JP2003152707A - Contents generating device, contents reproducing device, and contents providing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a contents generating device, a contents reproducing device, and a contents providing method that can facilitate authentication of contents and a contents provider and prevent the illegal use of the contents. SOLUTION: In the contents providing method for providing the contents from the contents provider to a contents user to solve the task above, the contents provider includes: an authentication data generating step for generating authentication data based on the contents; and an authentication data attaching step for attaching the generated authentication data to the contents, and the contents user includes: an authentication data acquisition step for acquiring the authentication data attached to the contents; an authentication step for authenticating the contents provider on the basis of the acquired authentication data; and a reproduction processing control step for controlling reproduction processing of the contents based on the authentication.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a content creating device, a content reproducing device, and a content providing method,
In particular, the present invention relates to a content creating device, a content reproducing device, and a content providing method used for distributing contents.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For distribution of digital multimedia contents (hereinafter, simply referred to as contents) such as moving images and sounds, distribution is performed via a network such as the Internet, or recording media such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) ( (Hereinafter referred to as media).

A content user who uses content has authenticated that the content provider is a legitimate content provider and that the provided content has not been tampered with by the following method.

In the case of distributing content via a network, a screen or sound for clearly indicating the content creator is added to the beginning or the end of the content, or a logo of the content creator is displayed on the entire content. , Was authenticating the content provider who provided the content. Further, information about a content provider is embedded in a content as a digital watermark, and the content provider who provided the content is authenticated by detecting the digital watermark.

When contents are distributed using a package medium recorded on a medium such as a DVD, the production number of the medium itself is added to the content recorded on the medium, and the production number of the medium itself and The content provider who provided the content is authenticated by the method of comparing the manufacturing number added to the content. Further, the content provider who provided the content is authenticated by a method of displaying a logo mark, a label, or the like indicating the content provider on the medium.

On the other hand, the authentication as to whether the provided content is unaltered content is performed by encrypting the content on the content provider side and distributing it, and decrypting the encrypted content by the content user side. Was going by.

[0007]

However, in the case of delivering the content via the network, a screen or voice clearly indicating the creator of the content is added to the beginning or the end of the content, or the logo mark of the producer of the content, etc. With the method of displaying "" on the entire content, it is easy for a third party to create illegal content. Therefore, the method of authenticating the content provider has a problem of low reliability.

Further, the method of embedding the information about the content provider as a digital watermark in the content has a problem that the quality of the content is deteriorated by embedding the digital watermark.

When the contents are distributed using the package media, the manufacturing number of the medium itself is added to the contents recorded on the medium, and the manufacturing number of the medium itself and the manufacturing number added to the contents at the time of reproduction. As a method of comparing with, some illegal contents such as pirated ones can be reproduced. Therefore, there is a problem that the reliability is insufficient as a method of authenticating the content provider.

Further, the method of displaying a logo mark, a label, or the like indicating the content provider on the medium is easy to illegally copy. Therefore, the method of authenticating the content provider has a problem of low reliability.

Further, in the method in which the content provider side encrypts and delivers the content and the content user side decrypts the encrypted content, it takes time to decrypt the encrypted content. There was a problem that it was not realistic.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and can facilitate the authentication of the content and the content provider and can prevent the illegal use of the content, and the content reproducing apparatus and the content reproducing apparatus. ， The purpose is to provide a content providing method.

[0013]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a content creation device for creating content provided from a content provider to a content user, which is for authentication based on the content. It is characterized by comprising an authentication data creating means for creating data and an authentication data adding means for adding the created authentication data to the content.

In such a content creating apparatus, by creating the authentication data based on the content and adding the created authentication data to the content, the authentication of the content and the content provider can be facilitated. .

Further, the present invention is a content reproducing apparatus for reproducing the content provided from the content provider to the content user, and an authentication data acquisition means for acquiring the authentication data added to the content. ,
An authentication means for performing authentication based on the acquired authentication data,
A reproduction processing control means for controlling the reproduction processing of the content based on the result of the authentication.

In such a content reproducing apparatus, the authentication data added to the provided content is acquired, and the authentication is performed based on the acquired authentication data.
Authentication of the content and the content provider can be facilitated. Then, by controlling the reproduction process of the content based on the result of the authentication, it is possible to prevent the illegal use of the content.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the authentication means is replaceable.

