JP2006040038A - Information processing apparatus, digital content distribution system, and license management method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital content distribution system for efficiently changing the order of reproduction of a plurality of digital contents. <P>SOLUTION: The license server 13 of the digital content distribution system has an updatable utilization order information database 138 for registering utilization order information for indicating the order of reproduction of a plurality of digital content data distributed to a terminal unit 3 via a network 2. When second digital content data are specified in a license acquisition request from the terminal unit 3, a license issuing section 133 determines whether first digital content data whose reproduction order is determined to be ahead of that of second digital content data, according to utilization order information in a utilization order information database 138 have been already reproduced by the terminal unit 3. Only when it is determined that the first digital content data have been already reproduced, the license issuing section 133 takes out license information required for reproducing the second digital content data in the terminal unit 3 from the license information management database 137 for transmitting to the terminal unit 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital content distribution system that provides encrypted digital content, and more particularly to a digital content distribution system in which a playback order of a plurality of digital contents can be set on a service provider side.

  Services that distribute digital digital content such as movies and music using communication media such as the Internet and satellite broadcasting have been proposed. As a technique for protecting the copyright of digital contents handled by such a system, techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are known.

  According to the technique described in Patent Document 1, the digital content data in the reproduction order nth with the digital watermark including the encryption key inserted is transmitted from the server to the reproduction device, and then the encryption key included in the digital watermark is transmitted. The (n + 1) th digital content data in the reproduction order encrypted with (DES: common key of Data Encryption) is transmitted from the server to the reproduction apparatus. In the playback device, the previously received digital content data is played back, and the next received encrypted digital content data is decrypted and played back with the encryption key included in the digital watermark.

  On the other hand, according to the technique described in Patent Document 2, the server encrypts digital content data to be reproduced last (n-th) with a license key An so that it can be decrypted, and the encrypted digital content data obtained thereby The digital content data to be reproduced first is encrypted such that the digital content data in the reproduction order n−1 and the digital content data in the reproduction order are further encrypted with the license key A (n−1). Repeat encryption until finished. The playback device first obtains the digital content data and encrypted digital content data to be played back first by decrypting the encrypted digital content data from the server with the license key A (1). The digital content provider intends to obtain the digital content data to be reproduced second and the encrypted digital content data by decrypting the obtained encrypted digital content data with the license key A (2). While obtaining the digital content data one after another in the reproduction order, the decoding is repeated until the last digital content data is obtained.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-232424 JP 2003-283486 A

  However, in the above-described conventional technique, if the reproduction order of a plurality of digital contents is to be changed, it is necessary to redo the encryption processing or the like.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a digital content distribution system that can efficiently change the playback order of a plurality of digital contents.

The present invention
Storage means for storing updatable order information for ordering a plurality of digital content data distributed to a terminal device via a network;
When the second digital content data of the plurality of digital contents is specified in the request from the terminal device, the plurality of digital contents are allocated in the order ahead of the second digital content data according to the order information. A license issuing unit that outputs license information necessary for reproducing the second digital content data on the terminal device only when the first digital content data is reproduced on the reproducing device; ,
An information processing apparatus characterized by comprising:

  According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently change the playback order of a plurality of digital contents.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  First, the configuration of the digital content distribution system according to the present embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the digital content distribution system according to the present embodiment includes a provider system (hereinafter referred to as service center system) 1 that provides a digital content distribution service, various communication media (optical line, CATV, One or more Web client terminals (hereinafter referred to as terminal devices) 3 connected to the service center system 1 via a public communication or dedicated communication network 2 constituted by a wired communication medium such as a telephone line or a wireless communication medium) It is included. The digital content distribution system shown here includes only one service center system 1, but may include a plurality of service center systems (for example, service center systems of a plurality of business operators).

  The service center system 1 includes a digital content distribution server 12 that distributes encrypted digital content data (hereinafter referred to as encrypted content), and a license server that manages information related to licenses for reproduction of encrypted content (hereinafter referred to as license information). 13. A Web server 11 that accesses other servers 13 and 12 in response to a request from the terminal device 3, a LAN 14 that interconnects these servers 11 to 13, a router (not shown) that connects the LAN 14 to the network 2, and the like include.

  All of the information processing devices (Web server 11, digital content distribution server 12, license server 14, and terminal device 3) included in this digital content distribution system are information having a normal hardware configuration capable of executing software. It can be realized by a processing device. Specifically, each of these information processing apparatuses 11 to 13 and 3 is a communication control apparatus (modem, network adapter, wireless transmission / reception apparatus) for controlling communication via the LAN 14 or the network 2 as shown in FIG. Etc.), an external storage device (hard disk or the like) in which various data and software are stored, a main memory, a CPU that executes software loaded from the external storage device to the main memory, an input device that accepts input from a user (remote controller, Input / output interface to which the output device (CRT, liquid crystal display, plasma display, projector, speaker, headphones, etc.) that outputs information to be provided to the user is connected, a bus that interconnects these parts, etc. have. However, the external storage devices of the information processing apparatuses 11 to 13 and 3 store software and data related to functions (functions described later) realized by the information processing apparatuses.

  The hardware configuration shown here is an example, and the hardware configuration of each of the information processing apparatuses 11 to 13 and 3 is not necessarily the same as this. For example, a TV signal generation device such as a D / A converter may be provided in the information processing device so that a television can be used as the output device. For each of the servers 11 to 13 of the service center system 1, for example, the output device and the input device may not be connected to the input / output interface.

  Next, a functional configuration and a database configuration realized by the execution of software by the servers 11 to 13 will be described.

  The Web server 11 accesses the license server 13 and the digital content distribution server 12 in response to a request from the terminal device 3 and a communication control unit that performs data transfer according to the communication protocol, and obtains the data obtained as a result (for the license purchase procedure) A server processing unit that returns data for displaying a screen, data for displaying a later-described content selection screen, and for displaying a later-described content reproduction screen. With such a functional configuration, the Web server 11 functions as a portal server.

  The digital content distribution server 12 includes a communication control unit that performs data transfer according to a communication protocol, a content management unit that manages encrypted content, and a content distribution unit that distributes encrypted content in response to a request from the terminal device 3. ing. A content database in which a plurality of encrypted content data is registered is stored in the external storage device of the digital content distribution server 12. Each encrypted content data is accompanied by metadata including a content, title, digest, and URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of a license server that manages license information.

  According to such a functional configuration, when the communication control unit receives a request from the terminal device 3, the content distribution unit instructs the content management unit to read the encrypted content specified by the request, and obtains the result. The communication control unit is instructed to reply to the encrypted content.

  The license server 13 includes a communication control unit 131 that performs data transfer according to a communication protocol, an authentication unit 132 that performs authentication processing (user authentication and device authentication), and a license issuance that issues license information of encrypted content to the terminal device 3. Unit 133, a playback history management unit 134 that manages the content playback history of each user, and a playback order determination unit 130 that manages the preconditions for using the encrypted content for each user. These functional components may be realized by independent programs, or several functional components may be realized by one program. For example, when the reproduction history management unit 134 and the reproduction order determination unit 130 are realized by individual programs, either one is mounted on another information processing apparatus connected to the license server 11 via a network. Also good.

