JP2000222363A - Content management system and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] (with correction) [Problem] To provide a digital rights box at a distributed base such as a store or a home to perform rights management on behalf of the communication device, thereby reducing communication costs and preventing unauthorized use. A content usage condition registered in a content management table is satisfied when a content usage permission request is issued from a user terminal, and a terminal ID or a user ID is registered in the terminal management table. A content management means for permitting use of the content and returning an encryption key to the content license requester when necessary, and connecting to the center via a line at the time of start-up or as needed to store the content management table and the terminal management table. In addition to receiving and storing the download, a means for uploading the contents of the content use management table to the center via a line as needed is provided in the distributed base system.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a content management system for managing content and a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when using and managing contents such as music, if the system is operated only with a system installed in a store or a home, the management of the rights of the contents cannot be performed, and the right holder can obtain a legitimate profit. It will be difficult. For this reason,
A centralized rights management center or the like is provided and connected to a system installed in a store or home via a telephone line, and the centralized rights management center collects licenses for contents and collects usage fees.

[0003]

However, the content right central management center is directly connected from a store or a home to receive and use the desired content downloaded and manage the usage fee by the content right central management center. Since the collection was performed, every time the content is used, it is necessary to directly connect to the content right central management center via a line, receive a list of the content to be used, and download the content selected from the list. There has been a problem that the amount of data transferred between the central management center and the store or the home increases, the communication cost increases, and much time is required.

[0004] The present invention solves these problems,
Digital rights boxes are set up at distributed bases such as stores and homes to manage rights by acting as a substitute for rights management, and when the possibility of unauthorized use is detected, the function of the digital rights box is automatically stopped and illegal use is performed. The purpose is to prevent.

[0005]

Means for solving the problem will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4. 1 and 4, a distributed base system 11 is a computer system provided in a store or a home, and includes a digital right box 12, a terminal 21, and the like.

The digital rights box 12 is connected to the center 1 by a line as required. In this case, the contents management table 13, the contents use management table 14, the terminal management table 15, the contents management means 1
6 and server cooperation means 17.

[0007] The content management table 13 is for registering and managing content usage conditions. The content usage management table 14 stores the terminal ID or the user I
The content licensed and the content licensed are registered and managed in association with D.

The terminal management table 15 registers and manages terminal IDs or user IDs to be licensed. The content management means 16 satisfies the content use conditions registered in the content management table 13 when a content license request is issued from the user terminal, and stores the terminal ID or the user ID in the terminal management table 15.
Is registered, and the use of the content is permitted and, if necessary, the encryption key is returned to the source of the content license request.

The server linking means 17 is connected to the center 1 via the line when the distributed base system 11 is started or at any time.
And downloads and stores the content management table 13 and the terminal management table 15 and uploads the contents of the content usage management table 14 to the center 1 via a line as needed.

Next, the operation will be described. The content management means 16 satisfies the content use conditions registered in the content management table 13 when the content use permission request is received from the user terminal, and the terminal management table 15
When the terminal ID or the user ID is registered in the server, the content use is permitted and, if necessary, the encryption key is returned to the content use permission request source. Alternatively, the content management table 13 and the terminal management table 15 can be downloaded and stored by connecting to the center 1 via a line at any time, and the center 1 can be connected via the line at any time.
Then, the content of the content usage management table 14 is uploaded.

At this time, when the fraud prevention means 19 is connected to the center 1 via a line, the operation status is checked and the operation is automatically stopped when it is determined that the fraudulent use state is found.

Also, when communication with the center 1 is not normally performed during a predetermined time with the distributed base system 11, when unauthorized access to the distributed base system 11 is continued a predetermined number of times, or when the distributed base system 11 When a third party illegally accesses various tables, it is determined that the table is in an unauthorized use state, and the operation is stopped.

