JP2006079358A - Reproducing device of memory card, and rewriting method of authentication code - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and simultaneously manage a single authentication code and a group-managing authentication codes and easily and flexibly managing the authentication codes in a reproducing device of a memory card. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of suites of areas consisting of first areas and second areas 71(1) and 71(2), 72(1) and 72(2), 73(1) and 73(2), and 74(1) and 74(2), respectively, are provided as areas for storing authentication codes. It is presumed that only one code is allowed for the suites in which the same codes are stored in the first and the second areas. When the code stored at least in the first area is smaller than that stored in the second area, it is presumed that all codes in a range from the codes stored in the first area to the codes stored in the second are allowed for the suites in which the different codes are stored in the first and the second areas. And when the codes having been read out from the memory card are the codes allowed in any one suite, it is determined that authentication has completed successfully. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus that performs mutual authentication using an authentication code with a memory card and reproduces data, and an authentication code rewriting method in such a reproducing apparatus.

  As a memory card, which is a card-type external storage device using a semiconductor memory, a Memory Stick (trademark) or the like is widely used. As a means for preventing leakage or illegal copying of data stored in such a memory card, a certain type of memory has been conventionally used by performing mutual authentication between a memory card and a playback device using a predetermined authentication code. From a card, data can be reproduced only by a reproduction device dedicated to the memory card (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Conventionally, as such a reproducing apparatus, there has been an apparatus that performs authentication using either of the following patterns (a) or (b).

  (A) Only one authentication code corresponding one-to-one with a certain type of memory card is stored in the memory, and authentication is performed when the authentication code matches the authentication code read from the memory card. Those that are judged to be successful. That is, it manages only a single authentication code.

  (B) A plurality of authentication codes corresponding to a plurality of types of memory cards are stored in the memory, and the authentication is performed when any one of the authentication codes matches the authentication code read from the memory card. Those that are judged to be successful. That is, it manages multiple authentication codes.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram conceptually showing the authentication pattern (a). The dedicated player (playback apparatus) 102 stores an authentication code A having a certain value, and another dedicated player 103 stores an authentication code B having another value.

  When the authentication code A is stored in the memory card 101 storing certain data, the dedicated player 102 succeeds in authentication because the authentication code in the dedicated player 102 matches the authentication code read from the memory card 101. Thus, data can be reproduced from the memory card 101. However, the dedicated player 102 cannot reproduce data from a memory card in which an authentication code other than the authentication code A is stored.

  On the other hand, in the dedicated player 103, since the authentication code in the dedicated player 103 and the authentication code read from the memory card 101 do not match, authentication fails and data cannot be reproduced from the memory card 101. (The dedicated player 103 can reproduce data only from the memory card storing the authentication code B.)

  FIG. 11 is a diagram conceptually showing the authentication pattern (b). Two authentication codes, authentication code A and authentication code B, are stored in the dedicated player (playback device) 104. When the authentication code A is stored in the memory card 101 storing certain data, the dedicated player 104 uses the authentication code A of the authentication codes A and B in the dedicated player 104 and the authentication code read from the memory card 101. Therefore, the authentication is successful and the data can be reproduced from the memory card 101.

  When the authentication code B is stored in the memory card 105 storing other data, the dedicated player 104 reads out the authentication code B of the authentication codes A and B in the dedicated player 104 and the memory card 105. Since the authentication code matches, authentication is successful and data can be reproduced from the memory card 105.

Therefore, the dedicated player 104 can reproduce data from both the memory cards 101 and 105.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-99332 (paragraph numbers 0187 to 0200, FIG. 20)

  By the way, in a playback device dedicated to a memory card, a single authentication code is managed (data is played back from a memory card storing an authentication code of a certain value), and at the same time, a plurality of different consecutive values The pattern of (a) and the pattern of (b) are managed such that the authentication code is managed as a group (data is reproduced from all memory cards storing authentication codes in a certain range). May want to be used together.

