JP2007179581A - Method of analyzing data use history - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To restrain unauthorized use without impairing convenience for a data user, when using a content, and to surely protect a copy right. <P>SOLUTION: This method is provided with a data use history preparing means 3 for preparing data use history information ct including a use start time c1 and a use finish time c2, when using a data b by a data using means 1, a data use history transmission means 5 for transmitting the data use history information ct to an outside, a data use history reception means 6 for receiving data use history information cr from the outside, and a data use history comparison means 7 for comparing the respective pieces of data use history information, and for issuing duplicated device use notification information d for indicating the generation of duplicated data use time, when the data use time obtained based on any of pieces of data use history information included in the data use history information ct is duplicated with the data use time obtained based on any of pieces of data use history information included in the data use history information cr. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a data utilization history analysis method applied to a data utilization apparatus that uses data for reproduction, replication, and the like, and more particularly, to a data utilization apparatus that enables restriction on utilization such as prohibition of reproduction and prohibition of data The present invention relates to a data usage history analysis method that is preferable.

  Currently, package media such as CDs and DVDs are used not only for reproduction of the media itself, but also for copying data from the package media to a recording medium such as a hard disk of a personal computer, or other contents via the personal computer. The use form of data duplication, such as copying to a recording / reproducing apparatus or using the data after copying directly to a content recording / reproducing apparatus provided with a storage device, is also widespread. In addition, with the spread of network environments such as the Internet, data replication via the network is also facilitated.

  Such data usage forms make it difficult to distinguish between copying for the purpose of personal use and copying beyond the range of personal use such as data exchange with an unspecified number of people. There are many cases of rights protection problems.

  Therefore, there is an information service that supplies data that has been encrypted so that the data can be used only for a specific content reproduction apparatus. In addition, as a method of permitting copying within a range that does not result in an illegal copying act, a method of storing the number of times of copying in a data recording device and suppressing copying over a predetermined number of times, a predetermined method such as prohibiting so-called grandchild copying, etc. There are known a method of suppressing duplication of generations or more and a method of deleting data from a duplication source recording apparatus after duplication.

Patent Document 1 describes a method of performing replication by receiving copy permission information from a copy management apparatus. Patent Document 2 describes a limited number of group management devices that hold common secret information. Describes a method of forming a group that is permitted to use data by transmitting common secret information.
JP 2004-110816 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-120736

  However, for information services that supply data that has been encrypted so that the data can be used only for a specific content playback device, there are limited terminals available for users who have multiple playback environments. Therefore, there is a concern that convenience is impaired. In addition, in the method of suppressing duplication of a predetermined number of times or more generations, the range to be suppressed is not necessarily coincident with the range of personal use, and further, a method of erasing data from the duplication source recording device after duplication However, there is a problem of impairing the convenience of individuals who use a plurality of playback devices.

  Further, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, since it is essential to connect to the replication management apparatus, it has been difficult to apply to devices other than those equipped with means capable of connecting to the replication management apparatus. Furthermore, in the invention described in Patent Document 2, only a limited number of devices are allowed to belong to a group that is permitted to use data, so this limited number does not necessarily match the range of personal use. There was a problem that it is not always.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a data usage history analysis that is suitable for use in a data usage device capable of suppressing unauthorized use and ensuring reliable copyright protection without impairing the convenience of data users when using data. It aims to provide a method.

The present invention provides the following [1] in order to solve the above problems.
[1] A record including data use time information when data is used by each data use device held by each of the plurality of data use devices each having device attribute information is created for each data use event. A data usage history analysis method for analyzing the used data usage history,
In all records of the data usage history held by the plurality of data usage devices, at least a part of the data usage time information overlaps and is identical to the device attribute information of the data usage device corresponding to the record corresponding to the duplication A duplication detection step for detecting duplication of use of the data, if any
Duplicate device use notification information issuing step for issuing duplicate device use notification information when duplication of the use of the data is detected;
Data usage history analysis method having

  According to the present invention, it is possible to perform management such that a plurality of data utilization devices having the same attribute are prevented from being used simultaneously. According to this, for example, data that is licensed for a single individual can be permitted to be copied between a plurality of data utilization devices having the same attribute, and thus used. It is possible to perform higher-level copyright protection than in the past while eliminating the troublesome task of moving data each time the data utilization device changes. In addition, it is possible to determine whether data is being used for the same time for each data, and it is easy to limit the use of only the data that has been used redundantly and manage the usage restrictions in a limited manner Applicable.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to preferred embodiments.