  The external storage device of the license server 13 stores the following databases 135 to 136 that are referred to by the functional components 132 to 135 except for the communication controller 131 among these functional components 131 to 135.

  In the authentication information management database 135, authentication information of a user is registered for each authorized user of the digital content distribution system. Each authentication information includes, for example, user identification information (hereinafter, user ID), password, user information (name, address, etc.), device ID, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the usage condition management database 136 includes, for each encrypted content, identification information (hereinafter, content ID) 41 of the encrypted content, usage condition information 42 indicating the usage conditions of the encrypted content, usage conditions. Information identification information (use condition ID) 43 is registered. The use condition information 42 includes, for example, viewing time limit information 421 indicating the viewing time limit of the encrypted content, and viewing number information 422 indicating the number of times the encrypted content is viewed. Here, the viewing time limit and the number of viewing times are used as the use condition information 42, but it is not always necessary to do so. For example, only one of the viewing time limit and the number of times of viewing may be used as the usage condition information 42, or the viewing time limit (viewing start date / time, viewing end date / time) or total viewing time may be used instead of the viewing time limit. Information other than the number of times of viewing may be used as the use condition information 42.

  In the usage order management database 138, for each group including a plurality of ordered encrypted contents (hereinafter referred to as content groups), a usage order table regarding the playback order of the encrypted contents belonging to the content group, and identification information of the usage order table (Use order table ID) is stored.

  As shown in FIG. 4, each usage order table includes, for each encrypted content belonging to the content group, a content ID 53, order information 51 representing the playback order of the encrypted content within the content group, and applicable usage condition information. Use condition ID 52, history expiration date / period information 54 indicating the date and time when the playback history of the encrypted content becomes invalid or the period from when the encrypted content is played back (playback completion date and time described later) until the playback history becomes invalid. Stored.

  Here, the order information 51 indicating the playback order of each encrypted content is registered in the usage order table 50. For example, the position of the records 55A1,..., 55An in the usage order table 50 is the playback order of the encrypted content. , The order information 51 of each encrypted content does not need to be registered in the use order table 50. Further, since the use condition ID and the content ID are associated in the use condition management database 136, the content ID 53 does not necessarily have to be registered in the use order table 50.

  In the license information management database 137, license information is registered for each license to be issued to a licensed user.

  As shown in FIG. 5, each license information includes a user ID 63 of the user, identification information (hereinafter, device ID) 64 of the terminal device 3, a user specified by the user ID 63 and a terminal device specified by the device ID 64. 3, the content ID 61 of the encrypted content permitted to be reproduced, the decryption key (digital content key) 62 of the encrypted content specified by the content ID 61, the usage condition information 66 of the encrypted content specified by the content ID 61, and the usage condition information 66 usage condition IDs 65 are included. Note that the usage condition information 66 and the usage condition ID 65 included in each license information are extracted from the usage condition management database 136 and set when the user enters into a license agreement with the content distributor.

As shown in FIG. 6, the reproduction history management database 139 stores reproduction history information 76A ₁ ,..., 76Ak for the encrypted contents that each user has completed reproduction.

The reproduction history information 76A ₁ ,..., 76Ak includes the content ID 74 of the encrypted content, the user ID 71 of the user who has completed the reproduction of the encrypted content specified by the content ID 74, and the user corresponding to the user ID 71. Includes the device ID 72 of the terminal device used by the user, the usage condition ID 73 of the usage condition of the encrypted content specified by the content ID 74, and the playback completion date and time 75 representing the playback completion date and time. Here, the content ID 74 is included in each reproduction history information 76A ₁ ,..., 76Ak. However, since the usage condition ID and the content ID are associated with each other in the usage condition management database 136 as described above, the reproduction history information is not necessarily included. 76A1, ..., 76Ak need not include the content ID 74.

  Next, a functional configuration and a database configuration that the terminal device 3 realizes by executing software will be described.

  The terminal device 3 includes a communication control unit 31 that performs data transfer according to a communication protocol, a content acquisition unit (not shown) that acquires encrypted content from a digital content distribution server, and a license management unit 32 that acquires license information from the license server 13. And a playback unit 33 that decrypts and decodes the encrypted content acquired from the digital content distribution server 12 and notifies the digital content distribution server 12 of the completion of the playback of the digital content. The playback unit 33 includes a decryption unit 331 that decrypts the encrypted content according to an instruction received by the input device 35, and a decoder that decodes the compressed digital content obtained by the decryption by the decryption unit 331 and then outputs the decoded digital content to the output device 34. 332 includes a reproduction completion determination unit 333 that transmits a reproduction completion notification (message indicating completion of reproduction of encrypted content) to the license server 13 when reproduction of the encrypted content is completed.

  The external storage device of the terminal device 3 stores encrypted content to be reproduced by the reproduction unit 33 and a license information management database 321 referred to by the license management unit 32. In the license information management database 321, license information of the license received by the user is registered with the same data structure as the license management database 1332 of the license server 13. The license information database 321 preferably has resistance to attacks from the outside from the viewpoint of security.

  Next, an outline of digital content distribution processing executed in this digital content distribution system will be described with reference to FIG. Here, a case will be described as an example where the terminal device 3 acquires license information of the encrypted content from the license server for the first time when the downloaded encrypted content is played back.

  When the user inputs a predetermined URL from the input device 35, the terminal device 3 accesses a file on the portal server 11 indicated by the URL (Uniform Resource Locator). As a result, a content selection screen is displayed on the output device 34 of the terminal device 3 based on the data described in the file.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the content selection screen displays a list of information (hereinafter referred to as digital content related information) 88 relating to encrypted content provided by the digital content distribution server 12. Each digital content related information 88 includes an encrypted content title 81, an encrypted content digest 82, usage condition information 83 included in the license information of the encrypted content, and a license agreement for reproducing the encrypted content. (Contracted: completed, uncontracted: not yet) 85, information related to encrypted content that is required to be viewed as a prerequisite for reproducing encrypted content (absence: none, reproduced: Completed, unreproduced: not) 84. The content selection screen further includes a viewing button 86 for receiving a license acquisition instruction for an encrypted content corresponding to the digital content related information selected from the list 89 and a cancel button 87 for receiving a digital content related information selection cancellation instruction. Has been placed.

  On the content selection screen 80, when the user selects the digital content related information of the encrypted content desired to be viewed from the list 89, the selected digital content related information is displayed in reverse video (S1000). The encrypted content corresponding to the digital content related information selected by the user at this time is hereinafter referred to as “used content”.

  In this state, when the user further instructs the viewing button 86, the terminal device 3 transmits a license transmission request including the content ID of the used content to the license server 13 (S2000).

