JP2003288274A - Digital content rental management method and rental management system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To allow a user to easily rent digital contents, and also to prevent the rental period from being unduly lengthened by illegally operating a built-in clock means with a computer. SOLUTION: Digital content rental server 1
Provides playback application software and digital content for playing back digital content to the client 4, and the client 4 obtains date and time information from the time server 8 that provides standard date and time information according to a program included in the playback application software. When the rental period has expired, the digital content is deleted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital content rental management method and management system for renting and managing digital content such as digital video data such as movie works and digital music data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method for renting digital contents such as movie works, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-3
There is a publication of 38049. This method of renting digital contents comprises installing playback software capable of playing digital contents in a user's computer, downloading digital contents playable by the playback software to the computer, and downloading the digital contents to the computer. When the rental period has elapsed, the digital content is deleted from the computer, and the program for measuring the time and the program for deleting the digital content are installed in the playback software. There is something.

[0003]

In such a conventional example, if the date and time information is changed by improperly operating the calendar function by the built-in clocking means of the computer, the rental period is unduly lengthened and the digital content is changed. There is a risk of being watched.

The present invention was devised in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to easily rent digital contents such as movie works, and moreover, illegally operate a built-in clocking means in a computer to make a rental period. It is an object of the present invention to provide a rental management method and rental management system for digital contents that are not unduly prolonged.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows.

That is, in the digital content rental management method of the present invention, the digital content rental server rents digital content in response to a request from a client via a computer network and manages the rental period. Of the rental management method, wherein the client installs a reproduction application software for reproducing digital content in a predetermined format, and the rental server stores the digital content and rental period data in response to a request from the client. Providing the digital content to the client via the computer network, the client downloading the digital content, the client playing the playback content. The date and time information is provided from the date and time information providing server that provides standard date and time information according to the program included in the application software, and the client obtains the date and time according to the program included in the playback application software. Based on the information, it is determined whether or not the rental period has passed, and when the rental period has passed, a step of disabling the reproduction of the downloaded digital content is performed.

According to the present invention, according to the program included in the reproduction application software installed by the client, the date and time information is acquired from the date and time information providing server which provides the standard date and time information via the computer network, and the acquired date and time. Since the rental period is managed based on the information, it is possible to prevent the rental period from being unduly lengthened even if the client's built-in clocking means is illegally operated.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A method of managing rental of digital contents according to claim 1 of the present invention is such that a rental server for digital contents rents digital contents in response to a request from a client via a computer network. A method for managing rental of digital contents for managing a rental period, wherein the client installs playback application software for playing digital contents in a predetermined format,
The rental server providing digital content and rental period data to the client via the computer network in response to a request from the client; the client downloading the digital content; A step in which the client acquires date and time information from a date and time information providing server that provides standard date and time information via the network according to a program included in the playback application software; and the client according to a program included in the playback application software. Based on the acquired date and time information, it is determined whether or not the rental period has passed, and when the rental period has passed, the downloaded digital content cannot be played back. Is intended to perform the steps of,
Date and time information is obtained from the date and time information providing server that provides standard date and time information via the computer network, and the rental period is managed based on the obtained date and time information. However, it is possible to prevent the rental period from being unduly extended.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the rental server provides the playback application software to the client via the computer network in response to a request from the client. For example, the reproduction application software can be provided from the rental server at the time of the registration procedure of the member who receives the rental of the digital contents.

The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2.
In the invention described above, the client acquires the date and time information in response to a predetermined operation, and the date and time information is obtained in response to a predetermined operation, for example, a power-on operation or a digital content reproduction operation. You will be able to obtain it and check if the rental period has passed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the invention, the client sets the acquired date and time information in a built-in time measuring means, and based on the date and time information measured by the time measuring means, In addition to determining whether or not the rental period has expired, the latest date and time information is reset in the clock means each time date and time information is acquired.
Even after the date and time information is acquired and the next date and time information is acquired, it is possible to check whether or not the rental period has elapsed based on the time counting by the time counting means.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the invention, when the client cannot acquire the latest date and time information from the date and time information providing server, from the acquisition of the previous date and time information until then. During the period, on the condition that no operation is performed on the time measuring means, it is determined whether or not the rental period has expired, based on the date and time information measured by the time measuring means. When the latest date and time information could not be obtained from the providing server, the timekeeping means clocked on the condition that no operation was performed on the timekeeping means, that is, on the condition that there was no fear of an illegal operation on the timekeeping means. Based on the date and time information, it is possible to check whether the rental period has passed.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the rental server and the date and time information providing server are servers of the same operator, and a business for lending digital contents. Since the person himself / herself provides the date / time information for managing the rental period, the rental period can be managed by providing the highly reliable date / time information without the possibility of fraud.

