JP2001175747A - Data transferring method of contents distribution system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To relieve line convergence of a contents distribution (sales) system. SOLUTION: A PC client 10 notifies a Web server 9 of the number n of purchased contents in the case of transmitting contents acquisition (purchase) request information, and when the server 9 transfers the purchased contents to a player 6a via the client 10, the server 9 sets the number n in the number of purchased contents in a sales header. In the case of retransferring the purchased contents from the player 6a to a player 6b, retransfer is allowed when the number n of purchased contents in the sales header is >=2, and the retransfer is inhibited in the case of n=1. In the case of being allowed, the number n of purchased contents in the sales header, stored in the player 6a being a retransfer source, is reduced by 1, and '1' is set in the number n of purchased contents in the sales header to be retransferred to the player 6b being a retransfer destination and retransferred together with the contents.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a data transfer method of a content distribution system for transferring (downloading) content data such as music from a host to a player on a user side via a network such as the Internet or a public telephone line. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as a system for distributing content data (software) such as music to users, instead of using tangible or paid recording media such as CDs (compact discs) and DVDs (digital versatile discs). Attention has been paid to a network distribution system that transfers the data to a recording medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory in a user's player through a network such as a distribution store installed terminal or the Internet on the condition that payment is made, and reproduces the data. .

As an example of a network distribution system, a system via the Internet in which content data is transferred from an Internet server (host) to a player via the Internet and an Internet client (user personal computer) is considered. Another example is
A method is conceivable in which content data is transferred to a distribution store-installed terminal such as a retail store via a satellite communication line or a public telephone line, and further transferred from the distribution store-installed terminal to a player. In the latter system, a system via a public telephone line that directly transfers to a player via a public telephone line without passing through a terminal installed at a distribution store can be considered.

[0004]

By the way, in such a network distribution system, the sales (distribution) side does not need to stock a tangible recording medium, and the user can always purchase contents. Although it has the convenience of being able to obtain content, especially in the method via the Internet or public telephone line, time is required for content transfer due to the limitation of data transfer speed. There is a problem that the convenience is lost due to the concentration of the line at the time of (distribution).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a data transfer method for a content distribution system that can reduce line concentration.

[0006]

According to the present invention, in order to attain the above object, the number of re-transfers permitted to be re-transferred (copied) within the range of the number of acquired contents from the transfer source terminal to the player is set. Then, the number of retransfers of the acquired content from the player to the retransfer destination player is permitted within the range of the retransfer permission number.

According to the present invention, in a data transfer method of a content distribution system for transferring content from a transfer source terminal to a player on a user side, the player notifies the transfer source terminal of the number of obtained contents. Transferring the obtained content from the transfer source terminal to the player and notifying the number of re-transfer permitted to permit re-transfer within the range of the obtained number, and re-transferring the obtained content from the player to the re-transfer destination player. A data transfer method for a content distribution system is provided, wherein the number of times is allowed within the range of the number of retransmissions permitted.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS <First Embodiment> An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a content selling system as an example of a content distribution system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a player (sometimes referred to as a player in FIG. 1) in detail, and FIG. Explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a sales header in a content sales (distribution) system according to the invention,
4 to 7 are explanatory diagrams showing the transfer procedure of the content sales system of FIG. In this specification, "distribution"
The term includes both paid sales and free transfers. In the following embodiments, distribution will be described as an example of distribution.

FIG. 1 shows an Internet system as an example of a content sales system. First,
On the host side, the uncompressed music content is compressed by the authoring system 1 using, for example, the Twin VQ method, and then the compressed data is encrypted with the reproduction key data. In the authoring system 1, the reproduction key data is primarily encrypted, and the primary encrypted reproduction key data and the encrypted content are transferred to the transmission server 2 and the Web server (Internet service server) 9.

The Web server 9 secondarily encrypts the primary encrypted reproduction key data and transmits the secondary encrypted reproduction key data and the encrypted content to the PC client 1 for Internet service.
0 to the player 6a. At this time, the Web server 9 and the PC client 10 are connected by a dial-up connection, the PC client 10 and the player 6a are connected via the IEEE 1394 interface, and the player 6a has its own The terminal ID is transferred to the Web server 9 via the PC client 10.

