Contents execution device equipped with independent authentication means and contents re-distribution method

• US 8,151,342 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Choi, Bum Suk, Joo, Sang Hyun, Lee, Hye Joo, Choi, Jin Soo, Hong, Jin Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yalew, Fikremariam A
• Application Number:
  US11/722,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20090077652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,259 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; 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 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63775 for uploading keys, e.g. for a client to communicate its public key to the server key management H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• 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

Abstract

The present invention particularly relates to a digital content providing service method and a content execution device for the same, for maximizing user convenience and maintaining a sufficient level of security using a smart card. The inventive content execution device includes an independent authentication unit for storing a tool necessary for executing content; an authentication support module for providing a data communication channel between the smart card and an external broadcasting server; a tool agent for calling the tool stored in the independent authentication unit; and a content execution unit for executing content data received from the external broadcasting server. The content execution device included in a content authority management system of the present invention employs the smart card for user authentication and/or content playing tool management. Accordingly, a user can freely executing his/her licensed content in different content execution devices by conveniently removing and reinserting the smart card, without separate measures. Moreover, according to the present invention, a user can effectively use content from different broadcasters.

Claims

1. A content execution device comprising:

a smart card issued to a user that subscribes to one of at least one or more broadcasting station servers,

wherein the smart card configured to have a tool storage unit for storing at least one tool program for encoding or decoding content data to be received from the subscribed broadcasting station server;

an authority storage unit for storing authority information on the subscribed broadcasting station server; and

an authentication module having a security key corresponding to a security key of the subscribed broadcasting station server to perform mutual authentication with the subscribed broadcasting station server when the smart card is inserted into the content execution device;

a tool agent configured to call the at least one tool program from the smart card and authorize the called tool program to encode or decode the content data; and

a content execution unit configured to play the content data received from the subscribed broadcasting station server by activating the tool agent, whereby the tool agent calls and authorizes the tool program to encode or decode the content data for playing, and

wherein since the tool program is called by only the tool agent, a call interface, a parameter and a return variable for the tool program are protected in private for security.

2. The content execution device of claim 1, further comprising an authentication support module for providing a data communication channel between the smart card and the broadcasting station server.

3. A method for re-distributing content data received from a broadcasting station server and stored in a source device to a target device, the method comprising :

determining, at the source device, whether or not re-distribution of the content data is permitted by checking bibliographic information of the content data;

re-distributing, at the source device, the content data, information on at least one tool used to play the content data and an URL of the broadcasting station server from which the content data is received, to the target device;

requesting permission to play the content data from the target device to the broadcasting station server; and

determining, at the broadcasting server, whether or not to issue permission based on information on re-distribution number and maximum limit of re-distribution of the content data, granting the permission based on the determination result and the permission to the target device;

acquiring, at the target device, at least one tool program used to encode or decode content data from the tool server; and

receiving, at the target device, the permission and playing the content data.

4. The method for re-distributing content of claim 3, after determining whether or not re-distribution of the content data is permitted, further comprising authenticating the target device from a tool server.

5. The method for re-distributing content of claim 4, wherein the authenticating comprises:

determining, at the tool server, whether or not the target device has been authorized to receive the content data to be re-distributed by the source device by searching a DB for the received identification value; and

transmitting the determination result to the source device.

6. A method for re-distributing content data received from a broadcasting station server and stored in a source device to a portable target device, the method comprising:

determining, at the source device, whether or not re-distribution of the content data is permitted by checking bibliographic information of the content data;

determining, at the source device, whether or not the portable target device belongs to the same domain to which the source device belongs;

downloading, at the source device, at least one tool program used to encode or decode the content data at the portable target device, from a tool server;

requesting permission to re-distribute the content data from the source device to the broadcasting station server;

in response to the permission to re-distribute the content data from the broadcasting station server, re-distributing, at the source device, the content data, the at least one tool program and the permission to re-distribute, to the target device; and

receiving, at the target device, the content data, the at least one tool program and the permission and playing the content data using the at least one tool program and the permission.

7. The method for re-distributing content of claim 6, after determining whether or not re-distribution of the content data is permitted, further comprising confirming whether or not the target device is a member of the same domain to which the source device belongs.