JP4664058B2 - Content distribution system and method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a content distribution system and method, and in particular, a content distribution system and method capable of reproducing content acquired via a network such as the Internet with a plurality of restricted specific users and digital devices, and content The present invention relates to a usage system and a usage management method.

Recently, the spread of the Internet has been remarkable, and digital contents such as music, video, and game software distributed from a distribution center via the Internet are acquired on a user terminal such as a personal computer or a mobile phone, and the data is reproduced. It is becoming everyday. Since digital data can be easily copied, once digital content has been acquired, it can be copied endlessly between user terminal devices, and copyrights can be infringed.
For this reason, copyright protection is achieved by restricting the copying of digital content to be distributed or using an encryption key to prohibit anyone other than the user who has acquired the content from using the content. ing.

  By the way, according to the copyright law, copying within a limited range such as personal and home is permitted. For this reason, it is inconvenient to restrict the copying of the content within such a specific range, and it is not preferable for the spread of the content. For example, there is a disadvantage that a plurality of persons in the same family pay the fee and purchase the same content.

  In consideration of such a case, for example, Kaihei 7-297818 (Patent Document 1) describes copying and receiving of content to a specific group of regular users composed of a plurality of persons such as family members and corporate sections. There has been disclosed a digital information communication system that enables the use of content on a terminal other than a terminal while preventing unauthorized use by other than a regular user group. That is, this system is provided with a group card having a security information storage unit that stores a user identification number that is different for each card and a group secret key that is set in common for each group. Connect, send the user identification number stored in the card from the terminal device to the information center device to request information, encrypt the received information body using the group secret key and store in the terminal device, When using this information body, the information body is decrypted with the group secret key.

JP-A-7-297818

However, the system disclosed in Patent Document 1 is troublesome because each user in the group needs to own the card. On the other hand, if the card is lost, it cannot be used.
For example, assuming content playback and decryption at home, there is a situation in which the content acquired by the older sister is played on the digital device X, and the same content is now played by the younger sister on another digital device Y. It can be. However, the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 describes the decryption of information in the terminal device that acquired the content, but mentions the use or decryption of the content in a digital device other than the terminal device. Absent.

An object of the present invention is to provide a content distribution system and method that enables the use of content within a specific group and enables the decryption of content within a limited digital device that can be used by group members. Is to provide.
The present invention is also capable of easily obtaining a license key of a desired content from a center using a portable terminal, and easily exchanging the license key between an authorized portable terminal belonging to a specific group and a playback device. The purpose is to provide a content use system that can be used in the future.

The present invention is implemented in a content usage management system that acquires a key for using content from a server via a network using a mobile terminal, and plays back the content permitted by the acquired key on a playback device. .
The server receives a group ID given to a specific plurality of people and an ID (mobile unique ID) unique to the mobile terminal used by the plurality of people in order to allow the use of the content to a plurality of people in a specific relationship. The mobile terminal has a group management DB to be registered, and a license management DB that registers the content ID, the group ID, and the distributed license key that are permitted to be used, and has a certain mobile unique ID. When there is a request for acquiring a content key, the license management DB is searched, and there are content IDs and license keys for the content IDs that are permitted for mobile terminals having other mobile unique IDs belonging to the same group ID. If it exists, the content ID and the license key information according to the request are obtained. It performs a process of transmitting to the mobile terminal.
The portable terminal and the playback device include a communication unit that communicates with each other according to a specific protocol, and a module that manages a license key for the content. The portable terminal obtains a license key for reproducing the content from the server by communicating with the server, stores the license key in the storage unit of the module in association with the content ID, and communicates with the reproducing device by the communication means. The license key of the content stored in the storage unit is transmitted to the playback device,
The playback device stores the license key of the content received by the communication unit in the storage unit of the module in association with the content ID, and plays back the content permitted by the license key by the playback unit.

