Method of and apparatus for reproducing information, and security module

• US 8,046,591 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Morioka, Kiyonori, Yoshitake, Toshiyuki, Kohiyama, Kiyoshi, Watanabe, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Minh
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, VENKATANARAY
• Application Number:
  US11/980,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20080072075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 713189-194, 711/2, 711/11, 711/154, 711/163, 710/200, 710/308, 710/22
• US Class Current: 713/192
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1064 Restricting content processing at operating system level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1077 Recurrent authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/52 during program execution, e.g. stack integrity ; Preventing unwanted data erasure; Buffer overflow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6281 at program execution time, where the protection is within the operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/72 in cryptographic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/87 by means of encapsulation, e.g. for integrated circuits
• 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 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00253 wherein the key is stored on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91364 the video signal being scrambled
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

An information reproducing apparatus of the present invention includes a secure module and a main memory. The information in the secure module can not be accessed from outside. The secure module reads, using a direct access method, information relating to software stored in the main memory. The secure module checks a falsification of the software by comparing the information read with the information stored in advance in the secure module.

Claims

1. An information reproducing apparatus, comprising:

a memory that loads a software which has a function of processing encrypted data, the memory being accessible from outside the information reproducing apparatus; and

a secure module that stores an information used to change the software, the secure module being inaccessible from outside the information reproducing apparatus; and

a storage controller that is loaded on the secure module, and

wherein the storage controller changes the software so that a software code of the software is replaced with the information stored in the secure module while maintaining the function of the software, and supplies to the memory a key for decrypting the encrypted data processed by the software, when the information stored in the secure module is included in the software loaded on the memory.

2. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the software is updated, the storage controller hands over the software from pre-updating information to post-updating information.

3. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage controller holds a key used to encrypt or decode data processed by the software, and the storage controller supplies the key to the memory, when a falsification checking unit does not detect a falsification.

4. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the key supplied by the storage controller is valid only for a predefined period of time.

5. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the storage controller changes the key each time the storage controller supplies the key to the memory.

6. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the falsification checking unit detects a falsification, the storage controller does not supply the key to the memory.

7. A secure module mounted to an information reproducing apparatus, comprising:

a reading unit for reading a software which has a function of processing encrypted data from a memory mounted to the information reproducing apparatus, by direct access, the memory being accessible from outside;

a falsification checking unit for comparing the software read by the reading unit with an information used to change the software, the information being stored in the secure module; and

a storage control unit for changing the software so that a software code of the software is replaced with the information stored in the secure module while maintaining the function of the software, and

wherein the storage control unit supplies to the memory a key for decrypting the encrypted data processed by the software, when the information in the secure module is included in the software loaded on the memory based on a result of the comparison by the falsification checking unit.

8. The secure module according to claim 7, wherein, when the software is updated, the storage control unit hands over the software from pre-updating information to post-updating information.

9. The secure module according to claim 7,

wherein the storage control unit holds a key used to encrypt or decode data processed by the software, and supplies the key to the memory, if the falsification checking unit does not detect a falsification.

10. The secure module according to claim 9, wherein the key supplied by the storage control unit is valid only for a predefined period of time.

11. The secure module according to claim 9, wherein the storage control unit changes the key each time the storage control unit supplies the key to the memory.

12. The secure module according to claim 9, wherein when the falsification checking unit detects a falsification, the storage control unit does not supply the key to the memory.