The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the rental period is calculated from the time when the downloaded digital content is first reproduced. Since the rental period is calculated after playing the digital contents in
This is convenient for customers because they can adjust their viewing time to their own daily rhythm.

According to an eighth aspect of the invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, the downloaded digital contents are deleted to make the reproduction impossible, and after the rental period has elapsed. , It is possible to prevent illegal use of digital contents.

In the rental management system for digital contents according to claim 9 of the present invention, a rental server for digital contents rents digital contents according to a request from a client via a computer network and manages the rental period. A rental management system for digital contents, wherein the rental server reads out digital contents from the database in response to a request from a client and a database in which digital contents of a predetermined format are recorded, and the rental period data together with the data. A means for reproducing the provided digital contents, and a date and time information providing server for providing standard date and time information via the computer network. Means for acquiring information, and means for judging whether or not the rental period has expired based on the acquired date and time information and disabling reproduction of the received digital content when the rental period has expired. Since the date and time information is acquired from the date and time information providing server that provides standard date and time information via the computer network, and the rental period is managed based on the acquired date and time information, the client's built-in timing means It is possible to prevent the rental period from being unduly extended even if the operation is performed illegally.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the ninth aspect, the rental server includes means for receiving a registration request from the client, and reproduction application software for reproducing digital content to the registered client. The client includes means for providing, and based on the provided reproduction application software, the client disables reproduction of digital content, acquisition of date and time information, and reproduction of digital content. For example, the client receives rental of digital content. You can receive playback application software from the rental server when you register for membership.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a rental management system for digital contents according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a movie work is taken as an example of digital contents. The description will be made by applying to rental management of digital video data recorded as a digital signal.

The rental server 1 of the digital video data lender is connected to the member computer 4, which is a client, via the telephone line 2 and the Internet 3.

The rental server 1 includes a database 5 in which many movie works are recorded in a digital signal state (digital video data). In addition, the rental server 1 has member-related data such as name, address, credit card number, email address, and ID.
There is provided an external storage device 6 such as a hard disk in which numbers, passwords, names of works rented so far, etc. are recorded. Furthermore, the rental server 1 is provided with a processing unit 7 that performs member registration processing and other processing.
The digital video data is in a predetermined format that is encrypted so that it can be reproduced only by dedicated reproduction application software, not general-purpose reproduction application software. In addition, the amount of data is compressed.

The rental server 1 of the digital video renting business can be accessed via a homepage or the like on the Internet.

The member computer 4 is an ordinary personal computer, and is provided with a display, a CPU, a memory, a hard disk and the like. The computer 4 is connected to the telephone line 2 via a modem device or the like, and can use the Internet 3.

The time server 8 of a standard time provider that provides standard date and time information of Japan standard time, for example, what day, hour, minute and second of Heisei Era, is a client via the telephone line 2 and the Internet 3. The date and time information is provided to the computer 4 that is connected to the computer 4 of a member and has requested to provide the date and time information.

FIG. 2 is a schematic flow chart showing the procedure of the rental management method in the digital content rental management system of FIG.

The rental management method of the present invention basically comprises a step (S1) of registering a rental member to the rental server 1 of a digital video data renting company via the Internet 3 and the rental server 1 A step of providing a reproduction application software for reproducing the digital bio data of a predetermined format to the registered member and installing it on the member's computer 4 (S
2) and a step (S3) in which the rental server 4 provides the requested digital video data and the rental period data from the member computer 4 and downloads the digital video data to the member computer.
Step 4 in which the member's computer 4 acquires the standard time and date data of the standard time from the time server 8 of the standard time provider via the Internet (S4), the member plays the digital video data, or rents based on the standard time and date data. The step (S5) of deleting the digital video data from the member's computer 4 when the period has elapsed.

A program for deleting digital video data is incorporated in the reproduction application software.

FIG. 3 is a schematic flow chart showing a procedure for registering a rental member and installing a reproduction application software, and FIG. 4 is a schematic explanation of a screen displayed on the display of the member's computer 4 at that time. It is a figure.

First, those wishing to register as rental members access the home page shown in FIG. 4 (A) of the digital video lending business operator via the Internet 3 (step S11), and digitally transfer predetermined self-information. Send to the rental server 1 of the video lender (step S
12).

