JP2000293970A - Information management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the updating secrecy by performing the communication of the use history information with an updatable non-contact information medium, acquiring the use history information to be stored under a prescribed condition and updating the user data use history information with no intervention of any external device. SOLUTION: A point when the index auxiliary information B34 is used or a point when the index information is sent to a driver is regarded as a point when the user data are used. A CPU 42 executes a user data use history information management program 54 and updates the user data use history information. The driver decodes the received index information signals in response to its encipherment and stores these decoded signals in an EEPROM as index information. Thus, the driver can read out the user data on a user data area 12. The information 35 can be updated only at the inside of a non-contact information medium 11 and are safely used as the attribute information on a super- circulation label.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to a communication system, and more particularly to a digital information management system using a non-contact information medium having a built-in IC chip. Here, "non-contact information medium with built-in IC chip"
Is a medium that includes an IC chip as an information recording medium and communicates with an external device in a non-contact manner. Therefore, as long as it is non-contact, the wavelength of the radio wave does not matter, and the length of the communication distance does not matter.

[0002] A typical non-contact information medium having a built-in IC chip is, for example, a non-contact IC card which communicates with a reader / writer using microwaves. In the present application, the “IC card” includes a smart card, an intelligent card, a chip-in card, a microcircuit (microcomputer) card, a memory card, a super card, a multi-function card, a combination card, and the like.

The shape of a non-contact information medium incorporating an IC chip is not limited to a card. Therefore, it also includes so-called IC tags. Here, "IC
The "tag" has the same function as the IC card, but includes all information recording media having a stamp size, a size smaller than that of a stamp, and a shape such as a coin.

[0004] Non-contact IC cards and IC tags are non-contact ICs.
Sometimes expressed as a module. Here, the term "non-contact IC module" generally means a combination of an IC chip and a coil or an antenna which is a non-contact communication means between the IC chip and an external device, and includes an on-coil IC chip or an IC having a monolithic IC structure. The chip and the coil are all mounted on the surface of an IC or on the same substrate to have an integrated structure. In the broad sense, the non-contact IC module may be any communication means, but in the present application, it is assumed that communication is performed via electric (magnetic) waves.

[0005]

2. Description of the Related Art Digital information is typically software, but unlike tangible objects, it can be easily copied (copied) and can be provided to the other party while retaining the same item. Have. For this reason, it has been necessary to prevent copying (illegal copying) by a person who does not have the proper authority. For this reason, the prior art has proposed a copy protection technique. However, the copy protection technology has impaired the legitimate user's comfort, such as being unable to make backups or installing on a hard disk.

Therefore, a super-distribution technique has recently been proposed as an effective technique for establishing a legal and technical base for supporting more free distribution and use of multimedia materials and software components. Ryoichi Mori et al., "Super Distribution as Historical Necessity", Information Processing Society of Japan, "Architecture Symposium on Super Editing, Super Distribution, and Super Management", pp.67-7
According to No. 6 (1994), "super distribution" is a basic technology for realizing the smooth distribution of digital information, thereby enabling mass production of software that has been considered impossible. This system manages usage records each time the digital information is used, rather than owning it, and collects it to collect fees and redistribute revenue. In addition, super distribution satisfies the following properties. 1. An information user can obtain digital information almost or for free (medium, fee or the like), and can use it at any time under conditions specified by an information provider (manufacturer or individual). 2. The information provider can specify conditions for permitting the use of the information (usually payment of a fee). 3. Modifications other than those specified by the information provider are prevented. 4. No troublesome work is required for each of the above items.

