US6912512B2 — Digital contents distribution system capable of f…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 323 words

A digital contents distribution system comprising: an author terminal for transmitting digital contents; a copyright manager for carrying out copyright management of said transmitted digital contents; a distribution center for distributing said digital contents and receiving requests for a different degree of access to said digital contents; at least one user terminal that receives said digital contents; and an information transmission medium that interconnects said author terminal, said copyright manager, said distribution center and said user terminal, wherein said author terminal comprises link means for generating a first logic scheme for verification and execution control of said digital contents, said link means linking said first logic scheme with said digital contents, wherein said copyright manager comprises a logic conversion software generator generating logic conversion software including a second logic scheme in accordance with specifications of said second logic scheme transmitted from said distribution center for replacing said first logic scheme with said second logic scheme upon execution by said user terminal, the second logic scheme providing the user terminal with a different degree of access to the digital contents than the first logic scheme, thereby precluding said distribution center from changing the degree of access to the digital contents granted to the user terminal without first receiving said logic conversion software from said copyright manager, and wherein said distribution center comprises generating means for generating said specifications of said second logic scheme when said distribution center receives a request for a different degree of access to said digital contents, and an evaluator for comparing said second logic scheme, included in said conversion software transmitted from said copyright manager, with said specifications of said second logic scheme, generated in said distribution center, to verify said second logic scheme, and wherein said distribution center provides said user terminal with at least part of said conversion software and said digital contents linked with said first logic scheme and said conversion software, via said information transmission medium.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 323 words

A digital contents distribution system comprising: an author terminal for transmitting digital contents; a copyright manager for carrying out copyright management of said transmitted digital contents; a distribution center for distributing said digital contents and receiving requests for a different degree of access to said digital contents; at least one user terminal that receives said digital contents; and an information transmission medium that interconnects said author terminal, said copyright manager, said distribution center and said user terminal, wherein said author terminal comprises link means for generating a first logic scheme for verification and execution control of said digital contents, said link means linking said first logic scheme with said digital contents, wherein said copyright manager comprises a logic conversion software generator generating logic conversion software including a second logic scheme in accordance with specifications of said second logic scheme transmitted from said distribution center for replacing said first logic scheme with said second logic scheme upon execution by said user terminal, the second logic scheme providing the user terminal with a different degree of access to the digital contents than the first logic scheme, thereby precluding said distribution center from changing the degree of access to the digital contents granted to the user terminal without first receiving said logic conversion software from said copyright manager, and wherein said distribution center comprises generating means for generating said specifications of said second logic scheme when said distribution center receives a request for a different degree of access to said digital contents, and an evaluator for comparing said second logic scheme, included in said conversion software transmitted from said copyright manager, with said specifications of said second logic scheme, generated in said distribution center, to verify said second logic scheme, and wherein said distribution center provides said user terminal with at least part of said conversion software and said digital contents linked with said first logic scheme and said conversion software, via said information transmission medium.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

The digital contents distribution system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said second logic scheme has less severe execution restrictions than said first logic scheme.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

The digital contents distribution system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said digital contents distribution center provides said user terminal with said conversion software and said digital contents linked with said first logic scheme, via a communications channel.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 145 words

The digital contents distribution system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said link means comprises: contents key generating means for generating a contents key for encrypting at least part of said digital contents; contents encrypting means for encrypting at least part of said digital contents using said generated contents key; digital watermarking means for inseparably incorporating predetermined information into said digital contents in the form of digital watermarking; digital signature generating means for generating a digital signature of said digital contents; first identifier generating means for generating a hash value of said first logic scheme as a first message identifier; and contents link means for linking said digital signature, said first logic scheme and said first message identifier with said digital contents which have been encrypted at least in part by said contents encrypting means, and undergone digital watermarking by said digital watermarking means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 114 words

The digital contents distribution system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said logic conversion software generator comprises: an encryption manager for managing, in connection with said contents key, said first message identifier of said digital contents encrypted by said contents encrypting means; second identifier generating means for generating a hash value of said second logic scheme as a second message identifier; and second execution verify logic generating means for generating said second logic scheme in accordance with its specifications transmitted from said digital contents distribution center; and conversion software generating means for generating conversion software for replacing said first logic scheme with said second logic scheme generated by said second logic generating means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 91 words