In such a content reproducing apparatus, the method of creating the authentication data added to the content and the change of the adding method can be dealt with by replacing the authentication means.

Further, the present invention is a content providing method for providing content to a content user from a content provider, wherein the content provider side creates an authentication data based on the content. And an authentication data adding step of adding the created authentication data to the content, and the content user side obtains the authentication data acquiring step of acquiring the authentication data added to the content. It is characterized by including an authentication step of performing authentication based on the authentication data and a reproduction processing control step of controlling reproduction processing of the content based on the result of the authentication.

In such a content providing method, the content provider can create authentication data based on the content and add the created authentication data to the content. Further, it is possible to acquire the authentication data added to the provided content, perform the authentication based on the acquired authentication data, and control the content reproduction process based on the result of the authentication.

Further, according to the present invention, software for causing the content provider side to execute the authentication data acquisition step, the authentication step, and the reproduction processing control step is stored, and the software stores the software as required. It is provided to the content user side.

In such a content providing method, software for executing the authentication data acquisition step, the authentication step and the reproduction processing control step can be provided from the content provider side to the content user side. In other words, even if the processes of the authentication data creation stage and the authentication data addition stage are changed, the software for executing the authentication data acquisition stage, the authentication stage and the reproduction process control stage on the content provider side can be easily changed. be able to.

Therefore, it is possible to facilitate the authentication of the content and the content provider and prevent the unauthorized use of the content.

[0024]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the present embodiment describes an example in which the content provider distributes or distributes the content to the content purchaser as the content user, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to the form of purchasing the content. Further, although the Internet is used as an example of the network in the present embodiment, any network may be used as long as it is a network such as a telephone to which the content provider and the content purchaser are connected.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a content providing system according to the present invention. The content providing system 1 of FIG. 1 is roughly configured to include the equipment on the content provider side, the equipment on the content purchaser side, and the Internet 20, and the equipment on the content provider side and the content purchaser side The equipment is connected via the Internet 20.

The facilities on the side of the content provider are the content server for distribution 10, the dedicated reproduction software server 11, the authentication function server 12, the content server 13, and the encoder 1.
4, a distribution content creation device 15, a distribution content creation device 16, a network 18 such as an intranet,
It is configured to include the gateway 19. The distribution content server 10, the dedicated reproduction software server 11, the authentication function server 12, and the content server 13 are connected to the network 18. The equipment on the content purchaser side is configured to include the purchaser terminals 21a to 21n.

The content server 13 stores uncompressed content. The encoder 14 encodes the content supplied from the content server 13 into MPEG.
1 or MPEG2 or other compression encoding method.

The encoded contents are supplied from the encoder 14 to the distribution contents creating apparatus 15. The distribution content creation device 15 creates authentication data (hereinafter referred to as metadata) for authenticating the content, content provider, etc. on the content purchaser side, and the created metadata is supplied from the encoder 14. Add to content. Distribution content creation device 1
Reference numeral 5 creates distribution content by adding metadata to the content supplied from the encoder 14. The distribution content server 10 stores the distribution content supplied from the distribution content creation device 15.

The encoded content is supplied from the encoder 14 to the distribution content creating apparatus 16. The distribution content creation device 16 creates metadata for authenticating the content or the like on the content purchaser side, and adds the created metadata to the content supplied from the encoder 14. The distribution content creation device 16 uses the content to which the metadata is added as the media 1
By recording in 7, the package media is created.

The dedicated reproduction software server 11 stores dedicated reproduction software for reproducing the content on the content purchaser side. The authentication function server 12 stores dedicated reproduction software or authentication function software incorporated in a dedicated reproduction device. The gateway 19 connects the network 18 and the Internet 20. That is, the connection between the content provider side and the content purchaser side is performed via the gateway 19.

The purchaser terminals 21a to 21n of the equipment on the side of the content purchaser are connected to the Internet 20. The purchaser terminals 21a to 21n download the dedicated playback software from the dedicated playback software server 11, and use the dedicated playback software to play the content distributed or distributed by the content provider. It should be noted that the content reproduced on the purchaser terminals 21a to 21n is distributed from the distribution content server 10 via the Internet 20, or is distributed using a package medium.

