KR20080043925A - How to control access to files - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for controlling access to a file. In one embodiment according to the invention, the control device obtains information about the files stored in the source device via a Content Directory Service (CDS), and the control device and the source device are assigned to the value of the variable set in each file in the information. Accordingly, access to one or more files selected by a user is controlled, which may include a playback control variable and / or a download control variable. By inputting the correct password from the user, access to a file whose control variable is set to a value restricting access can be allowed, and also information on the file can be changed. Thus, it is possible to restrict an unwanted user from playing or downloading a file in the source device, making it easier for the controlling device to restrict access to a remote file, and also not only the file's access restriction information, The description can also be changed on the control device.

Description

{Method for controlling access for file}

1 illustrates a process of playing or downloading a media file in which an access control variable is set according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 illustrates a process of changing an access control variable of a media file according to another embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: DMC 200: DMS

300: DMR

The present invention relates to a method for controlling access to a file, and more particularly, to a method for remotely controlling and setting a playback or download of a media file.

DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) was launched with the goal of realizing convergence of home appliances, PCs, and wireless devices in home networks, based on existing standards such as IP, HTTP, UPnP, and Wi-Fi. With the introduction of the line, the latest DLNA Interoperability Guidelines v1.5 has been released, and version up continues.

Products designed according to the DLNA guidelines can freely share media content, such as music, photos and videos, over a home network.

In the home network architecture of DLNA Guidelines v1.5, Device Discovery & Control and Media Management functions are based on UPnP Device Architecture 1.0 and UPnP AV v1 from Universal Plug and Play (UPnP).

DLNA devices include a digital media server (DMS) for providing media content and a digital media renderer (DMR) for playing media, which are controlled by a digital media controller (DMC) having a UPnP CP (control point) function.

Actions that a DMC has for a media file include a function of sending a media file of the DMS to the DMR for playback, a function of downloading a media file in the DMS to the DMC, and uploading a media file in the DMC to the DMS.

Since the DMS, the DMR, and the DMC are application programs, they can be mixed in the same device. For example, a DLNA TV may be implemented as a DMR for playing media and a DMC for finding and controlling a remote DMS.

The DMS allows you to browse information about your content, such as media files, through the CDS (Content Directory Service), which provides the CDS service in response to calls to actions such as Browse (). Information about a file held by a device, for example, a DMS, is transmitted to a device, for example, DMC, which has called the action. In this case, the information about the file includes information such as the name, format, size, presentation time, URL, type, and type (whether it is a file or a folder) of the media file.

According to the DLNA Interoperability Guidelines v.1.5, DMS allows all DMCs on the home network to access all of their media files through CDS.

However, DLNA home network users may wish to restrict other users from accessing and playing or downloading certain media files within a particular DMS. For example, according to current DLNA guidelines, external users can access any file on any DMS on that home network simply by connecting to the internal home network in any way, and the minor can't view the media. There are no restrictions on file access, which is undesirable.

Also, if the DMS is implemented on a PC, the user can choose whether or not to share the media file via the PC, but the user can share the DMS-implemented PC in order to access a file that has already been unshared via the remote DMC. This is inconvenient because you need to change the settings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve this problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for enabling access rights setting of a media file in a DMS through the DMC.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for restricting the playback and download of media files in a DMS to a user with proper authority.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for enabling the right setting for the playback and download of media files in a DMS through the DMC as well as the DMS.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling access to a file, the method including: obtaining, by the control device, information about one or more files stored in the source device; And controlling access to at least one file selected by a user according to a value of a control variable set for each file in the information.

In an embodiment, information acquisition for a file stored in the source device may be performed through a Content Directory Service (CDS).

In one embodiment, the control variable may include at least one or more of a play control variable and a download control variable for the corresponding file, wherein the play control variable and the download control variable are two of control variables which are independent variables of integer type. The reproduction control variable and the download control variable may be any one of 4-bit nibble, or one bit may be allocated to the remaining bits of the predetermined variable belonging to the corresponding file. In addition, the control variable is set for a file and a folder, and the control variable set for a folder may be applied to all files and subfolders included in the folder.

In one embodiment, when the control variable of the file selected by the user is set to a value restricting access, access to the file may be allowed only when the correct password is input from the user through the control device.

In an embodiment, the access control status of each file may be displayed based on the control information of each file included in the obtained information.

In addition, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for controlling access to a file may include: acquiring and storing information about one or more files stored in a source device; When the user requests a change of predetermined information on one or more files selected by the user, requesting the user to input a password from the control device; When the control device and the source device confirm that the correct password is input from the user, requesting the source device to update the information on the selected file in the source device; And changing, by the source device, information about the selected file.