Also, Ryoichi Mori et al., "Super Distribution: Electronic Technology for Copyright Processing," Information Processing Society of Japan, Vol. 3
7, no. According to 2, pp. 155-161 (1996), software distributed in a super-distribution system is linked to a (super) distribution label, and a mechanism for processing a distribution label such as a microprocessor (this is referred to as “super”). It is called "distribution label reader".) Here, the "distribution label" is a list of right holders (creator,
Distributor, hardware provider), type of consideration (cash,
Information that is free but records usage, etc.). The supermarket label reader interprets the supermarket label,
Control the use of digital information in accordance with its stated conditions,
Create a usage record, collect this usage record and settle the fee. By collecting the usage record, it is possible to appropriately process a distribution label in which multimedia materials and software components are mixed, and it is possible to realize charging according to the number of uses of the user data of the information recording medium.

On the other hand, a contactless information medium generally obtains operating power by electromagnetic induction from a radio wave received from a reader / writer, and exchanges data with the reader / writer using the radio wave. Since the non-contact information medium has no contact with the reader / writer, there is no contact failure, which is a problem of the contact type information medium, it can be used at a distance of several cm to several tens of cm from the reader / writer, and is resistant to dirt, rain, and static electricity. The demand is expected to increase further in the future.

[0009] In recent years, it has been proposed to cultivate new applications by embedding such a non-contact information medium in an information recording medium such as an optical disk. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-161790 discloses a means for transmitting and receiving data in a non-contact manner, such as an electronic circuit including an information recording memory in an unrecorded portion inside an optical recording portion of an optical disc, and generating an operation power supply. An optical disk characterized by embedding an antenna coil as a means and forming a secondary information recording unit and an optical disk device using the same are disclosed. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-309840 discloses an optical disc and a recording / reproducing apparatus, wherein a digital data storage means is formed in a part of a read-only optical disc and a means for recording and reproducing data is provided. I have.

[0010]

However, conventionally, no means has been proposed for securely managing the amount of use (the number of times and time of use) of user data available for super-distribution.
For this reason, there has been a risk of unauthorized use such as falsification of the number of uses of the user data.

Further, no proposal has been made to actively realize a super-distribution system using an information recording medium such as an optical disk in which a non-contact information medium is embedded. For example,
JP-A-8-161790 and JP-A-6-309840
Does not mention any means for realizing charging according to the number of uses of user data on the information recording medium, and it is still not possible to reliably manage the number of uses of user data available for super-distribution Was.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a new and useful information management system that solves such a conventional problem.

More specifically, the present invention exemplifies the provision of an information management system capable of managing the usage of user data of an information recording medium such as an optical disk reliably and safely by super-distribution. Aim.

It is another exemplary object of the present invention to provide an information management system that enables the generation of index information for accessing user data to be kept confidential.

[0015]

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an information management system for solving the above-mentioned problems.
An information recording medium having a user data area; a drive unit for allowing a user to access the user data area of the information recording medium and use user data stored in the user data area; A non-contact information medium connected to a recording medium and having means for storing usage history information of the user data by the user and updating the usage history information; and a non-contact information medium capable of communicating with the non-contact information medium, A communication unit that can obtain the use history information stored in a medium under predetermined conditions. According to this information management system, the contactless information medium updates the user data use history information without the intervention of an external device, so that the confidentiality of the update is improved. The update time is, for example, when the user data is used. The information recording medium includes, for example, an optical recording medium, a magnetic recording medium, and a semiconductor recording medium. The updating unit may be realized as software as a user data use history information management program, or may be realized as hardware as shown in an embodiment described later.

In this information management system, the information recording medium further has an index information area for storing first index auxiliary information, and the non-contact information medium further stores second index auxiliary information. And
Index information necessary for reading the user data can be generated from the first and second index auxiliary information. Since the second index auxiliary information necessary for generating the index information is stored in the non-contact information medium, it is possible to prevent unauthorized access to the user data. Preferably, the non-contact information medium generates the index information from the first and second index auxiliary information. Since the generation of the index information is stored in the non-contact information medium, unauthorized access to the user data can be further prevented. In this case, the update time of the usage history information may be set when the second index auxiliary information is used. Further, when the user data is stored in the user data area at a specific interval, it is preferable that the second index auxiliary information includes information on the specific interval. This is because the second index auxiliary information is stored in the non-contact information medium, so that unauthorized access to user data can be prevented.