FIG. 2 shows a sequence diagram of an example of processing of the content providing system. In the process of FIG. 2, the part indicated by the dotted line is a process performed as necessary. Hereinafter, an example in which the content purchaser operates the purchaser terminal 21a of FIG. 1 to reproduce the content will be described.

When the dedicated reproduction software is not installed in the purchaser terminal 21a, the purchaser terminal 21a starts the processing of step S10 according to the purchaser's instruction or automatically. In step S10, the purchaser terminal 21a
Requests the gateway 19 to download the dedicated reproduction software.

In step S11 following step S10, the gateway 19 accesses the exclusive reproduction software server 11 in response to the download request from the purchaser terminal 21a, and downloads the exclusive reproduction software to the purchaser terminal 21a. Instruct to that effect. In step S12 following step S11, the dedicated playback software server 11 provides the dedicated playback software to the gateway 19.

Then, in step S13 following step S12, the gateway 19 uses the dedicated playback software provided by the dedicated playback software server 11 to purchaser's terminal 2
Download to 1a. When the download of the dedicated playback software is completed, the purchaser terminal 21a proceeds to step S14.
Go to processing. On the other hand, whether the dedicated reproduction software is installed in the purchaser terminal 21a or the purchaser terminal 2
When 1a is a dedicated playback device, the purchaser terminal 21a starts from the process of step S14.

In step S14, the purchaser's terminal 21a automatically activates the gateway 1 according to the purchaser's instructions.
9 makes a content browsing request. Here, the content browsing request is a request for a list of contents stored in the content server 13.

In step S15 following step S14, the gateway 19 accesses the content server 13 in response to the content browsing request from the purchaser terminal 21a, and downloads the content list display file to the purchaser terminal 21a. Give instructions. Step S1
5, the process proceeds to step S16, and the content server 1
3 provides the content list display file to the gateway 19.

Then, in step S17 following step S16, the gateway 19 determines that the content server 1
3 downloads the content list display file provided from No. 3 to the purchaser terminal 21a. When the download of the content list display file is complete, the purchaser terminal 2
1a displays a content list on the screen.

The purchaser browses the content list displayed on the purchaser terminal 21a and selects the content to be reproduced from the content list. When content is selected,
The purchaser terminal 21a proceeds to step S18 and requests the gateway 19 for the content selected by the purchaser. Proceeding to step S19 after step S18, the content provider and the content purchaser make a contract for selling and purchasing the content. The contract in step S19 is performed using the content providing system 1, for example.

After the contract of step S19, the content requested by the purchaser terminal 21a is distributed from the distribution content server 10 via the Internet 20 or by using a package medium. The content requested from the purchaser terminal 21a is transmitted from the distribution content server 10 to the Internet 2
If it is distributed via 0, the gateway 19 proceeds to step S20, accesses the distribution content server 10 in response to the request for the content from the purchaser terminal 21a, and distributes the content to the purchaser terminal 21a. Give instructions.

After step S20, the process proceeds to step S23, where the distribution content server 10 is the buyer terminal 21.
The content requested by a is provided to the gateway 19. Then, following step S23, step S2
In step 4, the gateway 19 distributes the content provided from the distribution content server 10 to the purchaser terminal 21a.

When the content requested from the purchaser terminal 21a is distributed using the package medium, the gateway 19 proceeds to step S21 and distributes the content according to the request for the content from the purchaser terminal 21a. To the content provider. Step S2
After step 1, the process proceeds to step S22, in which the content provider provides the content purchaser with a package medium corresponding to the request for the content from the purchaser terminal 21a by mail or the like. The content purchaser sets the medium 17 on which the package medium is recorded in the purchaser terminal 21a and reads the content from the medium 17.

After the content is distributed or distributed, the purchaser terminal 21a proceeds to step S25, and transmits the version information of the authentication function software incorporated in the dedicated reproduction software to the gateway 19. Progressing to step S26 following step S25, the gateway 19 accesses the authentication function server 12 and confirms whether the version of the authentication function software received from the purchaser terminal 21a is the current version.

The gateway 19 is a purchaser terminal 21a.
Only when the version of the authentication function software received from is different from the current version, the authentication function server 12 is instructed to download the current version of the authentication function software to the purchaser terminal 21a.