  Further, the value of the authentication code managed in a single unit and the range of the authentication code managed in a group are appropriately changed, or at a certain time, the management of the single authentication code and the group management of the authentication code are simultaneously performed. However, it is desirable to manage the authentication code flexibly so that only one of the management of the single authentication code and the group management of the authentication code is performed at another time (the memory card to be played back is changed flexibly) I want to)

  However, it has been difficult for a conventional reproduction device dedicated to a memory card to simultaneously perform management of a single authentication code and group management of authentication codes, or manage authentication codes flexibly.

  The present invention solves the above problems, and in a memory card playback device, it is possible to easily manage a single authentication code and a group of authentication codes at the same time, or to manage authentication codes easily and flexibly. It was made as a subject to be able to be performed.

  In order to solve this problem, a memory card playback device according to the present invention provides an authentication code storage area in a playback device that performs mutual authentication with a memory card using a verification code to play back data. , If there is a plurality of sets of the first area and the second area, and the authentication code read from the memory card is an authentication code permitted in any one of the groups, the authentication is successful. It is an authentication processing means for determining, and for a pair in which an authentication code having the same value is stored in the first area and the second area, only one authentication code having that value is permitted, For a pair in which authentication codes having different values are stored in the first area and the second area, at least the value of the authentication code stored in the first area is stored in the second area. When the value is smaller than the value of the authentication code, it is treated that the authentication codes of all values in the range from the authentication code stored in the first area to the authentication code stored in the second area are permitted. An authentication processing means is provided.

  In this playback apparatus, a plurality of sets of a first area and a second area are provided as areas for storing the authentication code. Then, the authentication processing means determines that the authentication is successful when the authentication code read from the memory card is an authentication code permitted in any one set. For a group in which an authentication code of the same value is stored in the area 2, it is treated that only one authentication code of that value is permitted (that is, a single authentication code is managed). On the other hand, for a set in which authentication codes having different values are stored in the first area and the second area, at least the value of the authentication code stored in the first area is stored in the second area. If the authentication code value is smaller than the authentication code stored in the first area, the authentication codes of all values in the range from the authentication code stored in the first area to the authentication code stored in the second area are permitted. (That is, group management of authentication codes is performed).

  Therefore, authentication codes having the same value are stored in one set of the first area and the second area, and authentication codes having different values are only stored in the first area and the second area of another set. Thus, management of a single authentication code and group management of authentication codes can be easily performed simultaneously.

  In addition, by simply changing the value of the authentication code stored in the first area and the second area of these sets, the value of the authentication code managed in a single unit or the range of the authentication code managed in a group can be changed, It is possible to switch between management of a single authentication code and group management of authentication codes. Therefore, the authentication code can be easily and flexibly managed.

  In this playback apparatus, as an example, the authentication processing means stores a pair in which authentication codes having different values are stored in the first area and the second area in the first area. When the value of the authentication code is smaller than the value of the authentication code stored in the second area, the authentication code stored in the first area to the authentication code stored in the second area If the authentication code of all values in the range is treated as being allowed and the value of the authentication code stored in the first area is greater than the value of the authentication code stored in the second area, It is preferable to handle when there is no authorized authentication code.

  Thereby, when a part of the plurality of sets is unnecessary (there is no authentication code to be managed in the set), an authentication code having a value larger than that of the second area is assigned to the first area. By storing, the set can be easily invalidated.

  Next, an authentication code rewriting method according to the present invention is a playback device that performs mutual authentication using an authentication code with a memory card and reproduces data. Authentication that determines that the authentication has succeeded when the authentication code read from the memory card is an authentication code that is permitted in any one of the groups, including a plurality of pairs of the above-mentioned area and the second area. The processing means is a group in which the authentication code having the same value is stored in the first area and the second area, and only the authentication code stored in the group is permitted. For a set in which authentication codes having different values are stored in the second area and the second area, at least the authentication code value stored in the first area is stored in the second area. From the value of An authentication processing means for handling that authentication codes of all values in the range from the authentication code stored in the first area to the authentication code stored in the second area are permitted in the case of being small In the method of rewriting the authentication code in the memory card reproducing apparatus, the positions of the first area and the second area of each set in the computer program executed by the reproducing apparatus are fixed, and the authentication code is rewritten. Only the data at the fixed position is changed by a dedicated tool.

