Digital work protection system, record/playback device, recording medium device, and model change device

• US 7,698,571 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Masaya, Matsui, Shinichi, Noguchi, Naohiko, Inoue, Shinji, Matsuzaki, Natsume, Harada, Shunji
• Primary Examiner(s): Korzuch; William R
• Assistant Examiner(s): AVERY, JEREMIAH L
• Application Number:
  US10/180,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20030007640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,847 Days
• Field of Search: 726/26, 713/193
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/101 by binding digital rights to specific entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1011 to devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• 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 20/00094 involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00115 wherein the record carrier stores a unique medium identifier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00144 involving a user identifier, e.g. a unique customer ID
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00181 using a content identifier, e.g. an international standard recording code [ISRC] or a digital object identifier [DOI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00188 involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised devices recording or reproducing contents to/from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00195 using a device identifier associated with the player or recorder, e.g. serial numbers of playback apparatuses or MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00246 wherein the key is obtained from a local device, e.g. device key initially stored by the player or by the recorder
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00492 wherein content or user data is encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00528 wherein each title is encrypted with a separate encryption key for each title, e.g. title key for movie, song or data file
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00536 wherein encrypted content data is subjected to a further, iterated encryption, e.g. interwoven encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00666 involving a step of erasing or nullifying data, e.g. data being overwritten with a random string
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0071 involving a purchase action
• 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 20/00797 wherein the usage restriction limits the number of times a content can be reproduced, e.g. using playback counters
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0084 : wherein the usage restriction can be expressed as a specific time or date
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00855 : involving a step of exchanging information with a remote server
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/60 : Solid state media details of solid state memory devices G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 : applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 : for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 : Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23892 : involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 : providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 : Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 : involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 : End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 : involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 : Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 : of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication

Abstract

A system includes of a main device and a recording medium device. The main device includes a reception unit that receives a digital work from an external distribution server, an internal storage area for storing the digital work, a playback unit that plays back the digital work, and a unique information storage area for storing information that is unique to the main device. The main device also includes an encryption unit that encrypts the digital work using the unique information, a decryption unit that decrypts, using the unique information, the encrypted digital work having been read from the recording medium device, a write unit that writes the encrypted digital work into the recording medium device which is portable, and a read unit that reads the encrypted digital work from the recording medium device.

Claims

1. A digital work protection system for recording and playing back digital works, comprising:

a portable recording medium device including a storage area;

and a record/playback device being usable under a contract between a user and a service provider, the record/playback device including;

an internal storage unit that stores a content that is a digital work;

a unique information storage unit that prestores device unique information to generate encrypted information, the device unique information indicating the record/playback device and being protected from being written over with an external device of the record/playback device;

an encryption unit that, when the stored content is written from the internal storage unit to the portable recording medium device, encrypts the stored content based on the prestored device unique information to generate encrypted information;

a write unit that writes the generated encrypted information into the storage area of the portable recording medium device;

a read unit operable to read the encrypted information from the storage area of the portable recording medium device;

a decryption unit that decrypts the read encrypted information based on the prestored device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit to generate a decrypted content;

a playback unit that plays back the generated decrypted content;

wherein the encrypted information is neither decrypted nor played back by any device other than the record/playback device generating the encrypted information, wherein a model change device replaces the record/playback device with another record/playback device due to a change in the contract between the user and the service provider, the device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit is read, the device unique information is deleted from the unique information storage unit and the read device unique information is written into the other record/playback device.

2. The digital work protection system of claim 1, wherein

the encryption unit encrypts the stored content using the prestored device unique information as a key to generate the encrypted information, and

the decryption unit decrypts the read encrypted information using the prestored device unique information as a key.

3. The digital work protection system of claim 2, wherein

the record/playback device further includes:

a condition storage unit that stores usage condition information showing a permissive condition for use of the content; and

a condition judgment unit that judges whether use of the content is permitted according to the usage condition information.

4. The digital work protection system of claim 3, wherein

the unique information storage unit and the condition storage unit are read-protected and write-protected against any external device unless a device is specifically permitted to read or write at least one of the prestored device unique information and the usage condition information, respectively.

5. The digital work protection system of claim 1, wherein

the encryption unit generates a title key that is unique to the content, encrypts the generated title key using the prestored device unique information as a key to generate an encrypted title key, encrypts the stored content using the generated title key as a key to generate an encrypted content, and generates the encrypted information that includes the encrypted title key and the encrypted content,

the write unit writes the generated encrypted information that includes the encrypted title key and the encrypted content,

the read unit reads the encrypted information that includes the encrypted title key and the encrypted content,

the decryption unit decrypts the encrypted title key included in the read encrypted information using the prestored device unique information as a key to generate a decrypted title key, and decrypts the encrypted content included in the read encrypted information using the decrypted title key as a key to generate the decrypted content, and

the portable recording medium device includes the storage area for storing the encrypted information that includes the encrypted title key and the encrypted content.