An information management system according to a second exemplary aspect of the present invention includes an information recording medium having a user data area, and a user accessing the user data area of the information recording medium and storing the information in the user data area. A drive unit that enables the user data to be used, and information that is connected to the information recording medium and that is necessary for the drive unit to enable the user to access the user data. A non-contact information medium, and a communication unit that can communicate with the non-contact information medium, obtains the information stored in the non-contact information medium from the non-contact information medium under predetermined conditions, and provides the information to the driving unit. Have. According to such an information management system, since the information necessary to enable access to the user data is stored in the non-contact information medium, it is possible to prevent unauthorized access to the user data.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information management system comprising: an information recording medium having a user data area; and a user accessing the user data area of the information recording medium, the user data area being provided by the user. A driving unit that enables the use of the user data stored in the information recording medium, and information necessary for the driving unit to enable the user to access the user data. A non-contact information medium having a means for generating, and capable of communicating with the non-contact information medium, obtaining the information stored in the non-contact information medium from the non-contact information medium under predetermined conditions, Communication unit. According to such an information management system, since information necessary for enabling the contactless information medium to access the user data is generated without passing through an external device, it is possible to prevent unauthorized access to the user data. it can. The generation unit may be realized as software as an index information generation program, or may be realized as hardware, as shown in an embodiment described later.

In the information management system according to the first to third exemplary aspects of the present invention, the predetermined condition is:
The communication unit transmits a first signal to the non-contact information medium, and then receives a second signal corresponding to the first signal from the non-contact information medium, so that the non-contact information medium operates normally. Including confirming that it operates. Thus, the communication unit can check whether the non-contact information medium is normal, and the reliability of the system is improved.

The driving unit and the communication unit described above may be realized by a single driving device, or may be realized by a plurality of devices, as will be described later in embodiments.

Other objects and further features of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The user data of the information management system of the present invention may be stored in the user data area of various information recording media such as an optical recording medium, a magneto-optical recording medium, a magnetic recording medium, and a semiconductor recording medium. For the sake of simplicity, a case where user data is stored on a read-only optical disc which is an optical recording medium will be described. The information management system of the present invention can use other information recording media such as a recordable magneto-optical disk and a magnetic disk.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary block diagram for explaining a configuration example of the information management system of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the information management system of the present invention includes an information recording medium 1 and a driving device (or circuit) 2. FIG.
2 shows a configuration of a recording area of the information recording medium 1 and a configuration of the non-contact information medium 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, the information recording medium 1 is a read-only optical disk to which a non-contact information medium 11 is connected and has a user data area 12 accessible to a user and an index data area 13 not accessible to the user in general. It is. The user data area 12 stores information desired by the user (music, movies, image information, character information, software programs, and other information). The index data area 13 stores index auxiliary information A14 described later.

Although the non-contact information medium 11 is connected to the information recording medium 1, any connection method such as adhesion, embedding, and integral construction is not required. The non-contact information medium 11 is, for example,
It is realized as a non-contact IC tag, and has, for example, an antenna 21, a modem unit 22, a communication control unit 23, an interface 24, an EEPROM 31, a bus 41, a CPU 42, a RAM 43, and a ROM 51 on a plastic base material.

When the non-contact information medium 11 is realized as a non-contact IC tag, for example, the non-contact information medium 11 includes an antenna 21 and an IC chip that is electrically connected to the antenna 21 and includes components other than the antenna 21. be able to. The connection between the antenna 21 and the IC chip is performed by a wire bonding method or TAB (Tape Automa).
A method known in the art, such as a ted bonding method, can be used. The antenna 21 has desired dimensions, shape, self-inductance, and mutual inductance corresponding to the antenna 111 of the driving device, and can be realized as an antenna coil, a dipole antenna, or another antenna.

Generally, the non-contact information medium 11 does not include a battery, but instead has a power supply circuit (not shown) for generating operating power by electromagnetic induction from radio waves received by the antenna 21. .