In step S27 following step S26, the authentication function server 12 provides the gateway 19 with the current version of the authentication function software. Then, in step S28 following step S27, the gateway 19 downloads the authentication function software supplied from the authentication function server 12 to the purchaser terminal 21a. Therefore, the purchaser terminal 21a can automatically update the version of the authentication function software incorporated in the dedicated reproduction software to the current version.

Here, the distribution content and the procedure for creating the distribution content will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for creating distribution content. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for creating distribution content.

When creating the content for distribution, the content stored in the content server 13 is supplied to the encoder 14. The encoder 14 encodes the content supplied from the content server 13 into MPEG1 or M
The content is encoded by a compression encoding method such as PEG2, and the encoded content is supplied to the distribution content creation device 15.

The encoded content is supplied from the encoder 14 to the distribution content creation apparatus 15. The distribution content creation device 15 creates metadata as will be described later and adds the created metadata to the content supplied from the encoder 14. The distribution content creation device 15 creates distribution content by adding metadata to the content supplied from the encoder 14, and supplies the created distribution content to the distribution content server 10. Then, the distribution content is stored in the distribution content server 10.

When creating the distribution content, the content stored in the content server 13 is supplied to the encoder 14. The encoder 14 encodes the content supplied from the content server 13 into MPEG1 or M
The content is encoded by a compression encoding method such as PEG2, and the encoded content is supplied to the distribution content creation device 16.

The distributed content creating apparatus 16 is supplied with the encoded content from the encoder 14. The distribution content creation device 16 creates metadata as described later and adds the created metadata to the content supplied from the encoder 14. The distribution content creation device 16 creates distribution content by adding metadata to the content supplied from the encoder 14. The distribution content creation device 16 creates a package medium by recording the created distribution content in the medium 17.

Next, regarding the creation of metadata, MPE
The moving image content encoded by the G2 standard will be described as an example. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of encoded image information based on the MPEG2 standard.

FIG. 5A shows the structure of the sequence layer. The sequence layer of FIG. 5A is a sequence header code (hereinafter, SH) included in the sequence header.
It starts with C) and ends with a sequence end code (hereinafter referred to as SEC).

FIG. 5B shows the structure of a group of picture (hereinafter referred to as GOP) layer. Figure 5
The GOP layer in (B) starts with a group start code (hereinafter, referred to as GSC) included in the GOP header.

FIG. 5C shows the structure of the picture layer. The picture layer in FIG. 5C is a picture start code (hereinafter, P) included in the picture header.
It's called SC). FIG. 5D shows the structure of the slice layer. The slice layer in FIG. 5D is
It starts with a slice start code (hereinafter referred to as SSC) included in the slice header.

Incidentally, SHC, GSC, PSC, SSC
Is composed of a 32-bit code. Also, FIG.
(E) represents the configuration of a macro block (hereinafter referred to as MB) layer. FIG. 5F shows the structure of the block layer. The block layer in FIG. 5 (F) ends with an end of block (hereinafter, EOB).

In the present embodiment, the created metadata having a predetermined length is added to a predetermined position of the moving image content having the structure according to the MPEG2 standard as shown in FIG. Creation of metadata is performed using a function that returns a value corresponding to input data, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, for example. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a function used to create metadata. In addition, FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating another example of the function used to create the metadata.

FIG. 6 shows an example of creating metadata using a hash function. The hash function disturbs the target data, compresses it into a hash value of a predetermined bit length, and outputs it. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a y (y <x) -bit hash value is output from the x-bit data M.
The output hash value is used as metadata.

With the hash function, when the target data changes even a little, the output hash value changes greatly. That is, it has a feature that it is difficult to predict the input data from the output hash value.

FIG. 7 shows an example of creating metadata using a parity function. The parity function outputs the exclusive OR of all the bits of the target data. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, an exclusive OR is output every 2 bits from the first bit for all bits of the target data. The output exclusive OR is used as metadata.

An example of using a hash function for creating metadata will be described below. For example, when a hash value is output from the content using a hash function and the output hash value is used as metadata, a problem occurs depending on the size of the content. Specifically, there is a problem that calculation for outputting a hash value takes time when the content is large.

