System, apparatus, and method of contents distribution, and program and program recording medium directed to the same
First Claim
1. A content distribution system in which a content distribution apparatus distributes a content to at least one user terminal, wherein, in response to a request for use of a content transmitted from the at least one user terminal, and based on information concerning content usage including usage rules which are prescribed respectively corresponding to a plurality of usage modes, the content distribution apparatus dynamically generates a license stipulating a usage rule corresponding to a usage mode of the requested content, and transmits the generated license to the user terminal, and the user terminal controls use of the content in accordance with the received license.
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Abstract
There is provided a content distribution system which is capable of a distributing a content in accordance with a requested data format or the capabilities of a terminal used, and which can eliminate inequity associated with content distribution in different data formats, by altering a usage rule. During content purchase processing, in a content distribution apparatus 1, information concerning use of a content purchased by a user is registered in the user'"'"'s right database 20 based on a user database 18 and a content right database 19. For each content, the content right database 19 previously stores one or more units of information concerning content usage including usage rules for different usage modes. During content use processing, based on the registered information, the content distribution apparatus 1 transmits to the user terminal 3 a license stipulating a usage rule corresponding to the usage mode of a requested content.
97 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A content distribution system in which a content distribution apparatus distributes a content to at least one user terminal,
wherein, in response to a request for use of a content transmitted from the at least one user terminal, and based on information concerning content usage including usage rules which are prescribed respectively corresponding to a plurality of usage modes, the content distribution apparatus dynamically generates a license stipulating a usage rule corresponding to a usage mode of the requested content, and transmits the generated license to the user terminal, and the user terminal controls use of the content in accordance with the received license.
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7. A content distribution method for allowing a content distribution apparatus to distribute a content to at least one user terminal,
wherein, at a time of content purchasing, the user terminal notifies to the content distribution apparatus that a content is purchased in a usage mode; -
the content distribution apparatus registers user-related information concerning a user having purchased a content, and registers a right granted to the user having purchased the content based on information concerning content usage including usage rules which are prescribed respectively corresponding to a plurality of usage modes and based on the user-related information, and wherein, at a time of content using, the user terminal transmits to the content distribution apparatus a request for use of a content including information concerning a usage mode of the content;
in accordance with the request for use transmitted from the user terminal, the content distribution apparatus dynamically generates a license stipulating a usage rule corresponding to the usage mode of the requested content, and transmits the generated license to the user terminal; and
the user terminal uses and manages the requested content in accordance with the license transmitted from the content distribution apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A content distribution program executed by a content distribution apparatus for distributing a content to at least one user terminal, comprising:
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a step of registering user-related information concerning a user having purchased a content;
a step of registering a right granted to the user having purchased the content based on information concerning content usage including usage rules which are prescribed respectively corresponding to a plurality of usage modes and based on the user-related information;
a step of dynamically generating a license stipulating a usage rule corresponding to the usage mode of the requested content, in accordance with the request for use transmitted from the user terminal at a time of content using; and
a step of transmitting the generated license to the user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A content distribution program to be executed by at least one user terminal receiving a content distributed from a content distribution apparatus, comprising:
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a step of, at a time of content purchasing, notifying to the content distribution apparatus that a content is purchased in a usage mode;
a step of, at a time of content using, transmitting to the content distribution apparatus a request for use of a content including information concerning a usage mode of the content; and
a step of using and managing the requested content in accordance with the license transmitted from the content distribution apparatus.
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25. A recording medium having recorded thereon a content distribution program executed by a content distribution apparatus for distributing a content to at least one user terminal, the program at least comprising:
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a step of registering user-related information concerning a user having purchased a content;
a step of registering a right granted to the user having purchased the content based on information concerning content usage including usage rules which are prescribed respectively corresponding to a plurality of usage modes and based on the user-related information;
a step of dynamically generating a license stipulating a usage rule corresponding to the usage mode of the requested content, in accordance with the request for use transmitted from the user terminal at a time of content using; and
a step of transmitting the generated license to the user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A recording medium having recorded thereon a content distribution program to be executed by at least one user terminal receiving a content distributed from a content distribution apparatus, the program at least comprising:
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a step of, at a time of content purchasing, notifying to the content distribution apparatus that a content is purchased in a usage mode;
a step of, at a time of content using, transmitting to the content distribution apparatus a request for use of a content including information concerning a usage mode of the content; and
a step of using and managing the requested content in accordance with the license transmitted from the content distribution apparatus.
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29. A content distribution apparatus for distributing a content to at least one user terminal, comprising:
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a user database operable to store user-related information;
a content right database operable to store, for each content, information concerning content usage including usage rules which are prescribed respectively corresponding to a plurality of usage modes;
a user'"'"'s right database operable to store a right granted to a user;
a content database operable to store contents;
a user right registration section operable to register a right granted to a user having purchased a content in the user'"'"'s right database based on the user-related information and the information concerning content usage;
a user right generation section operable to generate, in response to a request for use of a content transmitted from the at least one user terminal, a license including a usage rule corresponding to the usage mode of the requested content;
a content management section in charge of management/control of contents; and
a communication section operable to transmit and receive the license, the content, and the request for use to/from the user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification