JP2002366032A - Contents distribution method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively utilize electronic watermark data by using the electronic water mark to resemble cipher data of high security difficult to alter and embedding security information in contents information thereby effectively managing contents. SOLUTION: A television broadcast program is broadcasted through BS digital broadcast and CS data broadcast with a point embedded to some picture via an embedded picture inputting device 20 as electronic watermark information and the program is received by the set top box(STB) of a user. A memory 1 is constituted attachably and detachably to/from the STB and the picture with the electronic watermark information expressing the number of points embedded therein is written in the memory through a secure bus 11 from the STB. The electronic watermark information written in the memory is read by the side of the manager of application, the point of the electronic watermark information is displayed and the user can receive a service corresponding to the point.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a content distribution method for distributing contents such as images and sounds to users.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a system for distributing contents such as images and sounds to users via broadcasting or a network has been known. Digital watermarking is a method of embedding some information in multimedia data of images and sounds, and various proposals have been made. For example, SCIS'97
MPEG-codes, especially DC-31G, "Method of embedding copyright information in digital video using DCT"
A method of embedding information based on changes in T coefficients, motion vectors, and quantization characteristics has been proposed. Also, SCIS '
A method of spreading an image signal with a PN sequence by a direct spreading method and synthesizing signature information with the image has been proposed in 97-B, "Watermark Signature Method for Image Using PN Sequence".

Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 10-302045 discloses that a digital image is taken from various media or digital cameras, displayed on a monitor to confirm a user, and used for ordering the confirmed digital image. A method of embedding and managing ID information by a digital watermarking method has been proposed. In the publication, IDs include, for example, an ID of a device from which an image is captured, an ID of a service base,
A method of determining using a unique number or name based on a date, a time, or the like is disclosed. Further, it is described that, for example, a password may be set for the read digital image for each customer and stored, or recite information may be included in the digital image as a digital watermark.

[0004]

By the way, a number of service forms have been proposed for recording data such as customer IDs that need to be kept confidential using digital watermarks. In other words, this is a service mode in which the content to be mixed with the watermark is linked to the ID and the like. However, since the watermark data is not embedded as high security data which is difficult to falsify, the digital watermark is not effectively used.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a content distribution method capable of effectively utilizing digital watermark data as encrypted data having high security which is difficult to falsify.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention considers digital watermark data as cryptographic data having high security which is difficult to falsify, and embeds security information in content information to manage the content. It was made. That is, according to the present invention, the step of embedding the security information in the content as digital watermark information, and the step of distributing the content in which the digital watermark information is embedded to a user via a broadcast or a network and storing the content in a nonvolatile recording medium of the user A content distribution method is provided, comprising: a step of recording; and a step of managing the content based on security information that is the digital watermark information read from the nonvolatile recording medium.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention further comprises a step of embedding service information, which is a price for a service for a user, as content in the content as digital watermark information; Distributing the digital watermark information with the embedded content and recording the content with the embedded digital watermark information on a non-volatile recording medium of the user; and the digital watermark information read from the non-volatile recording medium. Providing a service to the user based on service information.

Further, according to the present invention, a step of embedding service information serving as a price for a service for a user as electronic watermark information in an advertisement content, and a step of embedding the advertisement content in which the electronic watermark information is embedded via a broadcast or a network. Delivering to a user and recording on the user's non-volatile recording medium, and providing a service to the user based on service information that is the digital watermark information read from the non-volatile recording medium, A content distribution method is provided.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a management device in one embodiment of a content distribution method according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of digital watermark information of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a data read-only management device used for an application in which digital watermark information is not rewritten by the user. In FIG. 1, image content information in which digital watermark information is embedded is distributed from an image content distribution system to a user's non-volatile memory or recording medium (hereinafter, simply referred to as a memory) 1, and compressed in a JPEG format. Be recorded.

As shown in FIG. 2, the format of the digital watermark information includes a type of the digital watermark information, a management value, and a check code (CRC). As digital watermark information, fixed security information that is not rewritten by the user is embedded, and specifies, for example, encryption key information, information on which the encryption key is based, encryption key information, or information on which the encryption key is based, depending on the application Instruction information, region information defining a country, region, or space, personal ID information, group ID information of a plurality of users, rating information, device maker ID information of the apparatus, content ID information, ID of the memory 1
Fixed information such as information can be embedded.

The data stored in the memory 1 is read by a data reader 2 via an interface (not shown), then decoded by a JPEG decoder 3 and image contents are displayed by an image display 4.
The image content information decoded by the JPEG decoder 3 is sent to the digital watermark detector 5 to detect the digital watermark information. Then, in order for the administrator of the application to manage the electronic watermark information or to show the electronic watermark information to the user according to the application, the electronic watermark information in a format as shown in FIG. The CRC and the type of the management value are detected by a CRC check, and the management value is displayed on the liquid crystal display 7.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a data read / write management device used for an application for rewriting digital watermark information on the user side. As digital watermark information, rewritable service information for the user is embedded,
Depending on the application, for example, point information for providing services to the user in exchange for points, electronic money information, content provider type ID information,
Time information, content author information, connected device I
Variable information such as D information, content ID information, billing information, address information for access, recording control information, character information, sub-video information, and audio information can be embedded.

In FIG. 3, the data reader 2 corresponds to FIG.
The same configuration as above, in order for the administrator of the application to manage the digital watermark information or to show the digital watermark information to the user according to the application,
The management value detector 6 detects the type and management value of the digital watermark information in the format as shown in FIG. 2 and displays the management value on the liquid crystal display 7. Then, in order for the administrator of the application to update the digital watermark information in the memory 1, a new management value is input via the management value input device 10 and the digital watermark embedding device 12 is input via the secure bus 11.
To update and embed the original management value with the new management value. This new management value is encoded by the JPEG encoder 13 and written to the memory 1 by the data writer 14.

FIG. 4 shows an example of an application. FIG. 4 shows an application in which a point is given to a user when the user watches a broadcast program or a commercial program on a television, and the user can receive a service corresponding to the point. In this TV broadcast program, points are embedded in a certain image as digital watermark information via the embedded image input device 20 and broadcast via BS digital broadcast and CS data broadcast, and the user's set-top box (STB) Received at. The memory 1 is configured to be detachable from the STB, and an image in which digital watermark information indicating the number of points is embedded is written from the STB to the memory 1 via the secure bus. Also,
Instead of the television broadcast, the data may be written in the memory 1 via the Internet communication or the data distribution medium.

The digital watermark information written in the memory 1 is read by the administrator of the application, the points of the digital watermark information are displayed, and the user can receive a service according to the points. Further, for example, when the user performs shopping for a commercial program, the points are added from the management value input device 10 of the store and written into the memory 1. Then, a management value reader 21 on the application manager side from the memory 1
Also, by reading with the liquid crystal display 22, the present invention can be applied to an application in which the user can receive a service corresponding to the number of points. Further, the present invention can be applied to a simple application in which the management value reader 21 is carried and displayed on the user side.

FIG. 5 shows a more specific application. The user has a portable device (PD) 30 having the recording medium 1 therein, and the PD 30 is configured to be able to receive a program via broadcast or network communication. The PD 30 may be configured as a part of a mobile phone, for example. In this application, when the user watches a program, pointed image content is transmitted from the sponsor at the same time as the program and written to the recording medium 1 in the PD 30.
The user can receive a shopping service such as discount of the product of the sponsor by the points. In addition, when the type data shown in FIG. 2 represents a sponsor, and the user purchases a product of the sponsor, the read / write management device as shown in FIGS.
If the same sponsor information has already been written on the recording medium 1, an application for adding points is also possible. According to such an application, the user who wants to receive the service views the program, so that the audience rating can be increased and there is an effect of sales promotion.

Further, an image in which digital watermark information is embedded can be transferred to a personal computer (P) via the Internet.
The present invention can also be applied to an application distributed to a hard disk or the like in C). Since there is an image distributed as wallpaper on the Internet, digital watermark information is embedded in the image, and when a user imports a desired image on a PC, the image with the electronic watermark information embedded therein is imported.

Next, information other than service information such as points will be described as digital watermark information. First,
The electronic money information is information relating to money, and can be used for an application using an electronic wallet. Regarding region information, the world, for example, NTSC, PAL, SECAM depending on the difference of TV broadcasting system
To realize a terminal that can restrict viewing according to the region by classifying into three types, by continent or country, or by considering content playback on an airplane instead of a country or region Can be.

In the case of an application in which the content distributed by another route is encrypted, the encryption key or the information that is the source of the encryption key may be embedded with digital watermark information. Can be managed securely. The instruction information for specifying the encryption key and the information on which the encryption key is based is, for example, address information on the memory 1 where the information itself is stored.

The personal ID information may be a personal identification number known only to the individual, or may be an identification number given to the individual in advance. Alternatively, a password or a registration number such as a credit card may be used. An information number generated from physical characteristics (fingerprint, iris pattern, DNA) may be used. As a result, it can be used as personal identification or information that is a source of a cryptographic key. I to identify groups of people
D may be a number for identifying a family, a number for identifying an arbitrary friend, a number for recognizing a club or a team, or a number for identifying a group of residents living in a building such as an apartment or an apartment.