Since the content provider has time to create the distribution content or the distribution content, it does not pose a big problem even if the calculation for outputting the hash value takes time. However, when the content purchaser reproduces the distribution content or the distribution content, there is no time to spare, and it takes a lot of time to calculate the hash value, which is a serious problem. In particular, when the performance of the purchaser terminals 21a to 21n is low, it is inevitable that the calculation for outputting the hash value takes a lot of time, which is not practical.

Therefore, the calculation for outputting the hash value is shortened by creating the metadata using a part of the content. For example, in the case of content having a structure according to the MPEG2 standard as shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to create metadata by using an I picture as shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for creating and adding metadata using a part of the content. In FIG. 8, the hash function is used to create metadata from an I picture, and the created metadata is added to the next I picture.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the picture header. FIG. 9A shows the structure of the GOP layer. G
The OP layer includes a GOP header that starts with GSC and a GOP
It is composed of one or more picture data (I picture, B picture, P picture) following the header.

FIG. 9B shows the structure of the picture layer. The picture layer includes a picture header that starts with PSC and one or more slice data that follows the picture header. FIG. 9C shows the structure of the picture header. Picture header is PSC
32 bits representing the, 1 representing the display order of the images in the GOP
It is composed of 0 bits, 3 bits indicating the picture coding type, and 16 bits indicating the VBV delay amount until the code starts.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for adding metadata. Note that FIG. 10A shows the picture header of the I picture. FIG. 10 (B)
Indicates a picture header of P picture and B picture.

First, 3 bits representing the picture coding type included in the picture header are copied, and 3 bits representing the copied picture coding type are represented as 3 bits representing the PSC.
It is added between 2 bits and 10 bits representing the display order of images in the GOP. The process of adding 3 bits indicating the picture coding type is performed for the I picture, P picture, and B picture.

Next, the created metadata of a predetermined bit length m is added between 3 bits representing the picture coding type added previously and 10 bits representing the display order of the images in the GOP. The process of adding the created metadata of the predetermined bit length m is performed for the I picture, and P
Not performed for pictures and B pictures.

The metadata creating procedure and the adding procedure will be described in more detail.
The hash value is output from the I picture of the P layer. In addition,
Make sure that the output hash value has a predetermined bit length m,
The I picture PSC to a predetermined number of bits k are used. The predetermined number of bits k is a value determined by the hash function.

The output hash value is a meta value between 3 bits representing the picture coding type added in the picture header of the I picture and 10 bits representing the display order of the images in the GOP. It is added as data. However, no metadata is added to the first I picture in the content.

In this embodiment, an example in which the picture coding type and the metadata are added between 32 bits representing the PSC and 10 bits representing the display order of the images in the GOP has been described, but it is predetermined. The picture coding type and the metadata may be added to any position as long as it is a different position. Further, the example in which the predetermined number of bits k for determining the hash value to be the predetermined bit length m is started from the PSC has been described, but any predetermined position may start.

FIG. 11 shows a flowchart of an example of processing of the purchaser terminal. Note that the purchaser terminals 21a to 21
n may be a dedicated playback software installed or a dedicated playback device. Here, an example in which the dedicated reproduction software is installed in the purchaser terminal 21a will be described.

At step S30, the exclusive reproduction software is G
The PSC is detected from the picture header included in each picture data of the OP layer. Proceeding to step S31 following step S30, the dedicated reproduction software extracts a predetermined bit from a predetermined position based on the detected PSC.

For example, in the case of FIG. 9 (A) and FIG. 9 (B), the dedicated reproduction software takes out the 3 bits following the detected PSC. That is, 3 bits indicating the picture coding type inserted by the content provider side are taken out. The process of step S31 is performed for all picture data (I picture, P picture, and B picture).

In step S32 following step S31, the dedicated reproduction software removes the predetermined bits at the predetermined position extracted in step S31 from the picture header and connects the data. For example, in the case of FIGS. 9A and 9B, the dedicated reproduction software removes the 3 bits following the detected PSC from the picture header and connects the data. That is, 3 bits indicating the picture coding type inserted on the content provider side are removed.