In addition, the present invention is grasped as a content use system that acquires a key for using content from a server via a network using a mobile terminal and plays back the content permitted by the acquired key on a playback device. The
The portable terminal and the playback device include a communication unit that communicates with each other according to a specific protocol, and a module that manages a license key for the content.
The portable terminal acquires a key for reproducing the content from the server by communication with the server, stores the key in the storage unit of the module in association with the ID of the content, and communicates with the reproduction device by the communication unit, Send the content key stored in the storage to the playback device,
The playback device stores the key of the content received by the communication unit in the storage unit of the module in association with the content ID, and plays back the content permitted by the key by the playback unit.
Preferably, the playback device acquires a license key transmitted via communication means from a plurality of portable terminals included in a specific relationship permitted by the server, and stores the key in a storage unit.

Further, in a preferred example, in a content use system for acquiring a key for using content from a server via a network using a mobile terminal, and playing back the content permitted by the acquired key on a playback device,
The portable terminal has at least a key acquired from the server between the display unit for displaying information, the input unit for performing information input operation, the first communication unit for transmitting / receiving information to / from the server, and the playback device. Stores information on a second communication unit that performs communication of included information, a first storage unit that registers an ID (mobile unique ID) unique to the mobile terminal, and a key for using content acquired from the server A second storage unit and encryption processing means for encrypting the key information, and the key information encrypted by the encryption processing means is transmitted to the playback device via the second communication unit; In addition, a mobile terminal among a plurality of mobile terminals having mobile unique IDs belonging to a specific relationship registered in the server can obtain information on a key of a content ID acquired by another mobile terminal having a specific relationship. Through the first communication unit from the server Obtained and, stored in the second storage unit,
The playback device includes a third communication unit that performs communication of information including at least a key for permitting playback of content between a playback unit that plays back content and a plurality of portable terminals that are in a specific relationship; A third storage unit that stores key information transmitted from the portable terminal via the third communication unit, and a decryption processing unit that decrypts the content using the key information stored in the third storage unit And having
This is a content use system in which the content decrypted by the decryption processing means is reproduced by the reproduction means.

Further, in a preferred example, a management information related to content and a server that manages the key of the content to be distributed, a plurality of portable terminals that acquire a key for using the content by communicating with the server via the network, In a content distribution system having a playback device that plays back permitted content using a key acquired via a mobile terminal,
The server includes a content management DB that manages a key for decrypting the content in correspondence with an ID (content ID) unique to the content, and a specific plurality of content to allow a plurality of pre-registered specific users to use the content. A group management DB for registering a group ID given for a person and an ID (mobile unique ID) unique to a mobile terminal used by a plurality of people, and a group ID and a distributed key for a content ID permitted to be used When there is a request for acquisition of key information for content from a license management DB to be registered and a mobile terminal having a certain mobile unique ID, the group management DB is searched for another mobile belonging to the same group ID that matches the request If there is information on the content ID and content ID key allowed for the portable terminal having the ID, Having a first processing means for performing processing to transmit the information of the tree ID and key to the mobile terminal of a portable ID requested, and
A portable terminal includes a display unit that displays information, an input unit that performs an input operation of information, a first communication unit that transmits and receives information to and from the server, and a key acquired from the server at least. A second communication unit for communicating information including the first storage unit for registering the mobile unique ID, and a second memory for storing the content ID acquired from the server and key information for using the content And encryption processing means for encrypting key information, wherein the key information encrypted by the encryption processing means is transmitted to the playback device via the second communication section,
And the portable terminal with a certain portable ID which belongs to the same group registered in the group management DB of the server acquires information on the content ID and the key of the content ID permitted for the portable terminal having the other portable ID. And having a second processing means for storing in the second storage unit,
The playback device includes at least a content ID and a key for permitting playback of the content between the playback means for playing back the content and a plurality of mobile terminals having the mobile unique ID registered in the same group ID. Stored in the third storage unit, the third storage unit that stores the content ID and key information acquired from the portable terminal via the third communication unit, and the third storage unit Decryption processing means for decrypting the content corresponding to the content ID according to the key information,
This is a content distribution system in which the content decrypted by the decryption processing means is reproduced by the reproduction means.