Therefore, the digital rights box 12 is provided at a distributed base such as a store or a home to manage the rights by acting as a substitute for the rights management, and to reduce the communication cost. Can be automatically stopped to prevent unauthorized use.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments and operation of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, a center 1 centrally manages contents, and here, a digital rights box linking means 2, a contents management table 3, a contents use management table 4, a terminal management table 5, a contents management means 6, and the like. It is composed of

The digital rights box cooperation means 2 manages contents in cooperation with a plurality of distributed base systems 11 connected via the line 7, as shown in a flowchart of FIG. The content is managed in cooperation with a digital right box 12 provided in the distributed base system 11.

The content management table 3 manages content usage conditions and the like, and is a content management table 1 to be downloaded to the distributed base system 11.
3 (see (a) of FIG. 3).

The content usage management table 4 manages the usage status of the content, and comprehensively manages all the content usage management tables 14 uploaded from the distributed base system 11 ((c) in FIG. 3). )reference).

The terminal management table 5 manages all terminal IDs or user IDs that are permitted to use content (see FIG. 3B). The content management means 6 manages the usage status of the content in coordination with the distributed base system 11.

The distributed base system 11 is a computer system provided in a store or a home and is connected to the center 1 via a line as necessary to exchange various data. Only the box 12 and the terminal 21 or the digital right box 12 are provided and the terminal 21 is connected via a line or a LAN.

The digital rights box 12 manages the license and usage status of the content in a distributed manner. In this case, the content management table 13, the content usage management table 14, the terminal management table 15, the content management means 16 , And server cooperation means 17.

The content management table 13 manages content usage conditions and the like. As shown in FIG. 3A described below, the content management table 13 associates content conditions with usage conditions (copy, trial, BGM, etc.). Are registered in advance and downloaded from the center 1 and stored.

The content usage management table 14 registers and manages the usage status of the content, and is used in association with the terminal ID or the user ID as shown in FIG. Content ID, usage results (for example, listening to CDs, copying and selling to media),
It registers and manages the use date and time, user name, sales, and the like. The contents of the content usage management table 14 are as follows:
Periodically or sequentially, the information is registered in the content use management table 4 on the center side via the line to the center 1 and managed collectively.

The terminal management table 15 is for registering a terminal ID or a user ID for using the content in advance, and is qualified to permit the use of the content as shown in FIG. The terminal ID or the user ID is registered in advance. The contents of the terminal management table 15 are stored in the digital right box S12 from the center 1 in S1 of FIG.
4 and registered.

The content management means 16 manages the use of the content.
3 and the terminal ID or the user ID has been registered in the terminal management table 15, the permission to use the content and, if necessary, the use of an encryption key For example, it is returned to the original, or the content of the license is registered and managed.

The server cooperation means 17 is connected to the center 1 via a line when the distributed base system 11 is started up or at any time.
And downloads and stores the content management table 13 and the terminal management table 15 and uploads the contents of the content usage management table 14 to the center 1 via a line as needed.

The terminal 21 is connected to the digital rights box 12 to notify a license request for the content and to receive (download) the content so that the user can use (use) the content. It comprises a use unit 22, a processing unit 23, an input device 24, an output device 25, and the like.

The content use means 22 issues a content license request to the digital rights box 12, and when the license is granted, downloads the content and the encryption key.
Alternatively, a previously distributed CD set in the terminal 21
Downloads only the encryption key to decrypt from and uses the content decrypted with the encryption key (for example, listening to music)
It is something to do.

The processing means 23 performs various kinds of processing, and restores usable contents by decrypting based on the encryption key. The input device 24 is for inputting various data and instructions. For example, a content list is displayed on the screen of the output device 25, and one content to be used is selected from the list (for example, by clicking one with a mouse). Or select).

The output devices 25 are various output devices such as a display device for displaying a list of contents, a speaker for producing music when the contents are music, and a recording device for recording music on a cassette tape.

Next, the operation of the configuration of FIG. 1 will be described in detail according to the order of the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, S1 transfers a content management table and a terminal management table. In this case, the digital rights box cooperation means 2 of the center 1 in FIG. 1 transfers the contents of the contents management table 3 and the terminal management table 5 to the digital rights box 12 in the distributed base system 11 via the line 7.