  This authentication code rewriting method fixes the positions of the first area and the second area of each set in the computer program to be executed by the playback apparatus according to the present invention, and fixes the position when the authentication code is rewritten. Only the position data is changed by a dedicated tool.

  This eliminates the need to modify and recompile the entire computer program when rewriting the authentication code stored in the playback device, reducing man-hours, and making authentication code management easier and more flexible. Will be able to. Further, since the authentication code is automatically rewritten by the dedicated tool, it is possible to prevent human error during rewriting.

  According to the memory card reproducing apparatus of the present invention, a certain set of first area and second area among a plurality of authentication code storage areas each composed of a first area and a second area. Management of a single authentication code and management of a group of authentication codes by storing authentication codes with the same value and different authentication codes with different values in the first area and the second area. Can be easily performed simultaneously.

  In addition, by simply changing the value of the authentication code stored in the first area and the second area of these sets, the value of the authentication code managed in a single unit or the range of the authentication code managed in a group can be changed, Since it is possible to switch between management of a single authentication code and group management of authentication codes, it is possible to obtain an effect that authentication codes can be managed easily and flexibly.

  Furthermore, when a part of the plurality of sets is unnecessary (there is no authentication code to be managed by the set), there is an effect that the set can be easily invalidated.

  According to the authentication code rewriting method of the present invention, it is possible to more easily and flexibly manage the authentication code in the memory card reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, and human error at the time of rewriting the authentication code. The effect that generation | occurrence | production of can be prevented is acquired.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. In the following, an example will be described in which the present invention is applied to a memory stick storing a language hearing test problem (voice data that pronounces a word or the like) and a dedicated player for reproducing the test problem from the memory stick.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration example of a memory stick to which the present invention is applied. The memory stick 1 includes a control block 41 and a flash memory 42 configured as a one-chip IC. The bidirectional serial interface between the Memory Stick 1 and an external system consists of 10 lines. The four main lines are a clock line SCK for transmitting a clock during data transmission, a status line SBS for transmitting status, a data line DIO for transmitting data, and an interrupt line INT. In addition, two GND lines and two VCC lines are provided as power supply lines. Two lines Reserv are undefined lines.

  The clock line SCK is a line for transmitting a clock synchronized with data. The status line SBS is a line for transmitting a signal representing the status of the memory stick 1. The data line DIO is a line for inputting and outputting commands and encrypted audio data. The interrupt line INT is a line for transmitting an interrupt signal for requesting an interrupt from the memory stick 1 to the playback device.

  The control block 41 has a serial / parallel conversion / parallel / serial conversion / interface block (abbreviated as S / P, P / S, IF block) 43 and a control block connected to the external system connected via the above-described plurality of lines. 41 is an interface. The S / P, P / S, and IF block 43 converts serial data received from an external system into parallel data, fetches it into the control block 41, converts parallel data from the control block 41 into serial data, and converts the external data into external data. Send to system.

  In the format transmitted via the data line DIO, a command is transmitted first, and then data is transmitted. The S / P, P / S, and IF block 43 stores a command in the command register 44 and stores data in the page buffer 45 and the write register 46. An error correction encoding circuit 47 is provided in association with the write register 46. For the data temporarily stored in the page buffer 45, the error correction encoding circuit 47 generates a redundant code of the error correction code.

  Output data of the command register 44, page buffer 45, write register 46, and error correction encoding circuit 47 is supplied to a flash memory interface and a sequencer (memory I / F, abbreviated as sequencer) 51. The memory IF / sequencer 51 is an interface between the control block 41 and the flash memory 42, and controls data exchange between the two. Data is written into the flash memory 42 via the memory IF and sequencer 51.

  Data read from the flash memory 42 is supplied to the page buffer 45, the read register 48, and the error correction circuit 49 via the memory IF and sequencer 51. Data stored in the page buffer 45 is error-corrected by the error correction circuit 49. The error-corrected output of the page buffer 45 and the output of the read register 48 are supplied to the S / P, P / S, and IF block 43 and supplied to an external system via the above-described bidirectional serial interface.

