Access control method and storage apparatus

• US 7,397,919 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Anzai, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, THANHNGA B
• Application Number:
  US10/267,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20030142822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,100 Days
• Field of Search: 380/201, 380/203, 380/277, 380281-282, 380/30, 380/44, 713182-185, 713/156, 711163-164, 726/9, 726/2, 705/50, 705/57, 707/9, 707/10, 709/203, 709/224
• US Class Current: 380/203
• 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 a key data selected from a group consisting of a key data transferred from a host unit which is coupled to 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;

obtaining, from a memory within the storage apparatus, key data valid information which indicates whether or not the obtained key data is valid; and

deciphering without user interaction data reproduced from the storage medium using the key data only when the key data valid information is turned ON to indicate that the key data is valid; and

turning OFF the key data valid information to indicate that the key data is invalid, at an arbitrary timing,

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.

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

holding the key data in a holding circuit within the storage apparatus.

3. 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 to indicate that the key data is invalid.

4. A control apparatus for controlling access to a storage medium in a storage apparatus, comprising:

a key data holding circuit configured to obtain a key data selected from a group consisting of a key data transferred from a host unit which is coupled to 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;

a microprocessor unit configured to obtain, from a memory within the storage apparatus, key data valid information which indicates whether or not the obtained key data is valid and further configured to turn OFF the key data valid information to indicate that the key data is invalid, at an arbitrary timing; and

a deciphering circuit configured to decipher without user interaction data reproduced from the storage medium using the key data only when the key data valid information is turned ON to indicate that the key data is valid,

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.