At S2, the content management table and the terminal management table are received and stored. That is, the contents of the content management table and the terminal management table received by the digital right box 12 are registered and stored in the content management table 13 and the terminal management table 15 of the digital rights box 12. As a result, the content management table 13 and the terminal management table 15 in the digital right box 12 provided in the distributed base system 11 are initialized (contents are downloaded from the center 1 and registered and initialized) to be ready for use. It will be.

In step S3, the operation status is checked. This is because the operation status of the digital right box 12 is checked upon the receipt and accumulation from the center 1 in S2, and it is determined that the digital right box 12 has been illegally used. For example, communication with the center 1 is normal for two days. The digital rights box 12 has been illegally accessed from the outside via a line a predetermined number of times.
If there is unauthorized access to the various tables in the digital rights box 12 without permission, the operation is automatically stopped to disable use. On the other hand, if it is determined that the unauthorized use has not been made, the following S6 and the like are performed. And the license of the content is performed.

In step S4, a content to be used by the terminal 21 is selected (for example, a CD to be previewed). In this operation, the user operates the terminal 21 shown in FIG. 1, displays a content list on the screen, and selects one content to be sampled.

In step S5, the digital rights box 12 is notified of a content use application (report of trial listening). S
In step 6, the digital rights box 12 receiving the notification in S5 manages the rights of the content. This is because, for the content for which the content management means 16 constituting the digital rights box 12 has been notified of the trial listening request, the trial permission is registered here with reference to the content management table 13 of FIG. Since the terminal ID or the user ID for which the preview request has been made is registered here with reference to the terminal management table 15 and it is determined that the user is qualified for the preview, the terminal 21 that has requested the content to be previewed has been requested. And the content usage status is stored.

Step S7 manages the encryption key. this is,
Permission to use contents in S6 (for example, permission to listen to CD)
Therefore, the requesting terminal 21 is notified of the encryption key for decrypting the content.

In step S8, the content is used (for example, a CD is previewed). This is because the use permission of the content is received in S6, and the encryption key for decrypting the content is received in S7.
Using the encryption key, decrypt the encrypted content downloaded from the digital rights box 12 or the encrypted content read from the previously distributed CD and use the content (for example, by playing the music in the CD, Listen).

In step S9, the result of use of the content is reported (for example, the result of listening to a CD is heard). In S10, the digital right box 12, which has received the declaration of the result of using the content from the terminal 21 in S9, manages the result of using the content. Here, the content ID used by the content management means 16 in the digital rights box 12 in the content usage management table 14 shown in FIG. 3C (to be described later) in association with the terminal ID (or user ID) using the content. , Usage results (e.g., audition, copy, etc.)
Register and manage usage dates, user names, sales, etc.

In step S11, a content use management table is transmitted. In this case, the usage status of the content registered and managed in the content usage management table 14 in S10 at any time or periodically is transmitted to the center 1 collectively.

In step S12, the operation status is checked in the digital right box 12. This is because, similarly to S3, the digital rights box 12 is checked for unauthorized use, and if it is determined that the digital rights box 12 has been used illegally as described above,
The operation of the digital rights box 12 is automatically stopped to prevent unauthorized use by a third party.

In step S13, the content management table is received. This is because the center 1 receives the content of the content usage management table 14 transmitted in S11, registers the content in the content usage management table 4 of the center 1 and supervises and manages the content. User ID
(Or terminal ID) is collected.

