JP2002269374A - Contents usage restricting method, contents delivery system, and mpu built-in type media - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems in a conventional contents rental service managing the rental in terms of a period and allowing unlimited use of contents stored in media during an effective period. SOLUTION: A contents providing side manages the contents with a guarantee condition and delivers the matching contents with a guarantee condition to MPU built-in type media 21 of the user by a request from a user. To the contents to be provided, a guarantee condition about the use of the contents is attached, and the user is allowed to use the contents only in the range of this guarantee condition. The contents usage restriction based on this guarantee condition is carried out by the MPU built-in media 21 storing the contents. The MPU built-in type media 21 count the degree of use of the contents according to the use of the contents, compares the result with the guarantee condition, and sets inhibition on use of the contents when the usage of the contents reaches beyond the condition to forcibly end the rental of the contents.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technology for renting and distributing content, and more particularly to a method for restricting the use of content, a content distribution system, and a media with a built-in MPU.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a rental service of contents such as music and videos, contents have been provided to users in the form of being stored in media such as magnetic tapes and optical disks. That is, the rental target is handled not as the content itself but as a medium storing the content.

[0003]

For this reason, the upper limit of the number of content rentals is determined by the number of media held by the content provider, and when the request amount for a specific content increases rapidly, it becomes impossible to provide the content immediately. I fall. If a large amount of media is secured in anticipation of this, a large amount of surplus media will be generated when the required amount drops.

[0006] In the conventional content rental service, media rental is managed by a time limit, and the content stored in the medium can be used without any restrictions within the expiration date. This means that the content provider has abandoned the acquisition of a legitimate price corresponding to the degree of use of the content. Furthermore, the user must return the media within the time limit after using the content, which is troublesome for the user.

[0005] The present invention is intended to solve such a problem, and it is possible to realize a rental service of the content itself. It is an object of the present invention to provide a content use restricting method, a content distribution system, and an MPU built-in media that allow a user to use only the content.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a method of restricting use of content according to the present invention is to provide a content-providing content to a user's MPU built-in media with a guarantee condition for use of the content. Distributing, setting the guarantee condition in the MPU built-in medium, and storing the main body of the content, and using the main body of the content stored in the MPU built-in medium, Counting with the MPU built-in media; determining whether the counted usage of the content is within the range of the guarantee conditions set for the MPU built-in media; If the use of the content is prohibited.

[0007] That is, according to the present invention, the content provider manages the content with the guarantee condition relating to the use of the content, and provides the user with the corresponding content with the guarantee condition in response to a request from the user. Just need. The provided content has a guarantee condition regarding the use of the content, and the user is permitted to use the content only within the range of the guarantee condition. The content use restriction based on the guarantee condition is performed by the MPU built-in medium itself that stores the content. The MPU built-in type media counts the usage of the content as it is used, compares the result with the guarantee conditions, and sets the use of the content as unusable when the usage of the content exceeds the range of the guarantee conditions. To forcibly end the content rental.

As a result, it is possible to rent the content itself with limited use, to facilitate the management on the content provider side, and to easily cope with a sudden increase or decrease in the request amount of the specific content. become. In addition, since the user does not need to return the troublesome media, the service can be used more easily, and the use of the service can be expected to increase.

[0009] Guarantee conditions concerning the use of contents include:
Specifically, the upper limit value of the total playback time of the content, the upper limit value of the total number of times of playback of the content, the upper limit value of the number of songs that played the music content when the content is music content, the date and time, and the usage state of the content. There is an upper limit value of the number of times that monitoring is performed at regular time intervals and the use of content is confirmed.

[0010] For example, when the upper limit value of the total playback time of the content is used as the guarantee condition, the MPU built-in media counts the total playback time of the content as the usage of the content as the content itself is used. The counting result is compared with the upper limit value of the total playback time of the content, which is the guarantee condition. Then, it is determined whether or not the total of the counted playback times of the contents does not exceed the upper limit value of the total playback time of the contents, which is the guarantee condition. When other guarantee conditions are used, the use of the content is similarly restricted.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a form of a content distribution system embodying the present invention.