In an embodiment, the predetermined information about the file may be meta information about the file, and the meta information may include at least one title and description variables.

In one embodiment, when the control device requests an update of the information about the file, the control device may send the password input by the user back to the source device.

In one embodiment, when it is confirmed that the correct password is input from the user, the control device may change and store information on the file selected by the user before requesting an update from the source device.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the present invention, a predetermined variable, for example, an access control variable (AccessLock), is added to the information about the file so that the access right to the media file can be set through the CDS service.

The AccessLock variable can be defined in the form of integer, where the first nibble, the upper 4 bits, can be used for playback access control and the second nibble can be used for download access control. Alternatively, the reproduction access control variable and the download access control variable may be allocated to the reserved bits of any variable belonging to the information about the file.

The access control status of media files according to the value of the AccessLock variable can be defined as follows:

AccessLock = 0x00 Replay Allow both playback and download

AccessLock = 0x01 Prohibit Play, Allow Download

AccessLock = 0x10 Allow Play, Prohibit Download

AccessLock = 0x11 Prohibit both play and download

In the file information received through the CDS service, a file does not only mean a media file, but also includes a folder or a directory. Therefore, in the present invention, when a user modifies the value of an AccessLock variable of a folder, the value is applied to all subfolders and media files belonging to the folder, so that the AccessLock variable of each media file does not need to be modified. Can be.

The following describes embodiments in which access control variables for such media files are used.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a user connects to a source device containing content, such as a DMS, in a control device such as a DMC, and then, through a CDS service, blazes the media file in the DMS and plays or plays on any media file. When requesting a download, the DMS and / or DMC may accept or reject the play and download request based on the AccessLock variable of the media file.

When the access to the media file is restricted, the DMC informs the user of the access restriction state of the media file, asks the user for the administrator password of the DMS, and if the password entered by the user matches the administrator password registered in advance in the DMS. The DMS allows the DMC to access even media files with restricted access.

1 illustrates a process of playing or downloading a media file in which an access control variable is set according to an embodiment of the present invention.

When the user requests the blasting of the media file stored in the DMS 200 in the DMC 100, the DMC 100 and the DMS 200 perform the CDS blasting service through the blast action call and response. Thus, CDS information on a file managed by the DMS 200 is transmitted to the DMC 100 (S1).

When the user of the DMC 100 selects an arbitrary media file from the CDS information transmitted to the DMC 100 and requests playback, for example (S2), the DMS 200 sets the AccessLock variable of the selected media file. Check the first nibble of (S3). As a result of the check, when the operation requested by the user, that is, playback of the selected file is limited (YES in S4), the DMS 200 requests the DMC 100 to input an administrator password of the DMS 200. (S5).

When the user inputs an administrator password of the DMS 200 in response to the password request, the DMC 100 transmits the input password to the DMS 200 (S6), and the DMS 200 sends the DMC ( 100 confirms the password transmitted from (S7), and transmits to the DMC (100) whether it matches the previously stored password (S8).

If the password entered by the user does not match the password previously stored in the DMS 200 (No in S9), the DMC 100 and the DMS 200 repeat the processes of S6 to S9 described above.

When the information that the password is matched is received from the DMS 200 (Yes in S9), the DMC 100 controls a playback device for playing the media file, for example, the DMR 300, in the S2. A connection between the DMS 200 and the DMR 300 is established with respect to the media file selected by the user (S10).

If the playback of the file is not limited to the AccessLock variable of the user-selected media file (No in S4), the process of S5 to S9 is omitted, and the DMC 100 controls the DMR 300. Establish a connection between the DMS 200 and the DMR 300 with respect to the media file.

When the connection between the DMS 200 and the DMR 300 is established, the DMR 300 requests the DMS 200 to transmit a media file selected by the user (S11), and thus the DMS 200 Transmits the media file (S12). Therefore, the user can play the selected media file through the DMR (300).

Since the DMC 100 can obtain an access control variable for media files in the DMS 200 from the DMS 200 through a CDS, the media browser can control the access control status for each media file. It can be displayed so that a user can check whether access is restricted before requesting playback or download of a file. In this case, the processes of S3 to S5 may be performed by the DMC 100 rather than the DMS 200.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an access control variable for a file stored in the DMS may be changed through the DMC.

2 illustrates a process of changing an access control variable of a media file according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The DMC 100 performs a CDS blasting service through a call and response to a blast action with the DMS 200, and stores information of files managed by the DMS 200 in the DMC 100 as CDS information (S21). ).