Similarly, the secondary encrypted playback key data and the encrypted content can be re-transferred between the copy destination player 6b using the player 6a as a copy source player. Is transferred to the copy source player 6a in advance. In the billing method of this system, the balance is stored in an electronic wallet in the player 6a when a user purchases an electronic ticket in a prepaid manner, and billing information is billed from the player 6a via the PC client 10 and the Web server 9. The data is transferred to the management server 8.

Next, players (music distribution terminal devices) 6a and 6b will be described in detail with reference to FIG. LCD
A display unit 11 such as a display displays the title and time of the music content under the control of the control unit 12. The control unit 12 has a memory m, operates according to a control program stored in advance therein, and writes / reads various data to / from the memory m. The storage unit 13 stores music content, a player ID,
It has each area for authentication ID data, transfer history, reproduction key data (secondary encrypted reproduction key data), and a reserve area.

When playing a music content stored in the storage unit 13 and operating a playback key of the operation unit 14 by a user, a playback command is issued from the operation unit 14 to the control unit 1.
When the control unit 12 receives the playback command, the control unit 12 reads the encrypted content and the secondary encrypted playback key data from the storage unit 13 and sends them to the encryption / decryption unit 15. The encryption / decryption unit 15 decrypts the secondary encrypted playback key data into primary encrypted playback key data, further decrypts the playback key data, and decrypts the encrypted content with the playback key data into compressed data. Next, the data compression / decompression section 16 decompresses the compressed data into a PCM signal, and then the reproduction section 17 outputs the PM signal.
The CM signal is converted into an analog signal, and the analog signal is sent to an earphone (not shown) via the output terminal 18.

The data transfer interface 19 is connected to the Internet service PC client 10 shown in FIG. 1 or between the players 6a and 6b. The electronic wallet unit 20 stores a predetermined currency amount (electronic ticket) in a prepaid manner, and this electronic ticket is deducted every time content is purchased in accordance with the price.

The data transferred to the players 6a and 6b includes a sales header, a sales subheader, and encrypted content data for each sales content, and the sales subheader is provided for each number of music pieces N in the sales content. The encrypted content data includes a content header, a sound stream (music content), text data (song name, artist name, etc.), extended data, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sales header has a variable length in accordance with the number N of songs in the sales contents. The sales header version, the sales header size, and the reserved data (00h)・ Transfer control data ・ Content sales ID ・ Transfer source ID ・ Number of sales tickets ・ Number of sales sub-headers ・ Number of content songs ・ JAN (POS) code ・ Number of content purchases n, a production title name, a production company name, a data length for each of the first to Nth songs, a song name for each of the first to Nth songs, an artist name for each of the first to Nth songs, Includes a play time for each N-th song and a storage area for playback key data (encrypted data).

Next, referring to FIG. 4 to FIG.
Between PC client 10 and PC client 1
A communication procedure between 0 and the player 6a will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 4, when the PC client 10 and the player 6a are connected via the IEEE 1394 interface, the PC client 10 sends a predetermined transmission form "38" to the player 6a (displayed as "Form 38" in the figure, and so on). The player 6a transmits the player authentication B data and the host authentication B data of the predetermined transmission form "39" to the PC client 10 in response to this. Next, when the PC client 10 transmits the reply host authentication B data of the predetermined transmission form "40" to the player 6a, the player 6a responds to this by sending the host of the predetermined transmission form "41" to the PC client 10. The authentication B result is transmitted.

Next, the PC client 10 sends the player 6
When the request for transmitting the ticket balance of the predetermined transmission form “11” is transmitted to the PC 6, the player 6 a responds to the request to transmit the predetermined transmission form “1” to the PC client 10.
2 ”is transmitted. Next, the PC client 10 sends a predetermined transmission form “1” to the player 6a.
When the request for transmitting the free space in the memory of "5" is transmitted, the player 6a transmits the free space of the predetermined transmission form "16" to the PC client 10 in response to the request. Next, when the PC client 10 requests the player 6a to transmit the built-in content sales ID already downloaded and stored in the memory of the predetermined transmission form "17", the player 6a responds to this request. , A built-in content sales ID of a predetermined transmission form “18” is transmitted. Next, the user
By instructing via the C client 10, the process selectively shifts to each process of "content selection / purchase", "ticket purchase", and "content editing / deletion".