  The license server 13 extracts the content ID from the license transmission request, and whether or not reproduction of any encrypted content is a prerequisite for reproduction of the encrypted content corresponding to the content ID (that is, used content). Check whether or not the prerequisite content exists in Hereinafter, an encrypted content that is required to be reproduced in advance in order to reproduce a certain encrypted content is referred to as a premise content.

  As a result, if the prerequisite content does not exist in the used content, the license server 13 returns the license information of the used content to the terminal device 3. On the other hand, if the prerequisite content exists in the usage content, the license server 13 further checks whether or not the prerequisite content is reproduced. If the prerequisite content has been reproduced, the license server 13 returns license information of the usage content to the terminal device 3. If the premise content has not been reproduced, a message indicating that the premise content needs to be reproduced is returned to the terminal device 3. That is, when the prerequisite content does not exist in the usage content, the license information of the usage content is given to the user as it is, but when the prerequisite content exists in the usage content, only the user who has completed the playback of the prerequisite content. The license information of the used content is given.

  When the terminal device 3 receives the license information of the used content, the terminal device 3 displays a content reproduction screen on the display device. In this content reproduction screen, as shown in FIG. 9, a display field 101 on which digital content related information (digital content related information selected on the content selection screen) and the like of the used content is displayed, and a reproduction instruction for the used content is received. A playback button 102, a stop button 103 for receiving a playback stop instruction for the used content, a rewind button 104 for receiving a rewind instruction for the used content, and a fast forward button 105 for receiving a fast forward playback instruction for the used content are displayed. Here, when the user instructs the playback button 102, the terminal device 3 plays back the used content with the digital content key in the license information given from the license server 13. Thereafter, when the reproduction of the used content is completed, the terminal device 3 notifies the license server 13 to that effect (S3000).

  According to such digital content distribution processing, when there is a prerequisite content in the usage content, the usage content can be used only by the user who has completed the reproduction of the prerequisite content, regardless of whether there is a license agreement for the usage content. License information (digital content key, usage condition information) necessary for reproduction of the content can be acquired. For this reason, the content provider can make a user reproduce | regenerate the some encrypted content which comprises a content group in the order according to own intention.

Next, details of each step (S1000 to S3000) in FIG. 7 will be described.
(1) Content selection processing (S1000)
FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of processing executed in the content selection processing (S1000).

  When the terminal device 3 receives the reply file from the portal server 11, the following process starts.

  The license management unit 32 extracts the content ID (processing target content ID) from the metadata attached to any one of the encrypted contents stored in the external storage device (S1001), and matches the processing target content ID. The license information including the content ID is searched in the license information management database 321 (S1002).

  As a result, when the corresponding license information exists (that is, when the license of the encrypted content has been issued), the license management unit 32 extracts the use condition information from the license information (S1003). . Furthermore, the license management unit 32 uses the usage condition information, information in the metadata (title, digest), information indicating that the license agreement has been completed (completed), and information indicating that the prerequisite content has been reproduced. From (completed), digital content related information is generated. Based on the metadata, digital content related information is generated (S1010).

  On the other hand, when the corresponding license information does not exist (that is, when the license has not been issued), a license search request including the content ID and authentication information is transmitted to the license server 13 indicated by the URL in the metadata. To do. Examples of authentication information used here include a user ID, a combination of a user ID and a password, and a device ID.

  In the license server 13, the authentication unit 132 first searches the authentication information management database 135 for authentication information that matches the authentication information included in the license search request (S1004). For example, when the authentication information from the terminal device 3 includes a user ID, the authentication unit 132 searches the authentication information management database 135 for a user ID that matches the user ID (user authentication). If the authentication information from the terminal device 3 includes a device ID, the authentication unit 132 searches the authentication information management database 135 for a device ID that matches the device ID (device authentication).

  As a result, if the authentication information matching the authentication information included in the license search request does not exist in the authentication information management database 135, that is, if the authentication fails, the license issuing unit 133 returns a message to that effect. To do. Upon receiving this message, the terminal device 3 displays it on the output device, and then ends the process.

  On the other hand, if the authentication information matching the authentication information included in the license search request exists in the authentication information management database 135, that is, if the authentication is successful, the license issuing unit 133 is included in the request. The license information including the content ID that matches the content ID is searched in the license information management database 137 (S1005).

  Here, if the corresponding license information does not exist in the license information management database 137, the license issuing unit 133 transmits information (not yet) indicating that the license contract is incomplete to the terminal device 3.

  On the contrary, if the corresponding license information exists in the license information management database 137, the reproduction order determination unit 130 matches the two types of IDs (usage condition ID and content ID) included in the license information. The usage order table including the two types of IDs 52 and 53 to be searched is searched in the usage order information management database 138 (S1006). Further, the reproduction order determination unit 130 indicates order information (values associated with the use condition ID and the content ID included in the license information) indicating the value immediately before the value indicated by the order information 51 associated with the IDs 52 and 53. Of the order information indicating a value smaller than the order information, the order information indicating the maximum value, that is, the order information of the premise content) is searched in the use order table.

  As a result, if the corresponding order information does not exist, the playback order determination unit 130 displays information indicating that the license contract has been completed (completed) and information indicating that the prerequisite content does not exist (none). Is transmitted to the terminal device 3.

  On the other hand, if the corresponding order information exists, the playback order determination unit 130 uses the use condition ID 52 and the content ID 53 (the use condition ID 52 and the content ID 53 of the prerequisite content) associated with the order information. It is taken out from the table (S1007). Further, the reproduction history management unit 134 displays reproduction history information including the two types of IDs (usage condition ID 52, content ID 53) extracted at this time and the user ID included in the license search request in the reproduction history management database. A search is made at 139 (S1008). That is, it is checked whether or not the prerequisite content to be reproduced immediately before the encrypted content indicated by the content ID included in the license search request has been reproduced.

  Here, if the corresponding playback history information does not exist (that is, if the prerequisite content has not been played back), the playback history management unit 134 indicates that the license agreement has been made (completed), and the prerequisite Information (not yet) indicating that the content has not been reproduced is transmitted to the terminal device 3.

  On the other hand, if the corresponding playback history information exists (that is, if the premise content has been played back), the playback history management unit 134 determines based on the date and time indicated by the playback completion date and time information of the playback history information. Then, it is checked whether or not the reproduction history information is invalid. Specifically, it is as follows.

  First, the reproduction history management unit 134 extracts the history expiration / period information 54 associated with the order information of the premise content from the use order table obtained in S1006. When the history expiration / period information indicates the date / time, the playback history management unit 134 compares the date / time indicated by the playback completion date / time information in the playback history information with the date / time indicated by the history expiration / period information. . As a result, if the date and time indicated by the history expiration / period information 54 is in the past, it is determined that the playback history information is invalid. When the history expiration date / period information indicates a period, the reproduction history management unit 134 passes the period indicated by the history expiration date / period information from the date indicated by the reproduction completion date information in the reproduction history information. Compare the current date and time with the current date. As a result, if the date obtained from the reproduction completion date / time information and the information history expiration / period information is in the past, the reproduction history information is determined to be invalid.

