JP2003218853A - System and method for transmitting information and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simultaneously meet directly-opposing necessary conditions of the security of information and openness of information when sending information stored in an information server on a communication network to electronic equipment connected to the information server. <P>SOLUTION: An information server adds noise with a degree for discriminating the outline of information to information to be sent for sending electronic equipment, and at the same time sends the enciphered noise to the electronic equipment. The electronic equipment having a decoding key information for decoding the encipherment noise that decodes the encipherment noise to reproduce the noise, and subtracts the noise from the information where the noise is added to extract original information for display. Meantime, electronic equipment without the decoding key information displays the information where the noise is added as it is, thus discriminating the outline of the information is possible. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information transmission system for transmitting image information, voice information, etc. stored in an information server (image server or voice server) on a communication network to a user side electronic device for use. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information transmission system and an information transmission method for encrypting information (image information, audio information, etc.) to be transmitted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When transmitting information such as image information or voice information accumulated in a conventional image server or voice server to a user side electronic device, it is possible to prevent the transmitted image information or voice information from being illegally used. To prevent this, the information server side encrypts the image information and audio information with the encryption key and transmits it, and the electronic device on the user side decrypts the encrypted image information and audio information by the authorized user who has the decryption key. An information transmission system and an information transmission method to be used thereafter are known. Further, the above-mentioned decryption key is transmitted from the information server to the user by communication.

[0003]

In the conventional information transmission system as described above, the data amount of image information and audio information becomes enormous, so that the information server bears a heavy burden on the information encryption process. At the same time, the electronic device on the user's side also bears a great burden on the decryption process of the encrypted information. Further, since the users of the information are limited to the legitimate users who have the decryption key, it has been impossible to publicize the information to the general public and encourage the use thereof. Further, since the decryption key is transmitted from the information server to the user by communication, there is a risk that the decryption key may leak from the communication path.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when the information is transmitted, the load of the information encryption process on the information server side is light, the load of the information decryption process on the user side electronic device is small, and the information is widely open to the public. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information transmission system and an information transmission method that can promote the use of the information and have high safety.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, in the information transmission system and the information transmission method according to the present invention, the information server side first generates encrypted noise information by encrypting the noise information with the encryption key information. Then, the encrypted noise information is transmitted to the electronic device on the user side, and the user having the decryption key information corresponding to the encryption key information decrypts the received encrypted noise information to generate noise information. Next, the information server side transmits information including noise information (noised information) to the electronic device on the user side, and the electronic device on the user side removes the noise information from the received noised information and uses it. The user who does not have the decryption key information uses the noise conversion information to which the noise information is added as it is.

In order to achieve the above object, in the information transmission system and the information transmission method according to the present invention, first, the information server side generates basic noise information by adding noise information to basic information (basic information). The basic noise conversion information is transmitted to the electronic device on the user side, and the user having the basic information removes the basic information from the received basic noise conversion information to generate noise information. Next, the information server side transmits information including noise information (noised information) to the electronic device on the user side, and the electronic device on the user side removes the noise information from the received noised information and uses it. The user who does not have the basic information directly uses the noise conversion information to which the noise information is added.

In order to achieve the above object, in the information transmission system and the information transmission method according to the present invention, the decryption key information is fixedly stored in a portable storage medium that is detachable from the user's electronic device, and the storage medium is used as the storage medium. The electronic device, when mounted on the electronic device, receives the encrypted information from the information server, and decrypts the received encrypted information using the decryption key information fixedly stored in the storage medium.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the information transmission system will be described here as an image transmission system that handles image information as information. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an embodiment of an image transmission system according to the present invention, in which an image server is a server for transmitting stored image information to the outside, and a management server is a server for registering and managing users. , Is installed separately from the image server. The image browsing device A is an image browsing electronic device used by a user registered in the management server, and the image browsing device B is an image browsing electronic device used by a user not registered in the management server.

The image browsing apparatus A acquires and stores the decryption key information from the management server at the time of registration in the management server. The image server also stores encryption key information corresponding to the decryption key information. When the image browsing apparatus A downloads and displays the image information from the image server, the image server first generates noise information, encrypts the noise information with the encryption key information, and encrypts the encrypted noise information.
To transmit. The image browsing device A uses the decryption key information to decrypt the received encrypted noise information and generates noise information. Next, the image server transmits the noise-converted image information obtained by adding the noise information to the image information to the image browsing apparatus A. The image browsing apparatus A removes noise information from the received noise-converted image information to generate image information, and displays the image information.

On the other hand, when the image browsing apparatus B downloads and displays the image information from the image server, the image server first generates the noise information, and the noise information is encrypted with the encryption key information, and the encrypted noise information is converted into the encrypted noise information. Image browsing device B
To transmit. Since the image browsing device B does not have the decryption key information, it cannot decrypt the received encrypted noise information to generate noise information. Next, the image server transmits the noised image information obtained by adding the noise information to the image information to the image browsing apparatus B. Since the image browsing device B cannot remove the noise information from the received noise-converted image information, it displays the noise-converted image information as it is.

FIG. 2 shows an electronic album 10 to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image transmission system including 0, 110, an image server 150, and a management server 10. In FIG. 2, electronic albums 100 and 110 are electronic devices for browsing image information (image data), have a wireless telephone function, and are connected to the public telephone line network via the base station 120 by the wireless mobile telephone line 190. Connect to 140. The public telephone network 140 is further connected to the Internet 130,
The electronic albums 100 and 110 are connected to the image server 150 installed on the Internet 130. The image server 150 includes a large-capacity memory for storing image information, stores the image information for each album (folder), and stores the designated image information on the Internet when a read request is made from the outside via the Internet 130. Download via 130. Electronic album 10
0 and 110 connect to the image server 150 to download and use desired image information.