6. The digital work protection system of claim 5, wherein

the record/playback device further includes a first authentication unit,

the portable recording medium device further includes a second authentication unit,

the first authentication unit performs mutual authentication with the second authentication unit included in the portable recording medium device before the write unit writes the generated encrypted information into the storage area or before the read unit reads the encrypted information from the storage area,

the second authentication unit performs mutual authentication with the first authentication unit included in the record/playback device,

the storage area includes a first storage area and a second storage area, the second storage area being writable and readable only when the mutual authentication is established by the first authentication unit,

the write unit writes the encrypted content into the first storage area, and only when the mutual authentication is established by the first authentication unit, write the encrypted title key into the second storage area, and

the read unit reads the encrypted content from the first storage area, and only when the mutual authentication is established by the first authentication unit, read the encrypted title key from the second storage area.

7. The digital work protection system of claim 6, wherein

the record/playback device further includes:

a condition storage unit that stores usage condition information showing a permissive condition for use of the content; and

a condition judgment unit that judges whether use of the content is permitted according to the usage condition information.

8. The digital work protection system of claim 7, wherein

the write unit, only when the mutual authentication is established by the first authentication unit, reads the usage condition information from the condition storage unit and write the read usage condition information into the second storage area,

the read unit, only when the mutual authentication is established by the first authentication unit, reads the usage condition information from the second storage area and write the read usage condition information into the condition storage unit, and

the condition judgment unit judges whether use of the content is permitted according to the usage condition information stored in the condition storage unit.

9. The digital work protection system of claim 8, wherein

the usage condition information stored in the condition storage unit shows at least one of a permitted number of playback times, a permitted playback period, a permitted total playback time, a permitted number of times for copying the content, and a permitted number of times for moving the content, and

the condition judgment unit (i) judges to play back the content only when at least one of a number of times of actual playback of the content by the playback unit is equal to or less than the permitted number of playback times, a date and a time at which the content is to be played back by the playback unit is within the permitted playback period, and a total time of actual playback is equal to or less than the permitted total playback time, (ii) judges to copy the content to the portable recording medium device only when the permitted number of times for copying the content is equal to or greater than 1, and (iii) judges to move the content to the portable recording medium device only when the permitted number of times for moving the content is equal to or greater than 1.

10. The digital work protection system of claim 7, wherein

the unique information storage unit and the condition storage unit are read-protected and write-protected against any external device unless a device is specifically permitted to read or write at least one of the prestored device unique information and the usage condition information, respectively.

12. The digital work protection system of claim 1, wherein

the record/playback device further includes:

a content purchasing unit that purchases the content by transmitting payment information to an external source for paying a fee for the content; and

a content receiving unit that receives the content that has been purchased, and writes the received content into the internal storage unit.

13. The digital work protection system of claim 1, wherein

the record/playback device further includes a content judgment unit that judges whether a content stored in the internal storage unit is a content that has received permission in advance for the encryption unit to encrypt the content based on the prestored device unique information, and for the write unit to write the encrypted information into the portable recording medium device,

the encryption unit performs the encryption when the content judgment unit judges the content to have the permission, and

the write unit performs the writing when the content judgment unit judges the content to have the permission.

14. The digital work protection system of claim 1, wherein

the record/playback device further includes a recording medium device judgment unit that judges whether a portable recording medium device attached to the record/playback device is a portable recording medium device that has received permission in advance for the encryption unit to encrypt the content stored in the internal storage unit based on the prestored device unique information, and for the write unit to write the encrypted information into the portable recording medium device, and

the encryption unit performs the encryption when the recording medium device judgment unit judges the portable recording medium device to have the permission, and

the write unit performs the writing when the recording medium device judgment unit judges the portable recording medium device to have the permission.