Preferably, the content to be played back by the playback device is encrypted by the key and distributed via the Internet or acquired by a recording medium, decrypted, and played back by the playback device Is done.
In a preferred example, the license management DB further registers information (time limit information) related to a time limit during which content reproduction is permitted corresponding to the content ID, and the first processing means refers to the time limit information. Information on content IDs and keys that have not expired is transmitted.
Further, in a preferred example, the playback device reads the content ID stored in the third storage unit and transmits the content ID to a mobile terminal having the same group ID, and the mobile terminal can recognize the content related to the received content ID. Is displayed on the display unit.
The present invention can also be understood as a characteristic server in the above system.

The present invention also obtains a key for using content from a server via a network using a portable terminal, and uses the content permitted by the acquired key on a playback device. As grasped.
That is, the content usage processing method according to the present invention acquires a license key for playing back content from a server using a mobile terminal having a module for managing the license key of the content, and uses the license key for the content. The license key is transmitted and received from the portable terminal to a playback device having a module for managing the license key of the content via a communication means that communicates in accordance with a specific protocol and the step of holding in the portable terminal in association with the ID The license key associated with the content ID is held in the playback device, and if the license key related to a certain content is held in the playback device, the playback of the content is permitted using the license key. First playback step and some content A second reproduction step for permitting reproduction of the content using the license key transmitted from the portable terminal to the reproduction device when the license key is not held in the reproduction device and held in the portable terminal; If the license key for a certain content is not held in either the playback device or the mobile terminal, the server requests the server to acquire the license key for the content from the mobile terminal owned by a plurality of persons having a specific relationship. Referring to storage means for registering information on a plurality of persons in a specific relationship permitting the use of content and information on a license key of a content permitted to a person in a specific relationship, a plurality of persons having a specific relationship If there is a license key authorized for any of the above, send the license key to the requesting mobile terminal, and A third reproduction step of transmitting a license key from the requesting portable terminal to the reproduction apparatus and permitting reproduction of the content by the reproduction apparatus, and a license key relating to a certain content is not held in the reproduction apparatus or the portable terminal In such a case, the mobile terminal owned by a plurality of persons having a specific relationship requests the server to obtain a license key related to the content, and the server refers to the storage means and any one of the plurality of persons having the specific relationship If the license key is not permitted, information on the use of the license key of the requested content is registered in the storage means, the license key is transmitted to the requesting portable terminal, and further from the requesting portable terminal. Use of content having a fourth playback step of transmitting a license key to a playback device and permitting playback of the content on the playback device It is a processing method.

  According to the present invention, the content can be used within a specific relationship such as a family, and the content can be decrypted within the range of the limited playback device belonging to the relationship. In particular, you can easily obtain the license key of the desired content from the service center using a mobile phone, and exchange the license key between an authorized mobile terminal belonging to a specific group and the playback device, and easily Can be played.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
First, an outline of a business model of a content distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The service center 1 manages content and license keys for permitting the use thereof, and a family of three parents and daughters registered in the center as a specific group uses their respective mobile phones 201-203. Content such as music and movies and a key for each content for permitting the use of the content are obtained from the service center and stored in the mobile phone (step S1). In this example, the daughter acquires license keys a and b for using the contents A and B, the mother acquires the license keys c and d for the contents C and D, and the father acquires the license keys e for the contents E and F. , f is getting.

  Content to be viewed is set on a digital playback device installed in the home, for example, a digital audio device 211, a DVD 212, a personal digital assistant (PDA) 213, a digital TV 214, etc., and a license key for using the acquired content Is used to decrypt the corresponding content (step S2). As a result, each family member can reproduce and view the content acquired by himself / herself. In FIG. 1, arrows for transmitting and decoding license keys a and b from the daughter's mobile phone 201 to the DVD 212, PDA 213, and digital television 214 are shown, but from the mother and father's mobile phones 202 and 203. The license key acquired by each can be transferred to these digital playback devices 211 to 214, and the content corresponding to the license key acquired by itself can be played back.