The image server 1 is on the Internet 130.
Management server 160 for registering and managing users who use 50
Is installed, and the electronic albums 100 and 110 connect to the management server 160 and perform user registration processing to acquire privileges (decryption key information) for using the image server 150.

FIG. 3 shows the electronic album 100 shown in FIG.
It is an external view of one embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, a power switch 17 for controlling ON / OFF of the power of the electronic album 100 is provided on the upper surface of the electronic album 100. A left LCD (left screen) 21 having a substantially rectangular screen for displaying text and images and a right LCD (right screen) 22 having a substantially rectangular screen for displaying text and images are arranged on the front surface. In the vicinity of the left side of the, the up button 23 and the down button 24 for scrolling the image displayed on the left screen 21, the right LCD 22 and the left LC.
Around D21, an enter button 25, which is an operation member for reflecting the user's intention, a registration button 26 for user registration with the management server 160, a server button 27 for selecting an image server, and an album button. An album button 28 for making a selection is arranged. A memory card slot 30 for mounting the memory card 77 is provided on the side surface. The up button 23, the down button 24, the enter button 25, the registration button 26, the server button 27, and the album button 28 are all operation keys operated by the user.

On the surfaces of the left LCD 21 and the right LCD 22, a so-called touch screen 66 having a function of outputting position data corresponding to a position designated by a touch operation of a finger is arranged and displayed on the screen. It can be used to select a selection item. This touch screen 6
6 is made of a transparent material such as glass or resin, and the user can observe the image or text formed inside the touch screen 66 through the touch screen 66.

FIG. 4 shows the electronic album 100 shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal electrical configuration of each of the components. Each component is connected to each other via a data / control bus 51 for transmitting various information data and control data. Each component is roughly classified into the following four blocks. Mainly includes a block of a wireless telephone circuit 72 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the outside using a wireless mobile telephone line, a block of a memory card 77 for storing / saving an image file, and a screen control circuit 92 for displaying image information and text information. And a user interface such as the operation keys 65 and a CPU 50 that performs overall control of other blocks.

The CPU 50 (central processing unit) is a means for controlling the entire electronic album 100, and includes a radio telephone circuit 72 and a screen according to input information from the operation keys 65, touch screen 66, power switch 17, and timer 74. Various instructions are given to the control circuit 92 and the power supply control circuit 64.
The timer 74 has a built-in clock circuit, detects date and time information corresponding to the current date and time, and supplies the date and time information to the CPU 50. The CPU 50 is a ROM 67 (read only memory)
Each part is controlled according to the control program stored in. EEPROM 68 (electrically erasable programmable RO
M) is a non-volatile memory, which is an electronic album 100.
It stores setting information and the like necessary for the operation of. RAM70
Is a volatile memory and is used as a work area of the CPU 50. The CPU 50 detects the operating state of the power switch 17 and controls the power source 63 via the power source control circuit 64.

The CPU 50 wirelessly outputs various request information to an external image server or management server from the antenna 76 by the radio telephone circuit 72 in accordance with the operation of the operation keys 65, and the external image server by the antenna 76 and the radio telephone circuit 72. And various information transmitted from the management server. The CPU 50 stores the decryption key information received from the external management server via the wireless telephone circuit 72 in the EEPROM 68 or the memory card 77. The CPU 50 stores the encrypted noise information received from the external image server via the wireless telephone circuit 72 in the RAM 70, and if the EEPROM 68 has the decryption key information corresponding to the image server, the encryption is performed using the decryption key information. Noise information is decoded to generate noise information, and the noise information is stored in the EEPROM 68 or RA.
Store in M70 or memory card 77.

The CPU 50 stores the noise-converted image information received from the external image server via the wireless telephone circuit 72 in the RAM 7.
0 or memory card 77 and EEP
If the ROM 68, the RAM 70, or the memory card 77 has noise information corresponding to the image server, the noise information is used to remove the noise information from the noise-converted image information,
Image information without noise is generated and stored in the RAM 70 or the memory card 77.

The screen control circuit 92 reads out the noiseed image information stored in the RAM 70 or the memory card 77 or the image information from which the noise information has been removed via the data / control bus 51 and temporarily stores it in the frame memory 69 for display. Converted to image information and re-stored in the frame memory 69,
The display image information is displayed on the left screen 21. Further, the screen control circuit 92 sends text display information to the CPU if necessary.
The display text data is obtained, converted into display text data and stored in the frame memory 69, and the display text data is displayed on the left screen 21 and the right screen 22.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the image server 150 and the management server 160 shown in FIG. 2, which is a communication device for communicating with the outside via the Internet, and a memory for storing and storing image information. Device, a communication device, and a control device that controls the storage device.The control device performs a response process in response to a request received from an external electronic album, reads information corresponding to the request from the storage device, and transmits the information from the communication device. Send to an external electronic album.

FIG. 6 shows the structure of server information stored in the EEPROM 68 of the electronic album. As shown in FIG. 6, the EEPROM 68 stores information regarding a plurality of image servers (server A, server B, server C, server H in FIG. 6). The server information includes server identification information, type (image server / management server), registration information (information indicating whether the electronic album is registered in the corresponding image server), and decryption key information (transmitted from the corresponding image server). Decrypting encrypted information) and connection information (destination / address on the communication network).

