JP2001256358A - System and method for contents secondary distribution and program providing medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and a method for contents secondary distribution which easily and securely perform the clearing process of the secondary distribution of contents. SOLUTION: A contents providing user device issues a log for clearing processing accompanying contents use to a clearing center each time the same contents are distributed between different user devices and the clearing center performs the clearing processing each time the contents are distributed. A contents receiving user device generates and sends a contents use log to the contents providing user device according to selling condition information on the contents, and the contents providing user device sends a reception log based upon the use log to the clearing center, so that the clearing processing is carried out on the basis of the reception log.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a secondary content distribution management system, a secondary content distribution management method, and a program providing medium. In particular, various content information such as music, image data, game programs, etc.
A content secondary distribution management system which is provided to a user via a recording medium such as a DVD or by distribution via a network, and collects a usage fee from the user or gives a usage point, etc. from the user; and The present invention relates to a content secondary distribution management method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, game programs, audio data,
Various software data (hereinafter, referred to as “Content”) such as image data and a document creation program are stored in a circulating storage medium (media) such as a DVD or a CD via a network such as the Internet. Is circulated through. These distribution contents are generally stored on PCs (Personal Compute
r), it can be reproduced by a recording / reproducing device such as a game device, and can be stored in an attached recording device, for example, a memory card composed of an EEPROM, a flash memory, a hard disk, or the like.

Various contents such as data or programs stored in a circulating storage medium (media) such as a DVD or a CD, or a storage means such as a memory card are used as a game device, a PC or the like used as a reproduction device. In response to a user's instruction from the information device main unit or a user's instruction via a connected input unit, it is called from each storage unit and reproduced through the information device main unit or a connected display, speaker, or the like.

Many software contents such as game programs, music data, image data, and the like generally have distribution rights and the like reserved by their creators and sellers. Therefore, when the content is distributed, that is, when the content is distributed via a network or a storage medium such as a DVD or a CD, the price is collected when the content is provided, or the content is distributed via a network such as the Internet. In such a case, a configuration is adopted in which, at the time of content distribution, user information such as a user's credit number and the like is acquired, and a price for providing the content from the user, that is, a usage fee is acquired.

[0005] When distributing these contents, it is common to adopt a configuration in consideration of security so as to prevent unauthorized duplication of the contents.
In the delivery of content data via a storage medium (media) such as a DVD or a CD, or a network,
Various configurations have been proposed for providing distributed content only to authorized users.

[0006] The concept of "super distribution" has been proposed as one of the concepts for providing content use only to authorized users. "Super distribution" is for distributing content by securing the rights protection of content providers or content managers that are various software data such as game programs, audio data, image data, document creation programs, etc. Configuration. Fig. 1 shows the structure of this "super distribution".

A content provider 101 and a content provider 102 respectively
4 is provided to the user terminal 105. Content 103,
104, a content ID, which is an identifier unique to the content, is added. When the user terminal 105 receives the content to which the content ID is added, the determination processing unit 107 determines whether or not the user terminal 105 is an authorized user terminal that can use the content. This determination process is determined based on the user ID of the user terminal stored in the storage units 1 and 106 and the content use conditions. The content use condition is a content use condition preset by the content provider for each user. When it is determined that the content can be used according to the set content usage condition, the usage history of the content is stored in the storage unit 2, 108 in association with the user ID and the content ID.

[0008] The content providers 101 and 102
The content usage history stored in the storage units 2 and 108 of the user terminal 105 can be collected, and the user can be charged a content usage fee according to the history. As described above, the “super distribution” is configured to determine the use condition of the content for each user and record the use history for each content, thereby restricting the use of the content to the authorized user and collecting the usage fee. Configuration.

[0009] However, although the above “super-distribution” configuration discloses a configuration for recording the usage history of contents, it does not clearly show a fee collection system based on the usage history. A conventionally proposed method will be adopted. For example (1)
The credit card number is input from the user terminal and transmitted to a content provider or service provider, or a content usage right sales center that manages the usage right of the content. (2) Enter the user's bank account number from the terminal and send it to the content provider or service provider or the content usage right sales center.
(3) Register the user in advance with the content provider or service provider or the content usage right sales center, register the credit card number or the bank account number, and register the registered data with the content provider or the service provider or the content usage right sales center. Execute the charge deduction based on. It is necessary to perform any of these methods.

In the above-mentioned payment methods (1) to (3), the user's credit card number or bank account number is required. Therefore, for those who do not have these credit cards and bank accounts, this payment procedure becomes difficult. Further, in recent years, the unit of the transaction content is reduced, and for example, in the distribution of music content, only the first song may be used as the transaction content. In such a case, the price of the content is 100
The transaction amount is a small amount of yen unit or 1000 yen unit, and the transaction form in which a credit card number or a bank account number is required for each of these payments is one factor that hinders distribution of contents.

Further, the content once distributed in the market can be further traded and transferred between users.
It is difficult to manage such transactions between users, and the distribution of illegal copies is flooded. Further, in transactions between users, generally, no guarantee is given to the user who provided the content.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and has been made in connection with the sale of many software / content usage rights, such as game programs, music data, and image data, by using a credit card number. Or a secondary content distribution management system and a secondary content distribution system that enables the construction of a content transaction system with a simple method and configuration without using a bank account number, and also enables the management of content transactions between users. The purpose is to provide a management method.

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided:
In a content secondary distribution management system that manages secondary distribution, which is a transaction between user devices, of content available in a user device, settlement associated with use of the content is performed every time the same content is distributed between different user devices. Processing logs are issued from the content providing user device to the service provider or clearing center, and settlement processing is performed for each distribution of the same content under the management of the service provider or clearing center. In the content secondary distribution management system.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management system of the present invention, the content receiving user device that receives the content is limited to the issuance amount set in the issuance log based on the sales condition information of the content. A content usage fee including a usage content identifier generated by subtracting the content usage fee equivalent amount from the balance of electronic money installed in the user device, and executing a transmission process to the content providing user device; The user device has a configuration for generating a reception log including usage fee information of the content based on the usage log received from the content reception user device and executing a transmission process to a service provider or a clearing center, and Provider or clear The payment center executes a settlement process of electronic money corresponding to the content usage based on the reception log received from the content providing user device, and executes a transmission process of a usage fee transfer process request to an account management institution. The account management institution is configured to execute a transfer process between accounts in accordance with the transfer process request.

[0015] Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management system of the present invention, the content distributed between the user devices stores profit distribution information relating to the content usage fee including the content price and the consideration information for the content provider. The service provider or the clearing center is configured as a secure container having both sales condition information, and the service provider or the clearing center constructs a transfer processing configuration based on a log including payment source data and payment destination data of the content fee based on the profit distribution information. It is characterized by having a configuration.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management system of the present invention, the content distribution condition information includes secondary distribution availability information which sets whether or not secondary distribution of content between user devices is possible. Included, wherein the service provider or the clearing center executes a process of invalidating a settlement process based on the reception log for a reception log generated based on content for which secondary distribution is not permitted. It is characterized by having.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management system of the present invention, each of the user devices performing content transactions has an encryption processing unit, and when data is transmitted between the user devices, the data is transmitted between the user devices. It is characterized in that a mutual authentication process is executed, a data transmitting side executes a process of generating an electronic signature for transmission data, and a receiving side executes a process of verifying the electronic signature.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management system of the present invention, the user device,
The service provider and the clearing center each have a cryptographic processing unit, execute mutual authentication processing in data transmission between each other, and further execute a processing of generating an electronic signature for transmission data by the data transmission side. , Wherein the receiving side executes a verification process of the digital signature.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management system of the present invention, the clearing center has a user balance database for managing the electronic money balance of the content receiving user device. It is characterized in that an issuance log in which an issuance amount is set according to the registered electronic money balance is generated and transmitted to the content receiving user device.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management system of the present invention, the sales condition information includes:
The content log includes distribution information of the usage fee, the use log and the reception log are configured to include the distribution information, the service provider or the clearing center,
It is characterized in that it has a configuration for executing a settlement process for the content usage fee based on the distribution information and executing a process for transmitting the transfer request to the account management organization.