15. The digital work protection system of claim 1, wherein

the portable recording medium device prestores medium unique information that is unique to the portable recording medium device,

the internal storage unit stores a unique information type in association with the content, the unique information type showing whether the content is to be encrypted based on the device unique information or the medium unique information,

the record/playback device further includes a unique information judgment unit that judges, according to the unique information type stored in the internal storage unit, whether the content is to be encrypted based on the prestored device unique information or the prestored medium unique information,

the encryption unit (i) encrypts the stored content based on the prestored device unique information to generate the encrypted information when the unique information judgment unit judges that the content is to be encrypted based on the prestored device unique information, and (ii) reads the prestored medium unique information from the portable recording medium device to encrypt the stored content based on the read medium unique information to generate the encrypted information when the unique information judgment unit judges that the content is to be encrypted based on the medium unique information, and

the decryption unit (i) decrypts the read encrypted information based on the prestored device unique information to generate the decrypted content when the unique information judgment unit judges that the content is to be encrypted based on the prestored device unique information, and (ii) reads the prestored medium unique information from the portable recording medium device to decrypt the read encrypted information based on the read medium unique information to generate the decrypted content when the unique information judgment unit judges that the content is to be encrypted based on the prestored medium unique information.

11. A digital work protection system for recording and playing back digital works, the digital work protection system comprising:

a portable recording medium device being usable under a contract between a user and a service provider, the record/playback device including;

an internal storage unit that stores a content that is a digital work;

a unique information storage unit that prestores device unique information to generate encrypted information, the device unique information indicating the record/playback device and being protected from being written over with an external device of the record/playback device;

an authentication judgment unit operable to judge whether the portable recording medium device includes a second authentication unit;

a first authentication unit that performs mutual authentication with the second authentication unit in the portable recording medium, if the portable recording medium includes the second authentication unit;

an encryption unit that (i) generates a title key that is unique to the content, encrypts the generated title key using the prestored device unique information as a key to generate an encrypted title key, encrypts the stored content using the generated title key as a key to generate an encrypted content, and generates encrypted information that includes the encrypted title key and the encrypted content, if the portable recording medium is judged to include the second authentication unit and (ii) encrypts the stored content using the prestored device unique information as a key to generate the encrypted information, if the portable recording medium device is judged not to include the second authentication unit;

a write unit that writes the generated encrypted information into the storage area of the portable recording medium device;

a read unit that reads the encrypted information from the storage area of the portable recording medium device;

a decryption unit that (i) decrypts the encrypted title key included in the read encrypted information using the prestored device unique information as a key to generate a decrypted title key, and decrypts the encrypted content included in the read encrypted information using the decrypted title key as a key to generate the decrypted content, if the portable recording medium device is judged to include the second authentication unit, and (ii) decrypt the read encrypted information using the prestored device unique information as a key, if the portable recording medium device is judged not to include the second authentication unit,

wherein the encrypted information is neither decrypted nor played back by any device other than the record/playback device generating the encrypted information, wherein a model change device replaces the record/playback device with another record/playback device due to a change in the contract between the user and the service provider, the device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit is read, the device unique information is deleted from the unique information storage unit and the read device unique information is written into the other record/playback device.

16. A record/playback device for recording content that is a digital work into a portable recording medium device and for playing back the content, the record/playback device being usable under a contract between a user and a service provider, the record/playback device comprising:

an internal storage unit that stores a content that is a digital work;

a unique information storage unit that prestores device unique information to generate encrypted information, the device unique information indicating the record/playback device and being protected from being written over with an external device of the record/playback device;

an encryption unit that, when the stored content is written from the internal storage unit to the portable recording medium device, encrypts the stored content based on the prestored device unique information to generate encrypted information;

a write unit that writes the generated encrypted information into the storage area of the portable recording medium device;

a read unit operable to read the encrypted information from the storage area of the portable recording medium device;

a decryption unit that decrypts the read encrypted information based on the prestored device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit to generate a decrypted content;

a playback unit that plays back the generated decrypted content;

wherein the encrypted information is neither decrypted nor played back by any device other than the record/playback device generating the encrypted information, wherein a model change device replaces the record/playback device with another record/playback device due to a change in the contract between the user and the service provider, the device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit is read, the device unique information is deleted from the unique information storage unit and the read device unique information is written into the other record/playback device.

17. The record/playback device of claim 16, wherein

the encryption unit encrypts the stored content using the prestored device unique information as a key to generate the encrypted information, and

the decryption unit decrypts the read encrypted information using the prestored device unique information as a key.

18. The record/playback device of claim 16, wherein

the encryption unit generates a title key that is unique to the content, encrypts the generated title key using the prestored device unique information as a key to generate an encrypted title key, encrypts the stored content using the generated title key as a key to generate an encrypted content, and generates the encrypted information that includes the encrypted title key and the encrypted content,

the write unit writes the generated encrypted information that includes the encrypted title key and the encrypted content,

the read unit reads the encrypted information that includes the encrypted title key and the encrypted content, and

the decryption unit decrypts the encrypted title key included in the read encrypted information using the prestored device unique information as a key to generate a decrypted title key, and decrypts the encrypted content included in the read encrypted information using the decrypted title key as a key to generate the decrypted content.