As described above, the distributed base system 11 is provided in a store or a home and connected to the center 1 by a line as necessary, and the digital right box 12 provided in the distributed base system 11 is used by the center 1 for content management. The content of the content management table 13 and the terminal management table 15 are transferred to the content management table 13 and the terminal management table 15, and are stored in the content management table 13 and the terminal management table 15. When the use of the requested content is permitted by referring to the terminal management table 15 and the user is qualified to use the content, the content use permission and the encryption key are returned to the terminal 21 and the use from the terminal 21 is performed. Based on the declaration (or based on the information at the time of use permission), Register the use result of content to manage the Ceiling use management table 14. Then, the contents of the content use management table 14 can be transferred to the center 1 periodically or successively, and the center 1 can collectively manage the contents and collect the result of use of the contents for each user and perform billing. Become.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a table according to the present invention. FIG.
10A shows an example of a content management table. The content management table 13 is provided in the digital rights box 12 of FIG. 1 and managed. The usage conditions of the content are downloaded from the center 1 in association with the content ID of the content. It is registered and accumulated as follows.

・ Content ID: # 111 ・ Usage conditions: Copy, trial listening, BGM, etc. ・ Right holder information: ・ Distribution information: Information necessary for distributing the usage fee ・ Others: The right holder information is shown in FIG. 4 (a-1). The distribution information is information necessary for distributing the usage fee to the right holder.

FIG. 3 (a-1) shows details (content # 11) of the right holder information of FIG. 3 (a). Here, the horizontal column indicates the distinction of use conditions (use conditions such as sales, samples, promotions, and lending), and the vertical column indicates output (output such as duplication, display, audio output, and print). Show. For each use condition (use condition such as sales, sample, promotion, loan, etc.), its output (for example, duplication, display,
Audio output, output such as printing, etc.) are set in detail in the usage form. For example, for the usage condition “sales”, the setting is made such that “from x month x day” copying is permitted in the case of output “copy”. As a result, the illustrated content # 11
Is permitted to be copied from x month x day.

FIG. 3B shows an example of the terminal management table. As shown in the figure, the terminal management table 15 is a table in which terminal IDs or user IDs who are qualified to download contents or use contents from CDs distributed in advance are downloaded from the center 1 and registered.

FIG. 3C shows an example of a content use management table. This content usage management table 14
Is provided in the digital right box 12 of FIG. 1 and managed by registering and managing the content ID and use result of the content used in association with the terminal ID (or user ID). .

• Terminal ID (user ID): # 111 • Content ID: # 11 • Usage result: copy • Date and time of use: • User name: • Sales: • Others: FIG. 4 shows the digital rights box of the present invention. FIG. This is a detailed configuration diagram of the digital right box 12 of FIG. 1, and 13 to 17 are the same as those of the same number of FIG.

In FIG. 4, the content data registration means 18 stores the data (terminal ID,
For example, the used content ID, use (use) result, use date and time, user name, and data such as sales) are registered in the content use management table 15.

The fraud preventing means 19 is for preventing unauthorized use of the digital rights box 12. For example, if the digital rights box 12 is found to be fraudulent as a result of the checks in S3 and S12 in FIG. 12 is automatically stopped to prevent unauthorized use.

The encryption management means 20 manages an encryption key for decrypting the content, and manages the encryption key so that a third party cannot illegally decrypt and use (use) the content. .

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart for preventing unauthorized use according to the present invention. In FIG. 5, S21 is a DR from the center.
The content management table and the terminal management table are transferred to B (digital rights box 12).

In step S22, use management of the content is performed by the DRB. This is because the content management table and the terminal management table are transferred from the center 1 in S21 in FIG.
Is registered as a content management table 13 and a terminal management table 15 and stores the information therein. In response to a content licensing request from the terminal 21, the content management table 13
In addition, when it is determined that the use condition of the content is satisfied with reference to the terminal management table 15 and that the user has the legitimate content use qualification, the content use permission and the encryption key are notified to permit the use of the content. , The content usage status is registered and managed in the content usage management table 14.

In step S23, the content use management table is transferred from the DRB to the center. In this case, the contents of the content use management table 14 for registering and managing the use state of the contents in S22 are transferred to the center 1 and collectively managed by the center 1 to collect money and the like.

At S24, it is determined whether a communication error has occurred. YES
In the case of, the process proceeds to S25. In the case of NO, since the contents of the content use management table 14 have been normally transferred from the digital right box 12 to the center 1 in S23, the process ends normally.

