Contents distribution system and method for managing contract

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

Regarding content distribution in information communication, in particular, it relates to a content distribution system and a contract management method having means and methods for inspecting the contract fulfillment status for content correspondence and preventing content distribution to clients.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

In a content distribution system in information communication, a mechanism is required to prevent acts that violate copyright protection and contracts, such as copying and redistributing the distributed content by a user. According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-269916, when an end user operator performs a licensed operation on a display device, the encrypted content is decrypted and displayed, and when an unlicensed operation is performed, the content is displayed. The technology that protects the copyright is disclosed by the fact that is not displayed.

【0003】

Further, according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-64786, the licensed program is made to encrypt and record the usage status of the program, and the licensor decrypts the record to obtain the usage status, which violates the user's contract. It discloses a system that prevents the use of such programs.

【0004】

In information and communication, the content supply source of the primary company that produces the content, creates a database, and supplies it to the outside, the content distribution source of the secondary company that receives the content supply from the supply source and distributes the content, and the secondary company. In some cases, the end user's client, who contracts with and receives the required content distribution, concludes a contract with each other and distributes the content.

【0005】

In the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-269916 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-64786, when the content is distributed through the intervention of a secondary company, the content supplier distributes the content to the end user's client contrary to the contract. It is difficult to know if it is. In other words, the content supplier's contract protects the secondary contractor from contracting beyond the number of contracted clients, delivering specific content to clients outside the contract, and delivering beyond the contract period. It has not been.

【0006】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

The first problem is that the content delivered to the content receiving server can be secondarily distributed contrary to the contract. The reason is that there is no means for the content supplier to know that the content receiving server for secondary distribution continues to distribute the content by increasing the number of clients or extending the contract period.

【0007】

The second problem is that there is no means to prevent the content held by the content receiving server from being delivered contrary to the contract. The reason is that there is no way for the content supplier to protect the decryption key for the encrypted content.

【0008】

An object of the present invention is that a content server, which is a content supplier, inspects the contract fulfillment status of a content receiving server of a secondary distributor to prevent distribution contrary to the contract.

【0009】

[Means for solving problems]

Therefore, in the content distribution system of the present invention in which the content server that supplies the content supplies the content to the content receiving server via the Internet, and the content receiving server distributes the content to the client via the Internet, the content receiving server is used. , The content server that performs the supply of encrypted content based on the contract, the inspection of the performance status of the contract, the invalidation of the decryption key of the encrypted content that violates the contract, and the acquisition and retention of the encrypted content from the content server. , A content receiving server that registers the client's authentication information, updates the performance status of the contract, authenticates the content display request of the client, and decrypts and distributes the encrypted content based on the result of the performance status reference of the contract. A client that registers the client's own authentication information with respect to the content receiving server and acquires and displays the decrypted content in response to the content display request.

【0010】

Further, the content server sends the content management means for supplying the content and the contract information including the decryption key information for the content to the content receiving server, periodically inspects the contract fulfillment status of the content, and violates the contract. It is characterized by comprising a contract management means for invalidating the decryption key when it is in a state.

【0011】

Further, the content receiving server includes a content acquisition means for acquiring encrypted content from the content server via the Internet, a content storage unit that holds the encrypted content, and a contract information storage unit that holds contract information with the content server. The contract information is based on the contract status storage unit that stores whether the contract fulfillment state of the content is in the normal state or the violation state, the authentication information storage unit that stores the authentication information of the client, and the contract information from the content server. Contract information updating means for updating contract information including the decryption key of the storage unit, contract state updating means for determining the consistency between the content access permission client and the contract information, and updating the contract fulfillment state, and client authentication information. Based on the authentication information updating means for updating the authentication information of the authentication information storage unit, the authentication of the content display request, and the determination of the contract fulfillment status, the decryption key of the encrypted content is obtained from the contract information, and the encrypted content is obtained. It is characterized by having a content reference means for decrypting and sending the content to the client.

【0012】

Further, the client is provided with an authentication information input means for inputting the authentication information of the client itself and a content display means for acquiring and displaying the decrypted content in response to the content display request to the content receiving server. And.

【0013】

Further, the contract information includes the number of clients to which the content receiving server can deliver the content, the content name of the supplied content, the number of clients to deliver the supplied content, the delivery deadline of the content, and the decryption key of the supplied encrypted content. , At least including.

【0014】

Further, the authentication information includes client authentication information including a client name and a client password contracted by the content receiving server, and content access permission information including a content name to be distributed to the client and a client name capable of referencing the content. It is characterized by becoming.