FIG. 7A is a diagram showing a memory configuration in the storage device of the image server, in which encrypted information, generated noise information, and encrypted noise information obtained by encrypting the noise information with the encrypted information are stored. In addition, a plurality of pieces of image information are stored for each folder (album A, album B, album C sorted according to image genre, etc.).
FIG. 7B is a diagram showing a memory configuration in the storage device of the management server. The decryption key information corresponding to each image server (server A, server B, server C) and the electronic album registered in the image server are shown. The (user) identification information is stored.

FIG. 8 is a main flowchart of the operation of the electronic album (CPU 50) in the above embodiment.
First, when the power switch 17 is operated in S10, the power is turned on, and in S101, the image server selectable in the electronic album is displayed on the right screen 22 as shown in FIG. The server is selected, and the wireless telephone circuit 72 is displayed on the selected image server.
The album information and the encrypted noise information are received from the image server and stored in the RAM 70 while the album information request is transmitted to the image server. Here, if the noise information is N (x, y) and the encryption processing by the encryption key information is F [], the encrypted noise information n (x,
y) is expressed as Equation 1. Note that (x, y) indicates coordinates on the image information.

[0024]

## EQU00001 ## n (x, y) = F [N (x, y)] In S102, it is checked whether the decryption key information corresponding to the selected image server exists in the EEPROM 68. If not, the process proceeds to S104. In this case, the encrypted noise information is decrypted by using the decryption key information in S103 to generate noise information, which is stored in the RAM 70, and the process proceeds to S104. Here, when the decryption process using the decryption key information is represented by F ⁻¹ [], the decryption of the encrypted noise information n (x, y) is represented by Expression 2.

[0025]

F ^-1 [n (x, y)] = F ^-1 [F [N (x, y)]] = N (x, y) In S104, the album stored in the RAM 70 as shown in FIG. Selectable albums based on information Right screen 2
2, the user is prompted to select an album with the touch screen 66 and the enter button 25, and the first image information (image number 1) of the selected album is designated. In S106, the image identification information (album identification information and image number) specified for the image server is established by connecting via the wireless telephone circuit 72.
To request the image information, receive the noise-converted image information from the image server, and store it in the RAM 70.
Here, when the image information is G (x, y), the noise-converted image information g (x, y) is represented by Expression 3.

[0026]

## EQU00003 ## g (x, y) = G (x, y) + N (x, y) In Equation 3, the noise information N (x, y) is the noise-reduced image information g (x, y). Is set so that the viewer can easily identify the outline of the image information, and specifically, the contrast value (N
Parameters such as (difference between maximum and minimum values of (x, y)) are limited to a fraction of the dynamic range of image information.

In S107, it is checked whether or not there is decoded noise information corresponding to the selected image server in the RAM 70. If not, the noised image information is displayed on the left screen 212 in S110 as shown in FIG. . The left screen 21 superimposes on the noise-converted image information that the registration is necessary when viewing the clear image information from which noise has been removed, is displayed. If there is noise information in S107, the noise information is subtracted from the noise-converted image information in S108 to extract only the original image information, and the RAM 70
And the image information from which the noise information has been removed is displayed on the left screen 21 in S109 as shown in FIG. Here, the noise removal processing from the noise-converted image information is expressed by Expression 4.

[0028]

## EQU00004 ## g (x, y) -N (x, y) = G (x, y) A state in which image information is displayed on the right screen 22 in S109,
Alternatively, when the up button 23 or the down button 24 is operated by the user in the state where the noise-enhanced image information is displayed in S110, the up / down button interrupt process in S20 is activated, and the front / rear display (up button) currently displayed in S105 23
In the case of, the image information of the image number of the front, in the case of the down button 24) is designated, the process proceeds to S106, and the designated image information is downloaded from the image server and displayed as described above. When the album button 28 is operated by the user, the album button interrupt process of S40 is activated, and the process proceeds to S104, where a new album is selected as described above, and image information in the album selected from the image server is selected. Download and view. When the server button 27 is operated by the user, the server button interrupt process of S30 is activated and the process proceeds to S101 to select a new server and album as described above,
The image information is downloaded from the selected album of the selected image server and displayed.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart of a registration button interrupt processing subroutine when the user operates the registration button 26. When the registration button interrupt processing subroutine is started in S50, the EE is executed in S501.
Based on the server information stored in the PROM 68, it is checked whether or not the image server currently connected is already registered. If it is already registered, the process returns in S512, and if it is not registered, the process returns to S502 in FIG. As shown, a registration screen is displayed on the right screen 22, and the user is prompted to select either registration or cancellation with the touch screen 66 and the enter button 25. In S503, it is checked whether the user's selection is cancel. If it is cancelled, the process returns in S512. If it is not canceled, the management server is connected in S504, and a registration request to the designated image server and electronic album identification information are transmitted. To do. In S505, the response from the management server is received, and it is checked whether the registration is permitted. If the registration is not permitted, the fact that the registration is rejected is displayed in S506 as shown in FIG. 15, and the enter button 25 is operated by the user. Then, the process returns in S512. On the other hand, if the registration is permitted in S505, the decryption key information corresponding to the image server currently connected is received from the management server in S507, stored in the EEPROM 68, and the registration is permitted as shown in FIG. Display a message.