In step S33 following step S32, the dedicated reproduction software determines whether or not the picture data is an I picture based on the predetermined bits extracted in step S31. For example, in the case of FIG. 9 (A) and FIG. 9 (B), the dedicated reproduction software is based on 3 bits following the detected PSC, in other words, 3 bits indicating the picture coding type inserted by the content provider side,
It is determined whether the picture data is an I picture.

If it is determined that the picture data is not an I picture (NO in S33), the exclusive reproduction software proceeds to step S41. If it is determined that the picture data is an I picture (YES in S33), the dedicated playback software proceeds to step S34.

In step S34, it is determined whether or not the I picture is the first (0th) I picture included in the content. In addition, I pictures other than the first I picture are sequentially i-th (i =
1, 2, ...) I-pictures.

If it is determined that the picture is the first I-picture (YES in S34), the dedicated reproduction software proceeds to step S37 and step S41. In step S37, the dedicated reproduction software extracts up to the k-th bit from the head of the PSC detected in step S30. In step S38 following step S37, the dedicated reproduction software calculates the hash value h0 using the hash function from the bits extracted in step S37.

In step S39 following step S38, the dedicated reproduction software waits until the next I picture is detected. At this time, the dedicated reproduction software continues the reproduction process of step S41.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the I picture is not the first I picture (NO in S34), the exclusive reproduction software proceeds to step S35, and determines the hash value h'i- of the metadata of a predetermined bit from the position determined in advance with reference to the PSC. 1
Take out as. For example, in the case of FIG. 9A, the dedicated reproduction software extracts the m-bit hash value h′i−1.

After the hash value h'i-1 is taken out in step S35, the dedicated reproduction software proceeds to step S36 and to step S40. In step S36,
Dedicated playback software removes the metadata from the picture header and connects the data. For example, in the case of FIG.
The dedicated reproduction software removes the metadata from the picture header and connects 32 bits representing the PSC and 10 bits representing the display order of the images in the GOP. The dedicated reproduction software removes the metadata in step S36, connects the data, and then proceeds to step S37.

At step S40, the special reproduction software is
It is determined whether or not the hash value hi-1 of the i-1th I picture calculated in step S38 is the same as the hash value h'i-1 of the ith I picture extracted in step S35.

I−1th I calculated in step S38
The hash value hi-1 of the picture and the hash value h'i-1 of the i-th I picture extracted in step S35
Is determined to be the same (YE in S40
S), the dedicated playback software proceeds to step S41 and continues the content playback process. Then, in step S30 following step S41, the dedicated reproduction software is GOP.
The PSC is detected from the picture header included in each picture data of the layer.

On the other hand, the hash value hi-1 of the i-1th I picture calculated in step S38 and step S3
The hash value h'of the i-th I picture extracted in 5
If it is determined that i-1 is not the same (N in S40
O), the dedicated reproduction software proceeds to step S42 and stops the content reproduction processing.

At this time, in step S37, the dedicated reproduction software extracts from the head of the PSC contained in the picture header of the i-th I picture up to the k-th bit. In step S38 following step S37, the dedicated reproduction software calculates a hash value hi from the bits extracted in step S37 using a hash function.

In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the extraction position of the predetermined number of bits k and the position of addition of the metadata for determining the hash value to have the predetermined bit length m are set to the position following the PSC. As long as it is a fixed position, it can be set as a single position or a position dispersed in the content.

In the present embodiment, the example of adding the hash value itself to the content has been described, but it is also possible to add the hash value to the content as metadata after encrypting the hash value. In this case, the dedicated reproduction software decrypts the metadata after extracting it.

When the content providing system 1 as described above is used, only the legitimate content provider can know the information such as the method of creating the metadata, the position where the metadata is added, and the length of the metadata. Become. Therefore, the correct metadata is not added to the content created by the unauthorized content provider impersonating the regular content provider. That is, the content created by the unauthorized content provider is not reproduced by the dedicated reproduction software.

Therefore, it is understood that the content purchaser is the content provided by the legitimate content provider if the content can be played back by the dedicated playback software.

Further, an unauthorized content provider cannot know information such as a method of creating metadata, a position where metadata is added, and length of metadata. Therefore, the content created by the unauthorized content provider by tampering with the legitimate content does not have the legitimate metadata added thereto and cannot be reproduced by the dedicated reproduction software.

