Content-log analyzing system and data-communication controlling device

• US 7,886,365 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tatebayashi, Makoto, Futa, Yuichi, Kitatora, Hirohito, Ohmori, Motoji, Matsuzaki, Natsume, Yokotoa, Kaoru
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, JUNG W
• Application Number:
  US10/457,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20030228015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,800 Days
• Field of Search: 713/201, 713/153, 726/31
• US Class Current: 726/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• 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 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

In a content-log analyzing system, content includes additional information indicating, according to a property of the content, whether or not to record communication of the content in a content-log. When transmitting content to a TV or a PC, a data-communication controlling device judges whether or not to record the communication in a content-log based upon additional information of the content, and when judging affirmatively, generates and stores content-log information. A content-log analyzing server obtains the content-log stored in the data-communication controlling device, and analyzes the obtained content-log.

Claims

1. A content distributing system for transmitting content including license information indicating a content type of the content, the content distributing system comprising:

a transmission device;

a routing device;

a reception device; and

an analyzing device that stores therein an analysis condition that includes a predetermined number and a predetermined time period, wherein

the transmission device is operable to transmit to the routing device a transmission target address specifying the reception device and the content, the content being associated with copy control information regarding a number of times the content is able to be copied, the copy control information not limiting a number of times the content is able to be transmitted to the reception device specified by the transmission target address, the number of times the content is able to be copied being distinct from the number of times the content is able to be transmitted,

the routing device is operable (i) to receive the transmission target address and the content from the transmission device, (ii) to transmit the content to the reception device specified by the transmission target address, (iii) to judge whether or not to generate log information using the license information included with the content, the log information indicating that the content has been transmitted from the transmission device to the reception device, and (iv) only when judging that the log information is to be generated, to generate the log information and store the generated log information,

the reception device is operable to receive the content transmitted from the routing device, and

the analyzing device is operable to obtain the log information from the routing device, to count a number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device based on the obtained log information, to determine whether the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number, and to judge that the reception device is an unauthorized device when it is determined that the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number.

2. The content distributing system of claim 1, wherein

the routing device stores the predetermined number, and

the analyzing device obtains the predetermined number from the routing device.

3. The content distributing system of claim 1, wherein the copy control information regarding the number of times the content is able to be copied comprises at least one of “

copy free”

, “

copy once”

, “

copy no more” and

“

copy never”

.

4. The content distributing system of claim 1, wherein

if judged that the reception device is an unauthorized device, the analyzing device creates a blacklist that contains an ID of the reception device, and thereafter monitors the reception device listed in the blacklist.

5. A routing device for routing content, the content including license information indicating a content type of the content, from a transmission device to a reception device, the routing device comprising:

a receiving unit operable to receive from the transmission device content and a transmission target address specifying the reception device, the content being associated with copy control information regarding a number of times the content is able to be copied, the copy control information not limiting a number of times the content is able to be transmitted to the reception device specified by the transmission target address, the number of times the content is able to be copied being distinct from the number of times the content is able to be transmitted;

a routing unit operable to transmit the content to the reception device specified by the transmission target address;

a log information generating unit operable to judge whether or not to generate log information using the license information included with the content, the log information indicating that the content has been routed from the transmission device to the reception device, and only when judging that the log information is to be generated, to generate the log information and store the generated log information; and

an analyzing unit that stores therein an analysis condition that includes a predetermined number and a predetermined time period, and is operable to obtain the log information from the log information generating unit, to count a number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device based on the obtained log information, to determine whether the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number, and to judge that the reception device is an unauthorized device when it is determined that the counted number of the times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number.

6. The routing device of claim 5, wherein

the routing device has a device ID that uniquely identifies the routing device, and a certificate that is used to authenticate the device ID,

the routing device further comprises:

a log request receiving unit operable to receive a log request from an external analyzing device that analyzes the log information, the log request requesting transmission of the log information stored in the log information generating unit; and

a log transmitting unit operable to transmit, to the analyzing device, the device ID, the certificate, and the log information that is stored in the log information generating unit, and

the routing device is authenticated by the analyzing device based upon the device ID and the certificate transmitted to the analyzing device.