19. The record/playback device of claim 18, further comprising

a first authentication unit that performs mutual authentication with a second authentication unit included in the portable recording medium device before the write unit writes the generated encrypted information into the storage area or before the read unit reads the encrypted information from the storage area, and wherein

the portable recording medium device further includes the second authentication unit that performs mutual authentication with the first authentication unit included in the record/playback device,

the storage area includes a first storage area and a second storage area, the second storage area being writable and readable only when the mutual authentication is established by the first authentication unit,

the write unit writes the encrypted content into the first storage area, and only when the mutual authentication is established by the first authentication unit, writes the encrypted title key into the second storage area, and

the read unit reads the encrypted content from the first storage area, and only when the mutual authentication is established by the first authentication unit, reads the encrypted title key from the second storage area.

20. A model change device for replacing a first record/playback device with a second record/playback device due to change in a contract between a user and a service provider, the first record/playback device being usable under the contract, wherein

the first record/playback device includes:

a first internal storage unit that stores a content that is a digital work;

a first unique information storage unit that prestores first device unique information to generate first encrypted information, the first device unique information indicating the first record/playback and being protected from being written over with an external device of the first record/playback device other than the model change device;

a first encryption unit that, when the stored content is written from the first internal storage unit to a recording medium device, encrypts the content stored in the first internal storage unit based on the first device unique information stored in the first unique information storage unit to generate the first encrypted information;

a first write unit that writes the generated first encrypted information into a storage area of the recording medium device;

a first read unit that reads the first encrypted information from the storage area of the recording medium device to the first record/playback device;

a first decryption unit that decrypts the read first encrypted information based on the first device unique information stored in the first unique information storage unit to generate a decrypted content; and

a first playback unit that plays back the generated decrypted content,

wherein the first encrypted information is neither decrypted nor played back by any device other than the first record/playback device generating the first encrypted information, and

the second record/playback device includes;

a second internal storage unit that stores a content that is a digital work;

a second unique information storage unit that prestores second device unique information to generate second encrypted information, the second device information indicating the second record/playback device and being protected from being written over with an external device of the second record/playback device;

a second encryption unit that, when the stored content is written from the second internal storage unit to the recording medium device, encrypts the content stored in the second internal storage unit based on the second device unique information stored in the second unique information storage unit to generate the second encrypted information;

a second write unit that writes the generated second encrypted information into the storage area of the recording medium device;

a second read unit that reads the second encrypted information from the storage area of the recording medium device to the second record/playback device;

a second decryption unit that decrypts the read second encrypted information based on the second device unique information stored in the second unique information storage unit to generate a decrypted content; and

a second playback unit that plays back the generated decrypted content,

wherein the second encrypted information is neither decrypted nor played back by any device other than the second record/playback device generating the second encrypted information,

the model change device comprising;

a third read unit that reads the first device unique information stored in the first unique information storage unit, and deletes the first device unique information from the first unique information storage unit; and

a third write unit that writes the read first device unique information into the second unique information storage unit upon the deletion of the first device unique information from the first unique information storage unit.

21. The model change device of claim 20, wherein

the first record/playback device further includes:

a first condition storage unit that stores first usage condition information showing a first permissive condition for use of the content; and

a first condition judgment unit that judges whether use of the content is permitted according to the first usage condition information stored in the first condition storage unit, and

the second record/playback device further includes;

a second condition storage unit that stores second usage condition information showing a second permissive condition for use of the content; and

a second condition judgment unit that judges whether use of the content is permitted according to the second usage condition information stored in the second condition storage unit,

the third read unit further reads the first usage condition information stored in the first condition storage unit, and deletes the first usage condition information from the first condition storage unit, and

the third write unit further writes the read usage condition information to the second condition storage unit.

22. The model change device of claim 20, wherein

the first record/playback device and the second record/playback device are separately connected to the model change device via a network,

the third read unit performs the reading and the deletion of the first device unique information stored in the first unique information storage unit via the network, and

the third write unit performs the writing of the read first device unique information into the second unique information storage unit via the network.