Further, a second aspect of the present invention is a content secondary distribution management method for executing secondary distribution management, which is a transaction between user devices for content available on the user device. Every time the same content is distributed, a log for settlement processing accompanying use of the content is issued from the content providing user device to the service provider or the clearing center, and the log is written to the log under the management of the service provider or the clearing center. A secondary distribution management method for a content, wherein a payment process for each distribution of the same content is performed based on the content.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management method of the present invention, the content receiving user device receiving the content is limited to the amount of the issuance set in the issuance log based on the sales condition information of the content. The content usage fee equivalent amount is reduced from the balance of the electronic money installed in the user device, a content usage log including a usage content identifier is generated, and the content usage log is transmitted to the content providing user device. Based on the usage log received from the content receiving user device, generates a reception log including usage fee information of the content and executes a transmission process to a service provider or a clearing center. Content Based on the receipt log received from the providing user device, while executing the settlement process of the electronic money corresponding to the use of the content, and executing the transmission process of the usage fee transfer processing request to the account management organization, the account management organization, A transfer process between accounts according to a transfer process request is performed.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management method of the present invention, the content distributed between the user devices stores profit distribution information relating to the content usage fee including the content price and the price information for the content provider. The service provider or the clearing center is configured as a secure container having both sales condition information, and the service provider or the clearing center constructs a transfer processing configuration based on a log including payment source data and payment destination data of the content fee based on the profit distribution information. It is characterized by the following.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management method of the present invention, the content distribution condition information includes secondary distribution availability information which sets whether or not secondary distribution of content between user devices is possible. Included, the service provider or the clearing center performs a process for invalidating a settlement process based on the reception log for the reception log generated based on the content for which the secondary distribution is not permitted. It is characterized by.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management method of the present invention, each of the user devices performing content transactions has a cryptographic processing unit, and when transmitting data between the user devices, the user devices communicate with each other. The method is characterized in that a mutual authentication process is executed, a data transmitting side executes a process of generating an electronic signature for transmission data, and a receiving side executes a process of verifying the electronic signature.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management method of the present invention, each of the user device, the service provider, and the clearing center has a cryptographic processing unit. , A mutual authentication process is performed, the data transmission side executes a process of generating an electronic signature for the transmission data, and the reception side executes a process of verifying the electronic signature.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management method according to the present invention, the clearing center has a user balance database for managing the electronic money balance of the content receiving user device, and the user balance database has An issuance log in which an issuance amount according to the registered electronic money balance is set is generated and transmitted to the content receiving user device.

Further, in one embodiment of the content secondary distribution management method of the present invention, the sales condition information includes distribution information of a content usage fee, and the usage log and the reception log include the distribution information. The service provider or the clearing center executes a settlement process of the content usage fee based on the distribution information, and executes a process of transmitting the transfer request to the account management organization.

Further, a third aspect of the present invention is a computer program for executing, on a computer system, a secondary distribution management processing for executing a transaction processing management between user devices for contents usable in the user device. A computer-readable medium that provides a log for a payment process associated with use of a content from a content providing user device to a clearing center every time the same content is distributed between different user devices. There is provided a program providing medium having an issuing step.

Further, a fourth aspect of the present invention is a computer program for executing, on a computer system, a secondary distribution management processing for executing a transaction processing management between user devices for contents usable in the user device. A computer-provided medium for providing a log for a payment process associated with use of content every time the same content is distributed between different user devices. Executing a settlement process for each content distribution.

A program providing medium according to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention provides, for example, a computer program in a computer-readable format to a general-purpose computer system capable of executing various program codes. Medium. Medium is CD, FD, MO, DVD
The form is not particularly limited, such as a storage medium such as a storage medium or a transmission medium such as a network.

Such a program providing medium defines a structural or functional cooperative relationship between the computer program and the providing medium for realizing the functions of a predetermined computer program on a computer system. Things. In other words, by installing the computer program into the computer system via the providing medium, a cooperative operation is exerted on the computer system, and the same operation and effect as the other aspects of the present invention can be obtained. You can do it. Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description based on embodiments of the present invention and the accompanying drawings.

[0033]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0034]

Embodiments [1. System Overview] First, an overview of a content transaction system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows a user device 220 that uses information, that is, content such as various programs such as music data, image data, and games, a service provider 240 that provides content to the user device 220, and electronic money related to content usage. A clearing center 260 that executes a settlement process and an account management institution 280 that is a financial institution such as a bank, for example, that processes a real flow of money accompanying the use of content are shown.

The configuration of the content transaction system shown in FIG. 2 is an example, and various content transaction systems other than the configuration shown in FIG. 2 can be configured. For example, the service provider 240 may have a plurality of configurations including a content providing provider that actually creates content, a service provider that receives content from the content providing provider and provides a content distribution service to be distributed to actual users, and the like. Further, the clearing center 260 and the account management institution 280 may be configured as one institution. Further, although FIG. 2 shows only one user device 220, one service provider 240, one clearing center 260, and one account management institution 280, a plurality of respective configurations may actually exist. As will be described in detail later, the content transaction system of the present invention has a configuration that enables content transaction between a plurality of different user devices.

In FIG. 2, the user device 220 using the content pays a usage fee for the content using the electronic money 221. In the payment process for the electronic money 221, the management user who manages the user device 220 opens the user account 281 where the cash has been deposited with the account management institution 280 which is a financial institution such as a bank as necessary, and clears the user account 281. A transfer is made to the user electronic money account 283 under the control of the ring center, an available amount (electronic money balance) is set for the user's electronic money 221 up to the amount transferred by the user, and the account management institution 280 that has confirmed the transfer Is sent to the clearing center 260 that performs electronic money settlement processing, balance management, etc.
The clearing center 260 notifies the user of the transfer amount (set amount of electronic money) and manages the amount available as electronic money.

The clearing center 260 transmits to the user device 220 an electronic money issuance log having as data the amount of money that can be used by the management user of the user device 220 and the identifier of the user device 220 used by the user. Stores the issuance log 251 in the user device 220. The issue log 251 will be described later in detail.

When the user device 220 receives contents such as music data, image data, and various programs such as games from the service provider 240, the user device 220 pays the service provider 240 for the contents using the electronic money 221. . At this time, the usage fee is reduced from the balance of the electronic money 221. Further, the user device 220 transmits to the service provider 240 a use log 252 having, as data, issuance log information and use information including data in which a usage amount of the content, information on a recipient of the usage fee of the content, and the like are recorded.

The service provider 240 executes a verification process of the usage log 252 received from the user device 220, and based on the usage log 252, a reception log having reception information including a payment source of the content usage fee, a reception date and time, and the like. 253 is generated and transmitted to the clearing center 260. At this time, the clearing center 260 transmits the actual cash transfer information (distribution information) related to the settlement process to the account management institution 280 as a transfer request, and
80 executes the transfer of the amount between the service provider account 282 and the clearing center 283 based on the transfer request from the clearing center 260.

In FIG. 2, the user account 2 of the management user of the user device 220 is described in order to keep the description from being complicated.
81, only a service provider account 282 and a clearing center 283 are shown,
May have an account of a content creator or an account of a store selling the content or the like, and may perform a transfer in accordance with a predetermined setting. A form of distributing the charge transfer setting information together with the content will be described later.

[2. User Device] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a user device used in the content transaction system according to the embodiment of the present invention. The user device 300 includes a recording device 350 for storing content.
have.

The user device 300 is constituted by, for example, a personal computer (PC) or a game machine. User device 3
Reference numeral 00 denotes a control unit that executes general control including communication control with the recording device 350 during encryption processing in the user device 300, a recording / reproducing unit encryption processing unit 302 that performs overall encryption processing, and a recording / reproducing unit. Recording device 3
50, a recording device controller 303 for executing authentication processing and reading and writing data, and a medium 36 such as a DVD.
A reading unit 3 that reads at least data from 0
04, a communication unit 305 for transmitting and receiving data to and from the outside.

The user device 300 downloads content data to the recording device 350 and reproduces content data from the recording device 350 under the control of the control unit 301. The recording device 350 is a storage medium preferably detachable from the user device 300, for example, a memory card or the like, and has an external memory 352 including a nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM and a flash memory, a hard disk, and a RAM with a battery. .

The user device 300 includes a reading unit 304 as an interface through which content data stored in a storage medium, a DVD, a CD, an FD, and an HDD shown in the left end of FIG. 3 can be input, and content distributed from a network such as the Internet. It has a communication unit 305 as an interface through which data can be input, and inputs content from outside.