In step S25, since it has been determined that a communication error has occurred in step S24, it is further determined whether the error has exceeded a threshold value. In the case of YES, it is determined that a communication error between the digital rights box 12 and the center 1 has exceeded the threshold value and has been illegally used. Therefore, in S26, the self-function is stopped, that is, the digital rights box 12 stops operating. Prevent unauthorized use. On the other hand, in the case of NO in S25, S2
An error is recorded at 7, and the processing ends.

As described above, the digital rights box 12
When the contents such as the contents use management table 14 are transferred from the server to the center 1, if a communication error continues and occurs more than a predetermined number of times, it is determined that the digital rights box 12 has been illegally used, and The digital right box 12 stops the operation by itself, so that it does not operate again even if the power is turned on or reset, and the operation can be stopped by automatically detecting unauthorized use.
It should be noted that the unauthorized use is determined not only when the communication error described above continues for a predetermined number of times, but also when S3 and S12 in FIG.
As described above, when unauthorized access to the digital rights box 12 is repeated a predetermined number of times via a line or a network, it is determined that the digital rights box 12 is unauthorizedly used, or various tables in the digital rights box 12 are accessed without a specific permission signal. In this case, the digital rights box 12 stops the operation by itself, and in such a case, the digital rights box 12 does not operate again even if the power is turned on or reset, thereby preventing the unauthorized use.

[0059]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Digital rights box 12 at distributed locations such as stores and homes
Is provided to reduce the communication cost by acting as a right management, and when the possibility of unauthorized use is detected, the function of the digital right box 12 is automatically stopped to prevent unauthorized use.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example of a table according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a detailed configuration diagram of a digital rights box according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for preventing unauthorized use according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Center 2: Digital rights box cooperation means 3, 13: Content management table 4, 14: Content usage management table 5, 15: Terminal management table 6, 16: Content management means 7: Line 11: Distributed base system 12: Digital Rights box 17: Server cooperation means 18: Content data registration means 19: Fraud prevention means 21: Terminal 22: Content utilization means 23: Processing means 24: Input device 25: Output device

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5B049 AA05 BB60 CC09 5B085 AE06 BE07 BG06 5B089 GA11 GA21 HA01 JB16 KA13 KA16 KA17 KB04 KB06 KC15 KE02

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A content management system for managing content, comprising: a content management table for registering content use conditions; a terminal management table for registering a terminal ID or user ID to be licensed; Content management table for registering and managing the licensed content and the licensed content in association with the user ID, and the content management table registered in the content management table when there is a content license request from the user terminal. If the content use condition is satisfied and the terminal I
A content management means for permitting use of the content and returning an encryption key to the content license requester if necessary when the D or the user ID is registered; And a means for uploading the contents of the content use management table to the center via a line as needed while connecting to the PC and receiving and downloading the contents management table and the terminal management table. Content management system characterized by the following. 2. An anti-fraud means for automatically stopping the operation of each of the above-mentioned means when the operation status is checked and found to be an illegal use state when connected to the center via the above line, in the distributed base system. The content management system according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. When the communication with the center is not normally performed between the distributed base system and a predetermined date and time, when unauthorized access to the distributed base system is continued for a predetermined number of times, 3. The content management system according to claim 2, further comprising means for judging an unauthorized use state when a third party accesses the table illegally. 4. A means for registering a use condition of a content in a content management table, a means for registering a terminal ID or a user ID to be used in a terminal management table, and associating the terminal ID or a user ID with a licensed terminal. Means for registering and managing the content licensed by the user and the licensed content in the content usage management table, and the content usage conditions registered in the content management table when the content license is requested from the user terminal. And the terminal management table contains the terminal I
A content management means for permitting use of the content and returning an encryption key to the content license requester if necessary when the D or the user ID is registered; And a computer readable recording of a program for functioning as a means for uploading the contents of the content use management table to the center via a line at any time while receiving and storing the download of the content management table and the terminal management table. Recording medium.