【0015】

Further, in the contract management method of the content distribution system in which the content server that stores the content supplies the content to the contracted content receiving server through the communication network and the content receiving server distributes the content to the contracted client, the content is described. The server manages the contract information and the decryption key of the encrypted content for the content receiving server, periodically inspects the contract fulfillment status of the content, and invalidates the decryption key of the violating content. , The content receiving server acquires and holds encrypted content from the content server, inspects and stores the contract fulfillment status for the client's authentication information registration, and causes the client to authenticate the content display request and the contract status. Based on the inspection result of the above, the encrypted content is decrypted and distributed, and the client executes the registration of the client's own authentication information and the acquisition and display of the decrypted content requested to display the content to the content receiving server. And.

【0016】

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Referring to FIG. 1 for explaining the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, the content server 1 of the content supply source, the Internet 2 connected to the content server 1, and the content reception in which the content is supplied from the content server 1 through the Internet 2 It consists of a server 3 and a client 4 that subscribes to the content receiving server 3 via the Internet 2.

【0017】

The content server 1 manages the contract for the content management means 11 that produces the content and supplies it as a database, and the content receiving server 3, periodically inspects the contract fulfillment status, and decrypts the content distribution that violates the contract. It is provided with a contract management means 12 for invalidating and blocking. The content receiving server 3 includes a content storage unit 31, a contract information storage unit 32, a contract status storage unit 33, an authentication information storage unit 34, a content acquisition means 35, a content reference means 36, and a contract information update means 37. , The contract status renewal means 38, and the authentication information renewal means 39. The content storage unit 31 stores and stores encrypted contents. The contract information storage unit 32 stores contract information 320 including the total number of users of the supplied content, the content name, the number of users who can refer to the content correspondence, the delivery deadline, and the decryption key of the encrypted content. The authentication information storage unit 34 is authenticated by the client authentication information 341 including the user name and password of the registered client, the content name, and the content access permission information 342 including the client name that is permitted to access the content. Store information 340. The contract state storage unit 33 stores information on whether the content is in a normal state or a violation state in which the content is fulfilled in compliance with the contract.

【0018】

The content acquisition means 35 acquires encrypted content from the content server 1 on the Internet 2 and stores it in the content storage unit 31. The contract information updating means 37 acquires information about the contract from the contract management means 12 of the content server 1 and updates the contract information 320 of the contract information storage unit 32 of the content receiving server 3. The authentication information updating means 39 updates the authentication information 340 of the authentication information storage unit 34 by the information related to the authentication sent from the client 4. The contract status update means 38 is called from the contract information update means 37 and the authentication information update means 39, and receives the contract information 320 of the contract information storage unit 32, the client authentication information 341 of the authentication information storage unit 34, and the content access permission information 342. Refer to it, inspect the contract fulfillment status, and store the inspection result in the contract status storage unit 33. The content reference means 36 searches the client authentication information 341 using the user name and password included in the content display request from the client 4 as keys, authenticates the client, and then permits content access using the content name and user name to be accessed as keys. Search for information 342, inspect whether the content is authorized, if the content is authorized and the decryption key is obtained, refer to the contract status storage 33, and if the contract fulfillment status is normal, encrypt. Decrypt the content with the decryption key. If the contract fulfillment status is abnormal, the content display request of client 4 is not authenticated and the content display is blocked.

【0019】

Next, the operation of executing the contract management method of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. The operation when updating the contract information will be explained with reference to Fig. 2. The contract information updating means 37 of the content receiving server 3 acquires the contract information 320 from the contract management means 12 of the content server 1 on the Internet 2 (step 51 in FIG. 2). The contract information updating means 37 updates the contract information 320 of the contract information storage unit 32 (step 52). The contract status update means 38 refers to the contract information 320 of the contract information storage unit 32, the client authentication information 341 of the authentication information storage unit 34, and the content access permission information 342, and the authentication information 341 of the authentication information storage unit 34 and the content access. It is inspected whether or not the contract fulfillment state is registered so that the permission information 342 violates the contract information 320 of the contract information storage unit 32 (step 53). The inspection contents are whether the total number of registered users exceeds the total number of contracted users, whether the number of users who can refer to each content exceeds the number of contracts, and whether the contract expiration date has passed. ,. When the contract status update means 38 violates the contract (no in step 54), the contract status update means 38 updates the information in the contract status storage unit 33 to abnormal (step 56). If the contract is complied with (yes in step 54), update the information in the contract status storage 33 to "normal" (step 55). For example, it is assumed that the contract information 320 of the contract information storage unit 32 is shown in FIG. 5, and the client authentication information 341 and the content access permission information 342 of the authentication information storage unit 34 are shown in FIG. 6, respectively. In FIG. 5, when the content server 1 changes the total number of users from "20" to "10", 20 users from user A to user T are currently registered in the client authentication information 341. The contract is violated, and the contract status of the contract status storage unit 33 becomes "abnormal".

