JP2001109761A - N-th degree use distribution system for contents - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to perform N-th degree use by editing, duplicating contents having a copyright, etc., while taking problems into consideration. SOLUTION: A distribution contents registration client 1 attaches right data to manufactured contents, makes the contents secret and transmits the contents to a management server 2 through a network. The server 2 releases the transmitted contents and the secret of the right data and respectively stores the contents and the data. A capsulated data receiving client 3 receives the contents and the right data obtained by outputting a request for the contents stored in the server 2, releases the secret and enables a user A to user the contents. The user A can reproduce and edit the contents by using an editing means 4. An N-th order data registration client 5 attaches the right data and the edited data to the contents edited by the means 4, makes the contents secret and transmits the contents to the server 2 through the network to perform N-th order registration.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the field of communication represented by the Internet, and more particularly to the smooth distribution of contents via communication, and more particularly, to the promotion of N-th use of copyrighted contents. Belongs to the technical field related to the Nth use distribution system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A distribution market in the communication field represented by the Internet has received great expectations from various industries and has many advantages for both end users and content providers. The distribution market in the telecommunications field is expected to expand in the future.

[0003]

However, the distribution market in the communication field has not been activated yet. The major factors are: 1) immature digital rights processing. 2) Secure Internet distribution with copyright processing has not been established. And so on. These problems have hampered the transmission of high-quality content to the online distribution market. This is because the content provider does not want to provide the content on the Internet where the copyright of the content creator is not protected.

[0004] More importantly, it is necessary to activate the market. For that purpose, the existence of an Nth license system for copyrighted works is indispensable. It is clear that Internet distribution is very much expected as a new distribution market, and the development of a system that solves the copyright processing shortly and activates the market promptly is an urgent and urgent issue. I can say.

[0005] Looking at an example of success in the existing content business, a place where many contents (killer contents) desired by many people are prepared has been successful. By developing digital technology that protects copyrights on the Internet, content providers can provide their content to the Internet market with peace of mind.

[0006] As a result, killer contents that promote the distribution of digital contents are available, and the number of content providers increases by developing and distributing a content distribution system that supports the technology.
The principle of competition should work, revitalizing the Internet distribution market. More importantly, by establishing a system and rules that allow Nth order use (including re-sale as CD-ROM and DVD (registered trademark) software) including modification and duplication, Where the company is,
Since it becomes possible to distribute contents regardless of the size of a company, the local multimedia industry will be developed.

[0007] Existing content distribution systems do not support N-th use of digital content. In most cases, digital contents are usually distributed in a mass retailer by packaging a CD-ROM, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, or the like. Considering these market problems, 1) From the content provider's point of view: Due to location conditions, we must go on sale so that we can somehow adopt it to production of a certain scale with distribution channels. . 2) From a production standpoint: it takes a lot of time to sign a contract. 3) From the end user's perspective: the opportunity to touch the content is lost. There are problems such as.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has as its object to provide an N-th use distribution system for contents that can be used for the N-th use by editing or copying copyrighted contents. Make it an issue.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a content N-th use distribution system according to the present invention employs the following means.

That is, in the present invention, there is provided a distribution system in which content can be registered via a network, and the content can be edited and re-registered to enable Nth use of the content. And a distribution content registration client for confidentializing the content and transmitting it to the management server via the network, and releasing and storing the content and the rights data transmitted from the distribution content registration client, respectively, And a management server that confidentially transmits the rights data, and receives the contents and rights data obtained by outputting a request for the contents stored in the management server, releases the confidentiality, and makes the contents usable. An encapsulated data receiving client, Editing means for playing back and editing the content, and after editing the content edited by the editing means using the editing means, adding the right data and edited data to make it confidential, and making the management server via a network And an N-th data registration client to be transmitted to and registered.

[0011] According to this means, the contents produced by the producer can be confidentialized via the network and distributed to the user. The user can reproduce and edit the content by using the editing means, can register the edited N-th data in the management server again, and can use the N-th content.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an encapsulating means for encrypting the content when transmitting the content via the network, and for decrypting the encryption when receiving the content via the network. It is configured to be executable by the distributed reproduction key.