The modulation / demodulation unit 22 has a demodulation circuit and a modulation circuit. The demodulation circuit detects the received radio wave and restores the baseband signal to obtain data therefrom. Further, the modulation circuit changes the carrier in accordance with the transmission data to transmit the data and transmits the carrier to antenna 21. The modulation method is
For example, an AS that changes the amplitude of a carrier frequency
K, PSK that changes the phase, or the like can be used.

The non-contact information medium 11 shown in FIG. 2 can transmit and receive non-contact data using microwaves under the control of the communication control unit 23. In the non-contact data transmission, the binary data sent from the bus 41 is
The signal is input to the modem unit 22 via the interface 24 and the communication control unit 23, and the microwave modulated by the modem unit 22 is transmitted from the antenna 21 to the outside. In the non-contact data reception, the microwave received by the antenna 21 is demodulated by the modulation / demodulation unit 22, and is transmitted as binary data via the communication control unit 23 and the interface 24 as binary data.
Send data to.

The non-contact information medium 11 is an EEPROM 3
1, the RAM 43 and the ROM 51, but the types of memory are merely examples, and may include FRAM and the like.

The EEPROM 31 has a rewritable area 32, which is a data area that can be rewritten only by the manufacturer of the information recording medium 1 and is prohibited from being rewritten by the drive circuit 2, and a rewritable area that is a data area rewritable by the drive circuit 2. Region 33. The rewritable area 32 stores index auxiliary information B34, and the rewritable area 33 stores user data use history information 35. When the user data is written in the user data area 13 at a specific interval, the information relating to the specific interval is index auxiliary information B34.
Is preferably included for improving system security.

The ROM 51 stores a system program 52
, An index information generation program 53, and a user data use history information management program 54. The above-described index auxiliary information B34 is EE
It is desirable that the information is stored in the rewrite-inhibited area 32 of the PROM 31, but it may be stored in the ROM 51. The ROM 51 also stores programs for encryption and decryption. As described above, in this embodiment, the processing is performed using these software programs. However, it is needless to say that the same processing can be performed by hardware by combining appropriate logic circuits. Absent.

The index information generation program 53
Index auxiliary information A14 and index auxiliary information B
34 is a program for calculating index information. Here, the “index information” is table of contents information (for example, an address of a target software program) for a user to access desired user data. The CPU 42 of the non-contact information medium 11 transmits the index information generation program 53 to the non-contact information medium 1.
The arithmetic processing is performed in a state where confidentiality is maintained without the intervention of an external device inside the device 1.

The user data use history information management program 54 is a program having a function of enabling the user data use history information 35 to be updated. In super-distribution, it is necessary to keep the user data use history information 35 safely. However, in the present invention, since the update is performed only inside the non-contact information medium 11, the user data use history information 35 is tampered with illegally. Becomes difficult, and safe holding becomes possible. If necessary, in addition to such software confidentiality, the non-contact information medium 11 itself may be subjected to hardware processing known in the art to further enhance confidentiality.

Next, the driving device (circuit) 2 will be described. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the driving device 2 includes a user data reproducing system 10.
1, a part for performing non-contact data transmission and reception, a bus 103,
CPU 104, ROM 105, RAM 106, EE
It has a PROM 107 and an external interface 108.

The user data reproducing system 101 is mainly composed of a laser beam irradiating section for irradiating the read-only optical disk with laser light, and a signal processing system for detecting and processing a signal from the read-only optical disk. In the laser light irradiation section, the laser 143 is connected to a laser drive circuit 142 and a laser control circuit 141. The laser drive circuit 142 receives a signal from the laser control circuit 141 and irradiates the read-only optical disk with laser light. The laser control circuit 141 receives the clock signal from the PLL circuit 162 and adjusts the irradiation of the laser light.

