Transmission and reception system for unique data, host computer, electronic apparatus, transmission and reception method for unique data

The present invention relates to a unique data transmission / reception system, a host computer, an electronic device, and unique data for transmitting and storing unique data from a host computer that centrally manages unique data such as serial numbers of various devices to each electronic device. Regarding the transmission / reception method.

Conventionally, one serial number is given to each product in order to use it for product management and service history management in the production process and distribution, and the product name and sales are given to the information label and non-volatile memory. Recorded with country code. As a result, the manufacturer can manage the production line, distribution channel, retail store, etc. of each product based on this serial number, and when repairing, etc., the serial number can be used as the manufacturing factory, distribution channel, etc. Can be determined and can be used for improvement.

By the way, in recent years, a product from a different destination country is purchased, the display on the information label affixed to the product itself is falsified, or the information label is replaced with a fake display, and then the product is released to the market again. Things are happening. In addition, it is possible that the product may be tampered with by illegally modifying the product and replacing the part equipped with the memory in which the serial number is stored with a part in which another serial number is stored.

If a product whose serial number or the like has been tampered with is illegally distributed to the market despite the fact that the destination country is different, the original serial number cannot be known and information management of manufacturing and distribution cannot be performed. In addition, even if the product is brought in for repair, information on the defect cannot be fed back to the manufacturing process, and there may be a problem with the manufacturer's warranty.

<patcit num="1"><text>Japanese Patent No. 2593844</text></patcit>

<p> Therefore, the present invention prevents falsification of unique data such as the original serial number and country code of the product, and can easily determine that the data has been tampered with, such as a transmission / reception system for unique data, a host computer, and an electronic device. And to provide a method for transmitting and receiving unique data.</p>

<p> In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the unique data transmission / reception system according to the present invention is provided for the electronic device manufactured or repaired at the manufacturing and / or repair base and the electronic device installed separately from the manufacturing and repair base. A host computer that collectively manages the manufacturing and / or repair process and unique data of each electronic device is connected via a network, and the host computer transmits unique data to each of the electronic devices at the manufacturing and / or repair base. In the unique data transmission / reception system for storing the unique data in the electronic device, the host computer uses a management database for collectively managing the unique data of the electronic device, an encryption means for encrypting the unique data, and encryption. The electronic device has a transmitting means for transmitting the encrypted unique data to the electronic device, and the electronic device has a receiving means for receiving the unique data from the host computer via a network and the encrypted unique data. It has a decoding means for decoding the above-mentioned unique data and a storage means for storing the decoded unique data.</p><p> Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the host computer according to the present invention is encrypted with a management database that collectively manages unique information of electronic devices at manufacturing or repair bases, and a means for encrypting the unique data. It has a transmission means for transmitting the unique data to the electronic device, is installed separately from the manufacturing and repair base, is connected to the electronic device via a network, and encrypts the unique data of the electronic device. It is transmitted to the above electronic device.</p><p> Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the electronic device according to the present invention has a receiving means for receiving unique data collectively managed by the host computer via a network, and the unique data encrypted by the host computer. It has a decoding means for decoding the data and a storage means for storing the decoded unique data, and is connected to the host computer installed separately from the manufacturing and repair base at the manufacturing or repair base via a network. After that, the encrypted unique data is received, decrypted, and then stored in the storage means.</p><p> Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the method for transmitting and receiving unique data according to the present invention is installed at a place different from the electronic device at the manufacturing and / or repair base and the above-mentioned manufacturing and / or repair base. A connection with a host computer that collectively manages the unique data of the electronic device is established, and the host computer encrypts the unique data of the electronic device by an encryption means and then transmits the unique data of the electronic device to the electronic device by the transmitting means. When the electronic device receives the encrypted unique data from the host computer by the receiving means, the electronic device decodes the encrypted unique data by the decrypting means and stores the decrypted unique data in the storage means. It is a thing.</p>