  As a result of such determination, when the reproduction history information is invalid, the reproduction history management unit 134 displays information indicating that the license agreement has been completed (completed) and information indicating that the prerequisite content has not been reproduced ( Not yet) is transmitted to the terminal device 3.

  On the other hand, if the reproduction history information is not invalid, the reproduction history management unit 134 includes information indicating that the license agreement has been completed (completed) and information indicating that the prerequisite content has been reproduced (completed). The usage condition information in the license information is returned to the terminal device 3 (S1009).

  Thereafter, in the terminal device 3, the license management unit 32 generates digital content related information based on the information and metadata from the license server 13 (S1010). Further, the license management unit 32 determines whether or not the above processing (S1002 to S1010) has been executed for all metadata in the external storage device (S1011), and if unprocessed metadata remains. Then, the processing after S1001 is executed on the metadata. If unprocessed metadata is not left, the terminal device 3 causes the output device 34 to display a content selection screen 80 displaying a list of digital content related information obtained for all metadata (S1012).

  Here, the authentication information regarding the authorized user of the digital content distribution system is registered in the authentication information management database 135, but this is not necessarily required. For example, a user ID of a user who is denied use of the digital content distribution system or a device ID of a device that is denied use of the digital content distribution system is registered in the authentication information management database 135 and the terminal device 3 If the authentication information is not registered in the authentication information management database 135, the authentication may be successful.

Here, even if the playback history information of the prerequisite content is obtained from the playback history management database 139, if the playback history information is invalid, it is assumed that the prerequisite content has not been played back. It is not necessary to do so. For example, if the playback history information of the prerequisite content is obtained from the playback history management database 139, the prerequisite content may be regarded as having been played back without checking whether the playback history information is invalid. Good. In this case, each record of the usage order table 50 does not need to include the history expiration / period information 54, and the playback used as the starting point of the period until the playback history information becomes invalid. The completion date / time 75 need not be included in the reproduction history information 76A1,.
(2) License acquisition process (S2000)
FIG. 11 shows a flowchart of processing executed in the license acquisition processing (S2000).

  When the user selects the digital content related information in the list 89 on the content selection screen and then instructs the viewing button 86, it is checked whether the license information of the used content has been acquired. Specifically, the license management unit 32 extracts a content ID from the selected digital content related information (S2001), and searches the license information management database 321 for license information including the content ID (S2002). As a result, if the corresponding license information exists (that is, if the license information of the used content has already been acquired), the license management unit 32 ends the processing.

  On the other hand, if the corresponding license information does not exist (that is, if the license information of the used content has not been acquired), the license management unit 32 sends a license acquisition request including the content ID and authentication information of the used content to the used content. Is transmitted to the license server 13 indicated by the URL included in the metadata (S2003).

  In response to this license acquisition request, in the license server 13, first, the authentication unit 132 performs authentication processing similar to the above-described authentication processing using the authentication information included in the request (S2004).

  Here, if the authentication fails, the authentication unit 132 transmits a message to that effect to the terminal device 3. The content of the message is displayed on the display device 34 of the terminal device 3 that has received this message. This completes the process.

  On the other hand, if the authentication is successful, the license issuing unit 133 manages license information (license information of the used content) including two types of IDs that match the content ID and the user ID included in the license acquisition request. The database 137 is searched (S2005). That is, the license issuance unit 133 checks whether or not a license for the used content exists in the license that the user has contracted.

  If the corresponding license information does not exist (that is, if there is no contract), the license issuing unit 133 transmits a message to that effect to the terminal device 3. The content of the message is displayed on the display device 34 of the terminal device 3 that has received this message. This completes the process.

  Further, if the corresponding license information exists (that is, if the license contract has been completed), the license issuing unit 133 further extracts the use condition ID from the license information (S2006). Next, the playback order determination unit 130 searches the usage order information management database 138 for a usage order table including the usage condition ID and the content ID of the usage content (S2007).

  As a result, if the corresponding use order table does not exist, the license issuing unit 133 registers the device ID of the request transmission source terminal device and the user ID of the user in the license information obtained in S2006. The license information is transmitted to the terminal device 3 (S2009).

  On the other hand, if the corresponding usage order table exists, the playback order determination unit 130 indicates the order information immediately before the value indicated by the order information associated with the usage condition ID and the content ID of the usage content obtained in S2006. (The order information indicating the maximum value among the order information indicating a value smaller than the order information of the used content) is searched in the use order table. For example, when the value of the order information of the used content is “3”, the order information indicating the value “2” immediately before that is searched.

  Here, when the corresponding order information is obtained, the playback order determination unit 130 uses the use condition ID 52 and the content ID 53 associated with the order information (the use condition ID of the premise content to be played back immediately before the use content). And the content ID) are extracted from the usage order table. Then, the reproduction history management unit 134 reproduces reproduction history information including the two types of IDs obtained at this time (precondition content usage condition ID and content ID) and the user ID included in the license acquisition request. The history management database 139 is searched. That is, it is checked whether or not the prerequisite content immediately before the used content has been reproduced (S2008).

  At this time, if the corresponding reproduction history information does not exist (that is, if the reproduction of the prerequisite content is not completed), the reproduction history management unit 134 transmits a message to that effect to the terminal device 3. That is, the license server 13 rejects the license acquisition request for the usage content. In addition, this message may include information regarding whether or not the license agreement for the prerequisite content has been completed. Specifically, the license issuing unit 133 searches the license information management database 137 for license information including the content ID and user ID of the premise content, and the reproduction history management unit 134 displays the above message including the search result. You may make it transmit to the terminal device 3. FIG. The display device of the terminal device 3 that has received such a message displays that the prerequisite content needs to be reproduced in order to acquire the license of the used content (S2010). If the message from the license server 13 includes information regarding whether or not the license contract for the prerequisite content has been completed, the content of the information is also displayed. This completes the process. In this case, since the user cannot acquire the license information of the usage content, the usage content cannot be reproduced on the terminal device 3.

  At this time, the message from the license server 13 includes access information (such as a URL) to the license purchase site on the portal server 11 (a server that accepts a procedure for concluding a license agreement regarding the use of encrypted content) and accepts it. The terminal device 3 may automatically jump to the site (automatic connection). However, in this case, the external storage device (for example, the use order table) of the license server 13 or the external storage of another server so that the license server 13 can obtain the access information of the license purchase site of the portal server 11. It is necessary to store the access information of the license purchase site of the prerequisite content in association with the content ID of each encrypted content in the apparatus.

  On the other hand, if the corresponding playback history information exists (that is, if the prerequisite content has not been played back), the playback history management unit 134 performs the check process similar to the check process in the content selection process (S1000). Based on the reproduction completion date / time information of the reproduction history information and the history expiration / period information 54 of the usage order table, it is checked whether or not the reproduction history information is valid.