The information relating to the rating is a number indicating the level of a violent or sexual scene, a number of a level having a right to view the scene, or a value calculated from the age of a person who plays the content. It may be. Thus, by recording appropriate rating information for each user, it is possible to realize a terminal capable of limiting rating viewing.

As the device maker ID, a unique ID for each maker may be defined and used. Also, for example, a name such as JVC-VICTOR (JVC and VICTOR are registered trademarks of Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.) may be converted to an ASCII code to use the upper 56 bits. As a result, it can be used as information for identifying a device maker or a key for encryption. As the identification ID of the content provider, a unique ID may be defined for each movie company that supplies the content, and that ID may be used. For example, the name may be converted to ASCII and the upper 56 bits may be used. . This can also be used as information for identifying the content provider and as a source of the encryption key.

As the information relating to the time, a reproduction expiration date and a recording date may be recorded, and the year, month and time are digitized by a predetermined function. "
Is more than a predetermined number, "1" may be used as the information. This makes it possible to use the time-limited content as important information in the viewing restriction system. The information on the content author may be a personal ID of a person who records and edits, or a person who creates (organizes and processes) contents when creating a pre-recorded package, or a company ID. This can also be used as the information for identifying the content author and the source of the encryption key.

As the unique ID of the playback device, a serial number may be assigned to the player and that number may be used. The unique ID information of the connected device uses the type of the connected device or the serial number, etc., when the bus is connected and mutual authentication is performed, and uses the number permitted from among them. Is also good. As the unique ID of the media,
A unique ID may be recorded in advance on the recording medium 1 by a method that is not easily falsified, and the recording device may detect the ID before recording the ID and use the ID number. The unique ID may be a value attached to an appropriate number or a serial number.

As the content identification ID, one unique ID may be set for a content, for example, one music piece or one video movie, and the ID number may be used. The information relating to the charging includes, when a legitimate charging is performed for a predetermined program, a unique I / O of the charging program.
D may be used. Further, an ID for identifying an individual or a family member who is properly charged may be used. Further, only when charging is performed, a specific password may be issued and used. These can also be used as identification of each piece of information and information that is a source of a cryptographic key. The information related to the reproduction control and the information related to the recording control include, for example, C indicating the status such as whether copying is possible (Never Copy) or free copying (Copy Free) after the content is transmitted.
Information such as GMS or SCMS may be used. Information such as the condition under which the data is reproduced and the number of reproducible times may be used. This enables copy control and reproduction control.
In this embodiment, the digital watermark information is recorded in the image content. However, the digital watermark information may be recorded in the audio (music) content.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the digital watermark data is regarded as encrypted data having high security which is difficult to falsify, and the security information is embedded in the content information to manage the content.
Digital watermark data can be used effectively. Further, according to the present invention, the service is provided to the user by embedding the service information into an image of a program or the like, assuming that the watermark data is high-security encrypted data that is difficult to falsify. Can be used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a management device in a content distribution method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of digital watermark information of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a management device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an application according to the content distribution method according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of an application according to the content distribution method according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Non-volatile memory / recording medium 2 Data reader 3 JPEG decoder 4 Image display 5 Digital watermark detector 6 Management value detector 7, 22 Liquid crystal display 10 Management value input device 11 Secure bus 12 Digital watermark embedding device 13 JPEG encoder 14 Data writer 20 Embedded image input device 21 Management value reader 30 Portable device (PD)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5C053 FA15 GB05 GB06 GB36 HA29 HA40 KA01 KA24 LA14 5C063 AB05 CA23 CA36 DA13 DA20 EB01 EB04 EB35 EB37 5J104 AA14

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A step of embedding security information in content as digital watermark information; and distributing the content in which the digital watermark information is embedded to a user via a broadcast or a network and recording the content on a nonvolatile recording medium of the user. And a step of managing the content based on security information that is the digital watermark information read from the nonvolatile recording medium. 2. A step of embedding service information serving as a price for a service to a user as digital watermark information in the content, and distributing program content via broadcast or a network together with the content in which the digital watermark information is embedded. Recording the content in which the digital watermark information is embedded in a non-volatile recording medium of the user; and providing a service to the user based on service information that is the digital watermark information read from the non-volatile recording medium. And a content distribution method. 3. A step of embedding service information serving as a price for a service for a user as electronic watermark information in advertisement content, and distributing the advertisement content in which the electronic watermark information is embedded to a user via a broadcast or a network. A content distribution method, comprising: recording on a user's non-volatile recording medium; and providing a service to the user based on service information that is the digital watermark information read from the non-volatile recording medium. 4. The content distribution method according to claim 2, wherein the service information is a point number and is added each time the service information is recorded on the nonvolatile recording medium.