<p> According to the unique data transmission / reception system, the host computer, the electronic device, and the method for transmitting / receiving the unique data according to the present invention, the regular unique data transmitted from the host computer is stored in the storage means provided in the electronic device. Even if the information label affixed to the main body of the electronic device is peeled off or an information label with fake unique data is affixed, the legitimate unique data given at the time of manufacture and shipment can be known and written on the information label. If the serial number, destination country code, etc., and the data stored in the storage means are different, it means that the destination country has been illegally distributed from a different country, or that the data has been illegally modified. It can be easily determined by the user himself, and it can be expected that such fraudulent activity will be deterred.</p><p> In addition, based on the unique data stored in the storage means, various data in the manufacturing process can be referred to in services such as repair of electronic devices, and by grasping the manufacturing factory, distribution route, etc., a failure occurs. It is possible to feed back such information to the manufacturing factory and the repair shop.</p>

Hereinafter, the unique data transmission / reception system, the host computer, the electronic device, and the unique data transmission / reception method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, taking as an example the case where the unique data transmission / reception system is applied to the digital still camera 10 as an electronic device.

This unique data transmission / reception system is a digital still camera in a host computer 1 that manages data related to electronic devices such as individual digital still cameras 10 and a factory 11 that manufactures and repairs data in a location different from the host computer 1. The 10 is connected to the digital still camera 10 via a network such as the Internet, the unique data of each digital still camera 10 is transmitted from the host computer 1, and the data is stored in the non-volatile memory provided in the digital still camera 10.

Of these, the host computer 1 is installed in a company building that centrally manages product information, such as the head office of an electronic device manufacturer such as a digital still camera 10, and the factory 11 that manufactures and repairs individual digital still cameras 10 is the head office. Is installed in a remote location, and in some cases, it may be outsourced to another company. Then, the host computer 1 and each digital still camera 10 in the factory 11 that manufactures and repairs are connected via the Internet. Each digital still camera 10 may be connected to the Internet via a computer installed in the factory 11.

As shown in FIG. 1, the host computer 1 transmits the unique data to the database 2 in which the unique data of each digital still camera 10 is stored, and also receives random data and status from the digital still camera 10 side. A transmission / reception unit 3 that serves as an interface, a common private key memory 4 that stores a private key common to electronic devices that encrypt random data, and a public key that stores a public key for encrypting unique data. It has a memory 5 for use, a control unit 6 for controlling the transmission / reception process of these unique data, and a display unit 8 for displaying the communication result with the digital still camera 10, and these are connected via the bus 7.

Database 2 records unique data such as serial number, destination country data, manufacturing plant, and repair history for each digital still camera 10. The transmission / reception unit 3 serves as an interface for exchanging information with the digital still camera 10 in the factory 11 via the Internet. Further, the common private key memory 4 encrypts random data transmitted from the digital still camera 10 described later, and the public key memory 5 is used when transmitting unique data to the digital still camera 10. It is to be encrypted. The common private key memory 4 and the public key memory 5 may be stored with a memory such as a ROM so as to be read in response to a request from the control unit 6. The control unit 6 is a CPU that controls the operation of the host computer 1. The display unit 8 indicates the state of processing for recording unique data in the digital still camera 10, and outputs a completion message or an error message according to the status from the digital still camera 10.

The host computer 1 records unique data such as destination country data of each digital still camera 10 in the database 2 based on the serial number assigned in the manufacturing process of the digital still camera 10, as well as distribution process and customer information. Manage information such as repair history. As a result, information such as defects and failures found in the manufacturing process and the repair process can be collectively managed, and can be fed back to the subsequent manufacturing process and the repair process. In addition, even if the information label 15 on which the unique data attached to the digital still camera 10 described later is peeled off or falsified, the product can be managed based on the regular serial number.