  As a result, if the reproduction history information is invalid, the reproduction history management unit 134 transmits a message to that effect to the terminal device 3. That is, the license server 13 rejects the license acquisition request for the usage content. As a result, the display device of the terminal device 3 displays a message that the usage content license is not issued because the reproduction of the premise content has become invalid (S2010), and the processing ends. Also in this case, since the user cannot acquire the license information of the usage content, the usage content cannot be reproduced on the terminal device 3.

  On the other hand, if the reproduction history information is valid, the license issuing unit 133 registers the device ID and user ID included in the license acquisition request in the license information of the usage content, and then transmits the license information to the terminal device. 3 is transmitted (S2009). Thereafter, the license issuing unit 133 deletes the corresponding license information from the license information management database 137.

  When the terminal device 3 receives the license information transmitted in this way, the license management unit 32 registers the license information in the license information management database 321 (S2011).

Here, the license information of the used content is issued from the license server when the used content is played back for the first time. It may be issued from a server.
(3) Content playback processing (S3000)
FIG. 12 shows a flowchart of the content reproduction process.

  When the user designates the playback button 102 on the content playback screen (S3001), in the playback unit 33, first, the decryption unit 331 instructs the license management unit 32 to search for license information including the content ID of the used content. (S3002). The instruction given at this time includes a device ID.

  Upon receiving the search instruction, the license management unit 32 first rejects the use of the device ID included in the search instruction and authentication information (legitimate device or license information) stored in advance in an external storage device or the like. Device authentication) is compared with the device authentication described above (S3003). By performing such device authentication, unauthorized use of license information can be prevented.

  As a result, when the device ID included in the search instruction is included in the device ID list of the legitimate device, or the device ID included in the search instruction is included in the device ID list of the unauthorized device. If there is not, that is, if the device authentication is successful, the license management unit 32 retrieves the license information (license information of the used content) including the content ID included in the search instruction from the license information management database 321, Based on the usage condition information of the license information, it is checked whether or not the usage content can be reproduced (S3004).

  As a result, if the used content cannot be reproduced, the license management unit 32 returns information to that effect to the decryption unit 331. For example, when the viewing time limit information 661 indicates a date and time before the present time, or when the viewing count information 662 indicates that the number of times that viewing is possible is 0, the use content is not reproduced. Information indicating that it is possible is returned to the decryption unit 331. When receiving such information, the decoding unit 331 displays the content of the information on the display device 34 without reproducing the used content, and ends the process (S3005).

  On the other hand, if the usage content can be reproduced, the license management unit 32 returns the license information of the usage content to the decryption unit 331 (S3006). The decryption unit 331 extracts a digital content key from the license information (S3007), and decrypts the used content in the external storage device with the digital content key. Further, the decoding unit 332 decodes the compressed digital content obtained by the decoding by the decoding unit 331 and outputs it to the output device 34. As a result, the used content is displayed in the display field 101 on the content reproduction screen (see FIG. 9) (S3008).

  Thereafter, when the reproduction of the used content is completed, the reproduction completion determination unit 333 determines whether or not the used content has been reproduced when the reproduction of the used content is completed (S3010). For example, it can be set as a condition that the used content is considered to have been played back.

  If the reproduction completion determination unit 333 determines that the use content has not been reproduced yet, the reproduction completion determination unit 333 ends the process.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the used content has been played back, the playback completion determination unit 333 transmits a playback completion notification to the license server 13 indicated by the URL included in the metadata of the used content (S3011). The playback completion notification transmitted at this time includes the content ID of the used content, the usage condition ID included in the license information, the playback completion date and time information indicating the playback completion date and time (current date and time) of the used content, and authentication information (for example, , User ID, user ID and password set, device ID, and the like).

  In the license server 13 that has received the reproduction completion notification from the terminal device 3, the authentication unit 132 first performs an authentication process similar to that described above using the authentication information included in the reproduction completion notification. Thereby, the legitimacy of the user or the like is confirmed (S3012).

  If the authentication is successful, the reproduction history management unit 134 generates reproduction history information from the user ID, device ID, usage condition ID, content ID, and reproduction completion time information among the information included in the reproduction completion notification. The reproduction history information is registered in the reproduction history management database 139. Here, the reproduction history information is registered on the condition that authentication is successful, but the reproduction history information may be registered without authentication.

  According to such a process, if there is a premise content in the usage content, the user does not complete the reproduction of the premise content until the license information (digital content key, usage conditions) Information). As a result, the user reproduces a plurality of digital contents in the order according to the intention of the content provider. For this reason, for example, a content distribution service in which the reproduction of advertising digital content is a condition for permission to reproduce the main digital content (movies, etc.), a series type (step-up that requires a plurality of educational digital contents to be referenced according to the curriculum Type) digital content distribution service, a digital content distribution service for reproducing a plurality of digital contents (for example, drama, feature novel) along the time axis, and the like can be provided.

  Here, since the playback order of a plurality of digital contents is managed by a use order table separated from each digital content itself, only the use order table is updated without editing each digital content data. The playback order of a plurality of digital contents can be changed.

  For example, in the usage order table of FIG. 4, the usage condition ID “htc335559” and the content ID “at1002211” of the record corresponding to the order information “2”, the usage condition ID and content ID of the record corresponding to other order information, and Is replaced, the playback order of the two types of digital content can be switched without changing or correcting the digital content data. In addition, if the usage condition ID “htc3355591” and the content ID “at1002211” of the record corresponding to the order information “2” are rewritten to other usage condition IDs and other content IDs, the second digital content to be reproduced You can replace it with something. For this reason, the content provider can easily replace, for example, advertisement digital content to be played before the main digital content.

  In the above, the user ID, device ID, usage condition ID, content ID, and playback completion time information are included in the playback completion notification, but this is not necessarily required. For example, if the generation date and time of reproduction history information is registered in the reproduction history management database 139 as reproduction completion time information, the reproduction completion time information of the used content does not need to be included in the reproduction completion notification. Further, when the history expiration / period information is not included in the record of the usage order table, the playback completion time information of the usage content need not be included in the playback completion notification. Furthermore, if one of the user ID and the device ID is specified by referring to the authentication information management database 135, either the user ID or the device ID may not be included in the reproduction completion notification. .

  In the above description, the content has been played to the end as the condition for considering that the content has been played back. However, the occurrence of other events may be the condition for assuming that the content has been played back. Specific examples are given below.

  When using as a determination condition that the used content has been played for a time corresponding to the size, the playback completion determining unit 333 acquires the elapsed time from the start of playback of the used content from the decoding unit 332 at an appropriate time interval. When the elapsed time becomes equal to the time corresponding to the size of the used content, it may be determined that the used content has been reproduced.

  When using as a determination condition that a time set in advance by the service provider has elapsed since the start of playback of the used content, the playback completion determination unit 333 decodes the elapsed time from the start of playback of the used content at an appropriate time interval. It is obtained from the unit 332, and when the elapsed time becomes equal to a predetermined threshold, it may be determined that the use content has been reproduced. The threshold value used here may be stored in the use condition management database 136, for example.