The user device 300 stores the electronic money 31
0 is fixed to or detachable from the device,
Flash memory, EEPRO for usage information, balance amount, etc.
It is stored in a memory 313 composed of M or the like. Data that the electronic money 310 communicates with the outside is a personal ID, a usage amount, and the like of the electronic money, which are encrypted and input / output to / from the electronic money 310. It is the encryption processing unit 312 that performs encryption processing of these data, and the control unit 311 executes data input / output control and processing control in the encryption processing unit. The electronic money 310 is, for example, a security IC
SAM like a card: Secure Applica
It is configured as a Tion Module.

Further, the user device 300 has a SAM
And a cryptographic processing unit 302 composed of In the example of FIG. 3, the SAM of the encryption processing unit 302 and the electronic money 3
Although ten SAMs are shown as separate components, these SAMs may be configured as one module. The encryption processing unit 302 includes the reading unit 304 or the communication unit 30
Authentication processing, encryption processing, decryption processing, and data verification when downloading content data input from the outside through the storage device 5 to the recording device 350, or reproducing and executing the content data from the recording device 350. Perform processing and the like. Further, it executes an authentication process, a cryptographic process, a data verification process, and the like at the time of receiving an issuance log issued as content usage fee payment information, a use log generation process, a transmission process, and the like. Cryptographic processing unit 302
Is a control unit 306 for controlling the entire cryptographic processing unit 302, an internal memory 30 that holds information such as a key for cryptographic processing and is processed so that data cannot be easily read from the outside.
7. Encryption / decryption processing, generation of data for authentication
It comprises an encryption / decryption unit 308 that performs verification, random number generation, and the like.

The encryption processing unit 302 and the electronic money 310 unit can be configured by a SAM: Secure Application Module to prevent unauthorized data rewriting. The encryption processing unit 302 and the electronic money 310 unit include:
As information with high security, the user device 300
, An electronic money balance, an electronic money issue log described below, and various key information used for authentication processing, encryption processing, and the like. As will be described later,
In the electronic money issuance log, an issue amount corresponding to the amount available by the electronic money is recorded and stored in the user device.

The control unit 301, for example, mediates mutual authentication processing between the service provider connected to the communication unit via the user device 300 and the communication unit 305 via the communication unit 305 and the encryption processing unit 302. Mediation control in the decryption processing of the content key to be performed in the encryption processing unit 302, and further, when the recording device 350 is mounted, an initialization command is transmitted to the recording device 350 via the recording device controller 303, or the encryption processing unit An intermediary process in various processes such as a mutual authentication process, a signature verification process, an encryption process and a decryption process performed between the encryption / decryption unit 302 and the recording device encryption processing unit 351 in 302 is performed.

The encryption processing control unit 306 is a control unit that executes control relating to the entire encryption processing such as authentication processing and encryption / decryption processing performed in the user device 300. For example, mutual authentication processing with a service provider is performed. , Control of an authentication process performed between the user device 300 and the recording device 350, various processes performed in the encryption / decryption unit 308 of the encryption processing unit 302, for example, a content key (content encryption key). It controls the entire cryptographic process, such as a key exchange process, download, or an instruction to execute a cryptographic process for reproduced content data.

The internal memory 307 stores the user device 30
0 stores key data or identification data of a recording / reproducing device required for various processes such as a mutual authentication process, an encryption process, and a decryption process. The identification data of the recording / reproducing device is used, for example, in a mutual authentication process with a service provider.

The encryption / decryption unit 308 is provided in the internal memory 30
7, authentication processing, encryption processing, decryption processing, and data verification at the time of data transfer accompanying payment processing of usage money using content data input from the outside and electronic money using the key data and the like stored in 7 And processing such as generation of random numbers.

The internal memory 307 of the encryption processing unit 302
Since it has important information such as an encryption key, it needs to have a structure that is difficult to read illegally from the outside. Therefore, the encryption processing unit 302 is configured by a semiconductor chip having a structure that is difficult to access from the outside, has a multilayer structure,
The internal memory is sandwiched by a dummy layer such as an aluminum layer or is formed at the lowermost layer, and has a characteristic that it is difficult to read data illegally from the outside, such as a narrow operating voltage and / or frequency range. It is configured as a tamper memory.

The user device 300 has a central processing unit (main CPU: Cent) in addition to these cryptographic processing functions.
ral Processing Unit) 321, RAM (Random Access)
Memory) 322, ROM (Read Only Memory) 323,
AV processing unit 325, input interface 324, PIO
(Parallel I / O interface) 326 and SIO (serial I / O interface) 327.

Central processing unit (Main CPU: Centra
l Processing Unit) 321, RAM (Random Access M)
emory) 322 and ROM (Read Only Memory) 323
A component that functions as a control system of the user device 300 main body, and mainly functions as a reproduction processing unit that executes reproduction of data decrypted by the encryption processing unit 302. For example, a central processing unit (main CPU: Central Processing)
The unit 321 controls the reproduction and execution of the content, such as outputting the content data read from the recording device and decoded to the AV processing unit 325 under the control of the control unit 301.

The RAM 322 is used as a main storage memory for various kinds of processing in the CPU 321.
321 is used as a work area for processing.
The ROM 323 stores an OS started by the main CPU 321.
A basic program for starting up the program is stored.

The AV processing unit 325 has a data compression / decompression processing mechanism such as an MPEG2 decoder, an ATRAC decoder, and an MP3 decoder, and specifically, a display or a speaker (not shown) attached or connected to the recording / reproducing apparatus main body. For data output to the data output device.

The input interface 324 outputs input data from various input means such as a connected controller, keyboard, mouse and the like to the main CPU 321. The main CPU 321 executes a process according to an instruction from a controller from a user based on, for example, a game program being executed.

PIO (Parallel I / O Interface)
326, SIO (serial I / O interface) 32
Reference numeral 7 is used as a connection interface with a storage device such as a memory card and a game cartridge, a portable electronic device, and the like.

The recording device 350 is, for example, a storage medium detachable from the user device 300, and is constituted by, for example, a memory card. Recording device 350
Has an encryption processing unit 351 and an external memory 352.

The recording device encryption processing unit 351 downloads content data from the user device 300, or transmits the content data from the recording device 350 to the user device 30.
0, a mutual authentication process between the user device 300 and the recording device 350 during a process of reproducing the content data to 0, an encryption process, a decryption process, a data verification process, and the like. Like the encryption processing unit, it has a control unit, an internal memory, an encryption / decryption unit, and the like. As described above, the external memory 352 includes a nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM and a flash memory, a hard disk, a RAM with a battery, and the like, and is used for storing content data, storing a content key, and the like.

A service provider that provides many software contents such as game programs, music data, image data, etc.
It is provided to the user via media such as D and DVD or a network. The usage fee for the content is paid by electronic money via communication means such as a network.

[3. Settlement Process in Content Transaction System] (3-1) Outline FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a content usage fee executed by the user device 220, the service provider 240, the clearing center 260, and the account management organization 280 in the content transaction system of the present invention. It is a figure explaining data transfer accompanying settlement.

The user device 220 and the service provider 24 in the content transaction system of the present invention
0, clearing center 260 and account management institution 280
The data transfer executed between each other is basically performed by performing communication data encryption processing in order to prevent leakage of communication contents. Also, prior to data transmission, only when mutual authentication is performed between the communications and authentication is established, for example, payment data or the like by electronic money is transmitted as encrypted data. The authentication process will be described later.

The public key certificate issuing authority (IA: I) shown in FIG.
The ssuer authority (410) is a third party for certifying each public key used for communication of encrypted documents between the user device 220, the service provider 240, the clearing center 260, and the account management organization 280. Has a role as a certificate authority that issues certificates of the respective public keys.

User device 220, service provider 240, clearing center 260, account management organization 2
As shown in FIG. 4, reference numerals 80 each have a public key of a public key certificate issuing authority (IA) 410. Further, the user device 220 issues a user device certificate recording public key information unique to the user device and a user certificate recording public key information unique to the user using the user device 220 from the public key certificate issuing authority 410. Received and stored.

