JP2005115869A - Data management system, data management method, data management device and portable type information processing terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To protect private information of a user, in a network wherein electronic apparatuses different in display and input capabilities are mixed. <P>SOLUTION: A user terminal 4 is equipped with a passphrase selection setting processing part 43 and a passphrase memory 44; and a user sets, as a passphrase, data having a meaning as information different from a simple password formed of a row of several numeric characters and alphabetical characters as authentication key information for preventing a content stored in a home network server 2 from being used by other users. The passphrase is transmitted based on a signal transmission format for remote control operation normally prepared in an apparatus 3 in order to execute operation for making a content forbidden to be used from the user terminal 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a data management system and a data management method, and more particularly to a data management system and a data management method for protecting personal information for a user with key information.

  With the widespread use of digitization technology, various content data including music data, video data, and the like have been digitally recorded or reproduced on a recording medium. If an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer is used, music content and video content downloaded from a recording medium such as a CD (Compact Disc) or DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or the like via a network or dubbing or a network are recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk. Can be recorded and managed. In recent years, the capacity of a hard disk of a personal computer has been increased, and a user can manage a huge amount of content.

  As an example, consider a case where content is managed by a device or the like having a so-called home server function on a home network formed by connecting home electronic devices. When storing content on the home network, there are some content that the user does not want to disclose to anyone other than himself / herself, even at home. For example, private image data is not desired to be viewed by family members, but may be desired to be used (viewed) from any terminal connected to the home network.

  As a method of protecting private contents stored in devices connected to such a home network from the use of other users, the server manages user names and passwords as conventionally seen in UNIX (registered trademark). In addition, it is possible to use a mechanism that permits browsing only to authorized users. However, this method increases the burden on the server because the user has to manage the user on the server side. In addition, processing related to password input and operation input for authentication can be easily performed by a device having a rich function such as a personal computer, but a general CE (Consumer Electronics) device includes a display device and an input device. However, this method is not always applicable.

  For example, if a user name and password are set to protect private contents, the password must be entered on all devices connected to the home network, so the display device and the input device have the minimum capability. It is necessary to match the CE equipment. Therefore, even if an environment is set in which a password can be set, only information about a numeric value can be used as a user name or password because it is inevitably allocated to information about a numeric keypad. In addition, it is in the home that password input for enabling use of content using what is commonly used by a plurality of people, such as a so-called remote controller, which is normally used as an operation means of a CE device No, it is uneasy for the user.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a data management system and a data management method capable of protecting a user's private information in a network in which electronic devices having different display and input capabilities are mixed.

  In the data management system according to the present invention, a data management device and a portable information processing terminal are connected to each other via a network, and specific information stored in the data management device is protected by key information. Authentication content storage means as authentication key information that permits the use of specific content data of the content data stored in the content data storage means by the content data specified by the portable information processing terminal by the authentication content registration means Registered in When data is input from the portable information processing terminal, the authentication unit authenticates whether the content data is registered authentication key information.

  A data management apparatus constituting a system according to the present invention includes a management-side communication means for communicating with an external device, a content data storage means for storing content data, and content data storage means for storing content data designated from outside Authentication data registration means for registering in the authentication content storage means as authentication key information permitting the use of specific content data among the content data stored in the content data, and content data as authentication key information is data input from an external device Authentication means for authenticating whether or not. In addition, as a portable information processing terminal, content data storage means that is a selection destination of content data as authentication key information, and content data selected from content data stored in the content data storage means are stored in an external device. Authentication key information transmitting means for transmitting as the authentication key information for using the specified content data.

  The data management method according to the present invention is a method in which a data management device and a portable information processing terminal are connected to each other via a network and specific information stored in the data management device is protected by key information. In the registration step, the content data specified by the portable information processing terminal is registered in the authentication content storage means as authentication key information that permits the use of specific content data among the content data stored in the content data storage means. The When data is input from the portable information processing terminal, it is authenticated by the authentication process whether the content data is registered authentication key information.

  In the present invention, in particular, when content data stored in a data management device is used as a configuration in which the electronic device is further added to the data management device and the portable information processing terminal, the data management device is portable Content data as authentication key information sent from the information processing terminal is received via the electronic device. That is, data transmitted from the portable information processing terminal to the electronic device is sent to the data management apparatus, and the above-described authentication is performed. At this time, the communication between the portable information processing terminal and the electronic device is characterized in that, for example, infrared communication used for remote operation input common to the electronic device is used. Further, the content data as the authentication key information includes text data, image data, music data, or data composed of a part of these data.