  First, attribute information used in the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The attribute information is unique information given to the data utilization device, and may be information arbitrarily determined by the individual user, such as the name of the individual user who manages the data utilization device or the nickname of the device. However, the information may be unique information determined in accordance with a predetermined rule. As a form of industrial use, when paid content is sold to a certain individual, the individual is identified as attribute information that should be possessed by a data utilization device that can use the content purchased by the individual. By using the information, individuals who have purchased the content are permitted to freely copy the content, and when it is copied to multiple data usage devices used by multiple users It is possible to provide a method or means for performing the restriction.

  Next, FIG. 1 shows a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a data utilization apparatus to which the first embodiment is applied. In the figure, the data utilization device 18 records attribute information a indicating the attribute of the data utilization device 18 in the attribute information recording means 8. The data recording means 1 records the same attribute information a ′ as the attribute information a recorded in the attribute information recording means 8 and records one or more data b as its own data. Information a ′ and data b are associated with each other.

  In addition, although not shown, the data b can be inputted and recorded in the data recording means 1 from outside via a package medium, a communication line or the like. In this case, the data b input from the outside is recorded in the data recording means 1 in association with the attribute information of the supplier.

  The data b and the attribute information a ′ are supplied from the data recording unit 1 to the data using unit 2 and used for reproduction, duplication, and the like. In this case, the data utilization means 2 compares the attribute information a ′, which is its own attribute information, with the attribute information associated with the supplied data b, and uses the data b only when they are the same attribute information. Control to use. Then, the data usage information c is issued along with the data usage of the data b in the data usage means 2, and the data usage history creation means 3 creates the data usage history information ct based on the data usage information c, and the data usage history. The information is recorded in the information recording means 4.

  Here, FIG. 2 shows an example of the data configuration of the data usage history information ct. If, for example, N pieces of data are used in the data use apparatus 18, N pieces of data use history information ct are recorded as shown in FIG. The data structure of each data usage history information ct includes a usage start time c1, a usage end time c2, data identification information c3, and data usage device identification information c4. The use start time c1 and the use end time c2 indicate the start time and end time of data use, respectively. In this embodiment, the time information is made up of year / month / day / hour / minute / second, but the configuration is limited to this. It is not a thing. In addition, the data configuration is not limited to the same figure, and the data identification information c3 may be excluded.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the data usage history information recorded in the data usage history information recording unit 4 when the data usage device 18 is connected to the data usage device 14 having the same attribute information as the data usage device 18. ct is transmitted to the data utilization device 14 via the data utilization history transmission means 5, and data utilization history information cr is received from the data utilization device 14 via the data utilization history reception means 6. This is because the attribute information a ′ recorded in the data recording means 1 of the data utilization device 18 is the data utilization means 2, the data utilization history creation means 3, the data utilization history information recording means 4, and the data utilization history transmission means 5, respectively. In response to the attribute information that is transmitted from the data usage device 14 to the data usage history reception unit 6 of the data usage device 18, the data usage history reception unit 6 The attribute information a is read from the information recording means 8 and it is determined whether or not the input attribute information and the read attribute information a are the same attribute information. The received data usage history information cr is supplied to the data usage history comparison means 7.

  Note that the connection to the data utilization device 14 having the same attribute information as the data utilization device 18 may be an indirect connection that connects via other external devices.

  Next, the data usage history comparison unit 7 compares the data usage history information cr supplied from the data usage history reception unit 6 with the data usage history information ct recorded in the data usage history information recording unit 4. Data usage history information cr and data usage are records in which the data usage time that is the time difference between the usage start time c1 and the usage end time c2 obtained from each data usage history information overlaps and the data usage device identification information c4 is not the same. If the data use device identification information c4 of any duplicate record existing in the history information ct indicates the data use device 18, the data use history comparison means 7 controls the duplicate device use notification information d. Issue to 9.

  When receiving the duplication device usage notification information d, the control means 9 supplies the attribute information recording means 8 with restriction control information e for restricting the use of the attribute information a. The limiting control method is realized by a method of disabling the attribute information a for a certain period or disabling until the control information is received from the outside. Finally, the data usage history information cr obtained by removing the same data usage history information as the data usage history information ct is added to the data usage history information ct and recorded in the data usage history information recording unit 4.

  The data usage history comparison unit 7 transmits the duplicate device usage notification information d to the duplicate usage notification information transmission unit 10, and the duplicate usage notification information transmission unit 10 transmits the duplicate device usage notification information d to the outside. Also good.

  Next, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a data utilization apparatus to which the second embodiment is applied. In the figure, the data utilization device 19 records attribute information a indicating the attribute of the data utilization device 19 in the attribute information recording means 8. The attribute information a is as described in the first embodiment. The data recording means 1 records the attribute information a ′ identical to the attribute information a recorded in the attribute information recording means 8 and at least one data b as its own data. The attribute information a ′ and the data b are associated with each other.