In this system, a content distribution server 11 accumulates content data with a guarantee condition and distributes the content data with a guarantee condition to a user who has requested distribution via the Internet 12. Further, the content distribution server 11 transmits the content data with the guarantee condition to the content providing terminals 1 installed in various places.
3 and 14 via the Internet 12, for example. These content providing terminals 13 and 14 store content data with guarantee conditions transferred from the content distribution server 11 and store the media 2 brought by the user.
1 directly distributes content data with guarantee conditions.

The content reproducing device on the user side includes, for example, a digital video device 32 and a digital audio device 33 in addition to an information device 31 such as a personal computer. These devices 31 to 33 have an interface with the medium 21 and reproduce the content data read from the medium 21 through the interface.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of content data with guarantee conditions. As shown in the figure, the content data with a guarantee condition is composed of main data 41 of a content to be rented, such as music or video, and a guarantee condition 42 relating to the use of the main data 41 of the content.

The guarantee conditions 42 include an upper limit value of the total playback time of content data, an upper limit value of the number of times of reproduction, a reproduction time limit based on a date and time, and an upper limit value of the number of times of access. These guarantee conditions 42 are arbitrarily determined by the content provider.

In the content distribution system of the present embodiment, an MPU built-in medium having the following security function is used as the medium 21 for storing contents.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the MPU built-in medium 21. As shown in FIG.
It comprises an MPU (microprocessor unit) 22, a memory unit 23 for storing main data of contents, and a plurality of registers 24, 25, 26, 27.

In the first register 24, conditions for guaranteeing the contents are set. The MPU 22 is stored in the second register 25.
The usage of the content, such as the total playback time, the number of times of playback, and the number of times of access, is counted. In the third register 26, a flag indicating whether or not the reproduction of the content is permitted is set. The fourth register 27 is used as a key when encrypting and decrypting the main body data of the content stored in the memory unit 23, and is used for user authentication when requesting distribution of the content. The user ID is registered.

According to a control program fixedly stored in the memory unit 23, the MPU 22 reads / writes the main data of the encrypted content from / to the memory unit 23 and controls the reproduction of the content based on the guarantee conditions. Control for The MPU 22 includes a memory unit 23
When reading / writing the main body data of the content with respect to the user, the user ID is read from the fourth register 27, and the content data is encrypted /
Perform decryption. Further, the control of the reproduction restriction of the content data based on the guarantee condition is performed as follows.

FIG. 4 shows a control procedure for controlling content reproduction based on the guarantee conditions.

Step 401 is a step of setting guarantee conditions for the content on the content providing side. The types of guarantee conditions include, for example, the following. Upper limit of the total playback time of the content Upper limit of the number of times the content is played (However, the start of content playback is considered as content playback) Upper limit of the number of times the content is played (However, playback of content longer than a certain time is considered as content playback Upper limit of the number of songs played in the case of music content Playback expiration date and time Upper limit of the number of times that the content playback status is monitored at regular time intervals and content playback is confirmed

Here, a case where the upper limit value of the total reproduction time of the content is set as the guarantee condition will be described. The upper limit of the total playback time is arbitrarily set by the content provider.

Step 402 is as follows.
This is a step of delivering the corresponding content with the guarantee condition to the user in response to a request from the user.

As a specific method of distributing the content with the guarantee condition, for example, a method of downloading the content from the content distribution server 11 to the user via the Internet 12 or a method in which the user goes directly to the place where the content providing terminals 13 and 14 are installed , Content providing terminal 13, 1
There is a method of calling the content with the desired guarantee condition from 4 and directly downloading it to the medium 21.

Before the user can receive the distribution of the content, it is necessary to register the user ID with the content provider and register the user ID in the fourth register 27 of the medium 21. is there. Upon receiving a content distribution request from the user, the content distribution server 11 and the content providing terminals 13 and 14 read the user ID registered in the fourth register 27 of the medium 21 to perform user authentication, and confirm that the user is a registered user. If confirmed, the requested content with guarantee conditions is delivered to the user.

Steps 403 and 404 are steps for storing the distributed contents with guarantee conditions in the medium 21. MPU 22 built in the media 21
Registers the guarantee condition in the content with the guarantee condition acquired from the content providing side in the first register 24, sets an initial value in the second register 25, and
(Step 403). Subsequently, the MPU 22 encrypts and records the main body data of the content with the user ID in the memory unit 23 of the medium 21 (Step 404).