In S508, the server information stored in the EEPROM 68 is updated, and in S509, the EEPROM 6 is updated.
The encrypted noise information stored in the RAM 70 is decrypted by using the decryption key information corresponding to the currently connected image server stored in the RAM 8 to generate the noise information.
Store in 70. In S510, the noise-converted image information currently displayed on the left screen 21 is read from the RAM 70, the noise information is subtracted from the noise-converted image information to extract only the original image information, and the extracted image information is stored in the RAM 70. The removed image information is displayed on the left screen 21, and the process returns at S512.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of a reception interrupt processing subroutine of the image server when the image server receives a request from the electronic album. When the image server is activated in S60, the request received from the electronic album in S601 is a request for album information. If there is a request for album information, the encrypted noise information and the album information are transmitted to the electronic album that requested the album information in S602.
The process returns at S606. On the other hand, if the request received in S601 is not album information, it is checked whether the request received in S603 is a request for image information, and if it is not a request for image information, the process returns in S606 to request image information. If it is, the image information designated based on the image identification information (album identification information and image number) received from the electronic album in S604 is read from the storage device, and noise information is added to the image information. In step S605, noise-added image information in which noise is added is transmitted to the electronic album that requested the image information, and the process returns in step S606.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart of the reception interrupt processing subroutine of the management server when the management server receives a request from the electronic album. When the management server starts in S70, is the request received from the electronic album in S701 a registration request? If it is checked and it is a registration request, S70
Based on the identification information of the electronic album requested to be registered in 2 and the identification information of the image server to be registered, a predetermined registration examination process (credit examination regarding billing when using the image) is performed, and S703
It is checked whether the registration is permitted or not, and if the registration is rejected, a message of refusal of the registration is transmitted to the electronic album requesting the registration, and the process returns at S707. When the registration is permitted in S703, the management information is updated for the registration setting in S705, and the electronic album for which the registration request is issued in S706 corresponds to the registration permission and the image server in which the electronic album is registered. The decryption key information is transmitted, and the process returns at S707.

FIG. 19 is a sequence diagram for explaining a communication operation performed among the image server, the management server, and the electronic album, and time elapses from the top to the bottom of the drawing. First, the electronic album is activated when the power is turned on, and communication 1 (sending a request for album information) is performed to the default selected image server. On the other hand, the image server performs communication 2 (transmits encrypted noise information and album information) to the electronic album. However, it is assumed that this electronic album has not been registered in the selected image server. The electronic album selects an album based on the received album information,
Communication 3 (album identification information and image designation information (image number 1 immediately after power-on) is transmitted) to the image server. In response to this, the image server performs communication 4 (sends noised image information in which noise information is added to designated image information) to the electronic album. Since the electronic album cannot decrypt the encrypted noise information, it displays the received noiseed image information.

Next, when the user operates the registration button 26, the electronic album registration process starts, and the communication 7 is sent to the management server (the registration request for the designated image server and the electronic album identification information or the user's personal information is transmitted). Perform. The management server performs registration examination based on the received identification information, and communicates with the electronic album according to the examination result 8
(In FIG. 19, registration permission and decryption key information corresponding to the registered image server are transmitted). The electronic album uses the decryption key information to decrypt the encrypted noise information received in communication 2 to generate noise information, and subtracts the noise information from the noise-enhanced image information received in communication 4 to eliminate noise information. Image information is extracted and the image information is displayed.

Next, when the user operates the up and down buttons 23 and 24 to scroll the image being browsed, the electronic album makes a communication 9 (transmits the album identification information and the image designation information) to the image server. In response to this, the image server communicates with the electronic album 10 (sends noised image information obtained by adding noise information to designated image information).
The electronic album removes the noise information from the received noisy image information, extracts the image information, and displays the image information.

In the above embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), reversible deterioration is added to the image information (the image information is deteriorated by adding noise information, and the image information is recovered by removing the noise information). By doing so, users who know how to recover from deterioration can browse high-quality image information that has recovered from deterioration, and even users who do not know how to recover from deterioration can obtain a summary by viewing the deteriorated image information. I can know. In addition, users who do not know how to recover from deterioration make full-scale use of image information (illegal use).
Can be prevented.

In the above embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), by adding visual noise information to the image information recognized by the user through the visual action, the quality of the image information can be easily controlled and the noise can be easily controlled. Since the conversion and noise removal can be performed by a very simple calculation,
It is most suitable for image transmission system using portable electronic album that browses images with relatively small hardware and software.

In the above embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), a server for distributing image information (image server) and a server for managing users (management server) are independently installed on the Internet. Since the user management of multiple image servers is performed collectively, the administrator can easily perform maintenance or update of image information and management information as compared with the case of individually incorporating the user management function in the image server. At the same time, it is possible to perform integrated management when the user is registered in a plurality of image servers.

In the above-described embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the image server can perform the same response processing (sending the noise-converted image information) to the user regardless of whether the user has registered in the image server. Since it is good, the configuration of the image server software is simple and the reliability is improved.

In the above-described embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the encryption process in the image server is only the encryption of noise information, and the image server is a simple process of adding noise information to the image information. Since the noise-converted image information is generated, the image server can deliver more image information to more users with faster response.

In the above embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the decryption process in the electronic album is only the decryption of the encrypted noise information, and the electronic album is as simple as subtracting the noise information from the noisy image information. Since the image information is generated by various processes, the load on the electronic album is reduced, and the image information can be displayed at higher speed.

In the above-described embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the unregistered user also downloads the noise-converted image information from the image server, so that the quality is slightly lower than the original image, but it is a sample. Since you can browse image information of sufficient image quality to browse images,
The administrator can widely distribute the image information to the general public and encourage the use thereof.

In the above-described embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), since the electronic album is connected to the image server or the management server on the Internet by the wireless telephone line, the user does not select the place or the time, and the image is displayed while moving. You can browse the information. (Explanation of Modifications) The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible.

In the above-described embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the image browsing apparatus acquires the decryption key information from the management server and decrypts the encrypted noise information received from the image server using the decryption key information to generate noise. The original image information is extracted and displayed by obtaining the information and further removing the noise information from the noiseed image information received from the image server, but the noise information is displayed without being encrypted or decrypted. It is also possible to construct an image transmission system that transmits from the image to the image browsing device.