In the signal processing system of the user data reproducing system 101, the collimating lens 143 and the first polarizing prism 14 are provided between the laser 143 and the read-only optical disk.
5, a λ / 4 plate 146 and a stop lens 147 are arranged. On the side of the first polarizing prism 145, a second polarizing prism 151 and a photodetector 152 are arranged. The photodetector 152 is connected to the clock section extraction circuit 161 via the I / V converter 153. The clock section extraction circuit 161 is connected to the PLL circuit 162.
In synchronization with the clock signal from the PLL circuit 162, the signal is held in the sample / hold (S / H) circuit 163, the analog / digital signal conversion is performed in the A / D conversion circuit 164, and the binary signal processing circuit 165 Is connected to the decoder 166 via an external device. The binary data output from the decoder 166 is output to the bus 103 via the interface 102.

The part of the drive unit 2 for transmitting and receiving non-contact data includes an antenna 111, a modem 112, a communication controller 1
13 and is connected to the bus 103 via the interface 114. As described above, in the present embodiment, the driving unit of the information recording medium 1 and the communication unit of the non-contact information medium 11 are realized by one driving device 2, but both functions may be realized by two different devices. Good.

The position of the antenna 111 is not limited as long as the antenna 111 is arranged at a position where it can communicate with the antenna 21 of the non-contact information medium 11. The antenna 111 transmits and receives a radio wave W having a predetermined carrier frequency fc to and from the non-contact information medium 11,
It communicates with the non-contact information medium 11 using wireless communication. The radio wave W may be transmitted in an arbitrary frequency band (for example, 13.56 MHz).
The carrier frequency fc of z) can be used. The antenna 111 includes, for example, an antenna coil (for example,
And a matching circuit (consisting of a resistor and a capacitor).

The non-contact data transmission / reception of the driving device 2 is enabled by controlling the communication control unit 113. In non-contact data transmission, binary data sent from the bus 103 is input to the modem 112 via the interface 114 and the communication controller 113, and the radio wave modulated by the modem 112 (for example, microwave) ) Is transmitted from the antenna 111 to the outside. In non-contact data reception, the radio wave received by the antenna 111 is transmitted to the modem 1
The data is demodulated at 12, and the data is transmitted to the bus 103 as binary data via the communication control unit 113 and the interface 114.

In the EEPROM 107, index information 131 and user data use history information 132 are stored in a rewritable area, which is a rewritable data area of the drive circuit 2, by a reading process described later.

The ROM 105 stores the system program 12
1, an index information communication program 123, and a user data use history information communication management program 124. The ROM 105 also stores programs for encryption and decryption.

Next, a process of reading user data according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows a process and a signal flow of the non-contact information medium 11 mounted on the information recording medium 1 and the driving device 2. First, the drive device 2 sends a start signal 201 to the non-contact information medium 11 to make a drive request. In the ROM 51 of the non-contact information medium 11, the CPU 42 starts driving the non-contact information medium 11 in response to the start signal 201 according to the system program 52, and indicates that the non-contact information medium 11 has normally started operation. The response signal 202 is transmitted to the driving device 2. The driving device 2 that has received the response signal 202 transmits the non-contact information medium 1
No. 1 confirms that the start operation was normally performed.

Next, the driving device 2 sets the index auxiliary information A in the index data area 13 of the information recording medium 1.
14 is read. The driving device 2 converts the read index auxiliary information A14 into the auxiliary information A signal 2 by the modem 112.
After modulation to 03, the signal is transmitted from the antenna 111 to the non-contact information medium 11. When the non-contact information medium 11 receives the auxiliary information A signal 203 by the antenna 21, the non-contact information medium 11 outputs the auxiliary information A signal 2
The modulation / demodulation unit 22 extracts the index auxiliary information 14 from 03 and stores it in the RAM 43. Also, the CPU 42
According to the system program 52, the communication control unit 2 transmits the auxiliary information A reception confirmation signal 204 to the driving device 2.
Command 3 The data structure of the auxiliary information A acknowledgment signal 204 preferably includes a portion obtained by encrypting the index auxiliary information A14.