As shown in FIG. 2, the digital still camera 10 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, an image pickup lens is formed on the front surface side, and a display unit 12 for displaying an image or the like captured by the image pickup lens is formed on the back surface side. There is. The display unit 12 has a substantially rectangular shape, for example, and is formed of display elements such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and an organic EL display (Organic Electroluminescence Display). A finder unit 13 is provided on the upper side of the display unit 12. Further, an operation unit 14 including a plurality of operation switches is provided on the back surface of the digital still camera 10 so as to be adjacent to the display unit 12. The operation unit 14 can perform an operation of displaying the image data stored and stored in the internal memory and the unique data of the digital still camera 10 described later on the display unit 12, for example. Further, the operation unit 14 can set detailed settings of the digital still camera 10, such as turning on / off the flash.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, an information label 15 is attached to the bottom surface of the digital still camera 10. The information label 15 describes the unique data individually assigned to the digital still camera 10. Specifically, brand name 15a, model name 15b, product name 15c, serial number and destination country code 15d, power supply and rated voltage 15e, manufacturer name 15f, country of manufacture 15g, part number 15h, safety standard logo 15i, etc. It is displayed.

FIG. 4 is an example of an internal block diagram showing the configuration of the digital still camera 10.

In FIG. 4, the image pickup unit 20 reads out the subject image imaged by the optical system from the solid-state image sensor and outputs it as an image signal. RAM (Random Access Memory) 22 is a memory connected by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 27 and a bus (Bus) 21. Flush ROM (Read Only Memory) 23 is a rewritable non-volatile memory connected to CPU 27 by bus 21.

LAN I / F (Local Area Network Interface) 24 is an interface that connects CPU 27 to an external network. The digital still camera 10 connects the LAN I / F 24 to the host computer 1 via the Internet, and transmits / receives random number data, unique data, and the like.

The image memory 25 temporarily stores the image data processed by the DSP (Digital Signal Processor) 26. The DSP 26 performs automatic exposure, white balance processing, etc. on the video signal captured from the image pickup unit 20. When the CPU 27 requests compression, the DSP 26 compresses the image data temporarily stored in the image memory 25 and transfers the result to the RAM 22.

When the CPU 27 requests decompression, the DSP 26 decompresses the data in the RAM 22 and transfers the result to the image memory 25. The CPU 27 executes the program recorded in the Flush ROM 23 and controls the entire digital still camera. The display device 28 causes the display unit 12 to display an image obtained by adding an OSD (On Screen Display) to the image data temporarily stored in the image memory 25.

The PC (Personal Computer) monitor I / F29 outputs a signal obtained by adding OSD to the image data temporarily stored in the image memory 25.

The AUDIO output terminal 30 and the VIDEO output terminal 31 are terminals for connecting to a television monitor connection cable, and output audio signals and video signals, respectively.

The external storage medium 33 is configured to write the video compression signal stored in the RAM 22 during recording and read the stored video compression signal to the RAM 22 during playback.

The USB (Universal Serial Bus) I / F34 is a connection terminal for connecting to a PC with a USB cable, and is configured so that the external storage medium 33 and Flush ROM 23 are recognized as mass storage from the PC side.

Further, the digital still camera 10 includes a random number generator 35, a common private key memory 36 in which the same common private key as the host computer 1 that encrypts the random number data generated by the random number generator 35 is stored, and The private key memory 37 that stores the private key that decrypts the unique data encrypted by the public key stored in the public key memory 5 of the host computer 1, and the common private key of the digital still camera 10 and the host computer 1. It has a determination unit 38 that determines the consistency of the random data encrypted by.

The random number data generated by the random number generator 35 is transmitted from the LAN I / F 24 to the host computer 1 as it is, encrypted with the common secret key stored in the common secret key memory 4, and sent to the digital still camera 10. Will be replied. On the other hand, the random number data is encrypted by the common private key stored in the common private key memory 36 even in the digital still camera 10. Then, the determination unit 38 authenticates the host computer 1 by determining the match of the random number data encrypted in the common private key memories 4, 36.

In such a digital still camera 10, the unique data stored in the ROM 23 is read out in response to the operation of the operation unit 14, and the display unit 12 displays the unique data display screen 40 of the digital still camera 10 as shown in FIG. Can be done. FIG. 5 is an example of screen output by the digital still camera 10.