The public key certificate is for maintaining the reliability of the encryption processing in the public key cryptosystem. The public key certificate includes, for example, a user device ID and a public key if the user device is a public key certificate issuing authority (IA) 410.
By submitting it to the Public Key Certificate Authority (IA) 4
Reference numeral 10 denotes a certificate created by adding information such as the ID and the expiration date of the public key certificate issuing authority (IA) and further adding a signature from the public key certificate issuing authority (IA). Alternatively, submit the user device ID and public key to a registration authority ((RA): Registration Auyhority) held by the service provider that provides the service, apply for registration, and apply for registration.
A) may be configured so that A) issues an issuance request to the public key certificate issuing authority (IA) and sends the public key certificate to the user device.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a public key certificate. As shown in FIG. 5, the public key certificate includes a certificate version number,
The certificate authority's serial number assigned to the relying party, the algorithm and parameters used for digital signatures,
It includes the name of the public key certificate authority (IA), the expiration date of the certificate, the name of the certificate user (user ID), the public key of the certificate user, and the electronic signature.

The electronic signature includes the version number of the certificate, the serial number of the certificate assigned by the public key certificate issuing authority (IA) to the certificate subscriber, the algorithm and parameters used for the electronic signature, the public key certificate issuing authority A hash value is generated by applying a hash function to the name of (IA), the expiration date of the certificate, the name of the certificate subscriber, and the entire public key of the certificate subscriber, and a public key certificate is generated for the hash value. This is data generated using the secret key of the Certificate Authority (IA).

The public key certificate issuing authority (IA) 410 issues the public key certificate shown in FIG. 5, updates the expired public key certificate, and rejects an illegal user. Creates, manages, and distributes a list of unauthorized persons (Revocation). Further, a public key and a secret key are generated as needed.

On the other hand, when using this public key certificate, the user issues a public key certificate issuing authority (I
Using the public key (A) (IA public key), the electronic signature of the public key certificate is verified. After the digital signature is successfully verified, the public key is extracted from the public key certificate and the public key is used. Accordingly, all users utilizing the public key certificate, ie, in FIG. 4, the user device 220, the service provider 240, the clearing center 260, and the account management institution 280 have a common public key certificate authority (IA). You must have a public key.

As shown in FIG. 4, the user device 220
Has an IA public key, a user device certificate, and a user certificate. The service provider 240 has an IA public key, a service provider certificate, and a clearing center 2.
Reference numeral 60 denotes an IA public key and a clearing center certificate, and the account management institution 280 includes an IA public key and an account management institution certificate. The user device 220, the service provider 240, the clearing center 260, and the account management institution 280 mutually execute communication using a public key cryptosystem using each certificate or a common key cryptosystem, and execute content communication. Payment of usage fees and transfer of data for payment processing. Communication to the account management institution 280 may be communication using existing SSL (Secure Socket Layer) or the like.

(3-2) Various Logs Used in Content Charge Processing In the content transaction system of the present invention, information for the payment processing of the content usage charge, specifically, various types of transaction information relating to the use of the content. The various types of log information recording the user device 2 described in FIG.
20, the service provider 240, and the clearing center 260. That is, the user device 220
Log 251 that the user device 220 generates and transmits to the service provider 240 when the user device 220 pays the content usage fee, and a reception log that the service provider 240 generates based on the usage log 252 and transmits to the clearing center 260 253. Here, these logs will be described with reference to FIG.

The issuance log of the user device 220 is electronic money information issued by the clearing center 260 shown in FIG. 2, and the issuer of the issuance log (for example, the clearing center) responds to the information recorded in the issuance log. (Electronic signature) to prevent falsification of the data recorded in the issue log. In the issue log, as shown in FIG.
The issue amount corresponding to the total amount available for electronic money, the user device ID or user ID which is the identifier of the user device or user, the expiration date, the serial number managed by the issuer of the issue log (for example, clearing center) Has been recorded.

The issue log is issued by an issuer (clearing center) based on a user's request. For example, the user goes to a bank having a management account of the clearing center 260 and transfers the desired amount to the management account of the clearing center, or transfers the actual amount by using a credit card. The clearing center 260 receives the transfer information from the bank, confirms the transfer, and sets the amount corresponding to the transfer amount as the issue amount of the issue log. Alternatively, the user issues a request for issuing an issue log directly to the clearing center 260 and sends the clearing center 26 from the user's bank account.
The clearing center 260 may make a transfer request to the bank by making a transfer request to the management account of No. 0, and issue an issue log in which an issue amount is set according to the transfer amount.

The user device 220 reduces the usage fee of the content to the electronic money 221 up to the issue amount set in the issue log issued by the clearing center 260.
Pay using. At the time of payment processing by the electronic money 221, the electronic money 221 constituted by the SAM is used.
Is checked, and if the balance is smaller than the payment amount, the payment by the electronic money 221 cannot be executed. Payment by electronic money is executed only when the balance is equal to or more than the payment amount. The electronic money usable balance based on the issue log recorded in the electronic money 221 is updated by the payment process.

When the amount corresponding to the issuance amount set in the issuance log has been used up, that is, the user whose electronic money usable balance based on the issuance log has become 0, the user transfers the predetermined amount to the clearing center management account. Can request the clearing center to issue a new issue log. Further, even if the balance does not become 0, the user can issue an additional issuance of a new issuance log to the clearing center 26.
0 can be requested.

An additional issue processing of an issue log by the clearing center 260 will be described. First, the user transfers the amount to be additionally used to the clearing center management account and requests the clearing center 260 to additionally issue an issue log. The clearing center 260 uses electronic money based on the “issue log-old” that has already been issued and the “issue log-old” recorded in the electronic money 221 from the user device that has requested the additional issue of the issue log. Request transmission of possible balance data and receive these data. The clearing center 260 sets the sum of the transfer amount of the user and the available balance of electronic money based on the “issue log-old” received from the user as the issue amount of the new issue log “issuance log-new”. Then, a new issue log “issue log-new” is transmitted to the user device.

In the above-described processing, the clearing center 260 determines whether the usable balance of electronic money based on the “issuance log-old” received from the user does not match the balance data of the user balance management server in the clearing center 260. There is. This is because the settlement process of the receipt log may be performed with a delay. In this case, the clearing center 260 stores the user ID, the issue log serial number, and the balance for each issue log in the user balance management server 2.
At 63, the second issue log is additionally issued. For example, the issuance amount of “issuance log-old” is $ 10,
000, $ 8,000 has been used, and the balance data of the electronic money of the user device 220 is $ 2,000.
Assuming that only the settlement log of 0 has been processed, $ 3
There will be 000 outstanding amounts. Here, it is assumed that the user device 220 has newly issued an issuance log of $ 20,000.

At this point, the clearing center 2
60 issuance log of $ 20,000
When “w” is issued, the issue log related data of the user in the user balance management server 263 of the clearing center 260 becomes “issuance log-old: user ID: balance ￥ 5,0”.
00] and [Issue log-new: user ID: balance $ 2
000]. After that, the clearing center 26
0, if the uncollected {3,000 receipt logs have been settled, [Issue log-old: user ID: balance}
2,000] and [Issue log-new: user ID: balance $ 20,000]. The issue log based on which issue log is used can be distinguished by the issue log serial number. Further, when the clearing center 260 receives the electronic money usable balance data based on the “issue log-old” received from the user, the clearing center 260 sets the uncollected balance ($ 3,000 in the above example) as uncollected balance data. You may make it set and perform a payment process.

When the user device 220 executes the process of paying the usage fee for the content using the electronic money 221, the user device 220 generates a usage log and transmits it to the service provider 240. The usage log includes the user device 22
In addition to the issuance log information of 0, the usage information includes the usage amount corresponding to the amount paid for the content, the information of the receiver of the fee, and the serial number managed on the user device side. Furthermore, a configuration in which the current balance information of the electronic money of the user and the use service information may be added. A signature (digital signature) of the user device 220 is given to these pieces of information, and the user device 220 sends the service provider 240
Sent to. The user device 220 transmits the usage log to the service provider 240 and stores the usage log in a storage unit outside the SAM.

Further, the service provider 240 generates a reception log based on the usage log, and transmits the generated reception log to the clearing center 260 that performs a payment process for electronic money. As shown in FIG. 6, in the reception log, in addition to the usage log information, information on the payment source of the fee, the date and time of reception, and the serial number managed by the receiver (the service provider in this example) are recorded as the reception information. . A signature (electronic signature) of the receiver (service provider 240) is made to these pieces of information, and the information is transmitted from the service provider 240 to the clearing center 260. Service Provider 2
40 transmits the reception log to the clearing center 260 and stores the reception log in a storage unit outside the SAM.