FIG. 20 is a conceptual diagram of an embodiment of such an image transmission system. When the image browsing apparatus A registers in the image server, basic image information is sent from the image server. Memorize and save. When the image browsing apparatus A downloads and displays image information from the image server, the image server first generates noise information, and adds the noise information to the basic image information to generate basic noise-converted image information. , The basic noise-converted image information is transmitted to the image browsing apparatus A. Image browsing device A
Generates noise information by subtracting the basic image information from the received basic noise-converted image information. Next, the image server transmits the noised image information obtained by adding the noise information to the normal image information to the image browsing apparatus A. The image browsing apparatus A removes noise information from the received noise-converted image information to generate image information, and displays the image information.

On the other hand, when the image browsing apparatus B not registered in the image server downloads and displays the image information from the image server, the image server first generates noise information and adds the noise information to the basic image information. , Generates basic noise-converted image information, and transmits the basic noise-converted image information to the image browsing apparatus B. However, since the image browsing apparatus B does not have the basic image information, it cannot extract the noise information from the received basic noise-converted image information. Next, the image server transmits the noise-converted image information obtained by adding the noise information to the normal image information to the image browsing apparatus B. Since the image browsing device B cannot remove the noise information from the received noise-converted image information, it displays the noise-converted image information as it is.

In this way, the image server does not need to perform the encryption process, and the noise-processed image information is generated by a simple process of adding the noise information to the image information. Therefore, the image server can be used by more users. On the other hand, more image information can be delivered with a faster response. Further, the electronic album does not need to perform the decoding process, and the image information is generated by a simple process of subtracting the noise information from the noise-converted image information, so the burden on the electronic album is reduced,
Image information can be displayed at higher speed.

In the above embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the image information is converted into noise by adding noise information to the original image information as shown in Equation 3, but the image information is sampled. Any noise conversion method may be used as long as it is a noise conversion that degrades the image quality to the extent that it can be browsed. For example, when the image information is G (x, y), the noise information is N (x, y), and the noise-converted image information is g (x, y), the image information is multiplied by the noise information as shown in Expression 5. Any noise conversion method may be used.

[0049]

G (x, y) = G (x, y) × N (x, y) Also, the image information G (x, y) in the spatial coordinate domain is converted into the image information G (u, v) in the spatial frequency domain. To (Fourier transform)
However, noise conversion may be performed in the spatial frequency domain. However, the coordinates (u, v) in the spatial frequency domain correspond to the coordinates (x, y) in the spatial domain. Assuming that noise information in the spatial frequency domain is N (u, v) and noise image information g (u, v) in the spatial frequency domain, noise conversion is performed as shown in Equation 6 or Equation 7.

[0050]

G (u, v) = G (u, v) + N (u, v)

[0051]

## EQU00007 ## g (u, v) = G (u, v) .times.N (u, v) The image server first receives noise information N (u,
v) is encrypted and transmitted to the electronic album. The electronic album having the decryption key information decrypts the received encrypted noise information and extracts the noise information N (u, v) in the spatial frequency domain. Next, the image server transmits the noise-reduced image information g (u, v) in the spatial frequency domain expressed by Equation 6 or Equation 7 to the electronic album. The electronic album that has extracted the noise information N (u, v) in the spatial frequency domain removes (subtracts or divides) the noise information N (u, v) from the received noise image information g (u, v) in the spatial frequency domain. ), The image information G (u, v) in the spatial frequency domain is extracted. Next, the electronic album displays image information G in the spatial frequency domain.
(U, v) is converted into image information G (x, y) in the spatial coordinate area and displayed. In the electronic album having no decryption key information, the noise-converted image information g (u, v) is directly converted into the image information in the spatial coordinate area (inverse Fourier transform) and displayed.

In this way, since the image information in the spatial coordinate area is converted into the image information in the spatial frequency area and transmitted,
If necessary, the data amount of image information can be compressed without degrading the image quality, and the image quality can be easily controlled by adjusting the noise information in the spatial frequency domain. For example, when the noise information in the spatial frequency domain is set to 1 / f noise, when the image information converted into noise is browsed, it is possible to perform natural noise conversion that matches the human visual sense that is not visually unpleasant. Furthermore, the image server is equipped with multiple noise reduction methods,
If the noise conversion method is changed according to the situation, the image information can be transmitted more safely.

In the above embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the decryption key information is transmitted from the management server to the electronic album at the time of registration, and the electronic album stores the decryption key information and uses it to decrypt the encrypted noise information. However, the system configuration is such that the pair of the electronic album and the image server is fixed, and the decryption key information and the image server information (access destination etc.) are written in the nonvolatile memory in the electronic album when the electronic album is manufactured. You may stay. In this way, since it is not necessary to transfer the decryption key information from the management server to the electronic album via the communication path, there is no risk of the decryption key information leaking, and the procedure for obtaining the decryption key information and the image server Since it is possible to omit the procedure for selecting, the responsiveness of the image browsing operation can be shortened.