As shown in FIG. 4A, on the screen 9 for inputting self information, a name input section 9a and an address input section 9 are displayed.
b, credit card number input section 9c, e-mail address input section 9d, ID used for settlement of rental fee
There is a number input section 9e and a password input section 9f.

The digital video lending company checks the received self-information (step S13), judges whether or not the registration is possible (step S14), and rejects the registration if the member registration is not accepted (step S15). Further, when the member registration is accepted, the self-information is recorded in the external storage device 6 and a notification of the fact that the member registration is performed is made in FIG.
It transmits to the new member by the screen 10 shown in (B) (step S16). In this contact, as shown in FIG. 4B, the ID number and password unique to the member are also displayed. This ID number and password serve as a keyword for identifying the member. In addition, to check self information,
There are inquiries to credit card companies.

In addition, in parallel with this member registration, FIG.
Display the screen 11 shown in (C) to display the dedicated playback application.
Installation software is also installed (step S1)
7). The installation of the reproduction application software on the computer 4 of the member is performed via the Internet 3 via the telephone line 2. This allows the member's computer 4 to play back digital video data. When the installation of the reproduction application software is completed, the member is notified of the completion of the installation as shown in the screen 12 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flow chart showing a procedure when a member rents digital video data, and FIG. 6 is a schematic explanatory view of a screen displayed on the display of the member's computer 4 at that time. Is.

The member registered as a member is a digital video lender via the Internet 3 as shown in FIG. 6 (A).
Access the home page shown in (Step S2
1). On this homepage, a list of rentable digital video data and data indicating the contents of the digital video data, such as a trailer, can be browsed. For example, the screen 13 shown in FIG.
Window 1 for displaying the trailer of digital video data
3a, a window 13b for displaying character information for explaining the contents of the digital video data is displayed. In addition,
Reference numeral 13c in FIG. 6A is a scroll bar.

When the digital video data desired to be rented is found by browsing these contents, the rental is applied to the rental server 1 of the digital video lender (step S22). This application is made by clicking the window 13a displaying the trailer. When this application is made, the screen 14 shown in FIG. 6B is displayed. The ID number input section 14a and the password input section 14b shown on the screen 14 respectively have an ID number,
Enter the password. Then, the send button 14c is clicked to send its own ID number and password (step S23).

The digital video lending business side confirms whether the transmitted ID number and password match the recorded one (step S24), and if they match, shifts to the next step. If the ID numbers do not match, the digital video renting business requests repeat transmission of the ID number and password. When the ID number and the password do not match each other a predetermined number of times, it is determined that the access is unauthorized and the rental is rejected.

The reset button 14d shown in FIG. 6B is clicked when an input error is made in the ID number or the work is interrupted.

When the ID number and password transmitted by the member match those recorded in the external storage device 6 of the digital video renting business, the process proceeds to the next screen 15.

The rental server 1 of the digital video renting business displays a screen 15 as shown in FIG. 6C on the computer 4, and the name, rental period and rental fee of the digital video data to be rented. Is transmitted to the member's computer 4 (step S25) and confirmation is requested (step S26). After confirming the name of the digital video data to be rented, the rental period and the rental fee, the member clicks the confirmation button 15a.

The confirmed rental period is taken into the playback application software installed in the member's computer 4, and the playback application software recognizes the deadline for deleting the rented digital video data. , The fact that the deadline has been recognized is transmitted to the digital video lender.

In FIG. 1, if the rental server 1 of the digital video renting business receives the transmission to the effect that the deadline has been recognized, the digital video renting business makes a database 5 of digital video data desired to be rented. And is downloaded to the member's computer 4 through the telephone line 2 via the Internet 3 (step S27). In the member's computer 4, the downloaded digital video data is recorded on the hard disk.

When re-selecting the digital video data at the stage of confirming the name of the digital video data to be rented, if the confirmation is rejected by clicking the reset button 15b, the digital video data will be rejected. It returns to the browsing of data indicating the contents of the data, such as a trailer.

FIG. 7 shows a rented digital video data.
8 is a schematic flowchart showing a procedure of reproducing and deleting data, and FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory view of a screen displayed on the display of the member's computer 4 at that time.