Under the Copyright Act, only the person who acquired the content has the authority to copy and play it, and cannot lend it to others without permission.
According to the present embodiment, if the person belongs to the same family registered in the center, a mechanism that allows another person in the family to acquire the acquired license key in their mobile phone and reproduce the corresponding content. provide. For example, the mother can obtain the license key a acquired by the daughter by inquiring of the center (step S3). Similarly, the father can acquire the license key b acquired by the daughter from the center. Then, the mother can reproduce the content A corresponding to the license key a by using the digital audio device 211 and the DVD 212 in the home. Similarly, the father can reproduce the content B of the license key b on the PDA 213 or the like (step S4).

  In order to carry out the above steps, the center 1 is provided with a server and various management databases (hereinafter referred to as DB). Various information including a license key is communicated between the center 1, the mobile phones 201 to 203, and the digital playback devices 211 to 214 in the home.

  In one example, the service center 1 manages the content and the license key that permits its use. However, according to another example, the service center 1 manages the license key, and the content itself is the type of content or its provision. Each content holder may own and manage according to the trader. In the latter case, the user acquires the desired content from a certain content holder, while acquiring a license key for reproducing the content from the service center 1 via the network.

Next, the content distribution system will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.
The service center 1 acquires and manages content such as music and movies from various content holders 19 and issues and manages license keys for permitting the use of the content. Here, the content is encrypted, and a common key is required to decrypt the content in order to reproduce it. The service center 1 has a server 11 and a DB 12 and performs predetermined processing.

That is, the server 11 acquires content from the content holder 19, manages it, issues a license key in response to a request from the user, and a content management / distribution processing unit 113 that performs processing for distributing the content to the user. A license management distribution processing unit 114 for distribution, a billing information management unit 115 that performs billing processing for content usage for each user, and a user information management unit 116 that processes and manages information on users who use this service. . These processing functions are realized by executing a computer program.
The DB 12 constructs and stores various tables for managing contents and licenses. The specific configuration of these tables will be described later with reference to FIG.

  A family of three persons who receive the service of this embodiment has mobile phones 201, 202, and 203 (hereinafter denoted by reference numeral 201 as a representative), and a plurality of digital playback devices for playing back the acquired content. 211 to 214 (hereinafter denoted by reference numeral 211 as a representative). Here, each mobile phone 201 and the digital playback device 211 have a characteristic configuration for managing the acquired license key and communicating with each other. These configurations will be described later in detail with reference to FIG.

3 to 6 show examples of various management tables formed in the DB 12.
FIG. 3 shows an example of the content management table 30.
The content management table 30 is a table for registering and managing information on content that can be provided from the service center 1 to members who are users. The target content is purchased from the content holder 19, and a content ID 31 for uniquely identifying the content, a decryption key (content key) 32 for decrypting the content, and meta information 33 of the content are registered. The meta information includes, for example, the content title, type, genre, and the like.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the license management table 40.
The license management table 40 is a table for managing information related to licenses, and registers licensed content IDs 41 (same as content IDs 31 in FIG. 3), permission conditions 42, and usage charges 43. Here, the permission condition 42 includes information indicating conditions such as a content reproduction deadline, the number of reproductions, and a reproduction period. The usage fee 43 is a fee for using the content in the usage method according to the license condition, and is used as a basis for calculating the accounting for the user.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the family information management table 50.
The family information management table 50 manages information on a family who has applied for registration with the service center 1 in order to receive provision of this service. A unique family ID is given to a family who has been granted an application. Corresponding to the family ID 51, the table 50 is registered with family information 52 such as an address and a householder name, a name 53 as family member information, and a unique ID 54 of the mobile phone owned by the person. The mobile unique ID 54 may be a mobile phone number or a mobile phone unique ID. In the example of FIG. 3, three mobile unique IDs of a parent and a daughter are registered.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the family license management table 60.
The family license management table 60 is a table for managing license keys of contents permitted to members of the same family. In this table 60, for each family ID 61, information related to the content ID 62 permitted to be used, the license key 63 of the permitted content, the permission condition 64, and the usage fee 65 are registered. The content ID is, for example, an ID representing the content A, and the content license key is a key such as a to f in FIG. The permission condition 64 and the usage fee 65 are the information 42 and 43 as described above.
By referring to this table, the license key of the content permitted to those belonging to the same family can be used by other members of the family.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the content purchase license information management table 70.
The content purchase license information management table 70 registers and manages in advance information for notifying the content holder 19 of the content usage results from the service center 1. In this table 70, information such as content ID 71, permission condition 72, use condition 73, use date and time 74 is registered. The permission condition 72 and the use condition 73 are the same information as the permission condition 42 and the use fee 43 described above. The use date and time 74 indicates the date and time when the license is issued.