Further, instead of writing the decryption key information and the image server information at the time of manufacturing the electronic album, a storage medium (memory card or the like) in which the decryption key information and the image server information are written is attached to the electronic album. May be. By doing so, the user can decrypt the encrypted noise information transmitted from the desired image server by simply exchanging the decryption key information corresponding to the image server with the storage medium, and at the same time, the user can If the storage medium storing the decryption key information is attached, the encrypted noise information transmitted from the image server can be decrypted regardless of which electronic album is used. In addition, since the storage medium in which the decryption key information is fixedly stored can be distributed to users offline, there is no concern about the leakage of the decryption key information on the communication path, and it is not limited to the decryption of encrypted noise information and general encryption It can also be applied to a system that decodes encoded information. In order to prevent the risk of unauthorized use by reading the decryption key information, the contents of the decryption key information written in the storage medium are prohibited from being read (accessed) from the outside, and the decryption key information is handled according to the storage medium. Only when it is attached to the electronic album, it can be used in the internal processing (decoding operation) of the electronic album. Note that the decryption key information written in the storage medium can be protected from being erased and rewritten to further enhance the security of the decryption key information.

Further, a decryption calculation processing unit is built in the storage medium to constitute a decryption-dedicated card for decrypting the encrypted information, and the electronic album is attached to the decryption-dedicated card so that the encrypted information (encrypted noise information, encrypted noise information, (Encrypted image information, etc.)
May be input and decryption information (decoded noise information, decrypted image information, etc.) may be received as an output from the decryption-dedicated card. If you do this,
Since the decryption key information is not output from the decryption-only card to the outside, the security of the decryption key information is further improved.

Further, this decryption-dedicated card is provided with a memory section for storing information, and the encrypted information before decryption is stored in the memory section, and the electronic album is encrypted in the memory. The decrypted card may be automatically operated by only storing the decrypted information in the decrypted card, the decrypted information may be subjected to decryption processing, and the decrypted information may be stored in the memory unit. . In this way, the electronic album does not have to be involved in the decryption process at all, so that a special electrical configuration for the decryption process becomes unnecessary and the software of the general electronic album can be used. it can.

Further, the decryption-dedicated card may be provided with an encryption processing section so as to have a function of encrypting the information input to the decryption-dedicated card. In this way, when uploading image information from the electronic album to the image server, the image information can be encrypted and transmitted even if the electronic album itself does not have an encryption function.

As described above, the decryption key information for decrypting the encrypted information (encrypted image information etc.) transmitted from the specific information source (image server etc.) and the information source identification information (access destination, (Eg, connection destination) is stored in advance in a portable storage medium (memory card, etc.) that can be attached to and detached from the electronic device, and the storage device is attached to the electronic device so that the electronic device can operate as the information source. Can be identified and the encrypted information received from the information source can be decrypted. Further, by storing the identification information and the decryption key information of a plurality of sets of information sources in one storage medium, it is not necessary to replace the storage medium each time the information source is changed, and the usability is further improved.

In the above embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the decryption key information is transmitted from the management server to the electronic album, and the encrypted noise information is transmitted from the image server to the electronic album. In order to prevent such information from leaking from the communication path to the outside, the decryption key information or noise information is fixedly stored in the electronic integrated circuit chip and the information is used to decrypt the encrypted noise information or remove noise. The processing may be performed in the electronic chip, and the electronic chip may be built in the electronic album from the beginning. Note that the decryption key information or the noise information fixedly stored in the electronic chip is not readable from the outside. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the decryption key information or the noise information from being intercepted on the transmission path or being illegally read from the electronic album and being illegally used.

Further, in the information transmission system as shown in FIG. 20, the basic image information may be fixedly stored in a memory card mounted in the electronic album or an electronic chip built in the electronic album. Furthermore, the above-described embodiment (FIG. 1)
(FIGS. 19) and 20), instead of using the decryption key information and the basic image information fixedly stored in a memory card mounted on the electronic album or an electronic chip incorporated in the electronic album in the information transmission system of FIG. The noise information itself may be fixedly stored in a mounted memory card or an electronic chip built into an electronic album and used to remove noise from the noise-converted information. In this way, the information server side transmits the information after converting it into noise, and the electronic album only needs to remove the noise information from the received noise conversion information, which reduces the load on the information server and the electronic album, and The transmission system can be simplified and troubles related to information transmission are reduced.

In the above embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the decryption key information is transmitted from the management server to the electronic album at the time of registration, and the electronic album stores the decryption key information and uses it to decrypt the encrypted noise information. However, the decryption key information may be periodically updated in synchronization with the encryption key information stored in the image server. Alternatively, the decryption key information and the encryption key information may be updated in synchronization with each series of browsing operations performed in the electronic album. In this way, by updating the decryption key information and the encryption key information in association with each other, even if the decryption key information leaks to the outside, the unauthorized use of the information can be minimized.

In the above embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the pair of encryption key information and decryption key information is unique to the image server, but the pair of encryption key information and decryption key information is further set for each user. By making them different, safety can be further enhanced.

In the above-described embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the encrypted noise information is transmitted from the image server to the electronic album for each series of browsing operations performed by the electronic album, and the electronic album decrypts the encrypted noise information. It is used to remove the noise information from the noiseed image information. That is, the noise information is the same in a series of image browsing operations, but the image server updates the noise information every time it transmits the noise-enhanced image information to generate encrypted noise information. The information may be transmitted from the image server to the electronic album, and the electronic album may be used to decrypt the encrypted noise information and remove the noise information from the noiseed image information. With this configuration, even if the noise information is leaked to the outside, the noise information is changed every time, so that damage caused by illegal use can be minimized. Further, in the above-described embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the noise information is information unique to the image server, but the noise information can be made different for each user to further improve the safety.

In the above embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the decryption key information is transmitted from the management server to the electronic album, and the encrypted noise information encrypted by the image server with the encryption key information is decrypted by the electronic album. I am decrypting using
The encryption key information and the decryption key information may be the same, which makes it easier to manage the decryption key information in the management server.