  The configuration ROM 50 stores version information of the memory stick 1 and various attribute information. The switch 60 is an accidental erasure prevention switch that can be operated by the user as needed. When the switch 60 is in the erasure prohibited connection state, a command for erasing the flash memory 42 is sent to an external system. Erasing is prohibited even if sent from. The oscillator 61 generates a clock that is a timing reference for processing of the memory stick 1.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration example of a player to which the present invention is applied. This player 11 is a dedicated device for playing back test questions by detachably attaching the memory stick 1 of FIG. The player 11 is provided with an interface block 12, an operation unit 14, a controller 15 including a microcomputer, a decoder 16, a D / A converter 17, and an earphone terminal 18. The interface block 12 is an interface with the memory stick 1 connected via a plurality of lines of the bidirectional serial interface described above. The interface 12, the operation unit 14, the controller 15, and the decoder 17 are connected to the bus 13.

  The operation unit 14 is provided on the housing surface of the player 11 and includes a playback button for playing back the test questions one by one from the memory stick 1. Based on the operation of the playback button, the controller 15 sends a command to the memory stick 1 to execute processing as shown in FIG.

  Data input from the memory stick 1 to the interface block 12 is sent from the interface block 12 to the decoder 16 via the bus 13. The decoder 16 performs a process of decoding audio data compressed by a compression method such as ATRAC3 (Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding 3). The audio data decoded by the decoder 16 is converted to an analog audio signal by the D / A converter 17 and output from the earphone terminal 18.

  FIG. 3 shows a physical format of the flash memory 42 of the memory stick 1. The area of the flash memory 42 is divided into a system area 20 and a data area 30. The system area 20 is provided with a unique information area (Boot Block) 21 storing information unique to each flash memory 42 and a dedicated file area 22. The dedicated file area 22 is an area different from the Boot Block 21 and cannot be accessed by the FAT file system.

  In the data area 30, a dedicated data area 31 and a dedicated file system management area 32 are provided. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing details of the dedicated data area 31 and the dedicated file system management area 32. In the dedicated data area 31, N questions (audio data) are stored as data of files 31 (1) to 31 (N) after being compressed by a compression method such as ATRAC3. The data of each of the files 31 (1) to 31 (N) is stored in physically continuous areas (sector numbers are continuous) according to the data reproduction order. The size of one sector is 512 bytes.

  The dedicated file system management area 32 includes a header information area 32a, a file information area 32b, and a file extension information area 32c. In the header information area 32a, an offset to the information in the file information area 32b and the file extension information 32c, version information, and the like are stored.

  The file information area 32b stores information necessary for file access, such as a data start sector number, file size, and file name, for each individual file 31 (1) to 31 (N) in the dedicated data area 31. Has been.

  In the file extension information area 32c, for each individual file 31 (1) to 31 (N) in the dedicated data area 31, a command for that file (information of operations performed by the player 11 in FIG. 2 on that file). Is stored.

  In the dedicated data area 31 and the dedicated file system management area 32, it is possible to create a file having a file size of zero and storing only commands for the file in the file extension information area 32c. Data is not reproduced, and only the command stored in the file extension information area 32c is executed.

  In the dedicated file area 22 in the system area 20 of FIG. 3, an area 22 a storing information on the sector number of the dedicated file system management area 32 as information indicating an access method to the dedicated file system management area 32, And an area 22b in which the authentication code of the memory stick 1 is stored. Note that the sector number information of the areas 22a and 22b of the dedicated file area 22 is stored in advance in the memory in the controller 15 of the player 11 in FIG.

  In the data area 30, a boot area 33, a FAT 34, a root directory 35, and a folder 36 thereunder (only one folder "A" in this case) are provided as management areas for the FAT file system. The dedicated data area 31 and the dedicated file system management area 32 described above are allocated as areas of the respective files in the folder “A” (here, five files “A” to “E”).

  The folder area 36 stores information about the start clusters and sizes of the files “A” to “E”. These start clusters are dedicated data areas as shown by arrows in the figure. Regardless of the data arrangement of the files 31 (1) to 31 (N) in the file 31, the cluster is in an appropriate position in the dedicated data area 31 or the dedicated file system management area 32. The size of one cluster is 16K bytes.

