Access control method and storage apparatus

• US 20030142822A1
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Anzai, Ichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,397,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/201
• 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 20/00231 wherein the key is obtained from a local external medium, e.g. a card
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00246 wherein the key is obtained from a local device, e.g. device key initially stored by the player or by the recorder
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00528 wherein each title is encrypted with a separate encryption key for each title, e.g. title key for movie, song or data file
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00695 said measures preventing that data are read from the recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0071 involving a purchase action
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0084 wherein the usage restriction can be expressed as a specific time or date

Abstract

An access control method controls access to a storage medium in a storage apparatus, by obtaining key data valid information which indicates whether or not a key data is valid, and enciphering data to be recorded in the storage medium using the key data only when the key data valid information is turned ON.

Claims

1. An access control method for controlling access to a storage medium in a storage apparatus, comprising the steps of:

obtaining key data valid information which indicates whether or not a key data is valid; and

enciphering data to be recorded in the storage medium using the key data only when the key data valid information is turned ON.

2. The access control method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

holding the key data in the storage apparatus,

said step of obtaining key data obtains one of;

a key data transferred from a host unit which is coupled to the storage apparatus;

a key data read from a memory in the storage apparatus;

a key data reproduced from the storage medium; and

a key data read from a recording medium other than the storage medium.

3. The access control method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

turning OFF the key data valid information at an arbitrary timing.

4. The access control method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said arbitrary timing is one of a timing when a used time of the storage medium reaches a predetermined time and a timing when a predetermined time elapses from a last time the storage medium is used.

5. The access control method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

prohibiting at least one of a read access and a write access with respect to the storage medium when the key data valid information is turned OFF.

6. An access control method for controlling access to a storage medium in a storage apparatus, comprising the steps of:

obtaining key data valid information which indicates whether or not a key data is valid; and

deciphering data reproduced from the storage medium using the key data only when the key data valid information is turned ON.

7. The access control method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the step of:

holding the key data in the storage apparatus,

said step of obtaining key data obtains one of;

a key data transferred from a host unit which is coupled to the storage apparatus;

a key data read from a memory in the storage apparatus;

a key data reproduced from the storage medium; and

a key data read from a recording medium other than the storage medium.

8. The access control method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the step of:

turning OFF the key data valid information at an arbitrary timing.

9. The access control method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said arbitrary timing is one of a timing when a used time of the storage medium reaches a predetermined time and a timing when a predetermined time elapses from a last time the storage medium is used.

10. The access control method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the step of:

prohibiting at least one of a read access and a write access with respect to the storage medium when the key data valid information is turned OFF.

11. A storage apparatus comprising:

a recording section recording data in a storage medium;

an enciphering circuit; and

a control unit, responsive to key data valid information which indicates whether or not a key data is valid, carrying out a control to supply data to be recorded in the storage medium to said recording section after enciphering the data by said enciphering circuit using the key data only when the key data valid information is turned ON, and bypassing said enciphering circuit to supply the data to be recorded in the storage medium to said recording section when the key data valid information is turned OFF.

12. The storage apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a key data holding circuit holding the key data,

said key data being transferred from a host unit which is coupled to the storage apparatus, read from a memory in the storage apparatus, reproduced from the storage medium or read from a recording medium other than the storage medium.

13. The storage apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

means for turning OFF the key data valid information at an arbitrary timing.

14. The storage apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said arbitrary timing is one of a timing when a used time of the storage medium reaches a predetermined time and a timing when a predetermined time elapses from a last time the storage medium is used.

15. The storage apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said control unit prohibits at least one of a read access and a write access with respect to the storage medium when the key data valid information is turned OFF.

16. A storage apparatus comprising:

a reproducing section reproducing data from a storage medium;

a deciphering circuit; and

a control unit, responsive to key data valid information which indicates whether or not a key data is valid, carrying out a control to supply the data reproduced from the storage medium by said reproducing section to said deciphering circuit to decipher the reproduced data using the key data only when the key data valid information is turned ON, and bypassing said deciphering circuit so as not to decipher the reproduced data when the key data valid information is turned OFF.

17. The storage apparatus as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

a key data holding circuit holding the key data,

said key data being transferred from a host unit which is coupled to the storage apparatus, read from a memory in the storage apparatus, reproduced from the storage medium or read from a recording medium other than the storage medium.

18. The storage apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

means for turning OFF the key data valid information at an arbitrary timing.

19. The storage apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said arbitrary timing is one of a timing when a used time of the storage medium reaches a predetermined time and a timing when a predetermined time elapses from a last time the storage medium is used.

20. The storage apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said control unit prohibits at least one of a read access and a write access with respect to the storage medium when the key data valid information is turned OFF.

21. A storage apparatus comprising:

a recording section recording data in a storage medium;

an enciphering circuit; and

a switching circuit supplying the data to be recorded to said recording section after enciphering the data by said enciphering circuit using a key data or, supplying the data to be recorded to said recording section by bypassing said enciphering circuit, based on key data valid information which indicates whether or not the key data is valid.

22. A storage apparatus comprising:

a reproducing section reproducing data from a storage medium;

a deciphering circuit; and

a switching circuit supplying the data reproduced from the storage medium by said recording section to said deciphering circuit to be deciphered using a key data or, bypassing said deciphering circuit, based on key data valid information which indicates whether or not the key data is valid.

23. A business method for providing a storage medium which is recorded with pay-contents enciphered using a key data, comprising the step of:

turning OFF at an arbitrary timing key data valid information which must be turned ON when deciphering the enciphered pay-contents from the storage medium, so as to enable deciphering of the enciphered pay-contents only for a predetermined time.

24. The business method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said arbitrary timing is one of a timing when a used time of the storage medium reaches a predetermined time and a timing when a predetermined time elapses from a last time the storage medium is used.