When "content selection / purchase" is selected, as shown in FIG.
b transmits the content purchase request information to the server 9,
Next, the Web server 9 transmits a sales content check result to the PC client 10. Next, when the PC client 10 transmits a sales content purchase request to the Web server 9, the Web server 9 transmits player authentication A data of a predetermined transmission form "1" to the PC client 10, and then the PC client 10 The player authentication A data of the predetermined transmission form "1" is transmitted to the player 6a. Next, in response to this, the player 6a transmits the reply player authentication A data and the host authentication data of the predetermined transmission form "2" to the PC client 10, and the PC client 10
The reply player authentication A data and the host authentication data of the predetermined transmission form "2" are transmitted to the server b.

Next, the Web server 9 transmits the reply host authentication A data of the predetermined transmission form "3" to the PC client 10, and then the PC client 10 transmits the predetermined transmission form "3" to the player 6a. The response host authentication A transmission data is transmitted. Next, the player 6a transmits the result of the host authentication A transmission data of the predetermined transmission form "4" to the PC client 10 in response thereto, and then the PC client 10 transmits the predetermined transmission form to the Web server 9. The result of the host authentication A transmission data of "4" is transmitted.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the Web server 9
To the PC client 10 in predetermined transmission forms "5", "11", "15", "17", and "7", respectively, a player ID transmission request, a ticket balance transmission request, a free space transmission request, and a built-in content sale. An ID transmission request and a transfer history transmission request are transmitted. Then PC client 1
0 transmits a player ID transmission request of a predetermined transmission form "5" to the player 6a, and the player 6a transmits a player ID of the predetermined transmission form "6" to the PC client 10 in response thereto, The PC client 10 sends a predetermined transmission form “1” to the player 6a.
When the request to transmit the ticket balance of "1" is transmitted, the player 6a
Transmits the ticket balance of the predetermined transmission form “12” to the PC client 10 in response to the request.

The PC client 10 is connected to the player 6
When the player 6a transmits a free space transmission request of the predetermined transmission form "15" to the PC client 10a, the player 6a transmits the free space of the predetermined transmission form "16" to the PC client 10 in response to the request. Is player 6
The player 6a transmits a built-in content sales ID of a predetermined transmission form "18" to the PC client 10 in response to the transmission request of the built-in content sales ID of the predetermined transmission form "17" to "a". , PC
When the client 10 transmits a transfer history transmission request of the predetermined transmission form "7" to the player 6a, the player 6a transmits a transmission history of the predetermined transmission form "8" to the PC client 10 in response thereto. . The PC client 10 sends these predetermined transmission forms “6”, “12”, “16”, “1” to the Web server 9.
"8" and "8" represent the player ID, ticket balance,
The free space, the built-in content sales ID, and the transfer history are transmitted.

Next, when the Web server 9 transmits a transfer history deletion request of a predetermined transmission form "9" to the PC client 10, the PC client 10
When the player 6a transmits a transfer history deletion notification of the predetermined transmission form "10" to the PC client 10 in response to the request, the PC client 10a Transmits a transfer history deletion notification of this transmission form "10" to the Web server 9.

Next, the Web server 9 sends the transmission forms “19”, “20”, “2” to the PC client 10.
At 1 ", the sales header, sales subheader, and sales content data are transmitted. Then PC client 10
Are sent to the player 6a with the transmission forms "19" and "2".
When the sales header, the sales subheader, and the sales content data are transmitted at "0" and "21", respectively, the player 6a transmits the data reception notification of the transmission form "22" to the PC client 10 in response thereto, and the PC client Then, a data reception notification of this transmission form “22” is transmitted to 10.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, when the Web server 9 transmits the reproduction key data of the transmission form "25" to the PC client 10, the PC client 10 reproduces the transmission form "25" to the player 6a. Send key data. Next, the player 6a responds to the PC client 10 to send the transmission form "26".
PC client 1
0 indicates this transmission form “26” to the Web server 9.
Is transmitted. Then, the IEEE 1394 interface between the PC client 10 and the player 6a is disconnected. Form "1" above,
The detailed description of “2”-is omitted.