Step 405 is a step of reproducing the main body data of the content read from the medium 21 on the content reproducing device on the user side. The MPU 22
When a data output request is received from the playback device, a flag of the third register 26 is checked, and if it is confirmed that a content playback enabled flag is set there, the memory unit 23 is checked.
Reads the encrypted content body data from
This is decoded using the user ID, and output to a data processing unit in the user playback device through an I / O port (not shown) of the medium 21.

Further, with the reading of the main body data of the content from the memory unit 23, the MPU 22 updates the value of the content of the second register 25, ie, the usage degree of the content, that is, the total reproduction time of the content in this example. Where M
The PU 22 counts the playback time using the time information included in the main body data of the content read from the memory unit 23 in the current content playback, and adds the playback time to a value already registered in the second register 25. To update the total playback time.

Step 406 is to determine the total playback time of the contents registered in the second register 25 and the first register 2
This is a step of comparing with the upper limit value of the total playback time, which is the guarantee condition set in No. 4. As a result of this comparison, if the total playback time, which is the degree of use of the content, does not exceed the upper limit of the playback time, which is the guarantee condition (if the guarantee condition is satisfied), the content playback is permitted as before. .

In step 407, if the result of the comparison in step 406 is that the total playback time, which is the degree of use of the content, exceeds the upper and lower limits of the playback time, which is the guarantee condition (if the guarantee condition is not satisfied), the fourth By setting a flag indicating that the content cannot be reproduced in the register 27 of the
This is a step of setting the reading of the main body data of the content from No. 3 to be disabled.

In this way, the contents with the guarantee conditions are stored in the MPU built-in medium 21. In this medium 21, the usage such as the total reproduction time of the contents is counted as the contents are used. By judging whether or not the usage degree satisfies the guarantee condition, and disabling the reproduction of the content when the guarantee condition is no longer satisfied, it is possible to rent the content itself with limited use. The management on the providing side becomes easy, and it is possible to easily cope with a sudden increase or decrease in the requested amount of specific content. Also,
On the user side, the service can be used more easily by eliminating the troublesome return of media.

Next, an embodiment using an SD combo card as a medium for storing contents with guarantee conditions will be described.

FIG. 5 shows the configuration of an SD combo card for storing such contents with guarantee conditions.

As shown in FIG. 1, the SD combo card 50 includes an MPU 51, an SD memory 52 having a copy protection function, and an SD-I / O 53 which is an input / output system for various devices built in the card. It is provided with.
Target devices include, for example, Bluetooth, LA
N, camera, GPS, audio player, voice recorder, and the like.

The SD-I / O 53 has an I / O register group 54 for input / output to / from a device, and includes a general-purpose I / O register 55 not reserved for the device.
The general-purpose I / O register 55 is used as a register for registering the guarantee conditions, the degree of use of the content, the reproduction disable flag, and the user ID necessary for restricting the reproduction of the content.

An external connection terminal 56 is provided at one end of the card body, and input / output of read / write data and the like is performed through the external connection terminal 56. The procedure for controlling the content reproduction using the SD combo card 50 as a medium is the same as the procedure shown in FIG. 4 except that the MPU 51 controls the content reproduction using the I / O register 55. .

Next, a supplementary description will be given in the case where a condition other than the upper limit value of the total reproduction time of the content is used as the guarantee condition of the content.

When the upper limit value of the number of times of reproduction of the content is set as the guarantee condition, a method in which the reproduction of the content is regarded as one time at the start of reproduction of the content and a continuous reproduction of the content for a certain time or more are regarded as one time of the reproduction of the content. There is a way. The latter method is effective in avoiding trouble between the content providing side and the user by not counting trial reproduction or reproduction due to erroneous operation by the user as one reproduction.

When the upper limit value of the number of reproduced music pieces is used as a guarantee condition in the case of music contents, the number of detected silence periods existing between the music pieces is managed by the second register 25.

When a playback time limit based on the date and time is used as a guarantee condition, a timer is added to the medium 21, the date and time are acquired from the timer in the medium, and the value of the second register 25 is updated.