  Although not shown, data b, which is data, can be input and recorded in the data recording means 1 from outside via a package medium, a communication line, or the like. In this case, the data b supplied from the outside is recorded in the data recording means 1 in association with the attribute information of the supply source.

  The data b and the attribute information a ′ are supplied from the data recording unit 1 to the data using unit 2 and used for reproduction, duplication, and the like. In this case, the data utilization means 2 compares the attribute information a ′, which is its own attribute information, with the attribute information associated with the supplied data b, and uses the data b only when they are the same attribute information. Control to use. Then, the data usage information c is issued along with the data usage of the data b in the data usage means 2, and the data usage history creation means 3 creates the data usage history information ct based on the data usage information c, and the data usage history. The information is recorded in the information recording means 4.

  An example of the data structure of the data usage history information ct is as shown in the above-described FIG. In the figure, data identification information c3 is information for identifying the used data, and data utilization apparatus identification information c4 is information for identifying the data utilization apparatus in which the data is utilized.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the data usage history information recorded in the data usage history information recording unit 4 when the data usage device 19 is connected to the data usage device 15 having the same attribute information as the data usage device 19. ct is transmitted to the data utilization device 15 via the data utilization history transmission means 5, and the data utilization history information cr is received from the data utilization device 15 via the data utilization history reception means 6. This is because the attribute information a ′ recorded in the data recording means 1 of the data utilization device 19 is the data utilization means 2, the data utilization history creation means 3, the data utilization history information recording means 4, and the data utilization history transmission means 5, respectively. In response to the attribute information transmitted from the data utilization device 15 to the data utilization history reception means 6 of the data utilization device 19, the data utilization history reception means 6 The attribute information a is read from the information recording means 8 and it is determined whether or not the input attribute information and the read attribute information a are the same attribute information. The received data usage history information cr is supplied to the data usage history comparison means 7.

  Next, the data usage history comparing means 7 uses the same data usage history as the data usage history information ct recorded in the data usage history information recording means 4 from the data usage history information cr supplied from the data usage history receiving means 6. The information excluding information is additionally recorded in the data usage history information ct recorded in the data usage history information recording means 4.

  Then, the data usage history comparison means 7 has the same data identification information c3 from the data usage history information ct recorded in the data usage history information recording means 4, and the usage start time c1 and usage end time c2. If the data utilization time information obtained from the data utilization time information indicating that the data utilization device 19 is detected by the data utilization device identification information c4 of any one of the duplicate records, the control means 9 Is issued with duplicate data usage notification information f. This duplicate data usage notification information f is information including data identification information c3 of data used in duplicate.

  Next, when receiving the duplicate data usage notification information f, the control means 9 transmits to the data usage means 2 restriction control information g for restricting data usage of the data identification information c3 indicated by the duplicate data usage notification information f. . The control method to be limited is realized by a method of disabling the data for a certain period or disabling until the control information is received from the outside. The data usage history information cr received last is added to the received data usage history information ct and recorded in the data usage history information recording means 4.

  The data usage history comparison unit 7 transmits the duplicate data usage notification information f to the duplicate usage notification information transmission unit 10, and the duplicate usage notification information transmission unit 10 transmits the duplicate data usage notification information f to the outside. Also good.

  Next, a data utilization apparatus to which the third embodiment is applied will be described. In the description of the first embodiment described above, the data b and the attribute information a ′ recorded in the data recording unit 1 of the data utilization device 18 may be a data container having the data configuration illustrated in FIG. In the figure, the data container h includes attribute information h1, data identification information h2, the number of usable data using devices h3, and data h4.

  Next, an example of the data configuration of the data usage history information ct used in the data usage device 18 is shown in FIG. If, for example, N pieces of data are used in the data use apparatus 18, N pieces of data use history information ct are recorded as shown in FIG. The data structure of each data usage history information ct includes a usage start time c1, a usage end time c2, data identification information c3, data usage device identification information c4, and a usable data usage device number c5. The use start time c1 and the use end time c2 respectively indicate a data use start time and an end time. In this embodiment, the use start time c1 and the use end time c2 are time information composed of year, month, day, hour, minute, and second. It is not limited. In addition, the data configuration is not limited to the same figure, and the data identification information c3 may be excluded.

  For example, when the data utilization device 18 or the data utilization device 19 and the other data utilization devices described in the first and second embodiments repeat connection to each other, the data utilization history recording means 4 is connected to all the mutually connected devices. Data usage history information ct of the data usage device is recorded, and data usage time obtained from the usage start time c1 and usage end time c2 of a large number of data usage history information ct may occur. In this case, the data usage history comparison unit 7 compares the number of records of data usage history information duplicated at a certain time with the number of available data usage devices c5 in any of the duplicated records, When the number of usable data utilization devices c5 is smaller, control is performed so as to issue duplicate data utilization notification information f or duplicate device utilization notification information d including data utilization device identification information c4 in this recording.