According to the above configuration, since the encapsulating means encrypts the content when transmitting the content, it is possible to maintain confidentiality on the network. This encryption can be decrypted with the reproduction key, and can prevent unauthorized distribution.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the encapsulating means is provided in the editing means, so that the content can be received, reproduced, edited, and transmitted by being encrypted and decrypted.

In this means, the content is actually reproduced,
This is a configuration in which encapsulation means is provided in the editing means for editing and using, and the content can be reproduced and edited by decrypting the encryption using the reproduction key.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the editing means records an editing history of the content, and transmits the editing history together with the management server at the time of the Nth registration.

In this means, after the Nth use of the edited content, the editing history of the content is also registered when the Nth data is registered, so that the editing history of the content can be obtained.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a content N-th use distribution system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the system. The distributed contents are digital contents, such as music such as MIDI data, pictures (animations, image data, etc.), and videos (animations, real pictures, etc.). In the following description, MIDI data will be described as an example.

These contents are created by a primary content creator (rights owner) M using an editing means (MIDI editor) 4 or the like, and then the rights / distribution contents data management server (hereinafter referred to as a “contents management server”) via a distribution contents registration client 1. 2).

On the other hand, the content user A receives necessary content from the management server 2 via the encapsulated data receiving client 3. The user A of the content can edit the received content via the editing means (MIDI editor) 4, and the edited content is N-th registered and N-th usage in the management server 2 via the N-th data registration client 5. It is possible. In the following description, N will be set to 2 for convenience, and an example will be described in which secondary registration and secondary use (distribution by CDROM, etc.) are performed.

Each function for content distribution used by the system will be described. Encapsulation technology: Using a digital signature technology or a common key encryption technology, the content is transformed into a safe form so as not to be decrypted or tampered with. Digital signature technology and digital watermark technology: Adds copyright information including rules on primary use and secondary use and information on right holders to contents in a manner that makes falsification and separation from contents impossible. Rights processing / management technology: Registers target content and manages necessary information. It also enables registration and management of secondary created content.・ Register users, right holders and distributors and manage necessary information.・ Right holders and the like for the content created secondarily can also be registered and managed.

Permission management of the primary use and secondary use of the content is performed by generating and managing a key for reproduction and distribution via the Internet, and thereby collecting and managing the charge. -Collect the usage fee from the user A based on the billing information and distribute the consideration to the registered right holder M.・ Primary use of capsule, secondary use technology Verification of digital signature, decryption of encrypted contents, etc.
Make content available based on the rules that accompany the capsule.・ Verification of digital signature, decryption of encrypted content ・ Access control to content based on rules attached to capsule ・ Request for rights processing in secondary use, load information and content editing as much as possible, new digital watermark Embedding function

Next, each function will be described with reference to the internal configuration diagram of the system shown in FIG. In the illustrated example, the distribution content registration client 1 is located at the creator M, the management server 2 is located at the digital rights processing center S, and the Nth data registration client 5 is located at the Nth user (user) A. . Contents are transmitted and received between the clients 1 and 5 and the management server 2 via a network such as the Internet and the content management server 8 of the provider P.

(1) Capsule C generation function Content / copyright information packing function: The content is encrypted and the copyright information is packed using the common key K. Packing function for usage conditions and charging rules: Packs usage conditions and charging rules for contents using common key K. A copyright / distribution information embedding function using a digital watermark: the copyright / distribution information is embedded as a digital watermark so that the source of the illegal content can be specified when the encryption is broken or the reproduction key R is leaked. .

(2) Right processing / management technology of the management server 2 will be described. 1) Rights information database 10: Manages information such as contents, users, copyrights, and providers necessary for performing rights processing. 2) Playback key generation / management function: Generates and manages a playback key R for decapsulating and making contents usable. 3) Profit collection / distribution function: Based on the distribution result of the reproduction key R, the usage fee for the primary use and the secondary use is collected from the provider P or the user A and distributed to the producer.

(3) Primary use and secondary use of the capsule C will be described. 1) Copyright information / usage condition / charging rule display function: The copyright information / usage condition / charging rule packed in the capsule C is displayed so that the user can easily grasp the right conditions and the like. 2) Decryption function of encrypted content: The content is decrypted by using the reproduction key R obtained by the use permission application with the right processing center S. 3) Function for controlling access to contents based on rules attached to capsule C: function for enabling use of contents in accordance with usage conditions packed in capsule C. When used in combination with the above function, the content can be used legitimately.