  According to the present invention, a portable information processing terminal owned by a user registers content data as authentication key information that permits the use of specific content data among content data stored in content data storage means. Even if a redundant system for a general user management method necessary for sharing a PC or the like on a network is not established, the data management device and the portable information processing terminal are mutually connected on the network. Predetermined information connected and stored in the data management device can be protected by specific key information.

  The present invention is a data management system that protects specific information stored in a data management apparatus on a network with key information. For example, a so-called home is provided on a home network formed by connecting home electronic devices. A case where content is managed by a device having a server function will be described. In such a home network, in particular, electronic devices having different capabilities are mixed in the display device and the input device. Therefore, in this specific example, even if the display device and the input device capability are not as large as those of a personal computer, it is possible to use private information from other users who share the network without using complicated user management by using the existing configuration. To be able to protect.

  In order to realize this, information corresponding to an authentication key is set for content that the user does not want to be used by other users among the content published on the network. In this specific example, data having meaning as information such as image data and music data is used as an authentication key. In the following, data used as an authentication key in this example will be referred to as a “passphrase” to distinguish it from a simple password composed of a number or a sequence of alphabets. In order to further improve safety, the passphrase is input by using a user terminal owned by each user instead of using a device shared by a plurality of users such as a remote control device of an electronic device.

  Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a data management system 1 which is a specific example of the present invention. The data management system 1 includes a peripheral device to be connected and an information processing device (hereinafter referred to as a home network server) 2 for managing a plurality of contents, a PC (personal computer) 3a, an audio device 3b, a television 3c, and a hard disk. A CE device 3 such as a DVD recording / reproducing apparatus 3d provided with a recorder is connected via a network, and the PC 3a and the CE device and the user terminal 4 owned by the user can communicate with each other. Hereinafter, the information processing apparatus is referred to as a home network server. In this system, for example, video content and music content recorded from a recording medium such as a CD (Compact Disc) and a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or from terrestrial broadcasting, BS broadcasting, and CS broadcasting are stored in the home network server 2. Can be managed.

  The network is a local area network (LAN), and is standardized by IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.) and IEEE 802.3 CSMA / CD (Carrier Sense). It is connected by 10BASE-T, 10BASE5 (Ethernet (registered trademark)), or IEEE1394 of a multiple access with collision detection (carrier sense multiple access / collision detection) system. Moreover, the connection by radio | wireless communication may be sufficient.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the home network server 2 stores a communication interface (I / F) 11 that transmits and receives data and the like with a PC and a CE device via a LAN, a large-capacity HDD 12, and an HDD 12. And a recording / encoding unit 13 that performs encoding necessary for this purpose, and can store various content data input from the outside. The home network server 2 inputs content data (passphrase) as authentication key information that enables the use of content data published to the HDD 12 by the user, and registers it in the passphrase storage unit 14 in association with the content data. A passphrase registration processing unit 15 is provided. The passphrase is input at the user terminal 4 and input via another device connected to the LAN. Information necessary for operating the apparatus or information necessary for content reproduction is displayed on the display unit 17 by the display device driver 16. A liquid crystal display can be used for the display unit 17. The home network server 2 may include an external network interface 18 for connecting to an external network such as the so-called Internet, and may be connectable to the so-called Internet. Each of the above-described configurations is centrally controlled by the control unit 19 including a CPU, a ROM storing a program for executing the operation of the CPU, setting information, and the like, and a RAM as a work area of the CPU. A user's instruction and selection are received from the operation input unit 20, and processing corresponding to this input is executed.

  In this specific example, the home network server 2 also has a function corresponding to a so-called PC. As a configuration for reproducing music content, the audio processing unit 21, a D / A conversion circuit 22 for audio output, a speaker 23, An external output terminal 24, a data input / output interface 25 for inputting music content data and video content data from the outside, or outputting content data to the outside, a playback unit 26 of a recording medium such as a CD and / or a DVD, etc. ing.

  As will be described later, the home network server 2 includes an infrared communication network interface 27 compliant with IrDA (The Infrared Data Association), and can directly communicate with the user terminal 4.