  The FAT 34 stores information on the cluster number of each cluster following the start cluster for each of the files “A” to “E”. These clusters are also stored in the file 31 (1) in the dedicated data area 31. ) To 31 (N) regardless of the data arrangement, the cluster is at an appropriate position in the dedicated data area 31 or the dedicated file system management area 32.

  Therefore, the data read based on the information in the management area for the FAT file system is data in which the arrangement of the data in the dedicated data area 31 (original test question voice data) is changed.

  A computer program (firmware) for reproducing data by performing mutual authentication with the memory stick 1 using an authentication code is installed in the controller 15 of the player 11 in FIG. 2 (the above-described areas 22a and 22b). In this program, a plurality of sets of areas each consisting of a first area and a second area are stored in the program as areas for storing authentication codes. The position is fixed.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an authentication code storage area and an authentication rule based on the authentication code stored in this area. As a region for storing the authentication code, a set including the first region 71 (1) and the second region 71 (2) and a set including the first region 72 (1) and the second region 72 (2). A total of four sets of a set including the first region 73 (1) and the second region 73 (2) and a set including the first region 74 (1) and the second region 74 (2). There are areas, and these four sets of areas have fixed positions in the program.

  In this program, when the authentication code read from the memory stick is an authentication code permitted in any one of these four sets, it is determined to determine that the authentication is successful. Yes.

  At that time, as shown in FIG. 5, the rule for determining which authentication code is permitted for each group is determined as follows.

  Rule # 1: For example, as in the case where the value of the authentication code stored in the first area 71 (1) and the value of the authentication code stored in the second area 71 (2) are the same, the first For a group in which an authentication code having the same value is stored in the second area and the second area, only one authentication code having that value is permitted.

  Rule 2: The first area, for example, when the value of the authentication code stored in the first area 71 (1) is smaller than the value of the authentication code stored in the second area 71 (2) For a pair in which the value of the authentication code stored in the authentication area is smaller than the value of the authentication code stored in the second area, the authentication code stored in the first area is stored in the second area. It is assumed that the authentication codes of all values in the range up to the authentication code are permitted.

  Rule 3: The first area, for example, when the value of the authentication code stored in the first area 71 (1) is larger than the value of the authentication code stored in the second area 71 (2) A group in which the value of the authentication code stored in is larger than the value of the authentication code stored in the second area is treated as having no permitted authentication code.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of storing the authentication code in the authentication code storage area of FIG. 5 (the numerical value is a decimal number). In this example, the authentication code of the same value “1” is stored in the first area 71 (1) and the second area 71 (2), and the first area 72 (1) and the second area 71 72 (2) stores authentication codes of values “10” and “15”, respectively, and the authentication of the same value “10000” is stored in the first area 73 (1) and the second area 73 (2). Codes are stored, and authentication codes of values “10030” and “10040” are stored in the first area 74 (1) and the second area 74 (2), respectively.

  Therefore, in this example, since the authentication code of the same value is stored for the set of the first area 71 (1) and the second area 71 (2), one authentication of the value “1” is stored. Only code is allowed.

  Also, for the set of the first area 72 (1) and the second area 72 (2), the value of the authentication code stored in the first area 72 (1) is smaller. ”To“ 15 ”, all values“ 10 ”,“ 11 ”,“ 12 ”,“ 13 ”,“ 14 ”,“ 15 ”authentication codes are permitted.

  In addition, since the authentication code having the same value is stored for the set including the first area 73 (1) and the second area 73 (2), only one authentication code having the value “10000” is permitted. Is done.

  In addition, the set of the first area 74 (1) and the second area 74 (2) is permitted because the value of the authentication code stored in the first area 74 (1) is larger. There is no authentication code.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a process executed by the controller 15 of the player 11 of FIG. 2 by controlling the control block 41 of the memory stick 1 based on the operation of the playback button of the operation unit 14. In this process, first, the area 22b (FIG. 4) in the dedicated file area 22 of the system area 20 of the flash memory 42 is accessed, and the authentication code in this area 22b is read (step S1).

  Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the read authentication code is an authentication code that is permitted for the set including the first area 71 (1) and the second area 71 (2) in FIG. 5 (step S2). ).

  If no, it is determined whether or not the read authentication code is an authentication code that is permitted for the set of the first area 72 (1) and the second area 72 (2) in FIG. Step S3).

  If the answer is no again, it is determined whether or not the read authentication code is an authentication code that is permitted for the set of the first area 73 (1) and the second area 73 (2) in FIG. (Step S4).

  If the answer is no again, it is determined whether or not the read authentication code is a permitted authentication code for the set of the first area 74 (1) and the second area 74 (2) in FIG. (Step S5). If no in this case, it is determined that the authentication has failed, and the process is terminated.

  On the other hand, if the answer is yes in any of steps S2 to S5 (in the example of FIG. 6, the read authentication code is “1” or a value in the range of “10” to “15”, or In the case of “10000”, the answer is yes) by accessing the area 22a (FIG. 4) in the dedicated file area 22 and the dedicated file system management area 32 (FIGS. 3 and 5) in the data area 30. The information of the start sector number is read out (step S6). Then, the information of the sector number of the dedicated file system management area 32 (FIG. 3) in the data area 30 is acquired, and the dedicated file system management area 32 is accessed based on the information, and the dedicated data area 31 (FIG. 3). Information about the first file 31 (1) is read (step S7).

  Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the read information is about the file 31 (X) to be read this time (the X-th test question) (step S8). If no, the determination in step S8 is repeated while reading information about the next files 31 (2), 31 (3),... One by one (step S9).

  When the answer is yes, information on the start sector and size of the data of the file 31 (X) to be read is acquired (step S10), and continuous data corresponding to the size is read from the start sector in the dedicated data area 31. As a result, the data of the file 31 (X) is read (step S11). Then, the process ends.

  As described above, the data of the file 31 (X) read from the flash memory 42 is supplied from the memory stick 1 to the player 11 and output from the earphone terminal 18 of the player 11 as an audio signal. Accordingly, the examinee of the hearing test can reproduce the test questions from the memory stick 1 and take the test by using one player 11 each.

  Next, how data is reproduced from the memory stick 1 by the FAT file system without using the player 11 will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process of reproducing data from the memory stick 1 by the FAT file system. In this process, first, the memory stick 1 is recognized as a memory stick formatted by the FAT file system by reading the boot area 33, FAT 34, and root directory 35 in the data area 30 (step S21).

  Subsequently, the determination of whether or not the information about the folder to be read (here, the folder “A” in FIG. 3) has been read is repeated while reading the information about the folder from the root directory 35 one by one (Step S22, S23).

  When the answer is yes, the folder area 36 is accessed, and it is determined whether or not the information about the file to be read (here, the file “A” in FIG. 3) has been read out from the folder area 36. Repeated while reading information about “E” one by one (steps S24 to S26).

  If the answer is yes, information on the start cluster and size for the file “A” is acquired (step S27), and data for one cluster is read based on the acquired cluster information (step S28). Subsequently, based on the acquired size information, it is determined whether or not reading of the file “A” is completed (step S29).

  If no, the information of the next cluster number for the file “A” is obtained from the FAT 34 one by one (step S30), and the process of step S28 and the determination of step S29 are repeated. And if it becomes YES, a process will be complete | finished.

  In this way, data can be reproduced from the memory stick 1 also by the FAT file system. However, as described above, the start cluster of the file in each folder and each subsequent cluster are independent of the data arrangement of the files 31 (1) to 31 (N) in the dedicated data area 31. Or, since it is a cluster at an appropriate position in the dedicated file system management area 32, the data reproduced by the FAT file system is an array of data in the dedicated data area 31 (voice data of the original test problem). The changed data.

  Therefore, even if a test question is reproduced from the memory card 1 in a general system equipped with an OS such as Windows (registered trademark), it is recognized as random voice data different from the voice data of the test question. The problem never leaks.