When contents are exchanged between users, the receipt log is signed not by the service provider but by the user who supplied the contents. The content transaction between users (secondary distribution) will be described later.

As described above and shown in FIG. 4, the usage log is transmitted from the user device 220, which is the creator, to the service provider 240 and stored in the user device 220, and the reception log is stored in the user device 220. Clearing center 2 from a service provider 240
60 to the service provider 240
Is stored within. These logs will be saved at a later date,
This is because the collation processing can be executed when there is a payment report or the like. The reason that each log is not stored in the SAM is that the same log is stored in the clearing center 260,
This is because correct log information can be extracted from the storage log of the clearing center 260 even if it has been tampered with.

(3-3) Electronic Signature An electronic signature added to each log will be briefly described. First, an example using DES in a common key cryptosystem will be described as one example of a method for generating digital signature data. In the present invention, other than DES, for example, FEAL
(Fast Encipherment ALgorithm: NTT), AES (A
It is also possible to use advanced encryption standard (US advanced standard encryption) or the like.

A method of generating a digital signature using a general DES will be described with reference to FIG. First, before generating an electronic signature, a message to be subjected to the electronic signature is divided into 8-byte units (hereinafter, the divided messages are referred to as M1 and M1).
M2,..., MN). And the initial value (Initia
l Exclusive OR of Value (hereinafter referred to as IV) and M1 (the result is referred to as I1). Next, I1 is entered into the DES encryption unit, and is encrypted using a key (hereinafter, referred to as K1) (output is referred to as E1). Subsequently, E1 and M2 are XORed, the output I2 is input to the DES encryption unit, and is encrypted using the key K1 (output E2). Hereinafter, this is repeated, and encryption processing is performed on all messages. The last EN appears as an electronic signature. This value is generally used as the message authentication code (MAC).
tication Code)) and is used to check for tampering of the message. Such a method of chaining ciphertexts is called a CBC (Cipher Block Chaining) mode. At the time of verifying the MAC value, the verifier generates the MAC value in the same manner as at the time of generation, and if the same value is obtained, the verification is determined to be successful.

The issue log 251, the use log 252, and the receipt log 253 used in the content transaction system of the present invention include various types of information described with reference to FIG. 6, and correspond to the message to be verified. Therefore, an electronic signature is generated as a message to be input to these data or data generated based on these data to the DES encryption processing unit shown in FIG.

Next, a method for generating a digital signature using a public key cryptosystem will be described with reference to FIG. The processing shown in FIG.
EC-DSA ((Elliptic Curve Digital Signature A
1 is a flow of a process for generating digital signature data using IEEE P1363 / D3). Here, an example in which elliptic curve cryptography (hereinafter, referred to as ECC) is used as the public key cryptosystem will be described. In the data processing device of the present invention, for example, RSA cryptography ((Rivest, Shamir, Adleman), etc. (ANSI X9.31)) in a similar public key cryptosystem other than elliptic curve cryptography
Can also be used.

Each step of FIG. 8 will be described. In step S1, p is a characteristic, a and b are coefficients of an elliptic curve (elliptic curve: y ² = x ³ + ax + b), G is a base point on the elliptic curve, r is an order of G, and Ks is a secret key ( 0 <K
s <r). In step S2, the hash value of the message M is calculated, and f = Hash (M).

Here, a method of obtaining a hash value using a hash function will be described. The hash function is a function that receives a message, compresses the message into data having a predetermined bit length, and outputs the data as a hash value. With a hash function, it is difficult to predict the input from the hash value (output). When one bit of the data input to the hash function changes, many bits of the hash value change, and the same hash value It has a feature that it is difficult to find different input data. As the hash function, MD4, MD5, SHA-1, or the like may be used, or DES-CBC may be used. In this case, the final output value MAC (check value: IC
V) corresponds to a hash value.

Subsequently, in step S3, a random number u (0 <u
<R) is generated, and a coordinate V (Xv, Yv) obtained by multiplying the base point by u is calculated in step S4. Note that addition and doubling on an elliptic curve are defined as follows.

[0091]

## EQU1 ## P = (Xa, Ya), Q = (Xb, Yb), R = (Xc, Y
c) = P + Q, when P ≠ Q (addition), Xc = λ ² −Xa−Xb Yc = λ × (Xa−Xc) −Ya λ = (Yb−Ya) / (Xb−Xa) When P = Q (doubled), Xc = λ ² −2Xa Yc = λ × (Xa−Xc) −Ya λ = (3 (Xa) ² + a) / (2Ya)

Using these, u times the point G is calculated (the speed is slow, but the calculation method is the easiest to understand as follows. G, 2 × G, 4 × G... Are calculated, and u is calculated by 2 2 ⁱ × G (where G is i
(I is a bit position counted from the LSB of u)).

In step S5, c = Xvmod r is calculated. In step S6, it is determined whether or not this value becomes 0. If not 0, d = [(f + cKs) in step S7.
/ U] mod r is calculated, and it is determined whether or not d is 0 in step S8. If d is not 0, c and d are output as digital signature data in step S9. Suppose r
Is 160 bits long, the digital signature data is 320 bits long.

If c is 0 in step S6, the flow returns to step S3 to generate a new random number again. Similarly, if d is 0 in step S8, the process returns to step S3 to generate a random number again.

Next, a method of verifying an electronic signature using a public key cryptosystem will be described with reference to FIG. Step S11
Where M is the message, p is the characteristic, a and b are the coefficients of the elliptic curve (elliptic curve: y ² = x ³ + ax + b), G is the base point on the elliptic curve, r is the order of G, G and Ks Let × G be a public key (0 <Ks <r). In step S12, it is verified whether the digital signature data c and d satisfy 0 <c <r and 0 <d <r. If this is satisfied, step S13
Then, the hash value of the message M is calculated, and f = Hash
(M). Next, h = 1 / d mod r is calculated in step S14, and h1 = fh mod r, h is calculated in step S15.
2 = ch mod r is calculated.

In step S16, the h already calculated
Using 1 and h2, the point P = (Xp, Yp) = h1 × G
+ H2 · Ks × G is calculated. Since the digital signature verifier knows the public key G and Ks × G, it can calculate a scalar multiple of a point on the elliptic curve as in step S4 of FIG. Then, in step S17, it is determined whether or not the point P is an infinite point. If not, the process proceeds to step S18 (actually, the determination of the infinite point can be made in step S16. That is, P = (X , Y) and Q = (X, -Y), λ cannot be calculated and P + Q is known to be an infinite point.) In step S18, Xp mod r
Is calculated and compared with the digital signature data c. Finally, if the values match, the process proceeds to step S19, where it is determined that the electronic signature is correct.

When it is determined that the electronic signature is correct, it is understood that the data has not been falsified and that the person holding the private key corresponding to the public key has generated the electronic signature.

If the digital signature data c or d does not satisfy 0 <c <r and 0 <d <r in step S12, the flow advances to step S20. Step S17
In step S2, when the point P is a point at infinity,
Go to 0. Furthermore, in step S18, Xp
The process also proceeds to step S20 when the value of mod r does not match the digital signature data c.

If it is determined in step S20 that the electronic signature is incorrect, whether the data has been falsified
It can be seen that the person holding the private key corresponding to the public key did not generate the electronic signature.

In the content transaction system of the present invention, for example, when the user device 220 pays the usage fee of the content using the electronic money 221, the usage log 251 is sent to the generation service provider 240.
This usage log is signed with the user device,
The service provider 240 performs a verification process. The signature of the service provider is added to the reception log generated by the service provider 240 and sent to the clearing center 260, and the verification is performed by the clearing center 260. Also clearing center 2
The signature issued by the clearing center is added to the issuance log issued by the user device 60 and transmitted to the user device 220, and the verification process is executed in the user device 220.