  Next, the CE device 3 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the television 3c will be described as the CE device, but there is no difference in the configuration for connecting other devices to the home network and managing them by the home network server 2.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the television 3c includes a video / audio signal receiving circuit 32 that receives a television signal input from the antenna 31, an image / audio processing unit 33 that performs image processing and audio processing on the received data, and audio data. A D / A conversion circuit 34 for outputting, a speaker 35 and an external output terminal 36, a display device driver 37 for outputting video data, and a display unit 38 are provided. In addition, although not shown, it is assumed that a basic configuration for working as a television is provided.

  In addition, the television 3 c includes a communication interface (I / F) 39 that transmits and receives data to and from the home network server 2 via the LAN, and can transmit and receive content data to and from the home network server 2. Each configuration is centrally controlled by a control unit 40 including a CPU, a ROM storing a program for executing the operation of the CPU, setting information, and the like, and a RAM as a work area of the CPU. A user's instruction and selection are received from the input unit 41, and processing according to inputs such as channel switching, volume switching, and various settings is executed.

  Most electronic devices existing in the home can be operated using a remote control (remote control device) using infrared communication. Each device used for the home network also includes an infrared light receiving unit 42 for remote control operation. The television 3 c sends the data input by the infrared light receiving unit 42 to the home network server 2 from the communication I / F 39.

  Next, the user terminal 4 will be described with reference to FIG. In this specific example, it is a portable telephone. However, since it is important that the user terminal 4 is highly user-dependent, portable information processing such as so-called PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) can be used for portable devices. It may be a terminal.

  The user terminal 4 includes an antenna 51 for a function as a telephone, an interface 52 for a mobile phone communication network, a microphone 53 as a configuration for voice input and output, and a voice as an analog signal input by the microphone 53. An A / D conversion circuit 54 that converts data into a digital signal, an audio processing unit 55, a D / A conversion circuit 56 that converts a digital signal into an analog signal, and a speaker 57 that outputs the audio signal converted into an analog signal are provided. Yes. Information necessary for the operation of the terminal, information necessary for processing for selecting content data as authentication key information, and the like are displayed on the display unit 59 by the display device driver 58. A liquid crystal display can be used as the display unit 59. Further, the user terminal 4 includes a charge coupled device (CCD) 60 and an image processing circuit 61 as a configuration for capturing an image of a subject. The captured image data and moving image data are stored in the storage unit 62. In addition to the information acquired by the terminal, the storage unit 62 stores, for example, image data and music data downloaded from the Internet site.

  Further, the user terminal 4 includes a passphrase selection setting processing unit 63 and a passphrase memory 64, and authentication key information for preventing other users from using the content stored in the home network server 2. Passphrase can be set. The user terminal 4 must be able to perform an operation for enabling the use of the prohibited content. Therefore, in this specific example, the user terminal 4 can perform communication for authentication processing without introducing a new communication interface to an existing device as communication for giving authentication key information to each device. However, the infrared communication interface 65 corresponding to the infrared communication function for remote control operation normally provided in the device 3 is provided, and a pass phrase is transmitted to the device 3 based on the signal transmission format of the normal infrared remote control. .

  As a data transmission format for remote operation of electronic equipment using infrared rays, for example, a data transmission format defined as SIRCS (Serial Infrared Remote Control System) can be used. Further, the infrared communication interface 65 can perform data transmission between the home network server 2 and the CE device 3 in accordance with a protocol defined by IrDA.

  The passphrase may be any binary data having meaning as information, and image data, music data, text data created by an e-mail or the like stored in the storage unit 62 or received from outside is used as it is. it can. For example, the user terminal 4 can set image data shot using a camera function or music data downloaded from an Internet site as a passphrase.

  The passphrase selection setting processing unit 63 stores in the passphrase memory 64 the content selected as authentication key information when a certain content is stored in the home network server 2 by the user. Further, the passphrase selection setting processing unit 63 creates SIRCS-compliant transmission data from the binary data constituting the image data and music data as authentication key information stored in the passphrase memory 64 and transmits it from the infrared communication interface 65. Control to do.

  The passphrase selection setting processing unit 63 may use the entire content data as a passphrase or use some information as authentication key information even if the set user is presented with the entire content as a passphrase. It may be only. The passphrase memory may store content data used as authentication key information, or may be stored as infrared transmission data that has already been converted into the SIRCS format.

  Each of the above-described configurations is centrally controlled by the control unit 67 having a CPU, a ROM storing a program for executing the operation of the CPU, setting information, and the like, and a RAM as a work area of the CPU. Then, a user instruction and selection are received from the operation input key 66, and processing corresponding to this input is executed.