7. The routing device of claim 6, wherein

the receiving unit is operable to receive content that includes first encrypted content information, the first encrypted content information having been generated by encrypting, using first key information, content information including video data and audio data, and

the routing device further comprises:

a first key information obtaining unit operable to obtain the first key information;

a decrypting unit operable to decrypt the first encrypted content information using the first key information obtained by the first key information obtaining unit, so as to generate first content information;

a second key information storing unit operable to store second key information that is different from the first key information; and

an encrypting unit operable to encrypt the first content information generated by the decrypting unit, using the second information stored in the second key information storing unit, so as to generate second encrypted content information, and

the routing unit is operable to transmit content that includes the second encrypted content information generated by the encrypting unit, to the reception device.

8. The routing device of claim 7, wherein

the first key information obtaining unit includes:

a third key information storing unit operable to store third key information that is different from the first key information and the second key information;

an encrypted first key information receiving unit operable to receive, from the analyzing device, encrypted first key information generated by encrypting the first key information using the third key information; and

a decrypting unit operable to decrypt the encrypted first key information received by the encrypted first key information receiving unit, using the third key information, so as to obtain the first key information.

9. The routing device of claim 5, wherein

the receiving unit further receives additional information associated with the content and the transmission target address from the transmission device, the additional information indicating, according to a property of the content, whether or not to log communication of the content when the content is transmitted from the routing device to the reception device, and

the log information generating unit generates the log information and stores the generated log information, when the additional information received by the receiving unit indicates to log the communication.

10. An analyzing device that stores therein an analysis condition that includes a predetermined number and a predetermined time period and analyzes log information generated by a routing device that routes content, the content including license information indicating a content type of the content, from a transmission device to a reception device, the analyzing device comprising:

a log receiving unit operable to obtain the log information from the routing device only when the routing device has judged, using the license information included with the content, that the log information is to be generated and generated the log information, the log information indicating that content has been routed from the transmission device to the reception device, the content being associated with copy control information regarding a number of times the content is able to be copied, the copy control information not limiting a number of times the content is able to be transmitted to the reception device specified by the transmission target address, the number of times the content is able to be copied being distinct from the number of times the content is able to be transmitted; and

an analyzing unit operable to count a number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device based on the obtained log information, to determine whether the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number, and to judge that the reception device is an unauthorized device, when it is determined that the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number.

11. The analyzing device of claim 10, wherein

the routing device has a device ID that uniquely identifies the routing device, and

the analyzing device further comprises:

a log transmission table storing unit operable to store a log transmission table showing a device ID of the routing device that has transmitted the log information to the analyzing device in response to a log request from the analyzing device, the log request requesting transmission of the log information;

a device ID receiving unit operable to receive the device ID together with the log information, from the routing device; and

a log transmission table writing unit operable to write the device ID into the log transmission table when the log receiving unit receives the log information and the device ID.

12. The analyzing device of claim 10, wherein

the routing device has a device ID that uniquely identifies the routing device, and a certificate that is used to authenticate the device ID, and

the analyzing device further comprises:

a log transmission table storing unit operable to store a log transmission table showing a device ID of the routing device that has transmitted the log information to the analyzing device in response to a log request from the analyzing device, the log request requesting transmission of the log information;

a certificate receiving unit operable to receive the device ID and the certificate, together with the log information, from the routing device;

an authenticating unit operable to authenticate the device ID by authenticating the certificate received by the certificate receiving unit; and

a log transmission table writing unit operable to write the device ID into the log transmission table when the device ID is successfully authenticated by the authenticating unit.

13. The analyzing device of claim 12, further comprising:

a key information generating unit operable to generate key information when the device ID is written into the log transmission table;

an encryption key storing unit operable to store an encryption key that is different from the key information;

an encrypting unit operable to encrypt the key information using the encryption key, so as to generate encrypted key information; and

an encrypted key information transmitting unit operable to transmit the encrypted key information to the routing device identified by the device ID.

14. The analyzing device of claim 10, wherein

the analyzing unit judges that the reception device is an unauthorized device when it is determined that the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the reception device exceeds a predetermined number during a prescribed period.