The unique data display screen 40 has an icon display area 41 for displaying an icon used for selecting the content to be displayed, a content display area 42 for displaying a character string indicating the meaning of the icon selected in the icon display area 41, and an icon. A related item display area 43 for displaying an item associated with the icon selected in the display area 41 and an operation icon display area 44 for displaying an icon indicating an operable switch are provided.

Then, the digital still camera 10 displays the screen of FIG. 5 by operating the operation unit 14, and by operating the operation switch to select the icon in the icon display area 41, the model name, serial number, and the related item display area 43 are displayed. Unique data such as the country code of sale and the country name represented by that code is displayed. Of these unique data, the serial number is a unique number that is different for each digital still camera 10. In addition, the digital still camera 10 is designed to operate with the power supply and rated voltage according to the destination country, and since the countries and regions where it can be used are limited, the country code and country name of the digital still camera are the digital still. The destination country of the camera 10 is displayed.

Next, according to the present invention, a process of inputting unique data such as a serial number and a country code of sale to the digital still camera 10 via a network and storing them in a non-volatile memory will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. This unique data input process is performed in the manufacturing process and repair process of the digital still camera 10. The input unique data is collectively managed by the host computer 1 as described above. This host computer 1 is installed separately from the factory 11 that manufactures and repairs the digital still camera 10, and centrally manages information on the production process and defects of the digital still camera 10 in one or more factories 11. .. Then, the host computer 1 is connected to the digital still camera 10 in the factory 11 that manufactures and repairs via the Internet.

The digital still camera 10 is connected to the host computer 1 via the Internet to receive and store unique data. The process of inputting the unique data is led by the host computer 1 from the viewpoint of preventing data tampering and centralized data management, so that it cannot be input by a computer other than the host computer 1, for example, a computer on the factory side. It has become. Further, from the viewpoint of preventing analysis of the serial number writing protocol, the unique data is encrypted by the public key method and then transmitted, decrypted by the private key on the digital still camera 10 side, and then stored in the ROM 23.

In FIG. 6, the server side is the digital still camera 10 shown in FIG. 2, and communicates with the host computer 1 via the network from the LAN I / F24 or USB I / F34 shown in FIG. The client side is the host computer 1 described above.

In the process of inputting unique data, when the digital still camera 10 (server) and the host computer 1 (client) are connected, the control unit 6 on the client side first sends a serial number input request (S2). When the server side receives the serial number input request (S22), the CPU 27 generates random number data X by the random number generator 35 and sends it to the client side (S23).

When the client side receives the random number data X (S3), the control unit 6 encrypts it with the common secret key stored in the common secret key memory 4, and then sends the encrypted random number data to the server (S4). ). On the other hand, in the server, the CPU 27 encrypts the random number data X with the common private key stored in the common private key memory 36. When the server side receives the encrypted random number data (S24), the CPU 27 compares the data encrypted with the common private key on the server side by the determination unit 38 and determines the consistency (S25). If the comparison results do not match, the CPU27 sends a Reject signal to the client (S27) and terminates (S33). CPU27 sends an Accept signal to the client if the comparison results match (S26).

The client side receives the status (S5), checks whether the status is Accept by the control unit 6 (S6), and if the status is not Accept, displays an error message on the display unit 8 (S11). ), Exit (S13). If the status is Accept, the control unit 6 encrypts the unique data such as the serial number and country code with the public key stored in the public key memory 5 and sends it to the server side (S7).

On the server side, the CPU 27 receives the encrypted unique data, decrypts it with the private key stored in the private key memory 37 (S28), and checks whether it can be decrypted correctly (S29). If it cannot be decoded correctly, the CPU 27 sends a Reject signal to the client side (S30) and terminates (S33). If it can be decoded correctly, the CPU 27 records the unique data such as the serial number in the ROM 23 (S31), sends the Accept signal to the server side (S32), and ends (S33).

When the client side receives the status (S9), the control unit 6 checks whether the status is Accept (S10). If the status is Accept, the control unit 6 outputs a completion message to the display unit 8 (S12) and ends (S13). If the status is not Accept, the control unit 6 outputs an error message to the display unit 8 (S11) and terminates (S13).