In the above embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the decryption key information is transmitted from the management server to the electronic album, but it is possible to prevent the decryption key information from being intercepted and illegally used in the communication path. In order to transmit the decryption key information, the electronic album transmits public key information unique to the electronic album to the management server, the management server encrypts the decryption key information with the public key information, and transmits the encrypted key information to the electronic album. The album may decrypt the decryption key information encrypted with the private key information corresponding to the public key information to obtain the decryption key information.
In this way, even if the information exchanged between the electronic album and the electronic device is listened to by another electronic device, there is no fear of leaking the information to another.

In the above-described embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the electronic album issues a request to send image information to the image server, but the image server does not send an image information request from the electronic album. Image information may be distributed from the server side to a plurality of electronic albums. For example, the image server sends the encrypted noise information to the electronic album prior to sending the noised image information and then sends the noiseed image information to the electronic album. The electronic album having the decryption key information is browsed after removing the noise information, and the electronic album having no decryption key information displays the noised image information as it is. By doing so, the image information can be transmitted to the electronic album under the initiative of the image server, so that it is possible to effectively advertise to a wide range of general users.

In the above-described embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the noise-converted image information is transmitted from the image server to the electronic album, but the specifications of the display screen (screen aspect ratio, number of pixels) are transmitted from the electronic album to the image server. Etc.) and the image server adjusts the noise-converted image information based on the specifications of the received display screen, and then transmits it to the electronic album. In this way, it is not necessary to adjust the noise-converted image information or the original image information according to the specifications of the display screen on each electronic album side, so the software and hardware configuration on the electronic album side can be simplified, low cost,
It is possible to provide a compact, high-speed electronic album.

In the above embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the electronic album accesses the image server and the management server on the Internet via the wireless telephone line.
The image server and the management server do not necessarily have to be on the Internet, but may be on a local communication network. For example, if the image server and the management server are IE
EE802 standard wireless LAN (Local Area)
It can be applied to a system in which the electronic album accesses the image server and the management server via a wireless LAN and is installed on the network.

In the above-described embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 19), the image information is converted into noise and transmitted from the image server to the electronic album. However, the information to be transmitted is generally the original information and is discriminated or estimated a priori. The present invention can be applied to any information other than the possible information (text information or the like). For example, when distributing music information (voice information),
By adding noise of music information (voice information) from the distribution server, the effect of the present invention (the original information can be easily extracted. By distributing the information whose quality is lower than the original information, It can not be used, but sample use = viewing is possible.)

[0070]

As described above, in the information transmission system and the information transmission method according to the present invention, the encrypted noise information obtained by encrypting the noise information from the information server side and the information obtained by adding the noise information are transmitted to the electronic side of the user side. To the equipment,
The user who has the decryption key decrypts the received encrypted noise information to generate noise information, removes the noise information from the information to which the noise information has been added, and uses it. It is only necessary to encrypt the information, and all that is required is to add noise information to the information to be transmitted. This reduces the burden of encryption processing compared to the case where encryption processing is performed for each information to be transmitted, and the user The decryption process of the electronic device on the side is required only when decrypting the encrypted noise information, and after that, it is only necessary to remove the decrypted noise information from the received noise information, and the decryption process is performed for each information. The load of the decoding process is reduced as compared with the case.

Further, in the information transmission system and the information transmission method according to the present invention, the basic information including the noise information and the normal information including the noise information are transmitted from the information server side to the electronic device on the user side, and the basic information is transmitted. The user who has the information removes the basic information from the received basic noise conversion information to generate noise information, and removes the noise information from the normal information to which the noise information has been added for use, so the information server side transmits the information. No need to add the noise information, and the encryption process is not necessary, and the electronic device on the user side only needs to remove the noise information from the received noise information, and the burden of the decryption process of the information is unnecessary. .

A user who does not have the decryption key information or the basic information has a slightly deteriorated image quality to prevent unauthorized use, but the image information and the audio information are of sufficient quality to be viewed or viewed as a sample. Since the noisy information can be used as it is, the information manager can open the information to the general public in a sample and promote the use of the information.

Further, in the information transmission system and the information transmission method according to the present invention, the decryption key information is fixedly stored in the portable storage medium which can be attached to and detached from the user's electronic device, and the storage medium is attached to the electronic device. Since the electronic device receives the encrypted information from the information server and decrypts the received encrypted information using the decryption key information fixedly stored in the storage medium, the decryption key information is transmitted from the information server to the electronic device by communication. As compared with the case of transmitting the decryption key information to the device, the decryption key information can be used in various electronic devices by mounting the storage medium, and the usability is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a concept of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an external view of an electronic album.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of an electronic album.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing configurations of an image server and a management server.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of data in an EEPROM.

FIG. 7 is a data configuration diagram of an image server and a management server.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a main program of an electronic album.

FIG. 9 is a display example of a screen.

FIG. 10 is a display example of a screen.

FIG. 11 is a display example of a screen.

FIG. 12 is a display example of a screen.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a subroutine of an electronic album.

FIG. 14 is a display example of a screen.

FIG. 15 is a display example of a screen.

FIG. 16 is a display example of a screen.

FIG. 17 is a reception interrupt processing flowchart of the image server.