When the reproduction state of the content is monitored at regular time intervals and the upper limit of the number of times that the content is being reproduced is used as a guarantee condition, a timer is added to the medium, and the date and time are obtained from the timer in the medium. Then, a timing for monitoring the content reproduction state is generated, and the value of the second register 25 is updated each time it is confirmed that the content is being reproduced.

Further, the media 21 is stored in the reproduction device on the user side.
If a device ID that can be read is set, the following content distribution restriction can be performed using this device ID.

For each piece of content with a guarantee condition, a device ID that permits distribution and a device ID that does not permit distribution are managed by the content provider, and when the content provider receives a distribution request from the user, the content provider transmits the request to the user. Device I that reads and manages the ID of the playback device on the
Compared with D, only when it is confirmed that the device allows the distribution, the content with the guarantee condition is distributed to the user side. With this method, it is possible to restrict content distribution for each reproduction device on the user side. Furthermore, the guarantee conditions attached to the content may be changed according to the ID of the device and distributed to the user.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Rental with limited use of the content itself becomes possible, and the management on the content provider side is facilitated, and it is possible to easily cope with a sudden increase or decrease in the request amount of the specific content. In addition, since the user does not need to return the troublesome media, the service can be used more easily, and the use of the service can be expected to increase.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a form of a content distribution system embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of content data with a guarantee condition.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of an MPU built-in type medium.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of content reproduction restriction based on a guarantee condition according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an SD combo card that stores content with a guarantee condition.

[Explanation of symbols]

11: Content distribution server 12: Internet 13, 14: Content providing terminal 21:
MPU built-in media 22 MPU 23 Memory unit 24, 25, 26, 27 Register 31 Information device 32 Digital video device 33 Digital audio device 41 Content data 42 ... Warranty conditions
50: Combo card 51: MPU 52
... SD memory 53 ... SD-I / O 55 ... General-purpose I / O register

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An MPU of a user from a content providing side
Distributing content with a guarantee condition regarding use of the content to the built-in media, setting the guarantee condition on the MPU built-in media, and storing the main body of the content; and storing the content stored in the MPU built-in media. The usage of this content is
Counting with the built-in media; determining whether or not the usage of the counted content is within the range of the guarantee conditions set in the MPU built-in media with the MPU built-in media; Setting the use of the content to be unusable if it exceeds the range. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the guarantee condition regarding the use of the content is an upper limit value of a total reproduction time of the content. 3. The content use restriction method according to claim 1, wherein the guarantee condition regarding the use degree of the content is an upper limit value of the number of times of reproduction of the content. 4. In the case where the content is music content, a guarantee condition regarding the degree of use of the content is as follows:
2. The content use restriction method according to claim 1, wherein the music content is an upper limit value of the number of music pieces reproduced. 5. The content use restriction method according to claim 1, wherein the guarantee condition regarding the use degree of the content is a reproduction time limit based on a date and time. 6. The guarantee condition according to claim 1, wherein the assurance condition relating to the use degree of the content is an upper limit value of the number of times that the use state of the content is monitored at regular time intervals and the use of the content is confirmed. How to restrict use of content. 7. A content distribution device for distributing content with a guarantee condition regarding use of a content; a memory unit for storing a main body of the content distributed from the content distribution device; and a guarantee condition added to the content. A guarantee condition holding unit to hold, a usage counting function of counting the usage of the content in accordance with the use of the main body of the content stored in the memory unit, and a usage of the content counted by the usage counting function A MPU built-in type having an unusable setting unit for determining whether the content is within the range of the guarantee conditions held in the guarantee condition holding unit, and setting the use of the content to be unusable if the range exceeds the range of the guarantee conditions. And a media distribution system. 8. A memory unit for storing a main body of the content distributed from a content distribution device which distributes content with a guarantee condition regarding use of the content, and a guarantee condition holding unit for retaining a guarantee condition added to the content. A usage counting function for counting the usage of the content in accordance with the use of the main body of the content stored in the memory unit; and the usage of the content counted by the usage counting function is determined by the guarantee condition holding unit. An unusable setting unit for determining whether the content is within the range of the guarantee conditions held in the MPU, and setting the use of the content to be unusable if the range of the guarantee condition is exceeded. .