(3-4) Serial Number Assignment Method In the description of FIG. 6 described above, each of the issue log, the use log, and the reception log has its own log creator, that is,
A clearing center is assigned to an issuance log, a user device is assigned to a usage log, and a serial number unique to a service provider is assigned to a reception log. An example of the serial number assignment method will be described. Each log creator generates the next serial number N2 using the unique secret key K (for example, stored in the SAM) and the assigned serial number N1.
For example, N2 = DES (K, N1). Clearing center 2 that finally receives the reception log including each log information
Numeral 60 manages all the user devices to which serial numbers are assigned and the secret key K of the service provider, and when receiving a reception log, checks the serial number of each log and verifies the presence or absence of an incorrect serial number. . If a fraud is found, the settlement process based on the receipt log is stopped. By managing serial numbers in this way, it is possible to prevent unauthorized transfer of money

(3-5) Mutual Authentication Processing and Data Communication The user device 220, service provider 240, clearing center 260, and account management organization 28 shown in FIG.
Data communication regarding payment of the content fee between the 0s is transmitted as encrypted data. For example, the information of various logs described with reference to FIG. 6 is encrypted and transferred. Although various modes are possible as the encryption processing method, FIG.
Executes a mutual authentication process using the public key certificate issued by the public key certificate issuing authority (IA) 410 described in the above, generates a session key at the time of the mutual authentication process, and shares the generated session key. A configuration in which data is transmitted by performing an encryption process as a key is one preferable method.

A mutual authentication method using a common key cryptosystem is described as follows.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 10, DES is used as the common key cryptosystem, but any common key cryptosystem may be used as described above. In FIG. 10, A and B correspond to two components that execute communication between the user device 220, the service provider 240, the clearing center 260, and the account management institution 280 in FIG.

First, B generates a 64-bit random number Rb, and transmits Rb and its own ID, ID (b), to A. Upon receiving this, A newly receives a 64-bit random number R
a, and encrypts the data in the order of Ra, Rb and ID (b) using the key Kab in the DES CBC mode,
Return to. According to the DES CBC mode processing configuration shown in FIG. 7, Ra is M1, Rb is M2, and ID (b) is M3.
And E1 and E when the initial value: IV = 0
2, E3 is a ciphertext.

[0105] Upon receiving this, B transmits the received data to the key Ka.
b. In the method of decrypting the received data, first, the ciphertext E1 is decrypted with the key Kab to obtain a random number Ra. Next, the ciphertext E2 is decrypted with the key Kab, and the result and E1
Is exclusive-ORed to obtain Rb. Finally, the ciphertext E3 is decrypted with the key Kab, and the result is exclusively ORed with E2 to obtain ID (b). Ra, Rb, I thus obtained
It verifies that Rb and ID (b) of D (b) match those transmitted by B. If this verification passes, B becomes A
Is authenticated as valid.

Next, B generates a session key (Session Key (hereinafter referred to as Kses)) to be used after authentication (a random number is used as a generation method). And Rb, Ra,
In the order of Kses, the data is encrypted using the key Kab in the DES CBC mode, and is returned to A.

[0107] Upon receiving this, A transmits the received data to the key Ka.
b. The method of decoding the received data is the same as the decoding process of B, and thus the details are omitted here. It verifies that Rb and Ra among the Rb, Ra, and Kses thus obtained match those transmitted by A. If the verification passes, A authenticates B as valid. After mutually authenticating each other, the session key Kse
s is used as a common key for secret communication after authentication.

[0108] If an invalid or inconsistent data is found during the verification of the received data, the process is interrupted assuming that the mutual authentication has failed.

Next, a mutual authentication method using a 160-bit elliptic curve cryptosystem which is a public key cryptosystem will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 11, ECC is used as a public key cryptosystem, but any public key cryptosystem may be used as described above. The key size is 160
It does not have to be a bit. In FIG. 11, first, B is 6
A 4-bit random number Rb is generated and transmitted to A. Upon receiving this, A newly receives a 64-bit random number Ra and characteristic p
Generate a smaller random number Ak. Then, a point Av = Ak × G obtained by multiplying the base point G by Ak is obtained, and Ra, R
b, electronic signature for Av (X coordinate and Y coordinate) Sig
Is generated and returned to B together with A's public key certificate. Here, Ra and Rb are each 64 bits, and X of Av
Since the coordinate and the Y coordinate are each 160 bits, an electronic signature for a total of 448 bits is generated. The method of generating the electronic signature has been described with reference to FIG.

When using the public key certificate, the user verifies the electronic signature of the public key certificate by using the public key of the public key certificate issuing authority (IA) 410 held by the user. After the signature has been successfully verified, the public key is extracted from the public key certificate, and the public key is used. Therefore, all users who use the public key certificate need to hold a common public key certificate authority (IA) public key. In addition,
The method of verifying the electronic signature has been described with reference to FIG.

Returning to FIG. 11, the description will be continued. A public key certificate, Ra, Rb, Av, digital signature B that receives Sig verifies that Rb transmitted by A matches the one generated by B. As a result, if they match, the digital signature in the public key certificate of A is verified with the public key of the certificate authority, and the public key of A is extracted. And A taken out
Digital signature using the public key of A. Verify Sig. Since the method of verifying the electronic signature has been described with reference to FIG. 9, the details are omitted. After successfully verifying the electronic signature, B authenticates A as valid.

Next, B generates a random number Bk smaller than the characteristic p. And the point B obtained by multiplying the base point G by Bk
v = Bk × G, and a digital signature B.V. for Rb, Ra, Bv (X coordinate and Y coordinate). Generate Sig and send it back to A along with B's public key certificate.

B's public key certificate, Rb, Ra, Bv, digital signature A that has received Sig, R that B has transmitted
Verify that a matches the one generated by A. As a result, if they match, the electronic signature in B's public key certificate is verified with the public key of the certificate authority, and B's public key is extracted. Then, using the public key of B, the digital signature B.
Verify Sig. After successfully verifying the electronic signature, A authenticates B as valid.

If both are successfully authenticated, B becomes Bk
XAv (Bk is a random number, but Av is a point on an elliptic curve, so a scalar multiplication of a point on the elliptic curve is required), A calculates Ak × Bv, and calculates the X coordinate of these points The lower 64 bits are used as a session key for subsequent communication (when the common key encryption is a 64-bit key length common key encryption). Of course, the session key may be generated from the Y coordinate, and may not be the lower 64 bits. In the secret communication after the mutual authentication, the transmission data may not only be encrypted with the session key but also may be digitally signed.

In the case of verifying the digital signature or the verification of the received data, if an invalid or inconsistent is found, the process is interrupted assuming that the mutual authentication has failed.

In such a mutual authentication process, the user device 220, the service provider 240, the clearing center 260, and the account management institution 280 encrypt the transmission data using the generated session key and perform data communication with each other. Execute

When the user device 220 requests the content from the service provider 240 and receives the content, the payment process of the content fee is performed by subtracting the content fee from the balance of the electronic money 221 and further using the usage log information. The service provider 240 generates information, that is, a usage log corresponding to the amount paid for the content, a usage amount corresponding to the amount paid, information on a charge receiving destination, usage service information, and a serial number recorded on the user device side. This is the process of transmitting to.

Returning to FIG. 4, description of the content transaction processing in the content transaction system of the present invention will be continued.

The user device 220 requests the content from the service provider 240, which is the content provider (process (1) shown in FIG. 4).

The service provider 240 transmits the content requested by the user device 220 to the user device (processing (2) shown in FIG. 4). Note that the content transmitted here is an encrypted content obtained by encrypting content data using a content key. The service provider 240, in addition to the encrypted content,
Content price and content price information as content fee payee information, which will be described further below,
The usage period of the content, the number of times that the content can be copied, and the like are set as sales condition information (UCP: Usage Control Policy), and an electronic signature is further added to the content and transmitted to the user device. The service provider 240 can set various usage conditions of the content. The configuration of these transfer contents (secure container) will be described later.

Next, the user device 220 withdraws from the electronic money 221 an amount corresponding to a predetermined usage fee for the content and pays the service provider 240.

More specifically, in these fee processes, the usage fee is reduced from the balance of the electronic money 221 of the user device 220 shown in FIG. 4, and the issue log information, the content usage fee, and the content usage fee are reduced. The service provider 240 generates a usage log 252 having, as data, usage information composed of data recording reception destination information and the like.
(Process (3) shown in FIG. 4). The transfer of the usage log data is performed as described above.
A mutual authentication process is performed between the user device 220 and the service provider 240, and an electronic signature is created by the user device 220 and transferred.