FIG. 18 is a reception interrupt processing flowchart of the image server.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram of a communication sequence.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing the concept of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 Left LCD (left screen) 22 Right LCD (right screen) 23 Up button 24 Down button 25 decision button 26 Register button 27 server button 28 Album button 50 CPU 51 data / control bus 65 operation keys 68 EEPROM 70 RAM 72 wireless telephone circuit 77 memory card 100 electronic albums 130 Internet 140 public telephone network 150 image server 160 Management server

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Claims (18)

[Claims] 1. An information transmission system for transmitting information stored in the information server from an information server on the communication network to an electronic device connected to the communication network, the information server performing encryption. Of the encryption key information, the electronic device stores the decryption key information corresponding to the encryption key information, and the information server adds noise to the information to be transmitted to generate noise information. A noise encryption unit that encrypts the noise by using the encryption key information to generate encrypted noise, and an information server communication unit that transmits the noise-ized information and the encrypted noise to the electronic device, The electronic device is an electronic device communication unit that receives the noise conversion information and the encrypted noise from the information server, and an encryption received using the decryption key information. An information transmission system comprising: a noise decoding means for decoding noise to generate noise, and a noise removing means for removing noise generated by the noise decoding means from noise-converted information to extract information. . 2. The information transmission system according to claim 1, further comprising a management server on the communication network, the management server corresponding to the decryption key information corresponding to the encryption key information stored in the image server. And a management server communication unit for transmitting the decryption key information to the electronic device, wherein the electronic device receives and stores the decryption key information from the management server by the electronic device communication unit. Information transmission system. 3. The information transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device fixedly stores the decryption key information inside and decrypts the encrypted noise using the decryption key information to generate noise. An information transmission system comprising an electronic circuit chip having the function of the noise decoding means. 4. The information transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is equipped with a portable storage medium in which the decryption key information is fixedly stored, and the noise decryption means is provided in the portable storage medium. An information transmission system, wherein the encrypted noise is decrypted by using the stored decryption key information to generate noise. 5. The information transmission system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the noise converting means adds noise in the frequency domain to information in the frequency domain. 6. The information transmission system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the noise is 1 / f noise. 7. An information transmission system for transmitting information stored in the information server from an information server on a communication network to an electronic device connected to the communication network, wherein the information server and the electronic device are the same. While storing the basic information of the noise information, the information server generates noise information added with noise to the information to be transmitted and basic noise information added with noise to the basic information, and the noise information. And an information server communication unit for transmitting the basic noise conversion information to the electronic device, the electronic device, an electronic device communication unit for receiving the noise conversion information and the basic noise conversion information from the information server,
A noise extraction unit that removes the basic information from the received basic noise conversion information to generate noise, and a noise removal unit that removes the noise generated by the noise extraction unit from the noise conversion information and extracts the information. Information transmission system characterized by. 8. The information transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the information transmitted from the information server to the electronic device is image information. 9. The information transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the information transmitted from the information server to the electronic device is voice information. 10. The information transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device communication means performs wireless communication. 11. The image transmission system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the communication network is the Internet. 12. An information transmission system for transmitting information stored in the information server from an information server on a communication network to an electronic device connected to the communication network, wherein the information server and the electronic device are the same. Of the noise information, the information server adds noise information to information to be transmitted to generate noise information, and information server communication means for transmitting the noise information to the electronic device. The electronic device includes an electronic device communication unit that receives the noise conversion information from the information server, and a noise removal unit that removes the noise information from the noise conversion information and extracts the information. Information transmission system. 13. An information transmission method for transmitting information stored in the information server from an information server on the communication network to an electronic device connected to the communication network, the information server performing encryption. Of the encryption key information, the electronic device stores the decryption key information corresponding to the encryption key information, and adds noise to the information to be transmitted, which is performed in the information server, to generate noise conversion information. And a noise encryption step of encrypting the noise using the encryption key information to generate encrypted noise, and a transmitting step of transmitting the noise information and the encrypted noise to the electronic device. A receiving step of receiving the noise conversion information and the encrypted noise from the information server, which is performed in the electronic device, A noise decryption step of decrypting the encrypted noise received using the decryption key information to generate noise, and a noise of extracting the information by removing the noise generated in the noise decryption step from the received noise conversion information An information transmission method comprising: a removal step. 14. An information transmission method for transmitting information stored in the information server from an information server on a communication network, which distributes stored information, to an electronic device connected to the communication network, the method comprising: The information server and the electronic device store the same basic information, and the noise conversion information in which noise is added to the information to be transmitted and the basic noise conversion information in which noise is added to the basic information, which is performed in the information server A noise generation step, a transmission step of transmitting the noise generation information and the basic noise generation information to the electronic device, and the noise conversion information and the basic noise from the information server, which are performed by the electronic device. Reception step of receiving the converted information, and a noise generating noise by removing the basic information from the received basic noise conversion information. And a noise removing step of removing the noise generated in the noise extracting step from the received noise conversion information to extract the information. 15. A portable storage medium removable from an electronic device, wherein encrypted information transmitted from an information server on a communication network to an electronic device connected to the communication network is stored in an electronic device equipped with the storage medium. A storage medium which stores fixedly the decryption key information used for decryption in a device, and the decryption key information cannot be accessed from outside the storage medium. 16. The storage medium according to claim 15, further comprising a decryption processing unit that decrypts the encrypted information by using the decryption key information. 17. The storage medium according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the storage medium fixedly stores connection information of the information server on the network together with the decryption key information. 18. An information transmission for transmitting information stored in the information server from an information server on a communication network to an electronic device connected to the communication network so that the user of the electronic device can use the information. A method for degrading information transmitted in the information server so as to be reversibly recoverable and capable of withstanding a minimum use, and transmitting the degraded information to the electronic device, and the degradation information. In an electronic device having recovery information for recovering, the electronic device that does not have recovery information for recovering and displaying the deterioration information received from the information server based on the recovery information is displayed. An information transmission method, wherein the device directly displays the deterioration information received from the information server.