  In this way, according to the Memory Stick 1, the test questions are stored in the memory stick in a data format that can be reproduced only by a dedicated file system that is not compatible with the FAT file system, and then formatted by the FAT file system. It realizes a recognizable state as a memory stick. Therefore, the test questions can be stored in an existing memory stick using the FAT file system in a data format incompatible with the FAT file system. Thereby, highly confidential data such as test questions can be safely stored in the memory stick while maintaining the FAT file system function of the existing memory stick.

  In addition, since the data reproduced by the FAT file system is data obtained by changing the data arrangement in the dedicated data area 31, the FAT file system does not add an area for storing data other than the dedicated data area 31. The reproduced data can be different from the data reproduced by the dedicated file system.

  Further, in the memory stick 1, as shown in FIG. 2, a dedicated file area 22 indicating a method of accessing the dedicated file system management area 32 is provided in the system area 20 of the flash memory.

  Therefore, if the data reproduced from the data area 30 of the flash memory 42 of the memory stick 1 is illegally copied to another memory stick by the FAT file system and the test question is reproduced on the player 11 from the other memory stick, Since the area 22 is not included, the dedicated file system management area 32 cannot be accessed, and as a result, the dedicated data area 31 cannot be accessed to reproduce the test question. In addition, when file data is replicated to another memory card in a system such as Windows (registered trademark), normally the cluster of each file is arranged neatly in ascending order, so the data arrangement of the original memory card cannot be restored. . Therefore, unauthorized duplication of the memory stick 1 can be prevented, and the test questions can be stored safely in this respect as well.

  Further, in the player 11, the first area and the second area 71 (1) and 71 (2), 72 (1) and 72 (2), 73 (1) and 73 as shown in FIG. Among a plurality of sets (4 sets) of authentication code storage areas composed of (2), 74 (1) and 74 (2), authentication codes having the same value in a certain set of first area and second area. Management of a single authentication code (an authentication code of a certain value was stored) by storing authentication codes with different values in the first area and the second area of different sets. Data reproduction from the memory stick) and authentication code group management (data reproduction from all memory sticks storing authentication codes in a certain range of values) can be easily performed simultaneously.

  In addition, by simply changing the value of the authentication code stored in the first area and the second area of these sets, the value of the authentication code managed in a single unit or the range of the authentication code managed in a group can be changed, It is possible to switch between management of a single authentication code and group management of authentication codes. Accordingly, the value of the authentication code managed by a single unit and the range of the authentication code managed by the group are appropriately changed, or at a certain time, the management of the single authentication code and the group management of the authentication code are performed simultaneously. However, the authentication code can be managed easily and flexibly so that only one of the management of a single authentication code and the group management of the authentication code is performed at another time. Can be changed).

  Furthermore, when some of the plurality of sets are unnecessary (there are no authentication codes to be managed by the set), the first area 74 (1) and the second area in the example of FIG. Like the set of 74 (2), the set can be easily invalidated by storing an authentication code having a value larger than that of the second area in the first area.

  Finally, an example of a method for rewriting the authentication code stored in the player 11 will be described. As described above, in the program executed by the player 11, the position of the authentication code storage area in the program is fixed. The upper part of FIG. 9 conceptually shows the position where the authentication code is held in this program, taking the authentication code shown in FIG. 6 as an example.

  When the authentication code stored in the player 11 is rewritten, as shown conceptually in the middle and lower parts of FIG. 9, only the data at the fixed position in the program is stored in a dedicated tool (for example, Windows (registered trademark)). It is changed by an application such as an application that operates on the OS stored in the controller 15 of the player 11.

  As a result, when the authentication code stored in the player 11 is rewritten, it is not necessary to modify and recompile the entire program, and man-hours are reduced, so that the authentication code can be managed more easily and flexibly. become. Further, since the authentication code is automatically rewritten by the dedicated tool, it is possible to prevent human error during rewriting.

  In the above example, four sets of authentication code storage areas are provided in the player 11 as shown in FIG. 5, but other appropriate plural sets of authentication code storage areas are provided in the player 11. You may do it.

  In the above example, the present invention is applied to the player 11 which is a playback device that reproduces a test question from a memory stick that stores the test question (audio data). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a reproduction apparatus that reproduces data from a molly stick that stores data other than test questions (for example, highly confidential data such as personal information such as addresses, names, email addresses, and credit card numbers). The present invention may also be applied.