Here, in the process of inputting the unique data, the random data X is encrypted using the common private key in S4 and S25 used by the server and the client, respectively, and the client side of the server uses the common private key. Determines whether the data encrypted using the common private key stored in the common private key 4 and the data encrypted using the common private key stored in the common private key memory 36 match. However, if they match, it is possible to authenticate that the client is a legitimate client issuing the serial number input request. Therefore, the server can store legitimate unique data supplied by legitimate clients.

In addition, public key cryptography is used for encryption of unique data in S7 and decryption in S28. That is, the client encrypts the unique data with a public key that can be decrypted by the private key provided in the server, and the server decrypts the unique data with the private key, so that the unique data is encrypted. Is distributed on the network. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the writing protocol such as the serial number from being analyzed by using a network analyzer or the like.

As described above, according to the input process of the unique data of the digital still camera 10 to which the present invention is appointed, the host computer 1 that collectively manages the unique data and the individual digital still camera 10 are connected by a network and encrypted. Since the unique data is transmitted and received, it is possible to prevent an illegal input of a serial number or the like from a computer other than the host computer 1. Further, since it is possible to prevent the serial number writing protocol from being analyzed, it is possible to prevent the serial number and the like from being written by a computer other than the host computer 1.

In the repair service that involves the replacement of the ROM 23 after the digital still camera 10 is shipped, if the unique data such as the serial number assigned at the time of manufacture is stored in the new ROM 23 again, the line of the service factory 11 The information label 15 affixed to the digital still camera 10 is read by the camera installed in the above, and this unique data is once sent to the host computer 1 and then stored in a new ROM 23 in the process shown in FIG.

As described above, in the digital still camera 10 to which the present invention is applied, since the legitimate unique data transmitted from the host computer 1 is stored in the ROM 23 made of the non-volatile memory, the information label 15 may be peeled off. Even when an information label with a fake serial number or the like is affixed, the regular serial number assigned at the time of manufacture and shipment can be displayed on the display unit 12. Therefore, the digital still camera 10 can refer to various data of the manufacturing process in services such as repair, and by grasping the manufacturing factory, distribution route, etc., the information such as failure can be obtained from the manufacturing factory or the repair factory. Can be fed back to.

In addition, if the serial number, destination country code, etc. written on the information label 15 and the information stored in ROM 23 are different, it means that the destination country has been illegally distributed from a different country. It can be easily determined by the user that it has been tampered with, and it can be expected that such fraudulent activity will be deterred.

Furthermore, since the unique data is encrypted and transmitted between the host computer that collectively supplies and manages the unique data and the individual digital still camera 10, the writing protocol of the unique data is analyzed and the serial number or serial number is illegally displayed. It is possible to prevent the creation of a program that rewrites the country of sale information.

The example in which the present invention is applied to a digital still camera has been described above, but the present invention can be applied to any electronic device.

<figref num="1">It is a figure which shows the transmission / reception system of the peculiar data to which this invention is applied.</figref><figref num="2">It is a perspective view which shows the digital still camera to which this invention is applied.</figref><figref num="3">It is a top view which shows the information label.</figref><figref num="4">It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the digital still camera to which this invention is applied.</figref><figref num="5">It is a top view which shows the screen which displayed the unique data.</figref><figref num="6">It is a flowchart which shows the input process of a peculiar data.</figref>

Code description

1 Host computer, 2 Database, 3 Transmitter / receiver, 4 Common key memory, 5 Public key memory, 6 Control unit, 7 Bus, 8 Display unit, 10 Digital still camera, 11 Factory, 12 Display unit, 13 Finder unit, 14 Operation unit, 15 Information label, 20 Imaging unit, 21 Bus, 22 RAM, 23 ROM, 24 LAN I / F, 25 Image memory, 26 DSP, 27 CPU, 28 Display element, 29 Monitor I / F, 35 Random generator Instrument, 36 Common private key memory, 37 Private key memory, 38 Judgment unit, 40 Unique data display screen, 41 Icon display area, 42 Content display area, 43 Related item display area, 44 Operation icon display area