15. A content distributing system for transmitting content including license information indicating a content type of the content, the content distributing system comprising:

a transmission device;

a routing device that stores therein an analysis condition that includes a predetermined number and a predetermined time period; and

a reception device, wherein

the transmission device is operable to transmit to the routing device content and a transmission target address specifying the reception device, the content being associated with copy control information regarding a number of times the content is able to be copied, the copy control information not limiting a number of times the content is able to be transmitted to the reception device specified by the transmission target address, the number of times the content is able to be copied being distinct from the number of times the content is able to be transmitted,

the routing device is operable (i) to receive the content and the transmission target address, (ii) to transmit the content to the same reception device specified by the transmission target address, (iii) to judge whether or not to generate log information using the license information included with the content, the log information indicating that the content has been routed from the transmission device to the reception device, (iv) only when judging that the log information is to be generated, to generate the log information, (v) to count a number of times the same content is transmitted to the reception device based on the generated log information, (vi) to determine whether the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number, and (vii) to judge that the reception device is an unauthorized device when it is determined that the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number, and

the reception device is operable to receive the content transmitted from the routing device.

16. The content distributing system of claim 15,

further comprising an analyzing-condition updating device operable to transmit, to the routing device, information for updating the analyzing condition stored in the routing device, wherein

the routing device is operable to receive the update information from the analyzing-condition updating device and update the analyzing condition internally stored therein based upon the received update information.

17. A routing method for use in a routing device that stores therein an analysis condition that includes a predetermined number and a predetermined time period, and routes content, the content including license information indicating a content type of the content, from a transmission device to a reception device, the routing method comprising:

receiving content and a transmission target address specifying the reception device from the transmission device, the content being associated with copy control information regarding a number of times the content is able to be copied, the copy control information not limiting a number of times the content is able to be transmitted to the reception device specified by the transmission target address, the number of times the content is able to be copied being distinct from the number of times the content is able to be transmitted;

transmitting the content to the reception device specified by the transmission target address;

judging whether or not to generate log information using the license information included with the content, the log information indicating that the content has been routed from the transmission device to the reception device, and only when judging that the log information is to be generated, generating the log information;

counting a number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device based on the generated log information;

determining whether the counted number of the times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number; and

judging that the reception device is an unauthorized device when it is determined that the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number.

18. A routing program recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for use in a routing device that stores therein an analysis condition that includes a predetermined number and a predetermined time period, and routes content, the content including license information indicating a content type of the content, from a transmission device to a reception device, the routing program causing the routing device to execute a method comprising:

a receiving operation of receiving content and a transmission target address specifying the reception device from the transmission device, the content being associated with copy control information regarding a number of times the content is able to be copied, the copy control information not limiting a number of times the content is able to be transmitted to the reception device specified by the transmission target address, the number of times the content is able to be copied being distinct from the number of times the content is able to be transmitted;

a routing operation of transmitting the content to the reception device specified by the transmission target address;

a log information generating operation of judging whether or not to generate log information using the license information included with the content, the log information indicating that the content has been routed from the transmission device to the reception device, and only when judging that the log information is to be generated, generating the log information;

a counting operation of counting a number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device based on the generated log information;

a determining operation of determining whether the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number; and

a judging operation of judging that the reception device is an unauthorized device when it is determined that the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number.

19. An analyzing method for use in an analyzing device that stores therein an analysis condition that includes a predetermined number and a predetermined time period, and analyzes log information generated by a routing device that routes content, the content including license information indicating a content type of the content, from a transmission device to a reception device, the analyzing method comprising:

obtaining the log information from the routing device only when the routing device has judged, using the license information included with the content, that the log information is to be generated and generated the log information, the log information indicating that the content has been routed from the transmission device to the reception device, the content being associated with copy control information regarding a number of times the content is able to be copied, the copy control information not limiting a number of times the content is able to be transmitted to the reception device, the number of times the content is able to be copied being distinct from the number of times the content is able to be transmitted;

counting a number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device based on the obtained log information;

determining whether the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number; and

judging that the reception device is an unauthorized device when it is determined that the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number.

20. An analyzing program recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for use in an analyzing device that analyzes log information generated by a routing device that stores therein an analysis condition that includes a predetermined number and a predetermined time period, and routes content, the content including license information indicating a content type of the content, from a transmission device to a reception device, the analyzing program causing the analyzing device to execute a method comprising:

an obtaining operation of obtaining from the routing device only when the routing device has judged, using the license information included with the content, that the log information has been generated and generated the log information, the log information indicating that content has been routed from the transmission device to the reception device, the content being associated with copy control information regarding a number of times the content is able to be copied, the copy control information not limiting a number of times the content is able to be transmitted to the reception device, the number of times the content is able to be copied being distinct from the number of times the content is able to be transmitted; and

an analyzing operation of counting a number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device based on the obtained log information, of determining whether the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number, and of judging that the reception device is an unauthorized device when it is determined that the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number.