When the user of the DMC 100 selects one or more media files in the DMS 200 and requests to change AccessLock, which is an access control variable of the file (S22), the DMC 100 determines that the DMS 200 is configured. It is requested to enter the administrator password (S23).

When a user inputs a password in the password input request of the DMC 100 (S24), the DMC 100 transmits the input password to the DMS 200 (S25), and the received DMS 200 is The password is checked (S26) and transmitted to the DMC 100 whether it matches the previously stored password (S27).

When information indicating that the password does not match is received from the DMS 200 (No in S28), the DMC 100 and the DMS 200 repeat the processes of S23 to S28 described above.

When the information that the password is matched is received from the DMS 200 (Yes in S28), the DMC 100 notifies the user that the change of the AccessLock variable of the selected media file is allowed (S29), whereby the user In entering a new value of the AccessLock variable of (S30), by modifying the value of the first nibble and / or second nibble of the AccessLock variable can be changed whether to allow the playback of the file and / or download.

The DMC 100 receives a new value of an AccessLock variable, changes the information of a file stored as CDS information in the DMC 100 (S31), and reflects this to update the information of the selected media file in the DMS 200. In this case, the password received from the user is sent to the DMS 200 once again (S32).

Accordingly, the DMS 200 checks the transmitted password (S33), and if the passwords match (YES in S34), update the information of the corresponding file as requested by the DMC 100 (S35). If the value of the variable has changed, it applies to all subfolders and files in that folder.

In this case, the CDS information of the DMS 200 is stored and changed separately in the DMC 100 and then the CDS information, that is, the file information is requested to be updated in the DMS 200. This is to prevent confusion that may occur when the connection between the DMC 100 and the DMS 200 is abruptly disconnected or another DMC requests to modify the AccessLock variable of the DMS 200 at the same time.

Also, in addition to the AccessLock variable of the file in the DMS, the meta information of the file such as the title or description variable of the file can be changed through the DMC.

As described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for the purpose of illustration, and those skilled in the art can improve, change, and further various embodiments within the technical spirit and the technical scope of the present invention disclosed in the appended claims. Replacement or addition may be possible.

Therefore, the present invention can restrict an unwanted user from playing or downloading a file in the DMS, can easily set the access restriction on a file of a remote DMS in the DMC, and can not only access the file's access restriction information. The title and description of the file can also be changed in DMC.

Claims (15)

Acquiring, by the control device, information about one or more files stored in the source device; And Controlling access to at least one file selected by a user according to a value of a control variable set for each file in the information. The method of claim 1, Obtaining information about a file stored in the source device through a Content Directory Service (CDS). The method of claim 1, And the control variable includes at least one of a play control variable and a download control variable for the corresponding file. The method of claim 3, wherein And the control variable is an independent variable of an integer type, and the playback control variable and the download control variable are any one of two 4-bit nibble of the control variable. The method of claim 3, wherein And the reproduction control variable and the download control variable are assigned one bit to each remaining bit of the predetermined variable belonging to the file. The method of claim 1, The control variable is set for a file and a folder, and the control variable set for a folder is applied to all of the files and subfolders included in the folder. The method of claim 1, If the control variable of the file selected by the user is set to a value restricting access, access to the file is allowed only when the correct password is input from the user through the control device. Control method. The method of claim 1, The controlling may further include displaying an access control state of each file based on the control information of each file included in the obtained information. Acquiring and storing information about one or more files stored in the source device by the control device; When the user requests a change of predetermined information on one or more files selected by the user, requesting the user to input a password from the control device; When the control device and the source device confirm that the correct password is input from the user, requesting the source device to update the information on the selected file in the source device; And And the source device changing information about the selected file. The method of claim 9, Obtaining information about a file stored in the source device through a CDS. The method of claim 9, The predetermined information on the file includes at least one of a playback control variable and a download control variable for the file. The method of claim 11, The playback control variable and the download control variable are set for the file and the folder, and the playback control variable and the download control variable set in the folder are applied to all the files and subfolders included in the folder. Control method. The method of claim 9, The predetermined information on the file is meta information about the file, and the meta information includes at least one of a title and a description variable. The method of claim 9, The requesting update further includes the step of the control device sending back a password entered by the user to the source device. The method of claim 9, The requesting of the update may include: when the correct password is input from the user, prior to requesting the update from the source device, changing and storing information about the file selected by the user before the source device requests the update. Access control method for a file, characterized in that further comprises.

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