  Further, in the first embodiment, when a lot of data usage history information ct is duplicated with respect to a plurality of data, the data usage history comparison means 7 adds all or some of the duplicated recording groups at a certain time. When the number of records included is larger than the number c5 of usable data use devices of any record included in the group, the duplication device is limited to all devices indicated by the data use device identification information c4 of the record of the group. You may make it control to issue the usage notification information d.

  Thereby, it is possible to grant a license permitting multiple use for each data. FIG. 6 shows an example of the data usage history information, and FIG. 7 shows the data usage history generated by the data usage history of FIG. 6 on the time axis. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the devices 1 to 3 have the most overlap in the time indicated by the section A, and the three records overlap. However, as shown in the record 1 of FIG. 6, the number of usable data of the device 1 is 3 and does not exceed this value, so the duplicate device usage notification information d is not generated for the device 1. However, apparatus 2 and apparatus 3 overlap in section B, and as shown in record 2 and record 3 in FIG. Since the number of duplicate devices is not two or more, duplicate device usage notification information d is generated for the devices 2 and 3.

  The data container h described in the third embodiment can also be applied to the second embodiment described above.

  Further, in the second embodiment, the data usage history comparison means 7 uses the same data identification information c3 from the data usage history information ct recorded in the data usage history information recording means 4, and the usage start time c1. And duplicated data utilization notification information f may be issued to the control means 9 when the data utilization time obtained from the utilization end time c2 is a record. This duplicate data usage notification information f is information including data identification information c3 of data used in duplicate.

  According to each embodiment described above, it is possible to perform management such that a plurality of data utilization devices having the same attribute are prevented from being used simultaneously. According to this, for example, data that is licensed for a single individual can be permitted to be copied between a plurality of data utilization devices having the same attribute, and thus used. It is possible to perform higher-level copyright protection than in the past while eliminating the troublesome task of moving data each time the data utilization device changes.

  In addition, it is possible to determine whether data is being used for the same time for each data, and it is easy to limit the use of only the data that has been used in duplicate and manage the usage restrictions in a limited manner Is possible.

  In addition, by replicating data usage history information between data usage devices according to the present invention having the same attribute connected in a chain, data usage occurring between data usage devices that are not directly connected It is possible to detect duplicates.

  Furthermore, by adding the number of data using devices that can be used simultaneously to the data, it is possible to manage duplication of usage by limiting the number of data using devices set arbitrarily.

  As described above, the present invention uses digital data and has a communication means with an external connection device. When there is a concern about unauthorized use of digital data, the present invention does not impair the convenience of the user. This is useful for the purpose of ensuring copyright protection by suppressing use.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the data utilization apparatus to which 1st Example is applied. It is a figure which shows the data structural example of the data utilization historical information ct in 1st and 2nd Example. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the data utilization apparatus to which 2nd Example is applied. It is a figure which shows the data structural example of the data container in 3rd Example. It is a figure which shows the data structural example of the data utilization historical information ct in 3rd Example. It is a figure which shows the data structural example of the data utilization historical information in 3rd Example. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a redundant use situation of data in the time axis direction corresponding to the example of the data use history information of FIG. 6.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Data recording means 2 Data utilization means 3 Data utilization history creation means 4 Data utilization history information recording means 5 Data utilization history transmission means 6 Data utilization history reception means 7 Data utilization history comparison means 8 Attribute information recording means 9 Control means 10 Duplicate use Notification information transmission means 14, 15, 18, 19 Data utilization device a, a ′ attribute information b data c data utilization information cr, ct data utilization history information c1 utilization start time c2 utilization end time c3 data identification information c4 data utilization device identification Information c5 Number of available data use devices d Duplicate device use notification information e Restriction control information f Duplicate data use notification information g Restriction control information h Data container h1 Attribute information h2 Data identification information h3 Available data use device number h4 Data

Claims (1)

Data created by adding records for each data use event that each data use device has device attribute information and that includes data use time information when using the data using device. A data usage history analysis method for analyzing usage history,
In all records of the data usage history held by the plurality of data usage devices, at least a part of the data usage time information overlaps and is identical to the device attribute information of the data usage device corresponding to the record corresponding to the duplication A duplication detection step for detecting duplication of use of the data, if any
Duplicate device use notification information issuing step for issuing duplicate device use notification information when duplication of the use of the data is detected;
Data usage history analysis method having

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