When reproducing the rented digital video data, first, the power of the computer 4 is turned on (step S31), and the reproduction application software is started (step S32). When the reproduction application software is launched, the reproduction application software acquires standard time and date data from the time server 8 of the standard time provider via the Internet (step 3
3) Synchronize the real-time clock of the clocking means built in the member's computer 4 with the date and time data of standard time (step S34). As shown in FIG. 8A, it is displayed on the screen 1 that standard time date / time data is being acquired.
It may be displayed below 6. The real-time clock is operated by a built-in power source such as a lithium battery built in the computer 4, and can continue to calculate the current time even when the main power source of the computer 4 is off.

Next, it is determined whether or not the rental period has elapsed (step S35). If the time limit has not been exceeded, it is determined that the rental period is reached, and digital video data is reproduced. Is performed (step S36).
Reproduction is performed by the reproduction button 16a on the screen 16 shown in FIG.
Click to start. If the digital video data is not reproduced, the reset button 16b is clicked. Also, during reproduction of digital video data, buttons 16c to 16f for instructing stop, interruption, rewind, fast forward, etc. are displayed at the bottom of the screen.

When the reproduction application software is started up or when an operation such as reproduction is performed, the date and time data of the standard time is acquired from the time server 8 of the standard time provider via the Internet 3 to determine the rental period. Is to do. The rental period may start, for example, from the time when the digital content is downloaded, or from the time when the downloaded digital content is first reproduced.

When it is determined in step S35 that the time limit has expired from the date and time data of standard time,
Assuming that the rental period has expired, the playback application software deletes the digital video data recorded in the external storage device 6 (step S37), and displays it on the display of the member's computer 4 as shown in FIG. ) Is displayed. On this screen 17, for example, "Because the rental period has passed, the digital video data is removed from the hard disk. , Etc. are output. This completes a series of rental and reproduction procedures.

Further, in the above description, the reproduction application
Although it is determined whether the rental period or the like has elapsed at the time of starting the application software, the determination may be performed when the main power of the member's computer is turned on.

Further, when the standard time date / time data is acquired from the time server 8 via the Internet, the real time clock of the timekeeping means built in the computer 4 is synchronized with the standard time date / time data. As described above, when the power of the computer 4 is turned on (step S41), it is determined whether or not the rental period has been exceeded (step S43) every time a certain time has elapsed (step S42), and the rental period has been exceeded. At times, the digital video data recorded on the hard disk may be deleted (step S44).

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, after the power of the computer 4 is turned on (step S51) and the reproduction application software is started up (step S52),
It is determined whether or not the standard time date / time data has been acquired from the time server 8 (step S53). If the standard time / date data has not been acquired, the real-time clock of the timekeeping means is operated from the last time the playback application was started up to this time. It is determined whether or not (step S54), and when not operated, it is determined based on this real-time clock whether or not the rental period is exceeded (step S55). Recorded digital video data
Data may be deleted (step S55). When the standard time date / time data can be acquired from the time server 8 in step S53, the same processing as that in FIG. 7 described above is performed.

In this example, when the standard time date / time data cannot be acquired from the time server 8 due to the inability to connect to the network, the real-time clock of the built-in clock means is operated from the acquisition of the previous date / time data to this time. It is determined whether or not the rental period has expired based on the date and time information by the real-time clock on the condition that no illegal operation is performed on the time measuring means.

The digital video data lender and the standard time provider may be the same one.
That is, the same effect can be obtained by the method in which the digital video data lender transmits the date and time data of the standard time to the member who is the customer.

(Other Embodiments) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the explanation is made in the case where the number of rented digital video data is one, but it is also possible to rent a plurality of digital video data at the same time. It is possible. In this case, specify the rental period for each digital video data,
At the time when the digital video data to be played back is designated, the lapse of the rental period of the digital video data designated to be played may be judged.

Furthermore, the management of the rental deadline is not limited to the digital content unit such as one movie work. For example, in the case of one movie work including a plurality of chapters, the rental deadline is set for each chapter. It may be managed and deleted for each chapter. For example, when the reproduction of a chapter is started, the rental period of the chapter is started to manage the deadline.

The reproduction application software is installed on the member's computer 4 from the digital video renting company via the telephone line 2 and the Internet 3, but a CD-ROM, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, etc. It may be installed via the recording medium. By doing this, the playback application
The application software can be distributed free of charge in magazine appendices and the like, which is very useful for popularizing the rental management system for digital video data according to the present invention. In this case, the member registration can be performed online using a telephone line or offline without using a telephone line, such as mailing the data entry form to a digital video lender.

Also, although it has been explained that a normal personal computer is used as the member's computer 4,
Instead of an ordinary personal computer, a reproduction device dedicated to the rental management system of this digital video data may be used.