Therefore, the content purchaser can recognize that the content can be played back by the dedicated playback software, and is genuine content that has not been tampered with.

It is very difficult to remove all the metadata from the legitimate contents. Therefore,
It is very difficult to convert legitimate content into a data format that can be played back by a general-purpose DVD playback device, CD playback device, etc., and it is possible to prevent unauthorized use of the content.

In this embodiment, an example of using MPEG2 as an example of the compression coding method has been described.
1 can also be used, and an audio compression method such as BC or AAC can also be used.

[0095]

As described above, according to the present invention, the authentication data is created based on the content, and the created authentication data is added to the content to facilitate the authentication of the content and the content provider. can do.

Further, according to the present invention, the authentication data added to the provided content is acquired and the authentication is performed based on the acquired authentication data, thereby facilitating the authentication of the content and the content provider. can do.
Then, by controlling the reproduction process of the content based on the result of the authentication, it is possible to prevent the illegal use of the content.

Further, according to the present invention, by changing the authentication means, it is possible to deal with the change of the method of creating the authentication data added to the content and the method of adding the authentication data.

Further, according to the present invention, software for executing the authentication data acquisition step, the authentication step and the reproduction processing control step can be provided from the content provider side to the content user side. That is, even if the processes at the authentication data creation stage and the authentication data addition stage are changed, the content data provider side can obtain the authentication data acquisition stage,
The software for executing the authentication step and the reproduction processing control step can be easily changed.

Therefore, the authentication of the content and the content provider can be facilitated, and the unauthorized use of the content can be prevented.

[0100]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a content providing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of an example of processing of the content providing system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for creating distribution content.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for creating distribution content.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of an example of encoded image information based on the MPEG2 standard.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a function used to create metadata.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating another example of a function used to create metadata.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for creating metadata and a procedure for adding metadata using a part of content.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of an example of a picture header.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for adding metadata.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an example of processing of a purchaser terminal.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Content provision system 10 Content server for distribution 11 dedicated playback software server 12 Authentication function server 13 Content server 14 encoder 15 Content creation device for distribution 16 Distribution content creation device 17 Media 18 network 19 gateway 20 Internet 21a-21n Buyer's terminal

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Kazuo Ogawa             1-10-11 Kinuta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan             Broadcasting Association Broadcast Technology Institute (72) Inventor Tsuyoshi Otake             1-10-11 Kinuta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan             Broadcasting Association Broadcast Technology Institute F term (reference) 5C064 BA01 BB01 BB02 BC25 BD13                 5J104 AA07 AA08 AA12 KA02 LA06                       PA10

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A content creation device for creating content provided by a content provider to a content user, the authentication data creation means creating authentication data based on the content, and the created authentication data. A content creation device, comprising: authentication data addition means for adding to the content. 2. The content according to claim 1, wherein the authentication data creating means extracts data from a predetermined position of the content and creates the authentication data using the extracted data and a predetermined function. Creation device. 3. The content creating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication data adding unit adds the created authentication data to a predetermined position of the content. 4. A content reproducing apparatus for reproducing content provided from a content provider to a content user, the authentication data acquiring unit acquiring the authentication data added to the content, and the acquired authentication. A content reproducing apparatus, comprising: an authenticating unit that performs authentication based on the use data; and a reproducing process control unit that controls a reproducing process of the content based on the result of the authentication. 5. The reproduction processing control means starts or continues the reproduction processing of the content if the result of the authentication is normal, and stops the reproduction processing of the content if the result of the authentication is abnormal. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein
The described content playback device. 6. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the authenticating means is replaceable. 7. A content providing method of providing content from a content provider to a content user, wherein the content provider side creates an authentication data based on the content, and an authentication data creating step, and the created authentication. Authentication data adding step of adding authentication data to the content, and the content user side obtains the authentication data acquiring step of acquiring the authentication data added to the content, and adds the authentication data to the acquired authentication data. A content providing method comprising: an authentication step of performing authentication based on the result of the authentication; and a reproduction processing control step of controlling reproduction processing of the content based on the result of the authentication. 8. The content provider side stores software for executing the authentication data acquisition step, the authentication step, and the reproduction processing control step, and the software is stored on the content user side as needed. The content providing method according to claim 7, wherein the content providing method is provided to the user.