1) Functions associated with secondary use ... 1. 1. A secure license application or registration request to the rights processing center via the network; 2. Change copyright information, usage conditions, billing rules and edit contents; Digital watermark embedding of secondary user information.

In the right processing on the client side regarding the primary use and the secondary use, a part that does not depend on the type of content is realized as a DRC (Digital Rigbts Center) library 11. Using this library 11, DRC applications such as a dedicated player and a dedicated editor corresponding to various content types are configured. In the present system, a system corresponding to MIDI is used.

Each software used in the system will be described. (A) DRC library 11-The DRC library 11 is positioned as a library for creating a client of the management server 2 and has the following functions. 1) display of copyright information, usage conditions, and charging rules, 2) reception of a reproduction key R from a rights processing center, decryption of encrypted contents, and 3) access control to contents based on rules attached to the capsule C ( However, this is not a content playback function itself, but a function of presenting usage conditions to the application.) 4) A function associated with secondary use (however, not information on the content editing function itself, but information on the editable range to the application This is a function to be presented to the user.)

(B) MIDI-dedicated dedicated player 13 and dedicated editor 14 ・ Using DRC library 11, DRC library 1
1, a MIDI-compatible dedicated player 13 for playing back MIDI content in accordance with the usage conditions presented by the user, and an MID for enabling editing of MIDI content in accordance with information on the editable range presented by the DRC library 11
This is an I-compatible dedicated editor 14.

(C) Rights processing server 2A A server that communicates with an application (DRC application) constructed using the DRC library 11 and provides various services, and has the following functions. -Right processing data and management function (authentication, registration, permission, management of information obtained from DRC application 11)-Generation / management function of reproduction key R (exchange and management of reproduction key R with DRC application 11)・ Profit collection and distribution function (collection and distribution of profits associated with secondary use)

(D) Encapsulation means A function relating to the function of generating the capsule C described above.

Next, the editing means 4 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. The content can edit the MIDI data by the dedicated MIDI editor 14. The MIDI editor 14 is roughly divided into a content data read block 21 and a content information management block 2.
2, a MIDI data editing function block 23 and an editing data reading / saving block 24.

In the content data reading block 21, the capsule C is received, the encapsulation is released by the decryption means 21a, and the content (MIDI data), right data, and license data are decrypted.

The content information management block 22 includes a right data management unit 22 for managing the extracted right data.
a, permission data management means 22b for managing permission data,
An editing history management unit 22c for managing an editing history of MIDI data, which will be described later, is provided.

The MIDI data editing function block 23 includes:
Decoding means 21 of content data reading block 21
Distribution MIDI that edits MIDI data decrypted in a
A data editing unit 23a and a user M for copying a part of the MIDI data from the distribution MIDI data editing unit 23a
It comprises IDI data editing means 23b. MID for user
Based on the partial copying of the MIDI data by the I data editing unit 23b, the content has been edited, and the edited content is stored in the editing history management unit 22c. The edited MIDI data is output to the edited data reading / storing block 24.

Editing data read / save block 24
Is a MIDI data storage means 24 for storing MIDI data edited by the MIDI data editing function block 23.
a, the editing history at the time of saving is stored in the editing history managing means 2
An editing history storage means 24b for reading and storing the data from 2c is provided. The stored MIDI data can be encapsulated together with the editing history by the encapsulation means 24c and output to the Nth data registration client 5 as Nth data after editing.

The Nth data received by the Nth data registration client 5 can be decapsulated by the decoding means 24d to decode the MIDI data and the editing history. The editing history of the N-th edited MIDI data is managed by the editing history management unit 22c, and the N-th edited MI data is edited.
The DI data can be edited in the (N + 1) th order by the user MIDI data editing means 23b.

Next, the registration process after content creation by the creator M will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The creator M sends the contents of the created MIDI data and the right data to the distribution content registration client 1. An electronic watermark is applied to the content. The right data includes a song name, a lyricist name, a composer name, a performer name, a registration code, a payment condition, and the like. The distribution content registration client 1 encapsulates the content and the right data, and transmits them to the management server 2 via a network such as the Internet. The management server 2 releases the encapsulation of the content, stores the content in the content management server 8, and stores the rights data in the rights information database 10.