【0020】

Explaining the operation at the time of updating the authentication information with reference to FIG. 3, the authentication information updating means 39 uses the authentication information input from the authentication information input means 42 of the client 4 to be used in the authentication information storage unit 34 of the content receiving server 3. Update client authentication information 341 and content permission information 342 (step 61 in Figure 3). The contract status updating means 38 refers to the contract information 320 of the contract information storage unit 32, the client authentication information 341 and the content access permission information 342 of the authentication information storage unit 34, and information that violates the contract with the content server 1 is obtained. Check if it is registered (step 62). The inspection is whether or not the total number of registered users exceeds the number of contracted users, whether or not the number of users who can refer to each content exceeds the number of contracted users, and whether or not the contract period has expired. When the inspection result violates the contract information 320 (no in step 63), the contract status updating means 38 updates the contract fulfillment status of the contract status storage unit 33 to abnormal (step 65). If the contract is protected (yes in step 63), the contract fulfillment status of the contract status storage 33 is updated to "normal" (step 64). For example, assuming that the information of the contract information storage unit 32 and the authentication information storage unit 34 is as shown in FIG. 6, when the user C is given the access right to the content A by the authentication information input means 42 of the client 4. , The number of users who can refer to the content A is three, user A, user B, and user C. Currently, the maximum number of people who can refer to content A in the contract information storage unit 32 is 2, which violates the contract. Therefore, the performance status of the contract becomes "abnormal".

【0021】

Explaining the operation at the time of content reference with reference to FIG. 4, when the content display means 41 of the client 4 requests the content display (step 70 in FIG. 4), the content display means 41 has a user name, a password, and the requested content. Enter the first name (step 71). The content reference means 36 searches the input user name in the client authentication information 341 of the authentication information storage unit 34, and inspects whether the password is correct (step 72 in FIG. 4). If the entered user name and password are incorrect (no in step 72), an authentication error is notified to the content display means 41 (step 79), and the process ends. If the user name and password are correct (yes in step 72), the content permission information 342 of the authentication information storage unit 34 is searched for whether or not the reference of the content requested by this user is permitted (step 73). If access is not permitted (no in step 74), the content display means 41 is notified of an authentication error and the process ends (step 79). If access is granted (yes in step 74), refer to the contract status storage 33 to check if the contract status is normal (step 75). If the contract fulfillment status of the contract status storage unit 33 is abnormal (no in step 76), an authentication error is notified and the process ends (step 79). If the contract fulfillment status is normal (yes in step 76), the content is decrypted (step 77) and the decrypted content is displayed on the content display means 41 (step 78). The contract information updating means 37, the authentication information updating means 39, and the content reference means 36 can operate asynchronously and independently.

【0022】

With this implementation configuration, it is clear that the content management means 11 and the contract management means 12 of the content server 1 can be changed to a configuration in which they are separately connected to the Internet 2 as servers.

【0023】

[Effect of the invention]

The first effect is that the content server can prohibit access to the content when the content receiving server is in a state of fulfillment contrary to the contract. The reason is that the contract information and the inspection result of the contract fulfillment status for the authentication information are stored, and when the content display request is authenticated, the contract fulfillment status is referred to and access is permitted if the contract is violated. This is because it does not.

【0024】

The second effect is that the decryption key of the encrypted content can be invalidated to prevent the content distribution. The reason is that the content server periodically checks the contract fulfillment status of the content receiving server, and if it is in a state of violating the contract, updates the contract information and invalidates the decryption key.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1]

It is a figure which shows the structure of one Example of this invention.

[Figure 2]

It is a flow chart which shows the contract renewal operation of the contract management method of this Example.

[Fig. 3]

It is a flow chart which shows the authentication information update operation of the contract management method of this Example.

[Fig. 4]

It is a flow chart which shows the content reference operation of the contract management method of this Example.

[Fig. 5]

It is a figure which illustrates the contract information.

[Fig. 6]

It is a figure which illustrates the content authentication information and content access permission information of the authentication information.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Content server 2 internet 3 Content receiving server 4 client 11 Content management means 12 Contract management means 31 Content storage 32 Contract information storage 33 Contract status storage 34 Authentication information storage 35 Content acquisition method 36 Content reference means 37 Contract information update method 38 Contract status renewal means 39 Authentication information update method 41 Content display means 42 Authentication information input method 320 Contract information 340 Credentials 341 Client credentials 342 Content permission information