Next, a system configuration on the user side will be described with reference to FIG.
The user side system includes a mobile phone 201 at home and a digital playback device 211 for playing back content. In FIG. 8, only one mobile phone 201 and one digital playback device 211 are shown. However, actually, the mobile phone 201 and the digital playback device 211 are each composed of a plurality of units as shown in FIG. As is well known, the cellular phone 201 includes an antenna, a wireless communication unit, an audio codec, a display unit, a key operation unit, a microphone, a speaker, a memory, and a control unit including a microprocessor for controlling them. For convenience of explanation here, the wireless communication unit performs a normal call or mail communication, etc., so that the wireless communication unit communicates with the carrier server (corresponding to the first communication unit), and as described later, A wireless communication unit (corresponding to a second communication unit) that performs wireless communication with the digital playback device is included.

  What is characteristic in this embodiment is that the mobile phone 201 and the digital playback device 211 acquire a key information related to the license, store it, transfer it, and output it for output. 86 and a communication means for transferring a license key between the mobile phone 201 and the digital playback device 211. The DRM module is a memory module for managing the copyright of digital data. In order to receive the service in this embodiment, the DRM module is purchased in advance from a provider, and the mobile phone 201 and the digital contents are purchased. Is mounted on a digital playback device 211 in the home.

Details will be described below.
First, the configuration of the mobile phone 201 will be described. The cellular phone 201 holds a short-distance wireless communication unit 82 (corresponding to the second communication unit) for transmitting a license key between the DRM module 81 and the digital playback device 211, and a portable unique ID. A ROM storage unit 83 is included.
The DRM module 81 includes a program unit 811, a memory unit 812, and a CPU (not shown). Here, the program unit 811 is a communication encryption processing program 8112 that performs communication based on the encryption determined between the wireless communication units 82 and 85, and a license acquisition program that executes processing for acquiring a license key from the service center 1. 8114 and a license lending processing program 8116 for performing processing for transferring the license key to the digital playback device 211. These programs are executed by a built-in CPU and realize predetermined functions.

  The memory unit 812 stores a table 90 that manages license keys acquired from the service center 1. As shown in FIG. 9, the license key management table 90 holds information such as a content ID 901, a license key 902, and a license key expiration date (date information) 903 corresponding to each acquired content. Information in this table 90 is read and displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone. This allows the user to check the license status of the content currently being acquired.

  The communication between the wireless communication unit 82 and the communication unit 85 of the digital playback device 211 is a short-distance communication means using a weak phone, and is defined by, for example, Blue tooth (registered trademark) or IrDA (Infra Red Data Association). The interface conforming to the protocol is used. Therefore, the wireless communication units 82 and 85 are configured to include a program for converting / restoring to this communication protocol.

Next, the configuration of the digital playback device 211 will be described.
The digital playback device 211 is, for example, a digital audio device, and includes a CPU, a storage unit, a display unit, a key operation unit (these are not shown), and a playback unit 89. What is more characteristic is that a wireless communication unit 85 for performing license communication with the mobile phone 201, a DRM module 86, and a content storage unit 87 for storing encrypted digital content are provided.