  When using as a determination condition that a preset number of check points have been reproduced in the usage content, the playback completion determination unit 333 uses information (for example, time) indicating the playback position of the usage content for an appropriate time. While obtaining from the decoding unit 332 at intervals, it is checked whether or not each checkpoint has been reproduced, and if it is confirmed that all the checkpoints have been reproduced, it may be determined that the use content has been reproduced. Here, each checkpoint is, for example, at a position m / n, 2 × (m / n),..., N × (m / n) where the size m of the used content is divided into a number corresponding to the number n of checkpoints. Can be determined. The number of checkpoints used here may be stored in, for example, the use condition management database 136 as with the above-described threshold.

  When it is used as a determination condition that the user has confirmed that a predetermined response input operation (interaction operation) has been performed at each check point set in advance in the use content, the reproduction completion determination unit 333 uses the use content. The information indicating the playback position is acquired from the decoding unit 332 at an appropriate time interval, and when the playback position reaches one of the predetermined check points, a predetermined interaction operation (button input operation, character input operation, etc.) is performed. Prompt user for input. For example, the reproduction completion determination unit 333 displays a tool (such as a button) that accepts a predetermined interaction operation and a message that prompts the user for the interaction operation in the display field 101 of the content reproduction screen. Then, when occurrence of a predetermined interaction operation is confirmed at all check points, it may be determined that the reproduction of the used content is completed. Here, the information indicating the type of interaction operation and the position of the checkpoint may be stored in, for example, the use condition management database 136, similarly to the above-described threshold value.

  These discrimination conditions do not necessarily need to be used alone, and a plurality of them can be used in combination. In this case, as shown in FIG. 13, in addition to the usage condition information in the usage condition information management database 136 shown in FIG. The determination condition selection information 427 indicating the condition may be stored. Here, as the determination condition selection information 427, for example, bit information indicating whether or not each determination condition is used, an identifier of the determination condition group to be used, a list of identifiers of the determination condition to be used, and the like can be used. . The reproduction completion determination unit 333 may determine the determination condition to be used from the determination condition selection information 427 and determine that the use content has been completely reproduced when all of the determination conditions are satisfied.

  Further, in order to make the user surely view the usage content, the user may be prohibited from performing a predetermined operation during the playback of the usage content. In this case, information indicating the type of prohibited operation (for example, fast forward, rewind, pause operation, stop operation, etc.) during playback of the usage content is stored in the usage condition management database 136, and the usage content is stored. During playback, a button on the content playback screen that accepts an operation indicated by the information may be invalidated.

  By the way, in the above, when the premise content is incompletely reproduced, a message that the premise content needs to be reproduced is displayed on the output device 34. However, in the encrypted content, the advertisement digital content Some digital contents are licensed unconditionally. Therefore, when the pre-requisite content that has not been played back is such, the pre-requisite content may be automatically played instead of the message display.

  Even in this case, in the content distribution system, processing is executed according to the flowchart of FIG. However, only the contents of the license acquisition process (S2000) and the content reproduction process (S3000) are different from those described above. Therefore, here, only the differences from the above-described case in the license acquisition process (S2000) and the content reproduction process (S3000) will be described.

  FIG. 14 shows a flowchart of the license acquisition process (S2000) in the case where the prerequisite content is automatically reproduced.

  When the user selects any digital content related information from the list 89 on the content selection screen, the license management unit 32 extracts the content ID from the digital content related information (S2001), It is added to the end of the reproduction list stored in the storage device (S2100). As shown in FIG. 15, the reproduction list stores correspondence information between the content ID 152 of the encrypted content and the order information 153 representing the registration order of the content ID 152.

  Thereafter, the license management unit 32 executes a search process (S2002) of the license information management database 321 as in the license acquisition process of FIG. 10, and sends a license acquisition request to the license server 13 only when the corresponding license information does not exist. Send.

  In the license server 13 that has received the license acquisition request, processes S2003 to S2008 similar to the license acquisition process of FIG. 11 are executed. When the prerequisite history reproduction history information exists (S2008), the license server 13 and the terminal device 3 execute the processes S2009 and S2011 similar to the license acquisition processing of FIG. Is not present (S2008), the license server 13 and the terminal device 3 execute processing different from the license acquisition processing of FIG. 11 as follows.

  Specifically, the license issuing unit 133 generates the license information of the prerequisite content for the user who issued the license acquisition request (S2110), and returns this license information to the terminal device 3 (S2111). In the terminal device 3 that has received the license information, the license management unit 32 registers the license information of the prerequisite content in the license information management database 321 (S2112) instead of executing the error display process (S2010) of FIG. ), And processing for adding the content ID of the premise content to the reproduction list 150 (S2113). Thereafter, the process returns to S2003 with the content ID of the premise content as a new ID included in the license acquisition request.

  As a result of such processing, in the reproduction list, the content ID of the prerequisite content is continued in the reverse order to the reproduction order after the content ID of the used content first selected on the content selection screen.

  FIG. 16 shows a flowchart of the content reproduction process in the case where the prerequisite content is automatically reproduced.

  When the playback button 102 on the content playback screen is instructed (S3101), first, the decryption unit 331 of the playback unit 33 selects the content associated with the order information indicating the maximum value from the playback list generated in S2000. The ID is extracted (S3102), and the license management unit 32 is instructed to search for license information including the content ID (S3002). The search instruction given at this time includes the device ID.

  Thereafter, in the license management unit 32, the playback unit 33, and the license server 13, the same processing (S3003 to 3013) as the content playback processing of FIG. 11 is performed, but the playback history management unit 134 registers the playback history information ( After performing S3013), the terminal device 3 executes processing different from the content reproduction processing of FIG. 11 as follows. Specifically, the decryption unit 331 determines whether or not the content ID remains in the reproduction list 150 after deleting the corresponding information including the content ID of the prerequisite content that has been reproduced from the reproduction list 150 (S3115). ). As a result, if the content ID remains in the reproduction list 150, the decryption unit 331 returns the process to S3102. As a result, the prerequisite content or the usage content next to the prerequisite content that has been reproduced is automatically reproduced. On the other hand, when there is no content ID in the reproduction list 150, the decryption unit 311 ends the process.

  According to such a process, when there is unfinished prerequisite content, a license for the prerequisite content is automatically issued from the license server, and the prerequisite content is automatically reproduced before the used content is reproduced. Is done. For this reason, in the terminal device, for example, digital content (advertising digital content or the like) for which a license is unconditionally granted can be automatically reproduced before reproduction of the digital content that the user desires to view.

  In the above description, the reproduction history information is managed by the license server 13, but the reproduction history information may be managed by the terminal device 3. In this way, for example, the terminal device 3 does not need to be connected to the license server 200 in the content reproduction process (S3000).

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 17, it is not necessary to provide the above-mentioned reproduction history management database 139 and reproduction history management unit 134 in the license server 13 ′, but instead, the terminal device 3 ′. In addition, it is necessary to provide a playback history management database 2151 having a data structure similar to that of the above-described playback history management database 139 and a playback history management unit 215 that executes database processing for the playback history management database 2151. Other configurations are the same as those of the content distribution system of FIG.