The service provider 240 verifies the use log 252 received from the user device 220, and when the validity of the data is confirmed, the content provider uses the content key used for decrypting the encrypted content in the authentication processing described above. The data is encrypted with the generated session key and transmitted to the user device 220. The user device decrypts and uses the encrypted content using the content key obtained by decrypting the encrypted content key with the session key.

The service provider 240 further generates, based on the usage log 252 received from the user device 220, a reception log 253 having reception information including the payment source of the content usage fee, the reception date and time, and the like described in FIG. To the clearing center 260 (processing (4) shown in FIG. 4). Also in this data transfer, a mutual authentication process between the service provider 240 and the clearing center 260 is executed, and an electronic signature is performed by the service provider 240 to execute the data transfer.

The clearing center 260 verifies the reception log 253 received from the service provider 240, and when the validity of the data is confirmed, the payment processing by the electronic money based on the reception log 253, that is, on the electronic data, Payment processing will be performed.

First, the clearing center 260 extracts the corresponding user data in the user management server based on the data in the reception log, and confirms that the payment processing by the electronic money of the user managed by the clearing center 260 is performed. Confirm. Further, the clearing center 260 transmits the actual cash transfer information relating to the settlement process to the account management institution 280 as a transfer request (the process (5) shown in FIG. 4).

The account management institution 280 executes the amount transfer and transfer processing between the service provider account 282 and the user electronic money account 283 managed by the clearing center based on the transfer request from the clearing center 260 (FIG. (Process (6) shown in FIG. 4). Note that, as described above, the transfer destination is not limited to one provider, and in the case of a plurality of related destinations, for example, a content creator, a content store, and the like, a transfer process for another account 285 is also performed. Further, these processes may be performed collectively for a plurality of reception logs. Note that the process (6) shown in FIG. 4 is performed in the same financial institution (for example, a bank) if each account is in the same financial institution, but different if the account exists in a different financial institution. This is performed as a money transfer and transfer process between financial institutions. These amount allocations are recorded in the reception log, and the clearing center 260 issues a transfer request to the account management organization 280 according to the allocation information recorded in the reception log.
The distribution of the content fee will be described later.

The content usage fee distribution information is shown in FIG.
"Receiver" in the usage information in the usage log included in the reception log of "", "Payer" information of the reception information in the reception log,
The clearing center 260 determines the transfer configuration based on this information, and makes a transfer request to the account management organization 280.

When the money transfer and the transfer processing as the money transfer by the account management institution 280 are executed, the account management institution 2
80, the clearing center 260
(Process (7) shown in FIG. 4).

Upon receiving the transfer processing confirmation response, the clearing center 260 updates the payment data stored in the payment server 262 and executes the payment processing of the electronic money (processing (8) shown in FIG. 4). The balance data updating process of the user balance management server 263 in which the user's electronic money balance is registered is executed (process (9) shown in FIG. 4). When these processes are executed normally, the balance of the user balance management server 263 of the clearing center 260,
The balance with the user electronic money account 283 managed by the clearing center of the account management institution 280 matches.

[4. Content Configuration Enabling Secondary Distribution] In the content transaction system of the present invention, the content to be distributed is configured as described below, thereby enabling content distribution between a plurality of different users,
In addition, the content usage fee can be collected even during distribution between users.

There are two forms of content distribution between users described below. One is a form in which contents are sequentially traded between different users in series, such as user A to user B, and further, user B to user C. This series of content distribution between users is described below.
Called "inter-generational distribution." In another distribution mode, content purchased by user A is transmitted from user A to users B, C,
D, etc., in a form of parallel distribution. That is, the same content is distributed from one user to a plurality of users in parallel. This parallel content distribution is hereinafter referred to as “secondary distribution”.

FIG. 12 shows a configuration of a secure container (Content Container) including contents distributed in the content transaction system of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 12, the secure container includes a content 1201 encrypted by a content key, a price of the content, a destination of the content fee, price information 1202 including distribution information, and a usage condition of the content, for example, “inter-generation distribution”. "Resale conditions when resale such as" secondary distribution "is prohibited, content that can be distributed only once, multiple resale is possible, or multiple resale is possible For example, the contents are contents for which “inter-generational distribution” up to two times and “secondary distribution” up to three times are permitted, or a sales condition (UCP) 1203 as setting information such as a usable period, It is configured to include the digital signature 1204 of the creator of the secure container.

Price information 1202 and sales conditions 1203 are
An electronic signature set by any of a content creator, a content provider, a service provider, and the like is a signature by an organization that manages distribution of content. If the organization managing the distribution of the content is a service provider, the signature of the service provider is used.

FIG. 13 shows a specific configuration example of the sales conditions (UCP) 1203, and FIG. 14 shows a specific configuration example of the price information 1202. As shown in FIG. 13, the sales conditions (UCP) include:
A content identifier (ID), available device conditions that set a user device that can use the content, a region code that sets a region where the content can be used, and a usage right type indicating how the content may be used (for example, "UCP generation management information" 1301 in which the above-mentioned possible number of "inter-generation distribution" is set as the number of times that the content can be reproduced, the number of times that the content can be copied (downloaded), and the number of times that it can be distributed between different user devices, "Secondary delivery number" 1302 in which the number of possible "secondary delivery" is set. The number of deliverable times between users set in the “UCP generation management information” is based on usage control information (UCS: Usage Control Status) stored in a memory in the user device according to the content (FIG. 1).
6) is the original data of “UCS generation management information” and “UCS secondary distribution possible number”, and the availability of each process is determined based on “UCS generation management information” and “UCS secondary distribution possible number”. Is done. The “UCS generation management information” is updated for each inter-generation distribution of the content, and the “UCS secondary distribution possible number” is updated for each secondary distribution of the content.

Based on the “UCS generation management information” recorded in the UCS in the user device, whether or not inter-generation distribution is possible is determined. That is, it is possible to perform inter-generational distribution of content with the number of times of inter-generational distribution set in “UCP generation management information” of the sales conditions (UCP) in the secure content as the limit number. An inter-generational distribution of the content beyond that will result in an error and will not be executed. Similarly, "UCS secondary delivery possible number" recorded in UCS in the user device
, The possibility of secondary distribution is determined. That is, the secondary distribution of the content can be performed with the number of times of secondary distribution set in the “number of times of secondary distribution possible” set in the sales condition (UCP) in the secure content as the limit number. Subsequent distribution of further content results in an error and is not performed.

As will be described later, the “UCS generation management information” is transmitted between generations, that is, the user who has been provided with the content by inheriting the content during the content transaction between users (transfer of the secure container). In device B, user device A of the content supplier
Based on the UCS (A), a new UCS (B) is generated that inherits the "UCS generation management information" of the UCS (A). For example, when the “UCS generation management information” of UCS (A) is 5, one inter-generational distribution is executed by the inter-generational distribution from the user device A to the user device B, so that the generation is generated in the user device B. UCS
“UCS generation management information” in (B) is set to 4. These processes will be described later in detail.

[0138] Also, regarding the "number of times the secondary distribution is possible", the information is taken over by the user who has performed the secondary distribution, and
The “UCS secondary delivery possible number” is reduced by one, that is, decremented to generate and store a new UCS.

[0139] Alternatively, regarding the secondary distribution, the user device that has received the secondary distribution does not inherit the information of the "number of times that the UCS can be secondaryly distributed" between the users, and the "UCP secondary distribution possible" The number of times may be made valid again. That is, when the “number of times that the UCP can be secondary-distributed” is set to five times, a user who newly receives the content may always be able to perform the secondary distribution of the content five times.

An example of inheritance of inter-generational distribution and secondary distribution will be described. The user (A) who first purchases the content from the service provider is the UCP in the secure container
Based on the “UCP generation management information” and “UCP secondary distribution possible number”, a UCS having “UCS generation management information” and “UCS secondary distribution possible number” is generated and stored.
For example, if “UCP generation management information” = 3 and “UCP secondary distribution possible number” = 5, the user A's UCS
Are generated as “UCS generation management information” = 3 and “UCS secondary delivery possible number” = 5.

When the user (A) distributes the content to the user (B), the “UCS generation management information” of the user A =
3, "UCS secondary delivery possible number" = 4, user B
Is generated as “UCS generation management information” = 2,
The “number of times the UCS can be secondary-distributed” = 5 (4 when inheriting).