The DRM module 86 includes a program unit 861, a memory unit 862, and a CPU (not shown). Here, the program unit 861 is a communication encryption processing program 8612 that performs communication based on encryption determined between the wireless communication unit 82 and a license lending processing program 8614 that executes processing for borrowing a license key from the mobile phone 201. And a content decryption processing program 8616 for performing decryption processing using a license key in order to play back the content on the digital playback device 211. These programs are executed by a CPU built in the DRM module 86 to realize predetermined functions.
The memory unit 862 stores a management table 864 for managing borrowed license keys. This management table 864 registers a content ID, a license key, an expiration date, and the like.

Next, an operation flow for purchasing a content usage license will be described with reference to FIG.
This processing operation is an operation in which the user obtains license keys a and b for using, for example, the contents A and B on his / her mobile phone 201 by the daughter of FIG. Similarly, it is an operation for acquiring the license keys c and d in the mother's mobile phone 202 and acquiring the license keys e and f in the father's mobile phone 203. As a premise, it is assumed that this family has already been registered for using this content service, and the family information shown in FIG.

In FIG. 10, for example, a request for purchasing license keys a and b for using contents A and B is transmitted from the daughter's cellular phone 201 to the center (S101). This purchase request is transmitted with the family ID and the ID of the content to be purchased.
Upon receiving this request, the center server 1 performs contract processing and issues a license key (S102). Here, the contract process refers to the process of confirming the requested family ID with reference to the table 50 in FIG. 5, and the requested content ID by searching the content management table 30 in FIG. This is a process for checking whether or not the license keys a and b to be issued are registered in the family license management table 60 of FIG. 6 (S104). The server 1 sends a license issuance notification to the content holder 19 and notifies the purchase information (S103).

When these processes are completed, the license keys a and b of the requested contents A and B are issued and transmitted to the requesting mobile phone 201 (S105). The cellular phone 201 registers the acquired license keys a and b in the management table 90 (FIG. 9) (S106).
Here, it is assumed that the contents A and B have already been acquired via the network and stored in the content storage unit 87 of the digital playback device 211. If the daughter transmits the license key a or b acquired from the mobile phone 201 to the digital playback device 211, the content A or B encrypted with the rented license key a or b is transmitted to the digital playback device 211. Is decrypted and can be reproduced.

Next, with reference to FIG. 11, an example of content usage operation by a person in the family will be described.
In this example, an operation example in which the mother's mobile phone 202 requests the center 1 to acquire the license key a acquired in the daughter's mobile phone 201 will be described.
First, the mother confirms whether the target content A is acquired in the digital playback device 211 that the mother wants to use. In this case, it is assumed that the content A is already stored in the content storage unit 87 of the digital playback device 211, or that the mother sets the recording medium for the content A and stores the information. At the time of reproduction, the digital reproduction device 211 confirms the content captured by itself and the acquisition status of the license key for the content (S1101). This can be recognized by reading all the content titles stored in the memory unit 862 of the digital playback device 211 and information regarding whether or not the license is acquired and displaying the information on the digital playback device 211 or the mobile phone 202. As a result of this confirmation, the digital playback device 211 transmits the content ID and the license acquisition request to the mobile phone 202 for the content that has been captured but the license has not been acquired (S1102).

  Next, it is confirmed whether the license key for the content A exists in the mobile phone 202 (S1103). This is performed by referring to the management table 90 of the mobile phone 202 and confirming the content ID corresponding to the acquired license key. As a result of the confirmation, if the license a of the content A exists in the mobile phone 202, the license key a can be immediately transmitted to the digital playback device 211 to play back the content A (S1140). On the other hand, as a result of checking the management table 90, if it is found that the license key for the content A is not held, the mother issues a license key a acquisition request to the center 1 from the mobile phone 202 (S1104).

  The center 1 searches the family license management table 60 to check whether another person having the same family ID has already acquired the license key a (S1120). If the target license key a exists in the family license management table 60 as a result of this search, the license key a is read and transmitted to the mobile phone 202 (S1124).