23. A model change device for canceling a record/playback device that has been usable under a contract between a user and a service provider, wherein

the record/playback device includes:

an internal storage unit that stores a content that is a digital work;

a unique information storage unit that prestores (i) device unique information to generate encrypted information, the device unique information indicating the record/playback device and (ii) contract information regarding the contract, the device unique information being independent of the contract information, the device unique information being protected from being written over with an external device of the record/playback device;

an encryption unit that, when the stored content is written from the internal storage unit to a recording medium device, encrypts the content stored in the internal storage unit based on the device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit to generate the encrypted information;

a write unit that writes the generated encrypted information into a storage area of the recording medium device;

a read unit that reads the encrypted information from the storage area of the recording medium device to the record/playback device;

a decryption unit that decrypts the read encrypted information based on the device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit to generate a decrypted content; and

a playback unit that plays back the generated decrypted content,

wherein the encrypted information is neither decrypted nor played back by any device other than the record/playback device generating the encrypted information,

the model change device comprising;

a read unit that reads the contract information from the unique information storage unit; and

a cancellation unit that performs processing to cancel the contract with reference to the read contract information.

24. A model change device for changing a first contract under which a record/playback device is usable to a second contract, the first contract being between a user and a first service provider and the second contract being between the user and a second service provider, wherein

the record/playback device includes:

an internal storage unit that stores a content, the content being a digital work;

a unique information storage unit that stores (i) device unique information to generate encrypted information, the device unique information indicating the record/playback device and (ii) first contract information regarding the first contract, the device unique information being independent of the first contract information, the device unique information being protected from being written over with an external device of the record/playback device;

an encryption unit that, when the stored content is written from the internal storage unit to a recording medium device, encrypts the content stored in the internal storage unit based on the device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit to generate the encrypted information;

a write unit that writes the generated encrypted information into a storage area of the recording medium device;

a read unit that reads the encrypted information from the storage area of the recording medium device to the record/playback device;

a decryption unit that decrypts the read encrypted information based on the device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit to generate a decrypted content; and

a playback unit that plays back the generated decrypted content,

wherein the encrypted information is neither decrypted nor played back by any device other than the record/playback device generating the encrypted information,

the model change device comprising;

a read unit that reads the first contract information from the unique information storage unit;

a contract cancellation and change unit that performs processing to cancel the first contract with reference to the read first contract information, and performs processing to make the second contract and to generate second contract information regarding the second contract; and

a write unit that writes the generated second contract information into the unique information storage unit, and deletes the first contract information from the unique information storage unit.

25. A record and playback method for a record/playback device that stores a content into a portable recording medium device, the content being a digital work, and plays back the content from the portable recording medium device, the recording medium device including a storage area and being attached to the record/playback device, the record/playback device being usable under a contract between a user and a service provider, the record and playback method comprising:

storing the content in an internal storage unit;

prestoring device unique information to generate encrypted information in a unique information storage unit, the device unique information indicating the record/playback device and being protected from being written over with an external device of the record/playback device;

the record and playback method comprising;

encrypting the stored content based on the prestored device unique information to generate the encrypted information when the stored content is written from the internal storage unit to the portable recording medium device;

writing the generated encrypted information into the storage area of the recording medium device;

reading the encrypted information from the storage area of the recording medium device to the record/playback device;

decrypting the read encrypted information based on the prestored device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit to generate a decrypted content; and

playing back the generated decrypted content,

wherein the encrypted information is neither decrypted nor played back by any device other than the record/playback device generating the encrypted information, wherein a model change device replaces the record/playback device with another record/playback device due to a change in the contract between the user and the service provider, the device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit is read, the device unique information is deleted from the unique information storage unit and the read device unique information is written into the other record/playback device.

26. A computer readable recording medium storing a record and playback program for a record/playback device, the record/playback device storing a content into a portable recording medium device, the content being a digital work, and the record/playback device playing back the content, the record/playback device being usable under a contract between a user and a service provider,

the record and playback program comprising:

an encryption operation of encrypting the content stored in an internal storage unit of the record/playback device based on prestored device unique information to generate encrypted information, the device unique information indicating the record/playback device and stored in a unique information storage unit of the record/playback device, to generate encrypted information, the device unique information being protected from being written over with an external device of the record/playback device;

a write operation of writing the generated encrypted information into a storage area of the recording medium device;

a read operation of reading the encrypted information from the storage area of the recording medium device to the record/playback device;

a decryption operation of decrypting the read encrypted information based on the prestored device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit to generate a decrypted content; and

a playback operation of playing back the generated decrypted content,

wherein the encrypted information is neither decrypted nor played back by any device other than the record/playback device generating the encrypted information, wherein a model change device replaces the record/playback device with another record/playback device due to a change in the contract between the user and the service provider, the device unique information stored in the unique information storage unit is read, the device unique information is deleted from the unique information storage unit and the read device unique information is written into the other record/playback device.