The digital contents distribution system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said second logic scheme comprises: digital signature verify means for verifying digital signature of said digital contents; identifier verify means for verifying said second message identifier; contents key storage means for storing said contents key; contents key storage decision means for determining whether said contents key is stored in said contents key storage means; and decrypting means for decrypting said encrypted digital contents with said contents key, when said contents key is stored in said contents key storage means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 39 words

The digital contents distribution system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said contents key storage means stores said encrypted contents key encrypted using a public key of a user to whom said digital contents are to be distributed.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 57 words

The digital contents distribution system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said second logic scheme comprises private key acquisition means for acquiring a private key of said user and wherein said decrypting means decrypts said encrypted contents key with said private key of said user, and decrypts said encrypted digital contents with said decrypted contents key.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 31 words

The digital contents distribution system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said conversion software comprises user information embedding means for embedding user information into said digital contents using digital watermarking.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 48 words

The digital contents distribution system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said logic conversion software comprises charge information providing means for transmitting charge information to said digital contents distribution center via said information transmission medium, when said first logic scheme is changed to said second logic scheme.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 29 words

The digital contents distribution system of claim 1 wherein the conversion software facilitates embedding user information into the digital contents using digital watermarking consistent with the second logic scheme.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 189 words

A digital contents distribution method comprising the steps of: generating a first logic scheme for verification and execution control of said digital contents; linking the generated first logic scheme with said digital contents; communicating the digital contents and the first logic scheme from a digital contents distribution center to a user terminal; receiving, at said distribution center, a request for a different degree of access to said digital contents; generating logic conversation software in accordance with specifications transmitted by said distribution center, said specifications reflecting said request for a different degree of access; transmitting said logic conversion software to said distribution center; providing the user terminal with at least part of said logic conversion software for converting the first logic scheme into a second logic scheme for verification and execution control of said digital contents, the second logic scheme permitting a different degree of access of the user terminal to the digital contents than the first logic scheme; and executing said at least part of said logic conversion software at said user terminal to convert the first logic scheme linked to said digital contents into said second logic scheme.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 189 words

A digital contents distribution method comprising the steps of: generating a first logic scheme for verification and execution control of said digital contents; linking the generated first logic scheme with said digital contents; communicating the digital contents and the first logic scheme from a digital contents distribution center to a user terminal; receiving, at said distribution center, a request for a different degree of access to said digital contents; generating logic conversation software in accordance with specifications transmitted by said distribution center, said specifications reflecting said request for a different degree of access; transmitting said logic conversion software to said distribution center; providing the user terminal with at least part of said logic conversion software for converting the first logic scheme into a second logic scheme for verification and execution control of said digital contents, the second logic scheme permitting a different degree of access of the user terminal to the digital contents than the first logic scheme; and executing said at least part of said logic conversion software at said user terminal to convert the first logic scheme linked to said digital contents into said second logic scheme.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method according to claim 12 wherein the second logic scheme provides greater access to the digital contents than the first logic scheme provides.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method according to claim 12 wherein said second logic scheme has less severe execution restrictions than said first logic scheme.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method according to claim 12 wherein the providing step comprises providing the user terminal with all of said conversion software and said digital contents linked with said first logic scheme.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 100 words

The method according to claim 12 wherein linking step further comprises the steps of: generating a contents key for encrypting at least part of said digital contents; encrypting at least part of said digital contents using said contents key; incorporating predetermined information into said digital contents in the form of digital watermarking prior to the encrypting; creating a digital signature for association with the encrypted digital contents; generating a first message identifier associated with the first logic scheme; and associating said digital signature, said first logic scheme and said first message identifier with said at least partially encrypted digital contents.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 53 words

The method according to claim 16 wherein the converting step comprises the steps of: managing said first message identifier of said at least partially encrypted digital contents; generating a second message identifier associated with the second logic scheme; and generating said second logic scheme in accordance with specifications transmitted from the distribution center.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method according to claim 17 wherein said second logic scheme comprises: verifying the digital signature of said encrypted digital contents; verifying said second message identifier; deciding whether said generated contents key is stored in said second logic scheme; and decrypting said digital contents with said contents key if said contents key is stored in said second logic scheme.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 12 , wherein the conversion instructions include instructions for embedding user information into the digital contents using digital watermarking consistent with the second logic scheme.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 12 wherein the second logic scheme permits a different degree of access of the user terminal to the digital contents than the first logic scheme.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2008-06-27	2008-12-27	2009-06-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2012-06-27	2012-12-27	2013-06-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2016-06-27	2016-12-27	2017-06-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Digital contents distribution system capable of flexibly changing using conditions

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