21. A routing device having a device ID that uniquely identifies the routing device, and a certificate that is used to authenticate the device ID, the routing device for routing content from a transmission device to a reception device, the routing device comprising:

a receiving unit operable to receive from the transmission device content and a transmission target address specifying the reception device, the content being associated with copy control information regarding a number of times the content is able to be copied, the copy control information not limiting a number of times the content is able to be transmitted to the reception device specified by the transmission target address, the number of times the content is able to be copied being distinct from the number of times the content is able to be transmitted;

a routing unit operable to transmit the content to the reception device specified by the transmission target address;

a log information generating unit operable to generate log information, the log information indicating that the content has been routed from the transmission device to the reception device, and to store the generated log information;

a log request receiving unit operable to receive a log request from an external analyzing device that analyzes the log information, the log request requesting transmission of the log information stored in the log information generating unit;

a log transmitting unit operable to transmit, to the analyzing device, the device ID, the certificate, and the log information that is stored in the log information generating unit; and

an analyzing unit that stores therein an analysis condition that includes a predetermined number and a predetermined time period, and is operable to obtain the log information from the log information generating unit, to count a number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device based on the obtained log information, to determine whether the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number, and to judge that the reception device is an unauthorized device when it is determined that the counted number of the times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number, wherein

the routing device is authenticated by the analyzing device based upon the device ID and the certificate transmitted to the analyzing device,

the receiving unit is operable to receive content that includes first encrypted content information, the first encrypted content information having been generated by encrypting, using first key information, content information including video data and audio data, and

the routing device further comprises;

a first key information obtaining unit operable to obtain the first key information;

a decrypting unit operable to decrypt the first encrypted content information using the first key information obtained by the first key information obtaining unit, so as to generate first content information;

a second key information storing unit operable to store second key information that is different from the first key information; and

an encrypting unit operable to encrypt the first content information generated by the decrypting unit, using the second information stored in the second key information storing unit, so as to generate second encrypted content information, and

the routing unit is operable to transmit content that includes the second encrypted content information generated by the encrypting unit, to the reception device.

22. The routing device of claim 21, wherein

the first key information obtaining unit includes:

a third key information storing unit operable to store third key information that is different from the first key information and the second key information;

an encrypted first key information receiving unit operable to receive, from the analyzing device, encrypted first key information generated by encrypting the first key information using the third key information; and

a decrypting unit operable to decrypt the encrypted first key information received by the encrypted first key information receiving unit, using the third key information, so as to obtain the first key information.

23. An analyzing device that stores therein an analysis condition that includes a predetermined number and a predetermined time period and analyzes log information generated by a routing device that routes content from a transmission device to a reception device, the routing device having a device ID that uniquely identifies the routing device, and a certificate that is used to authenticate the device ID, the analyzing device comprising:

a log receiving unit operable to obtain, from the routing device, log information indicating that content has been routed from the transmission device to the reception device, the content being associated with copy control information regarding a number of times the content is able to be copied, the copy control information not limiting a number of times the content is able to be transmitted to the reception device specified by the transmission target address, the number of times the content is able to be copied being distinct from the number of times the content is able to be transmitted;

an analyzing unit operable to count a number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device based on the obtained log information, to determine whether the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number, and to judge that the reception device is an unauthorized device, when it is determined that the counted number of times the same content is transmitted to the same reception device within the predetermined time period exceeds the predetermined number;

a log transmission table storing unit operable to store a log transmission table showing a device ID of the routing device that has transmitted the log information to the analyzing device in response to a log request from the analyzing device, the log request requesting transmission of the log information;

a certificate receiving unit operable to receive the device ID and the certificate, together with the log information, from the routing device;

an authenticating unit operable to authenticate the device ID by authenticating the certificate received by the certificate receiving unit;

a log transmission table writing unit operable to write the device ID into the log transmission table when the device ID is successfully authenticated by the authenticating unit;

a key information generating unit operable to generate key information when the device ID is written into the log transmission table;

an encryption key storing unit operable to store an encryption key that is different from the key information;

an encrypting unit operable to encrypt the key information using the encryption key, so as to generate encrypted key information; and

an encrypted key information transmitting unit operable to transmit the encrypted key information to the routing device identified by the device ID.