  In the above example, the present invention is applied to a playback apparatus that plays back data from a memory stick that stores data in a data format that can be played back only by a dedicated file system that is not compatible with the FAT file system. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention may be applied to a playback apparatus that plays back data from a normal memory stick that employs the FAT file system.

  In the above example, the present invention is applied to a playback device that plays back data from a memory stick. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention may also be applied to a playback device that plays back data.

It is a block diagram which shows the circuit structural example of the memory stick to which this invention is applied. It is a block diagram which shows the circuit structural example of the player to which this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the format of the flash memory of the memory stick of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing details of a dedicated data area and a dedicated file system management area in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an authentication code storage area and authentication rules on the player side of FIG. 2. It is a figure which shows the example of a storage of the authentication code in the area | region for authentication code storage of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the process which the controller of the player of FIG. 2 performs. 2 is a flowchart showing a process for reproducing data from the memory stick of FIG. 1 by a FAT file system. It is a figure which illustrates the rewriting method of the authentication code in the player of FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the authentication pattern of the memory card in the conventional reproducing | regenerating apparatus. It is a figure which illustrates the authentication pattern of the memory card in the conventional reproducing | regenerating apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  1 Memory Stick, 11 Player, 12 Interface Block, 13 Bus, 14 Operation Unit, 15 Controller, 16 Decoder, 17 D / A Converter, 18 Earphone Terminal, 20 System Area, 21 Unique Information Area, 22 Dedicated File Area, 30 Data area, 31 dedicated data area, 32 dedicated file system management area, 33 boot area, 34 FAT, 35 root directory, 36 folder, 41 control block, 42 flash memory, 71 (1), 72 (1), 73 (1 ), 74 (1) First area for storing authentication code on player side, 71 (2), 72 (2), 73 (2), 74 (2) Second area for storing authentication code on player side

Claims (3)

In a playback device that plays back data by performing mutual authentication with a memory card using an authentication code,
As the area for storing the authentication code, it has a plurality of sets of the first area and the second area,
Authentication processing means for determining that the authentication has succeeded when the authentication code read from the memory card is an authentication code permitted in any one of the sets, wherein the first area and the second area For the group in which the authentication code having the same value is stored in the area, it is treated that only one authentication code of the value is permitted, and the first area and the second area are different from each other. The authentication code stored in the first area is at least smaller than the authentication code value stored in the second area. An authentication processing means for handling that authentication codes of all values in the range from the authentication code stored in the first area to the authentication code stored in the second area is permitted. When Reproducing apparatus of the memory card that. The memory card playback device according to claim 1,
For the set in which authentication codes having different values are stored in the first area and the second area, the authentication processing means stores the value of the authentication code stored in the first area. If the value is smaller than the value of the authentication code stored in the second area, the range from the authentication code stored in the first area to the authentication code stored in the second area When the authentication code value stored in the first area is greater than the authentication code value stored in the second area, the authentication code of all values is treated as being allowed. A memory card playback device, characterized in that there is no authorized authentication code. A reproduction apparatus for reproducing data by performing mutual authentication with a memory card using an authentication code, and having a plurality of sets of first and second areas as an authentication code storage area Authentication processing means for determining that the authentication has succeeded when the authentication code read from the memory card is an authentication code permitted in any one of the sets, the first area and the For the set in which the authentication code of the same value is stored in the second area, it is treated that only one authentication code of the value is permitted, and in the first area and the second area For the set in which authentication codes having different values are stored, at least the value of the authentication code stored in the first area is smaller than the value of the authentication code stored in the second area In A memory card comprising authentication processing means for handling that all values of the authentication code in the range from the authentication code stored in the first area to the authentication code stored in the second area are permitted In the method of rewriting the authentication code in the playback device of
The positions of the first area and the second area of each set in the computer program to be executed by the playback device are fixed,
An authentication code rewriting method, wherein only the data at the fixed position is changed by a dedicated tool when the authentication code is rewritten.

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