a location or house in which said content transmitting device is placed to prohibit the transmission of the content to an outside of said location or said house, listening and viewing of the content is restricted, and copying and transmitting of the content is limited to personal use;

wherein if said authentication request was transmitted and received via a number of external devices in said network, where the number being more than or equal to a predetermined value, said authentication request is not accepted.

8. A content transmitting method according to claim 3, wherein said step of measuring a time further including measuring of a second time from when an authentication response responding to said information from said content receiving device is transmitted from said content transmitting device until acknowledgement of receipt from said content receiving device.

12. A content transmitting method according to claim 3, wherein said content transmitting device transmits and receives the content by wireless communication, and said method further comprises a step for encrypting data transmitted to the content receiving device by wireless communication.

4. An information transmitting device comprising:

authenticating means for, when transmitting information to an information receiving device connected via a network, receiving an authentication request from said information receiving device and authenticating said authentication request; and

time measuring means for measuring a time from when information is transmitted to said information receiving device until arrival of acknowledgement of receipt from said information receiving device,

wherein when a measured said time is larger than a predetermined value, said authenticating means decides that the authentication of said information receiving device is a failure, so that the transmittable range of the content is restricted to within a location or house in which a content transmitting device is placed to prohibit the transmission of the content to an outside of said location or said house, listening and viewing of the content is restricted, and copying and transmitting of the content is limited to personal use;

wherein if said authenticating means decides that said authentication request was transmitted and received via a number of external devices in said network, where the number being more than or equal to a predetermined value, said authentication request is not accepted.

9. An information transmitting device according to claim 4, wherein said timer further measures a second time from when an authentication response responding to said information from said content receiving device is transmitted from said content transmitting device until acknowledgement of receipt from said content receiving device.

13. An information transmitting device according to claim 4, wherein said information transmitting device transmits and receives information by wireless communication, and said information transmitting device further comprises an encrypting means for encrypting data transmitted to the information receiving device by wireless communication.