Telecommunications apparatus and method, storage medium, and program

• US 8,289,880 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakano, Takehiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jr., Otis L
• Application Number:
  US12/533,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20090290506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0864 Round trip delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic

Abstract

The present invention relates to a telecommunications apparatus and a method, a storage medium, and a program for determining whether or not an other side communicating apparatus is near in a network. In a transmitting apparatus, a transmitting unit transmits a sending-message, and a control unit receives a response message to the sending-message, which includes acknowledgement information based on shared data and transmission information in the sending-message. The transmitting apparatus also includes a first judging unit that judges whether a response time of the acknowledgement message is less than a predetermined time. A receiving apparatus includes a generating unit that generates the acknowledgment information and transmits the response message to the transmitting apparatus.

Claims

1. A transmitting apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to generate a check packet based on a counter value, which is incremented by a constant value;

a communication interface configured to transmit said check packet to a receiving apparatus using User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and receive a response message to said check packet from said receiving apparatus, said response message including acknowledgement information based on said counter value included in said check packet, a shared secret key shared with said receiving apparatus, a hash and transmission information included in said check packet;

a validating unit configured to validate said acknowledgement information based on said shared secret key;

a timer configured to measure a response time of said response message from said receiving apparatus;

a determining unit configured to determine whether said response time is less than a predetermined time; and

a judging unit configured to judge whether content data transmitted to said receiving apparatus will be limited in usage right based on a result of said validation by said validating unit and a result of said determination by said determining unit,

wherein the determining unit is further configured to determine whether or not the response message has been received and when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received, the determining unit determines whether an elapsed time measured by the timer from a time of sending the check packet exceeds the predetermined time, and the judging unit is further configured to limit the usage rights when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received and the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmission information included in said check packet includes count information indicating a number of check packets sent to said receiving apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said determining unit is further configured to determine said response time to be the elapsed time measured by said timer from the time of sending said check packet to a time of receiving said response message.

4. A receiving apparatus comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive a check packet sent from a transmitting apparatus using User Datagram Protocol (UDP), wherein said check packet includes transmission information and is generated by said transmitting apparatus based on a counter value, which is incremented by a constant value;

a processor configured to generate acknowledgment information based on said counter value included in said check packet, a shared secret key shared with said transmitting apparatus, a hash and said transmission information included in said check packet;

said communication interface configured to transmit, to said transmitting apparatus, a response message to said check packet, said response message including said acknowledgement information, and receive content data from said transmitting apparatus, which determines whether said content data will be limited in usage right based on a validation of said acknowledgement information, and a response time of said response message received from said receiving apparatus,

wherein the transmitting apparatus further determines whether or not the response message has been received and when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received, the transmitting apparatus determines whether an elapsed time measured by a timer from a time of sending the check packet exceeds the predetermined time and limits the usage rights when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received and the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said transmission information included in said check packet includes count information indicating a number of check packets sent to said receiving apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said processor is further configured to control said communication interface to transmit said response message after a number of received check packets is equal to said count information indicating a total number of check packets sent to said receiving apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said transmitting apparatus is further configured to determine said response time to be the elapsed time measured from the time of sending said check packet to a time of receiving said response message.

8. A data communication system comprising:

a transmitting apparatus including;

a processor configured to generate a check packet based on a counter value, which is incremented by a constant value,

a communication interface configured to transmit said check packet to a receiving apparatus using User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and receive a response message to said check packet from said receiving apparatus, said response message including acknowledgement information based on said counter value included in said check packet, a shared secret key shared with said receiving apparatus, a hash and transmission information included in said check packet,

a validating unit configured to validate said acknowledgement information based on said shared secret key,

a timer configured to measure a response time of said response message from said receiving apparatus,

a determining unit configured to determine whether said response time is less than a predetermined time, and

a judging unit configured to judge whether content data transmitted to said receiving apparatus will be limited in usage right based on a result of said validation by said validating unit and a result of said determination by said determining unit; and

said receiving apparatus including;

a communication interface configured to receive said check packet, each including said transmission information, from said transmitting apparatus using UDP,

a processor configured to generate said acknowledgment information based on said shared secret key shared with said transmitting apparatus, said hash and said transmission information included in said check packets, and control said communication interface to transmit, to said transmitting apparatus, said response message to said check packet, said response message including said acknowledgement information, and

a content receiving unit configured to receive said content data from said transmitting apparatus based on a result of said judging by said judging unit,

wherein the determining unit is further configured to determine whether or not the response message has been received and when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received, the determining unit determines whether an elapsed time measured by the timer from a time of sending the check packet exceeds the predetermined time, and the judging unit is further configured to limit the usage rights when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received and the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said transmission information included in said check packet includes count information indicating a number of check packets sent to said receiving apparatus.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said processor at said receiving apparatus is further configured to transmit the response message after a number of received check packets is equal to said count information indicating a total number of check packets sent to said receiving apparatus.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said judging unit at said transmitting apparatus is further configured to determine said response time to be the elapsed time measured from the time of sending said check packet to a time of receiving said response message.