Next, the content receiving process by the user A will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. User A
Requests a desired content from the encapsulated data receiving client 3 to the management server 2 via the network. The management server 2 reads out the corresponding content (MIDI data) in this request unit, encapsulates it in the capsule C together with the right data and the permission data, and transmits it to the encapsulated data receiving client 3 via the network.

On the user A side, the received capsule C
Can be decapsulated by the encapsulated data receiving client 3 and the content (MIDI data) can be stored. At the same time, while obtaining the right information and the permission information, this content can be edited by the dedicated editing means 4. That is, reproduction by the MIDI-compatible dedicated player 13,
The MIDI data can be edited by the dedicated editor 14. When the content is edited by the editing means 4, the reproduction key R is required, and the user A is provided with the reproduction key R in advance.

Next, the N-th registration after editing the content by the user A will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The user A can edit the content by using the editing means 4, and can register the edited content (N-order data) in the management server 2 again (N-order registration). The user A (the Nth content creator M) sends the created MIDI data content, right data, and edited content to the Nth data registration client 5. An electronic watermark is applied to the content. The right data includes a song title, a lyricist name, a composer name, a performer name, a registration code, a payment condition, and the like. The editing content is composed of an editor or the like.

The N-order data registration client 5 encapsulates the contents, right data, and edited contents, and transmits them to the management server 2 via a network such as the Internet. The management server 2 releases the encapsulation of the content, stores the content in the content management server 8, and stores the rights data in the rights information database 10. In the above description, the form in which the N-th data is registered in the management server 2 has been described.
It can also be distributed via a storage medium such as OM.

In the embodiment described above, MIDI data is described as an example of the distribution content. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and even if the content is an image (animation, image data, etc.) The following distribution uses are possible.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, N-th use of contents becomes possible. By this N-th use, the acquired content can be freely distributed between users for both commercial use and personal use, and a content distribution promotion effect can be obtained. In addition, a new use form of contents is created, and further supply and distribution of contents can be expected. Distribution can be effectively supported by editing means of functions necessary for using or registering these contents. Furthermore, since the rights processing associated with the N-th use of the content can be clarified, it is expected that the content creator will more actively supply the content than the vague profit sharing mechanism up to now.

According to the present invention as described above, from the viewpoint of the content provider, it is possible to increase opportunities to provide the content regardless of the size and the place name. From a production standpoint, costs can be reduced because contracts can be made over the network. From an end-user perspective, the more content you have, the more opportunities you can use good data. Such effects can be expected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the inside of the system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the inside of an editing unit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a registration process after content creation.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a content receiving process by a user.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing N-order registration after editing of a content by a user.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Distribution content registration client 2 Management server 3 Encapsulated data reception client 4 Editing means 5 Nth data registration client 8 Content management server 10 Rights information database 13 MIDI-dedicated player 14 Dedicated editor 21 Content data reading block 22 Content information management block 23 MIDI data editing function block 24 Editing data reading / storing block M Maker A User

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A distribution system in which content can be registered via a network, and the content can be edited and re-registered to enable Nth use of the content. A distribution content registration client that transmits the content and the rights data transmitted from the distribution content registration client to the management server via the network; And a management server for transmitting a request for the content stored in the management server, and an encapsulated data receiving client for receiving the content and right data obtained by outputting the request and releasing the confidentiality to use the content. And playback of the content And editing means for performing editing, and after the content edited by the editing means is edited by using the editing means, the right data and the edited data are added and confidentialized, transmitted to the management server via a network, and registered. And an Nth-order data registration client. 2. Encapsulating means for encrypting the content when transmitting the content via the network and decrypting the encryption when receiving the content via the network, wherein the decryption includes a reproduction key distributed in advance. 2. The content N-th use distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the content N-th use distribution system is configured to be executable. 3. The content N-th use distribution system according to claim 2, wherein the encapsulation means is provided in the editing means, and the content can be received, reproduced, edited, and transmitted by being encrypted and decrypted. 4. The N-th use of content according to claim 3, wherein the editing means records the editing history of the content and transmits the editing history together with the N-th registration in the management server. Distribution system.