  On the other hand, if no one in the same family has acquired the content key a, the target license key a does not exist in the family license management table 60, so this license key a is newly issued. The process for performing is performed (S1122). This process is the same as the operation described above with reference to FIG. This process is the same as when one of the family members once acquires the license key a and does not acquire it even when it has already expired. The newly acquired license key a is registered in the family license management table 60 and transmitted from the center 1 to the mobile phone 202.

  The license key a transmitted from the center 1 to the mobile phone 202 is registered in the management table 90 in the mobile phone 202 (S1130). Thereby, the mother transfers the license key a of the content A acquired in the mobile phone 202 to the digital playback device 211 (S1140), and the acquired content A can be restored and played back with the license key a. Note that a license issuance notification of content A is sent from the center 1 to the content holder 19 (S1123).

  In the above description, the case where the content A license key is acquired by the digital playback device 211 and the content A is played back has been described. However, other license keys are acquired and played back using the other digital playback devices 212 to 214. It will be understood that similar operations are performed when used.

As mentioned above, although one Example of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said Example, In addition to this, various deformation | transformation or application can be implemented.
For example, the definition and terminology of the terms in the above embodiment are merely examples and are not limited thereto. For example, configurations and names related to various tables are examples, and are not limited to the above-described embodiments. Each of the above-described tables may be configured as a DB. In addition, regarding the information registered in the table or DB described above, information related to the aforementioned information may be added.

  In FIG. 2, the server 1 may be an information processing apparatus that is generally used. The mobile phone 2 is not limited to this, and may be a terminal device such as a mobile terminal device or a personal computer that allows each person belonging to a specific group to connect to a service center via a network.

Further, a configuration may be adopted in which a license key acquired by one of the family members in his / her mobile phone can be transmitted / received between mobile phones owned by the family. In this case, transmission / reception is performed between the DRM modules 81 of the mobile phones 201 to 203 shown in FIG. In order to prevent license keys from being sent to and received from another person's mobile phone that does not belong to the family if they are nearby, the storage unit of the mobile phone that belongs to the same family has all The mobile phone's unique ID is stored, the unique ID of the mobile phone is also sent when the license key is transmitted, and the received unique ID is already stored in the storage unit by the DRM module of the receiving mobile phone. A plurality of unique IDs are compared with each other, and the license key received at the same time may be permitted only when they match.
According to this alternative, the license acquired for the family mobile phone can be exchanged between the family mobile phone by means of a special interface communication means without having to issue an acquisition request to the center 1 each time. So it becomes more convenient.

The figure which shows the outline | summary of the business model of the content delivery system by one Example of this invention. The figure which shows the outline | summary of the content delivery system in one Example. The figure which shows an example of the content management table 30 in the service center 1 in one Example. The figure which shows an example of the license management table 40 in the service center 1 in one Example. The figure which shows an example of the family information management table 50 in the service center 1 in one Example. The figure which shows an example of the family license management table 60 in the service center 1 in one Example. The figure which shows an example of the content purchase license information management table 70 in the service center 1 in one Example. The figure which shows the structure of the user side system in one Example. The figure which shows the structural example of the management table 90 of the license key in the mobile telephone 201 in one Example. The figure which shows the operation | movement flow for the utilization license purchase of the content in one Example. The figure which shows the utilization operation example of the content by the person in the family in one Example.