The driving device 2 that has received the auxiliary information A reception confirmation signal 204 performs decryption corresponding to the encryption of the index auxiliary signal A14 from the portion where the index auxiliary signal A14 is encrypted, and uses the index auxiliary information A14 as the original. And compares it with the index auxiliary information A14 temporarily stored in the RAM 106 in the driving device 2 in advance. The drive device 2 determines whether or not the non-contact information medium 11 has normally received the auxiliary information A signal 203 by confirming that the two index auxiliary information A are all the same.

When it is confirmed that the non-contact information medium 11 is normally received, the driving device 2 transmits an index information generation request signal 205 to the non-contact information medium 11 to make an index information generation request. CP of non-contact information medium 11
U42 is the index auxiliary information A14 temporarily stored in the RAM 43 and the rewritable area 32 of the EEPROM 31.
The index information is generated according to the index information generation program 53 using the index auxiliary information B34 stored in the. Both the index auxiliary information B34 and the index information generating program are used for the non-contact information medium
, The index auxiliary information B34 cannot be directly read from the non-contact information medium 11.
For this reason, illegal use can be prevented.

The CPU 42 of the non-contact information medium 11 generates index information and encrypts the user data use history information 35, modulates them into a user data use history information signal 206 in the modem 22, and
Send to The driving device 2 performs decryption corresponding to the encryption on the received user data use history information signal 206,
The user data usage history information 132 is obtained and the EEPROM 1
07. By executing the user data use history information communication / management program 124 for the stored user data use history information 132, it is confirmed that the user can use the stored user data use history information 132. Thereafter, an index information transmission request signal 207 is transmitted from the driving device 2 to the non-contact information medium 11 to make an index information transmission request.

In response, the non-contact information medium 11 transmits an index information signal 208 to the driving device 2.
The index information signal 208 is a signal obtained by encrypting the index information generated by the index information generation program 53 and then modulating the encrypted index information by the modulation / demodulation unit 22. After transmitting the index information signal 208, the CPU 42 executes the user data use history information management program 54 to update the user data use history information 35.

In this embodiment, the time when the index auxiliary information B34 is used (ie, when the index information is generated) or the time when the index information is transmitted to the driving device 2 is regarded as the time when the user data is used.
Reference numeral 42 executes the user data use history information management program 54 to update the user data use history information. Alternatively, the non-contact information medium 11 receives a signal from the drive device 2 that the drive device 2 has actually received the index information, and in response to this signal, the CPU 42 causes the user data use history information management program 54 May be executed to update the user data use history information.

On the other hand, the driving device 2 decrypts the received index information signal 208 corresponding to the encryption, and stores it as the index information 131 in the EEPROM 107. As a result, the drive circuit 2 stores the user data area 12
Can be read. Alternatively, the CPU 42 of the present embodiment does not regard the time when the index information is provided to the driving device 2 as the time when the user data is used, and sends a signal indicating that the user data is actually accessed from the driving device 2. Then, the user data use history information management program 54 may be executed in response to this signal to update the user data use history information.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to reliably manage the amount of user data used on the information recording medium 1 and to provide an information management system applicable to super-distribution. Become. Further, since the user data use history information 35 can be updated only inside the non-contact information medium 11, it can be safely used as the attribute information of the super-distributed label, and furthermore, unauthorized tampering becomes impossible.

The present invention can also prevent spoofing. For example, consider the case where the user data has been used three times as the user data history information so far. If the user data history information so far can impersonate one user, the user is illegal. You can benefit. However, in the present invention, since the user itself cannot illegally modify the user data use history information 35 inside the non-contact information medium 11, the user cannot impersonate a user having false user data use history information. . Therefore, the exemplary effects of the present invention include prevention of spoofing.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be variously modified and changed within the scope of the gist. For example, in the present embodiment, the number of times of use is managed, but if information on the access start time and access end time for user data from the drive device 2 is obtained, the contactless information medium 11 can also manage the use time. You will understand what you can do. Therefore, the present invention can manage the usage of user data in a broad sense.