The external storage device 6 of the digital video renting business stores the information of the digital video data rented up to that time as the information of the member.
By analyzing the record, the preference of the member is analyzed, and if new digital video data judged to meet the preference is recorded on the rental server 1, the member is notified by e-mail. You can also Also, this preference can be registered in advance by the member.

In the above description, a movie work is taken as an example of digital video data, but this digital video data includes the concept of music work, video game software, application software of a personal computer and the like.

The status of the rental period, that is, the remaining period until the rental period may be displayed on the display of the computer.

The reliability of the date / time information may be enhanced by acquiring the date / time information after the authentication using encryption is performed between the time server 8 and the computer 4.

The procedure described in the detailed description is an example of the rental management system for digital video data according to the present invention, and the order of the procedure and the like can be changed without being limited to this. , The screen can also be changed.

[0061]

As described above, according to the present invention, the date and time information is acquired from the date and time information providing server that provides the standard date and time information via the computer network according to the program included in the playback application software installed by the client. However, since the rental period is managed based on the acquired date and time information, it is possible to prevent the rental period from being unduly lengthened even if the built-in clocking means of the client is illegally operated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a rental management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart showing a procedure of a rental management method.

FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart showing a procedure for registering a rental member and installing a reproduction application software.

FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a screen displayed on a display of a member's computer.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart showing a procedure for renting digital video data.

FIG. 6 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a screen displayed on a member's computer display.

FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart showing a procedure of playing and deleting rented digital video data.

FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a screen displayed on the display of the member's computer.

FIG. 9 is a schematic flowchart showing another procedure of deleting digital video data.

FIG. 10 is a schematic flowchart showing another procedure of deleting digital video data.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Rental server 2 telephone lines 3 Internet 4 computers 8 time servers

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A digital content rental management method, wherein a digital content rental server rents digital content according to a request from a client via a computer network and manages the rental period thereof, wherein the client Installing reproduction application software for reproducing digital content of a predetermined format; and the rental server providing the digital content and rental period data to the client via the computer network in response to a request from the client. A step in which the client downloads the digital content; a standard in which the client is in accordance with a program included in the playback application software. Acquiring date and time information from a date and time information providing server that provides time information through the computer network, the client according to a program included in the reproduction application software, and the rental period based on the acquired date and time information. When the rental period has expired by judging whether or not it has passed, the step of disabling the reproduction of the downloaded digital content is performed. 2. The rental management method of digital contents according to claim 1, wherein said rental server performs a step of providing said reproduction application software to a client via said computer network in response to a request from said client. 3. The digital content rental management method according to claim 1, wherein the client acquires the date and time information in response to a predetermined operation. 4. The client sets the acquired date and time information in a built-in time measuring means, and judges whether or not the rental period has expired based on the date and time information measured by the time measuring means, 4. The rental management method for digital contents according to claim 3, wherein the latest time and date information is reset in the timekeeping means each time the time and date information is acquired. 5. When the client cannot acquire the latest date and time information from the date and time information providing server,
Whether or not the rental period has expired based on the date and time information measured by the time measuring means, provided that no operation has been performed on the time measuring means between the acquisition of the previous date and time information. The method for managing rental of digital contents according to claim 4, wherein 6. The rental management method of digital contents according to claim 1, wherein the rental server and the date and time information providing server are servers of the same business operator. 7. The rental management method for digital contents according to claim 1, wherein the rental period is counted from the time when the downloaded digital contents are first reproduced. 8. The method for managing rental of digital contents according to claim 1, wherein the downloaded digital contents are deleted so that the digital contents cannot be reproduced. 9. A digital contents rental management system, wherein the digital contents rental server is a digital contents rental management system for renting digital contents and managing the rental period thereof in response to a request from a client via a computer network. Comprises a database in which digital contents of a predetermined format are recorded, and means for reading the digital contents from the database and providing the contents together with the rental period data to the client in response to a request from the client. Means for reproducing the stored digital content, means for acquiring date and time information from a date and time information providing server for providing standard date and time information via the computer network, and the rental based on the acquired date and time information When it is determined whether passed between has passed the rental period, the rental management system for digital content, characterized in that it comprises means for disabling the playback of the digital content received. 10. The rental server comprises means for accepting a registration request from the client and means for providing reproduction application software for reproducing digital content to the registered client, and the client is provided with the reproduction information provided. 10. The rental management system for digital contents according to claim 9, wherein reproduction of digital contents, acquisition of date and time information, and reproduction of digital contents are disabled based on application software.