Explanation of symbols

1: Service center 2: Contractor's home 19: Content holder 11: Server 12: DB
112: Public key issue processing unit 112 113: Content management distribution processing unit 114: License management distribution processing unit 115: Billing information management unit 116: User information management unit 201-203: Mobile phone 211-214: Digital playback device 30: Content Management table 40: License management table 50: Family information management table 60: Family license management table 70: Content purchase license information management table 90: License key management table in mobile phone

Claims (5)

Using the mobile terminal obtains a license key for decrypting the content from the server through the network, in the utilization management system of the content to be reproduced by the reproducing device the content by the obtained said license key,
The server,
When a license key acquisition request is received together with a mobile unique ID that is an ID unique to the mobile terminal and a content ID that is an ID unique to the content, a license key for decrypting the content corresponding to the content ID is generated. Send to the mobile terminal with the mobile unique ID,
The portable terminal is
First storage means for storing in the storage unit a mobile unique ID belonging to the same group as the mobile terminal;
Second storage means for storing the content ID and the license key in a license key management table in association with each other when the license key corresponding to the content ID is acquired from the server;
Transmitting means for transmitting the content ID stored in the license key management table and the license key to another mobile terminal having a mobile unique ID stored in the storage unit;
Third storage means for storing the content ID and the license key in association with each other in the license key management table when the content ID and the license key are received from another portable terminal;
With
The playback device
A content usage management system that decrypts and plays back a content having a content ID corresponding to a license key using the license key received from the portable terminal . Using the mobile terminal obtains a license key for decrypting the content from the server through the network, in the utilization management system of the content to be reproduced by the reproducing device the content by the obtained said license key,
The portable terminal is
First storage means for storing a mobile unique ID, which is an ID unique to a mobile terminal belonging to the same group as the mobile terminal, in a storage unit;
Second storage means for storing the content ID and the license key in a license key management table in association with each other when a license key corresponding to the content ID that is an ID unique to the content is acquired from the server;
Transmitting means for transmitting the content ID stored in the license key management table and the license key to another mobile terminal having a mobile unique ID stored in the storage unit;
Third storage means for storing the content ID and the license key in association with each other in the license key management table when the content ID and the license key are received from another portable terminal;
With
The playback device
A content usage management system that decrypts and plays back a content having a content ID corresponding to a license key using the license key received from the portable terminal . In a content usage management system for acquiring a license key for decrypting content from a server via a network using a mobile terminal, and playing the content on a playback device using the acquired license key,
The portable terminal is
First storage means for storing a mobile unique ID, which is an ID unique to a mobile terminal belonging to the same group as the mobile terminal, in a storage unit;
Second storage means for storing the content ID and the license key in a license key management table in association with each other when a license key corresponding to the content ID that is an ID unique to the content is acquired from the server;
Transmitting means for transmitting the content ID stored in the license key management table and the license key to another mobile terminal having a mobile unique ID stored in the storage unit;
Third storage means for storing the content ID and the license key in association with each other in the license key management table when the content ID and the license key are received from another portable terminal;
A content use management system comprising: The content use management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The transmission means, when transmitting the content ID and the license key to another portable terminal, further transmits a portable unique ID of the own portable terminal stored in the storage unit,
When the third storage means receives the content ID, the license key, and the mobile unique ID from another mobile terminal, the third storage means checks whether the mobile unique ID is stored in the storage unit. The content ID and the license key are stored in the license management table in association with each other only when it is confirmed that they are stored.
A content use management system characterized by this. A content usage management method in a content usage management system in which a license key for decrypting content via a network is obtained from a server using a portable terminal, and the content is managed by a playback device using the acquired license key. And
The server
When a license key acquisition request is received together with a mobile unique ID that is an ID unique to the mobile terminal and a content ID that is an ID unique to the content, a license key for decrypting the content corresponding to the content ID is generated. Send to the mobile terminal with the mobile unique ID,
The portable terminal is
Store the mobile unique ID belonging to the same group as the mobile terminal in the storage unit,
When the license key corresponding to the content ID is acquired from the server, the content ID and the license key are associated with each other and stored in a license key management table;
Transmitting the content ID and the license key stored in the license key management table to another mobile terminal having a mobile unique ID stored in the storage unit;
When the content ID and the license key are received from another portable terminal, the content ID and the license key are associated with each other and stored in the license key management table;
The playback device
Using the license key received from the portable terminal, the content with the content ID corresponding to the license key is decrypted and reproduced.
A content usage management method characterized by the above.

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