  In the digital content distribution system of FIG. 17, the process is executed according to the flowchart of FIG. 7 as in the digital content distribution system of FIG. 1, but this process is performed only in the following points. This is different from the process executed in.

  FIG. 18 shows a flowchart of content selection processing executed in the digital content distribution system of FIG.

  Unlike the above-described case, the license server 13 ′ transmits only the content ID and usage condition ID of the prerequisite content to the terminal device 3 without searching for the reproduction history information (S1208). Thereafter, in the terminal device 3 ′, the reproduction history management unit 215 reproduces reproduction history information including two types of IDs (content ID and usage condition ID) transmitted from the license server at this time and the content ID of the usage content. The history management database 2151 is searched (S1209). Furthermore, the processing similar to that described above is performed only when the playback history management unit 215 executes processing similar to that of the above-described playback history management unit 134, and as a result, it is determined that the playback history information is not invalid (S1010 to S1012). Is executed by the terminal device 3 ′.

  FIG. 19 shows a flowchart of the license acquisition process executed in the digital content distribution system of FIG.

  If it is determined that the usage condition ID and content ID of the premise content exist in the usage order table of the license server 13 ′ (S2007), the license issuing unit 133 corresponds to these IDs, unlike the license acquisition process of FIG. The use order table is searched for order information indicating a value immediately before the value indicated by the attached order information 51. The license issuing unit 133 extracts the use condition ID 52, the content ID, and the history expiration / period information associated with the order information obtained as a result from the use order table, and sends a search request including the information to the terminal device 3 '(S2209).

  In the terminal device 3 ′ that has received two types of ID and history expiration / period information from the license server, the playback history management unit 215 searches the playback history management database 2151 for playback history information including those IDs and user IDs. (S2210). If the corresponding reproduction history information is obtained as a result, the reproduction history management unit 215 checks whether or not the reproduction history information is invalid by the same process as in the license acquisition process of FIG. If it is determined that the reproduction history information is not invalid, a response request including the content ID of the used content and authentication information (user ID, device ID, password if necessary) is returned to the license server 13 ′. To do.

  In the license server 13 ′, the authentication unit 132 performs the same user authentication and device authentication processing as in the license acquisition processing of FIG. 11 in response to the response request (S2214). If the authentication is successful, the license issuing unit 133 searches the license information management database for license information including the content ID and the user ID included in the response request (S2215). If the corresponding license information exists, the license issuing unit 133 returns the license information to the terminal device 3 ′ (S2216).

  In the terminal device 3 ′ that has received the license information, the license management unit 212 registers the license information (license information of the used content) in the license information management database 321 (S2217). This completes the process.

  On the other hand, when the reproduction history information is invalid and when the reproduction history information does not exist, the license management unit 32 obtains the license information including the content ID (license information of the premise content) from the license server 13 ′ as an information management database. (S2211). If the corresponding license information exists, the license management unit displays a message indicating that the prerequisite content needs to be reproduced on the output device of the terminal device 3 ′ (S2213). If the corresponding license information does not exist, the prerequisite content is displayed. Is displayed on the output device (S2212). This completes the process.

  FIG. 20 shows a flowchart of content reproduction processing executed in the digital content distribution system of FIG.

  Unlike the above-described case, when the reproduction completion determination unit 333 determines that the used content has been reproduced (S3010), it notifies the reproduction history management unit 215 to that effect. In response to this, the playback history management unit 215 generates playback history information from the user ID, device ID, usage condition ID, content ID, and playback completion time information, and registers the playback history information in the playback history management database 2151. To do.

  In the above, the playback order of the encrypted content is managed by the use order table 50, but it is not always necessary to do so. For example, the use condition ID of the prerequisite content may be registered in the use condition management database 136. In this case, instead of searching the usage order table 50, the playback order determination unit 130 extracts the usage condition ID 113 of the prerequisite content from the usage condition information 110 of the usage content (S1007 in FIG. 10, FIG. 11 and the like). S2007).

  Here, if the usage condition IDs of a plurality of prerequisite contents can be stored in the usage condition information 110 of the usage contents, the plurality of encrypted contents are designated as the prerequisite contents of the usage contents regardless of their reproduction order. Will be able to. For example, the English grammar course digital content and the hearing course digital content can be designated as the premise content of the English conversation course digital content without specifying the playback order between these two types of digital content. For this reason, the service provider can more flexibly determine the playback order of a plurality of digital contents.

  In the above description, the usage order table is information common to all users, but a usage order table may be provided for each user. In this case, the usage order table ID is included in the license information (see FIG. 5), and the reproduction order determining unit 130 searches the prerequisite content in the usage order table 50 indicated by the usage order table ID. Good. As described above, by using the use order table individually provided for each user, it is possible to set the playback order of a plurality of digital contents for each user. For this reason, the content provider, for example, performs an operation such as setting a viewing curriculum for educational digital content composed of a plurality of digital contents for each user, and inserting different advertising digital content for each user before and after the main digital content. Can be easily performed.

  Since the license information includes a digital content key, a user ID, etc., the license acquisition process (see FIGS. 11, 15, and 19) and the content reproduction process (see FIGS. 12, 16, and 19) described above. In FIG. 20), data transmitted / received between the license server 13 and the terminal device 3 is preferably encrypted with an encryption key that only the license server 13 and the terminal device 3 can know.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a digital content distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a hardware block diagram of the information processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the data structure of the use condition management database which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows notionally the data structure of the utilization order table which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed notionally the data structure of the license information which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed notionally the data structure of the reproduction | regeneration history table based on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the digital content delivery process which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the example of a layout of the content selection screen which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the example of a layout of the content reproduction | regeneration screen which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the content selection process which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the license acquisition process which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the content reproduction | regeneration processing which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the data structure of the use condition management database which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the license acquisition process in the case of performing the automatic reproduction of the premise content according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is the figure which showed notionally the data structure of the play list which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the content reproduction | regeneration processing in the case of performing automatic reproduction | regeneration of premise content.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a digital content distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the content selection process in the case of managing reproduction | regeneration log | history information with a terminal device based on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the license acquisition process in the case of managing the reproduction history information in the terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the content reproduction | regeneration processing in the case of managing reproduction | regeneration history information based on one Embodiment of this invention with a terminal device.