  Next, a process in which the user sets a passphrase on the user terminal 4 will be described with reference to FIG. First, in step S1, the home network server 2 selects a mode for storing and registering certain contents in the home network server 2.

  In step S2, the home network server 2 asks whether or not to set a passphrase for the content to be registered. This inquiry is displayed as a GUI on the display unit 17, for example. At this time, if the passphrase setting is selected, in step S3, the passphrase selected by the user is directly sent from the user terminal 4 by infrared communication, and the home network server 2 acquires it. In step S4, the home network server 2 registers information for associating the passphrase with the content in the passphrase storage unit 14, and stores the content in the HDD 12 in step S5.

  Next, a process of making the content specified to be prohibited in the home network server 2 available by inputting a passphrase from the user terminal 4 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 shows operation timings of the user terminal 4, the home network server 2, and the CE device 3 in this process.

  When using a certain content (here, assumed to be video content) previously registered by the user in the CE device 3, the user first performs an operation for browsing the content as shown in step 11. . The user selects content and issues a request instruction for the selected content. When the home network server 2 receives the instruction input from the CE device 3 in step S12, the home network server 2 searches for the instructed content. In step S13, it is determined whether or not use prohibition is set for the searched content. If the use prohibition has been set, the home network server 2 notifies the CE device 3 that a passphrase has been set for the content in step S14. In step S15, the CE device 3 displays that a passphrase has been set.

  On the other hand, when a pass phrase is input from the user terminal 4 by the user in step S16, the CE device 3 inputs the pass phrase data from the infrared light receiving unit for the remote controller in step S17, and the home network server 2 transmits the passphrase data input together with the content request instruction.

  When the home network server 2 receives the passphrase in step S18, the home network server 2 authenticates the passphrase corresponding to the content in step S19. If correct, the content requested from the CE device 3 is distributed in step S20. If the passphrase is not correct, the process proceeds to a process for requesting the passphrase again in step S21.

  In step S <b> 22, the CE device 3 receives content from the home network server 2. If no passphrase is set, the content can be received directly from the determination in step S13.

  As described above, the data management system 1 has several authentication key information for preventing the content from being used by other users when the user registers the content in the home network server 2. Data having meaning as information, which is different from a simple password composed of a number of letters and a sequence of alphabets, is set as a “passphrase”. When browsing this content, the CE device receives the authentication passphrase as an SIRCS-compliant signal from the infrared communication interface, and the CE device receives it at the infrared light receiving unit for the remote control, and via the LAN, the home network Send to server 2.

  Therefore, in this data management system 1, a device connected to the home network server 2 only needs to include an infrared light receiving unit for a remote controller, and a new communication device corresponding to both the server and the client device. May not be used. That is, system design independent of hardware is possible. Also, in this specific example, management is not performed so that the user who uses the home network can be identified, but on this system, it is only necessary that the user who uses the device knows the passphrase for making the content usable. Therefore, complicated user management need not be performed.

  In addition, data that can be used as authentication key information itself has a meaning as information, and is more complicated than a simple password composed of several numbers and alphabets. Has the advantage of being easy to remember and difficult to understand for other users. Furthermore, since a terminal belonging to an individual like a mobile phone is used for inputting a passphrase, there is no possibility of leakage of an authentication key by sharing an authentication key input device.

  In this specific example, the communication method between the user terminal 4 and the CE device 3 is performed by infrared communication conforming to SIRCS. However, if widely applied to electronic devices in general, Bluetooth (registered trademark), Other wireless communication methods using a dedicated band may be used.

  Even a device such as a CE device that cannot be equipped with a function equivalent to a PC only needs to be able to perform infrared communication compatible with at least a remote control. Therefore, even in a home network in which existing electronic devices are mixed, in most cases, the present invention The privacy protection methods shown can be introduced. In addition, the concept of “passphrase” used in the present invention is not only for permitting the use of content on the network, but also for devices that have a configuration that can authenticate the passphrase, such as power on / off and other It can be applied as a method for restricting operation. In addition, the method of transmitting information other than device operation commands by converting the information into a signal format conforming to SIRCS can be applied not only as data for authentication but also as a data transmission method between devices having a limited communication interface. .

It is a figure explaining the outline of the data management system shown as a specific example of this invention. It is a block diagram explaining the home network server used for the said data management system. It is a block diagram explaining CE apparatus used for the said data management system. It is a block diagram explaining the user terminal used for the said data management system. It is a flowchart explaining the process which sets use prohibition of a content in the said data management system. It is a flowchart explaining the process which authenticates use permission of a content in the said data management system.