In such a system, when the PC client 10 transmits a content purchase request to the Web server 9 in FIG. Then, the Web server 9 stores the purchased content in the P
When transferring to the player 6a via the C client 10, the number n is set to the number of content purchases in the sales header and transferred. At this time, the price corresponding to the content purchase number n is settled by an electronic ticket in the electronic wallet 20, a credit card via a network, or the like.

Then, the purchased content is transferred to the player 6.
When re-transferring (copying) from a to the player 6b, re-transfer is permitted when the number of content purchases n in the sales header is 2 or more, and re-transfer is prohibited when n = 1.
In the case of permission, the number of content purchases n in the sales header stored in the re-transfer source player 6a is reduced by one, and the number of content purchases in the sales header re-transferred to the re-transfer destination player 6b is reduced. n is set to “1” and re-transferred together with the content.

<Second Embodiment> Instead of setting the content purchase number n in the sales header, the same number of sales headers as the content purchase number n may be transferred to the transfer destination player 6a. In this case, the content purchase number n in the sales header is omitted as shown in FIG. Then, the purchased content is transferred from the player 6a to the player 6b.
In the case of re-transfer (copy), the re-transfer is permitted when the number n of the sales headers is 2 or more, while the re-transfer is prohibited when n = 1. In the case of permission, one sales header stored in the re-transfer source player 6a is deleted, and one sales header is re-transferred to the re-transfer destination player 6b together with the content.

As a modification of the first and second embodiments, retransmission is permitted when n is 1 or more, while n = 0.
In this case, retransmission may be prohibited. However, in this case, the re-transfer source player 6a having n = 0
Then, the reproduction of the purchased content stored in the storage unit 13 is prohibited or the purchased content in the storage unit 13 is deleted.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, the transfer source terminal notifies the player of the number of retransmissions permitted to be retransmitted within the range of the number of obtained contents, and the player retransmits the content. Since the number of retransmissions of the acquired content to the previous player is permitted within the range of the number of permitted retransmissions, line concentration can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a content distribution (sales) system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a player of FIG. 1 in detail.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a distribution (sales) header in the content distribution (sales) system according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a transfer procedure of the content distribution (sales) system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a transfer procedure of the content distribution (sales) system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a transfer procedure of the content distribution (sales) system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a transfer procedure of the content distribution (sales) system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a distribution (sales) header according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Authoring System (Host) 2 Transmission Server 6a Player (Transfer Destination Terminal, Re-Transfer Source Player) 6b Player (Transfer Destination Terminal, Re-Transfer Destination Player) 9 Web Server (Internet Server) (Transfer Source Terminal) 10 Internet Service PC client

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A data transfer method for a content distribution system for transferring content from a transfer source terminal to a player on a user side, wherein the player notifies the transfer source terminal of the number of obtained contents, and the transfer source terminal And transfers the obtained content to the player and notifies the number of retransmissions permitted to be retransmitted within the range of the obtained number, and retransmits the number of times the obtained content is retransmitted from the player to the retransmission destination player. A data transfer method for a content distribution system, wherein the data transfer is permitted within a permitted number range. 2. The transfer source terminal transfers the obtained content to the player by setting the obtained number in a distribution header, and re-transfers the obtained content from the player to the re-transfer destination player according to the obtained number in the distribution header. 2. The data of the content distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the number obtained in the distribution header of the retransmission source player is decremented by one each time retransmission is performed. Transfer method. 3. Transferring the same number of distribution headers as the number obtained from the transfer source terminal to the player, and permitting retransmission of the obtained content from the player to the re-transfer destination player according to the number of the distribution headers. 2. The data transfer method according to claim 1, wherein the number of distribution headers on the side of the re-transfer source player is deleted one by one each time re-transfer is performed, if the re-transfer is prohibited.