[0054]

The information management system of the present invention has various favorable effects. For example, in the information management system of the present invention, since the use history information of the user data is updated in the non-contact information medium, the non-contact information medium safely holds the usage amount (the use time and the number of uses) of the user data This can be used safely as attribute information of a super-distribution label, and there is an effect that unauthorized tampering is difficult.

Another advantage of the information management system of the present invention is that the contactless information medium can safely hold the information for accessing the user data or the means for generating the information. There is also an effect that unauthorized access to data can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a configuration of an information recording medium of the information management system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a processing flow of an information recording medium and a drive device of the information management system according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information recording medium 2 Drive 11 Non-contact information medium 12 User data area 13 Index data area 14 Index auxiliary information A 21 Antenna 22 Modulator / demodulator 23 Communication controller 24 Interface 31 EEPROM 32 Rewrite prohibited area 33 Rewritable area 34 Index auxiliary information B 35 User data use history information 41 Bus 42 CPU 43 RAM 51 ROM 52 System program 53 Index information generation program 54 User data use history information management program 101 User data reproduction system 102 Interface 103 Bus 104 CPU 105 ROM 106 RAM 107 EEPROM 108 External Interface 111 Antenna 112 Modulation / demodulation unit 113 Communication control unit 114 Interface 121 Temu program 123 index information communication program 124 user data usage history information communication and management program 131 the index information 132 User data use history information

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5B058 CA15 KA31 YA01 5C052 AA02 AA17 AC08 CC06 DD04 5D110 AA02 AA14 DA01 DA06 DA11 DC06 DC15 DE04

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An information recording medium having a user data area, and a drive enabling a user to access the user data area of the information recording medium and use user data stored in the user data area. A non-contact information medium that is connected to the information recording medium, has means for storing usage history information of the user data by the user, and updating the usage history information; and is capable of communicating with the non-contact information medium. A communication unit that can obtain the usage history information stored in the non-contact information medium under predetermined conditions. 2. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein said means updates said usage history information each time said user data is used. 3. The information recording medium further includes an index information area storing first index auxiliary information; the non-contact information medium further stores second index auxiliary information; 2. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein index information necessary for reading the user data can be generated from the second index auxiliary information. 4. The information management system according to claim 3, wherein said non-contact information medium further comprises means for generating said index information from said first and second index auxiliary information. 5. The information management system according to claim 3, wherein said means updates said usage history information each time said second index auxiliary information is used. 6. The information management system according to claim 3, wherein the user data is stored in the user data area at a specific interval, and the second index auxiliary information includes information on the specific interval. 7. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the information recording medium is an information recording medium selected from a group consisting of an optical recording medium, a magnetic recording medium, and a semiconductor recording medium. 8. An information recording medium having a user data area, and a drive enabling a user to access the user data area of the information recording medium and use user data stored in the user data area. A non-contact information medium connected to the information recording medium, the non-contact information medium storing information necessary for the drive unit to enable the user to access the user data; and a communicable with the non-contact information medium. A communication unit that obtains the information stored in the non-contact information medium from the non-contact information medium under a predetermined condition and provides the information to the driving unit. 9. An information recording medium having a user data area, and a drive enabling a user to access the user data area of the information recording medium and use user data stored in the user data area. A non-contact information medium connected to the information recording medium, the non-contact information medium comprising: means for generating information necessary for the drive unit to allow the user to access the user data; A communication unit that is capable of communicating with the non-contact information medium and obtains the information stored in the non-contact information medium from the non-contact information medium under a predetermined condition and provides the information to the driving unit. 10. The predetermined condition is that the management unit transmits a first signal to the contactless information medium, and thereafter receives a second signal corresponding to the first signal from the contactless information medium. 10. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the information management system confirms that the non-contact information medium is operating normally.