Explanation of symbols

1 data management system, 2 home network server, 3 CE equipment,
4 user terminals, 14 passphrase registration processing section,
15 passphrase memory, 42 infrared receiver,
43 passphrase selection setting processing section, 44 passphrase memory,
45 Infrared communication interface

Claims (16)

A terminal-side communication means for communicating with an external device;
A portable information processing terminal comprising: authentication key information transmitting means for transmitting certain content data as authentication key information permitting use of the specific content data stored in the external device;
A management-side communication means for communicating with the portable information processing terminal;
Content data storage means for storing content data;
For the authentication to register the content data designated by the portable information processing terminal in the authentication content storage means as authentication key information permitting the use of the specific content data of the content data stored in the content data storage means Content registration means;
A data management system comprising: an authentication unit that authenticates whether data input from an external device is content data as the authentication key information. An inter-device terminal communication means for communicating with the portable information processing terminal;
A device-side communication means for communicating with the data management device;
Playback means for playing back the content data acquired from the data management device via the device-side communication means;
When the content data is used in the electronic device, the data management device receives the content data as the authentication key information sent from the portable information processing terminal via the electronic device. The data management system according to claim 1.   The inter-device communication means between the portable information processing terminal and the electronic device is an infrared communication means, and the electronic device also serves as an infrared communication means used for remote operation input. The data management system according to claim 2.   2. The data management system according to claim 1, wherein the content data as the authentication key information includes text data, image data, music data, or data composed of a part of these data. In a data management method in which a data management device and a portable information processing terminal are connected to each other via a network, and specific information stored in the data management device is protected by key information.
Among the content data stored in the content data storage means, the predetermined content data specified in the portable information processing terminal is registered in the authentication content storage means as authentication key information that permits the use of the specific content data. Content registration process;
An authentication step of authenticating whether the data sent from the portable information processing terminal is content data as the authentication key information;
A data transmission step of transmitting the specific content data to the external device when the data transmitted from the portable information processing terminal in the authentication step is recognized as content data as the authentication key information. A data management method characterized by the above. An electronic device that communicates with a data management device is connected to the network, and when the content data is used in the electronic device, the data management device sends the authentication key information sent from the portable information processing terminal. As content data via the electronic device,
In the authentication step, it is authenticated whether the data transmitted from the portable information processing terminal via the electronic device is content data as the authentication key information. In the data transmission step, the data is transmitted in the authentication step. The specific content data is transmitted to the external device when it is recognized that the data transmitted from the portable information processing terminal via the electronic device is content data as the authentication key information. Item 6. The data management method according to Item 5.   7. The data management method according to claim 6, wherein the portable information processing terminal and the electronic device are connected by infrared communication, and the electronic device also uses infrared communication used for remote operation input.   6. The data management method according to claim 5, wherein the content data as the authentication key information includes text data, image data, music data, or data composed of a part of these data. A management communication means for communicating with an external device;
Content data storage means for storing content data;
Authentication content registration means for registering externally designated content data in the authentication content storage means as authentication key information permitting the use of specific content data of the content data stored in the content data storage means;
A data management device comprising: authentication means for authenticating whether data input from an external device is content data as the authentication key information. When using the above specific content data on an electronic device connected via a network,
The specific content data is transmitted to the electronic device when the authentication unit authenticates that data input from an external device via the electronic device is content data as the authentication key information. 9. The data management device according to 9.   11. The data management apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the external device and the electronic device are connected by infrared communication means, and the electronic device also serves as infrared communication means used for remote operation input.   10. The data management apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the content data as the authentication key information includes text data, image data, music data, or data composed of a part of these data. Content data storage means for storing content data;
Authentication key information transmitting means for transmitting content data selected from the content data stored in the content data storage means as authentication key information for using specific content data stored in an external device. A portable information processing terminal.   The authentication key information transmitting means transmits the selected content data to a playback device that plays back the specific content data, and provides authentication key information for using the specific content data via the playback device. The portable information processing terminal according to claim 13, wherein the portable information processing terminal transmits the information to a device.   14. The portable information processing terminal according to claim 13, wherein the authentication key information transmitting unit is an infrared communication unit and corresponds to an infrared communication unit used for general-purpose remote operation input to the external device. .   14. The portable information processing terminal according to claim 13, wherein the content data as the authentication key information includes text data, image data, music data, or data composed of a part of these data.

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