Explanation of symbols

1: service center system, 11: portal server, 12: content distribution server, 13: license server, 130: reproduction order determination unit, 131: communication control unit, 132: authentication unit, 133: license issuing unit, 134: reproduction history Management unit, 3: Terminal device, 31: Communication control unit, 32: License management unit, 33: Reproduction unit, 331: Decoding unit, 332: Decoding unit, 333: Reproduction completion determination unit

Claims (19)

Storage means for storing updatable order information for ordering a plurality of digital content data distributed to a terminal device via a network;
When the second digital content data of the plurality of digital contents is specified in the request from the terminal device, the second digital content data is sequentially ordered by the order information among the plurality of digital contents. License issuing means for outputting license information necessary for reproducing the second digital content data on the terminal device only when the assigned first digital content data has been reproduced on the reproducing device. When,
An information processing apparatus comprising: The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The information processing apparatus
Reproduction history management means for storing reproduction history information including identification information of the first digital content data in the storage means when a reproduction completion notification including identification information of the first digital content data is received from the terminal device. Prepared,
The license issuing means includes
When the second digital content data is specified in the request from the terminal device, when the reproduction history information included in the identification information of the first digital content data is stored in the storage unit, the second digital content An information processing apparatus that outputs the license information of data to the terminal device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The license issuing means includes
When the second digital content data is specified in the request from the terminal device, the identification information of the first digital content data is output to the terminal device, and the first digital content data is reproduced from the terminal device. When the information indicating that the second digital content data is received is received, the license information necessary for reproducing the second digital content data on the terminal device is output to the terminal device. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 3,
The license issuing means includes
An information processing apparatus that outputs information related to the first digital content data to the terminal device when the terminal device does not complete the reproduction of the first digital content data. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4,
The information related to the first digital content includes license information necessary for reproducing the first digital content on the terminal device, a message indicating that reproduction of the first digital content is not completed, and the first An information processing apparatus comprising: one of addresses of a server that receives a procedure for concluding a license contract for digital content data. An information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5,
The order information is stored in the storage means in association with identification information of the user of the terminal device,
The license issuing means specifies the first digital content data assigned in an order prior to the second digital content data based on the order information associated with the identification information included in the request from the terminal device. An information processing apparatus characterized by the above. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Each of the first and second digital content data is encrypted,
The license information of the first digital content data includes an encryption key for decrypting the encrypted first digital content data, and the license information of the second digital content data includes the encrypted second digital An information processing apparatus including an encryption key for decrypting content data. A terminal device for playing back digital content data,
License management means for receiving license information enabling playback of the digital content data from an information processing apparatus on a network, and playing back the digital content data using the license information received by the license management means, and the digital content data A reproduction means for outputting a reproduction completion notification including identification information of the digital content data to the information processing apparatus when the reproduction status of the digital content data satisfies a predetermined condition;
A terminal device comprising: License management means for receiving license information enabling reproduction of the second digital content data from an information processing apparatus on the network;
Playback means for playing back the second digital content data using the license information received by the license management means;
Storage means for storing reproduction history information including identification information of the first digital content data reproduced before the second digital content data;
Reproduction history management means for storing reproduction history information including identification information of the second digital content data in the storage means when the reproduction status of the second digital content data by the reproduction means satisfies a predetermined condition;
With
The license management means includes:
When identification information is received from the information processing apparatus before the license information is received, and the identification information matches the identification information of the first digital content data included in the reproduction history information stored in the storage means Only, the terminal apparatus requests the information processing apparatus for the license information. The terminal device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein
The conditions are that a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of reproduction of the digital content data, that reproduction of a predetermined position in the digital content data has been completed, that the digital content data has been reproduced to the end, and The terminal device is characterized in that the terminal device accepts a predetermined operation when a predetermined position in the digital content data is reproduced. A license management method for causing a license server to manage license information of a plurality of digital content data distributed to a terminal device via a network,
The license server
Storage means for storing updatable order information for ordering the plurality of digital content data;
Arithmetic processing means;
Have
The license management method is
When the second digital content data of the plurality of digital contents is specified in the request from the terminal device, the license issuing unit uses the order information to select the second digital content from the plurality of digital contents. A process of determining whether or not the first digital content data assigned in the order ahead of the data has been played back by the playback device;
Only when the first digital content data has been played back on the playback device, the license issuing means transmits license information necessary for playing back the second digital content data on the terminal device to the terminal device. License issuance processing;
A license management method comprising: The license management method according to claim 11, comprising:
When the reproduction completion notification including the identification information of the first digital content data is received, the arithmetic processing unit has a process of storing the reproduction history information including the identification information of the first digital content data in the storage unit. And
In the license issuance process, the calculation processing means transmits the license information to the terminal device if the reproduction history information included in the identification information of the first digital content data is stored in the storage means. License management method. The license management method according to claim 11, comprising:
In the license issuance process, the arithmetic processing unit outputs identification information of the first digital content data to the terminal device, and information indicating that the first digital content data has been reproduced from the terminal device When the license is received, the license information is transmitted to the terminal device. The license management method according to any one of claims 11, 12, and 13,
In the license issuance process, the arithmetic processing means includes:
A license management method, comprising: transmitting information related to the first digital content data to the terminal device when the reproduction of the first digital content data is not completed in the terminal device. 15. The license management method according to claim 14, wherein
The information related to the first digital content includes license information necessary for reproducing the first digital content on the terminal device, a message indicating that reproduction of the first digital content is not completed, and the first A license management method comprising: one of addresses of a server that receives a procedure for concluding a license contract for digital content data. The license management method according to any one of claims 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.
The order information is stored in the storage means in association with identification information of the user of the terminal device,
In the license issuance process, the arithmetic processing unit is configured to assign the first digital data assigned in an order prior to the second digital content data according to the order information associated with the identification information included in the request from the terminal device. A license management method characterized by specifying content data. The license management method according to any one of claims 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16.
Each of the first and second digital content data is encrypted,
The license information of the first digital content data includes an encryption key for decrypting the encrypted first digital content data, and the license information of the second digital content data includes the encrypted second digital A license management method comprising an encryption key for decrypting content data. A digital content distribution system for distributing a plurality of digital content data to a terminal device via a network,
A license server that manages first license information necessary for reproducing the first digital content data on the terminal device and second license information necessary for reproducing the second digital content data on the terminal device Have
The license server
Storage means for storing updatable ordering information for ordering the first and second digital content data;
When the second digital content data is specified in the request from the terminal device, the first digital content data allocated in the order ahead of the second digital content data according to the order information is the playback device. License issuing means for outputting the second license information necessary for playing back the second digital content data on the terminal device only to the terminal device only when it has been played on the terminal device;
A digital content distribution system comprising: 19. The digital content distribution system according to claim 18, wherein
The terminal device
When the first or second license information is requested to the information processing apparatus, and the license management means for receiving the requested license information from the information processing apparatus, and the license management means receives the first license information When the first digital content data is reproduced using the first license information, and the reproduction status of the first digital content data satisfies a predetermined condition, identification information of the first digital content data is obtained. A reproduction completion notification including the information is output to the information processing apparatus, and when the license management unit accepts the second license information, the second digital content data is reproduced using the second license information. Means,
With
The license server
Reproduction history management means for storing reproduction history information including identification information of the first digital content data in the storage means when a reproduction completion notification including identification information of the first digital content data is received from the terminal device. Prepared,
The license issuing means includes
When the second digital content data is specified in the request from the terminal device, when the reproduction history information included in the identification information of the first digital content data is stored in the storage unit, the second digital content Outputting the license information of the data to the terminal device;
A digital content distribution system characterized by this.

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