12. A method of transmitting content data from a transmitting apparatus, the method comprising:

generating a check packet based on a counter value, which is incremented by a constant value;

transmitting said check packet to a receiving apparatus using User Datagram Protocol (UDP);

receiving a response message to said check packet from said receiving apparatus, said response message including acknowledgement information based on said counter value included in said check packet, a shared secret key shared with said receiving apparatus, a hash and transmission information included in said check packet;

validating said acknowledgement based on said shared secret key;

measuring a response time of said response message from said receiving apparatus;

determining whether said response time of said acknowledgement message is less than a predetermined time; and

judging whether content data transmitted to said receiving apparatus will be limited in usage right based on a result of said validating and a result of said determining,

wherein the determining includes determining whether or not the response message has been received and when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received, determining whether an elapsed time from a time of sending the check packet exceeds the predetermined time and limiting the usage rights when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received and the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating said transmission information to include count information indicating a number of check packets sent to said receiving apparatus.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining said response time to be the elapsed time measured from the time of sending said check packet to a time of receiving said response message.

15. A method of receiving content data at a receiving apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a check packet sent from a transmitting apparatus using User Datagram Protocol (UDP), wherein said check packet includes transmission information and is generated by said transmitting apparatus based on a counter value, which is incremented by a constant value;

generating acknowledgment information based on said counter value included in said check packet, a shared secret key shared with said transmitting apparatus, a hash and said transmission information included in said check packet;

transmitting, to said transmitting apparatus, a response message to said check packet, said response message including said acknowledgement information; and

receiving said content data from said transmitting apparatus, which determines whether said content data will be limited in usage right based on a validation of said acknowledgement information, and a response time of said response message received from said receiving apparatus,

wherein the transmitting apparatus further determines whether or not the response message has been received and when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received, the transmitting apparatus determines whether an elapsed time from a time of sending the check packet exceeds the predetermined time and limits the usage rights when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received and the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said transmission information included in said check packet includes count information indicating a number of check packets sent to said receiving apparatus.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting said response message after a number of received check packets is equal to said count information indicating a total number of check packets sent to said receiving apparatus.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said response time is the elapsed time measured from the time of sending said check packet to a time of receiving said response message.

19. A non-transitory storage medium configured to store computer program instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform a method of transmitting content data from a transmitting apparatus, the method comprising:

generating a check packet based on a counter value, which is incremented by a constant value;

transmitting said check packet to a receiving apparatus using User Datagram Protocol (UDP);

receiving a response message to said check packet from said receiving apparatus, said response message including acknowledgement information based on said counter value included in said check packet, a shared secret key shared with said receiving apparatus, a hash and transmission information included in said check packet;

validating said acknowledgement based on said shared secret key;

measuring a response time of said response message from said receiving apparatus;

determining whether said response time of said acknowledgement message is less than a predetermined time; and

judging whether content data transmitted to said receiving apparatus will be limited in usage right based on a result of said validating and a result of said determining,

wherein the determining includes determining whether or not the response message has been received and when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received, determining whether an elapsed time from a time of sending the check packet exceeds the predetermined time and limiting the usage rights when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received and the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time.

20. A non-transitory storage medium configured to store computer program instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform a method of receiving content data at a receiving apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a check packet sent from a transmitting apparatus using User Datagram Protocol (UDP), wherein said check packet includes transmission information and is generated by said transmitting apparatus based on a counter value, which is incremented by a constant value;

generating acknowledgment information based on said counter value included in said check packet, a shared secret key shared with said transmitting apparatus, a hash and said transmission information included in said check packet;

transmitting, to said transmitting apparatus, a response message to said check packet, said response message including said acknowledgement information; and

receiving said content data from said transmitting apparatus, which determines whether said content data will be limited in usage right based on a validation of said acknowledgement information, and a response time of said response message received from said receiving apparatus,

wherein the transmitting apparatus further determines whether or not the response message has been received and when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received, the transmitting apparatus determines whether an elapsed time from a time of sending the check packet exceeds the predetermined time and limits the usage rights when it is determined that the response message has not yet been received and the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time.

21. A data transmitting apparatus comprising:

a transmitting unit connected to a first network and configured to transmit a check packet using Transmission Control Protocol (TCP);

a control unit configured to receive TCP acknowledgement message to the check packet from the data receiving apparatus, the acknowledgment message including acknowledgment information based on a shared secret key shared with said data receiving apparatus;

a computing unit configured to compute an expected acknowledgment information based on the shared secret key shared with said data receiving apparatus;

a comparing unit configured to produce a comparison result for said data receiving apparatus based on the acknowledgment reformation and the expected acknowledgment information;

a timer configured to determine whether a response time of the acknowledgment message is less than a predetermined time; and

a judgment unit configured to judge whether subsequent content data transmitted to said data receiving apparatus will be limited in usage right based on the comparison result and the determination of the time, if the data receiving apparatus is connected through wide area network (WAN), a transmission of the content is limited.

22. A data transmitting apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

a user input interface to input user operation.

23. A data transmitting apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the content data includes a video content.

24. A data receiving apparatus receiving data from a data transmitting apparatus which includes a timer for measuring time from sending a check packet to the data receiving apparatus to receiving a response to the check packet and a comparison unit which compares an expected value based on a shared secret key shared with the data receiving apparatus and the response based on the shared key, the data receiving apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive the check packet from the data transmitting apparatus in a first network using Transmission Control Protocol (TCP); and

a control unit configured to send a TCP acknowledgment message to the check packet from the data transmitting apparatus, the acknowledgment message including

acknowledgment information based on the shared secret key shared with said data transmitting apparatus,

wherein the acknowledgment message is used for limiting a transmission of subsequent content data from the data transmitting apparatus to the data receiving apparatus, if the transmitting apparatus and the data receiving apparatus are connected through wide area network (WAN).

25. A data receiving apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the content data includes a video content.