Further, when the user (A) distributes the content to the user (C), the “UCS generation management information” of the user A = 3 and the “number of times the UCS can be secondary-distributed” = 3, which are generated by the user C. UCS is "UCS generation management information" =
2, "UCS secondary delivery possible number" = 5 (3 when inheriting).

Further, when the user (B) distributes the content to the user (D), the “UCS generation management information” of the user B = 2, and the “number of times the UCS can be secondary-distributed” = 4 (3 if inherited). And the UCS generated for the user D is “UCS generation management information” = 1, and “the number of times the UCS can be secondary-distributed” = 5 (3 when inheriting).

Further, when the user (D) distributes the content to the user (E), the “UCS generation management information” of the user D = 1, and the “number of times the UCS can be secondary-distributed” = 4 (2 when inheriting). And the UCS generated for the user E is “UCS generation management information” = 0, and “the number of times the UCS can be secondary-distributed” = 5 (2 when inheriting).

Here, since the user (E) has “UCS generation management information” = 0, the user (E) has “UCS secondary distribution possible number”.
No new distribution is possible regardless of the number of settings. The user (A) is delivering to the users (B) and (C), and “UCS secondary delivery possible number” = 3, and delivery is possible three more times. Further, the user (B) is delivering to the user (D), and “UCS secondary delivery possible number” = 4 (3 when inherited), and 4 times (3 when inherited) Times). Further, the user (C) is not performing distribution, and “UCS secondary distribution possible number” = 5 (3 when inherited), and 5
Delivery (three times if inherited) is possible. The user (D) is delivering to the user (E), and “U”
“CS secondary distribution possible number” = 4 (2 when inherited), and distribution can be performed four more times (2 times when inherited).

Thus, "UCS generation management information" = 0
The user device having the changed UCS cannot distribute the content to the other user devices anymore. However, if the “UCS generation management information” is 1 or more, the user can use the “UCS secondary”. The content can be distributed the number of times set in the “number of times that can be distributed”.

In the sales conditions (UCP) of FIG. 13, different contents use conditions are further set as rules 1 to N. These set a plurality of content use conditions that can be selected by the user or the user device or that can be selected by the user, and are set so that, for example, the content price or the like differs according to each rule.

FIG. 14 shows an example of the price information of the secure container shown in FIG.
13 includes a price information ID and a price information version in addition to the information such as the content ID similar to CP).
, Different content usage prices are set as rules 1 to N. In each rule, a content usage price and content profit distribution information are set.

First, the information regarding the payee of the content usage fee in the usage log and the reception log described with reference to FIG.
It is generated based on the above-mentioned secure container sales conditions (UCP) and price information.

FIG. 15 shows a settlement processing configuration in which secondary distribution between a plurality of users is enabled by using the secure container shown in FIG. 12 as distribution content data.

In FIG. 15, the user device A issues a content request to the service provider 240, executes the same authentication processing and signature verification processing as described above, and issues an issue log as payment processing for the content usage fee. A use log A1532 is generated based on A1531, and transmitted to the service provider 240.

The transfer content is encrypted with the content key as described with reference to FIG. 12, and the service provider 240 confirms the signature verification of the usage log A, and then transmits the content to the user device A 1510. hand,
The content key is transmitted after being encrypted. As a key for the encryption process, a session key generated during the authentication process is used. A brief description will be given of a specific processing flow. (1) Mutual authentication processing between the service provider 240 and the user device A 1510, (2) transmission of a secure container from the service provider 240 to the user device A 1510, (3) user device Verification of the signature of the secure container in A1510, (4) user device A1510
, Sales conditions (UCP), price tags (PT)
(5) Payment processing with the electronic money of the user device A 1510, (6) Content key transmission from the service provider 240 to the user device A 1510,
(7) A series of processes of generating and saving usage control information (UCS: Usage Control Status) in the user device A 1510 (save content key). The mutual authentication process between the service provider 240 and the user device A1510 is performed after the purchase determination process in the user device A1510 in (4) and the user device A1510 in (5).
May be executed before the payment processing by electronic money.

The user device A 1510 can use the received encrypted content of the secure container by decrypting it with the content key. The user device A1510 uses a UCS (Usage Control Status: Usage Control) used to determine whether to use the content stored in the user device before using the content, that is, prior to executing the decryption process using the content key of the content. Information) to determine whether the content can be used. The UCS is generated based on the UCP in the cryptographic processing unit in the user device and stored in the memory in the user device when the content purchase processing, that is, the payment by the electronic money is executed to the service provider 240. Is done. This processing will be described with reference to FIG. The decryption processing of the content stored in the secure container in the user device can be executed only when it is determined that the content can be used as a result of checking the UCS.

The encryption processing unit of the user device executes the content decryption processing only when the UCS clears the condition, and does not execute the decryption processing as an error when the UCS does not clear the condition. The UCS set in the user device in this way is included in the user device.
Stores a content use determination program that enables decryption processing only when the use condition is cleared. This content use determination program is provided, for example, by a service provider that provides a secure container, and is set to be executed in a step before executing decryption processing using a content key in a user device.

FIG. 16 shows an example of usage control information (UCS: Usage Control Status) generated in the user device according to the content and stored in the memory in the user device. As shown in FIG. 16, the usage control information (UC
S) includes, in addition to information such as the content ID and the service provider ID, content use restriction information such as the number of remaining reproduction times and the number of remaining copy times. The remaining reproduction count and the remaining copy count are data indicating the remaining reproduction count and the remaining copy count available in the same user device.
Further, the usage control information (UCS) includes “UCS generation management information” 1601 and “UCS secondary delivery possible number” 1
602 are included.

As described above, the “UCS generation management information” sets the possible number of “inter-generation distributions”.
The user device that first purchased the content is shown in FIG.
Is set in the “UCP generation management information” 1301 of the user device, and the user device that has received the content by the inter-generation distribution from the user determines the number of times that the number of inter-generation distributions already executed for the same secure container has been reduced. Is set.

"UCS secondary delivery possible number" 1602 is a field in which the above-mentioned "secondary delivery possible number" is set. The user device that first purchased the content is the "UCP secondary delivery possible number" in FIG. 1302, and the number of updates is updated in accordance with the subsequent secondary distribution, that is, the set number is decremented.

This “UCS secondary distribution possible number” 1602
As described above, there are a configuration in which data is inherited in a content transaction between users and a configuration in which the data is not inherited.

As described above, distribution of content between users is based on usage control information (UCS: Usage Control Stat) stored in a memory in the user device in accordance with the content.
Us), “UCS generation management information” and “UCS secondary distribution possible number” determine whether or not each process can be performed. The “UCS generation management information” is updated for each inter-generation distribution of the content, and the “UCS secondary distribution possible number” is updated for each secondary distribution of the content.

When the same secure container is transferred and transferred between different users, the "UCS generation management information" of UCS is inherited from the content provider to the content provider, and the UC generated at the content provider is generated.
It is stored in S. The “number of times the UCS can be secondary-distributed” has a configuration to be inherited and a configuration not to be inherited.

The use restriction information recorded in the “UCS generation management information” is data that is sequentially updated even when the contents in the same secure container are used by different user devices. For example, if the three-time intergenerational distribution limit is set in the secure container sales conditions (UCP), the "UCS generation management information" of the first secure container purchaser (user device A) includes:
First, three generations of inter-generational distribution are set. However, when user A executes content distribution to user B, "UCS generation management information" of user B is set to 2.

As described above, the upper limit of the number of distribution times is set in the “UCP generation management information” and the “number of UCP secondary distribution times” of the sales conditions (UCP) of the secure container. "UCS generation management information" and "UCS secondary distribution possible number" are also stored in the UCS generated in the user device, and the above-mentioned content use determination program uses "UCS generation management information" and "UCS secondary distribution possible number". When the secure container is transmitted to a different user device beyond the set upper limit of the number of distribution times, the content usage determination program executed as a step before the transmission processing determines that If the distribution is determined, a processing error occurs and the content transmission processing is not executed. Only when the upper limit value of the number of distributions set in “UCP generation management information” and “UCS secondary distribution possible number” is not exceeded, the processing shifts to the transmission processing of the content between the user devices, and the generation distribution of the content is performed. Secondary distribution becomes possible. That is, transfer between user devices (inter-generational distribution or secondary distribution) is performed based on “UCP generation management information” set as sales conditions (UCP) at the time of generation of the secure container, and “the number of possible UCP secondary distributions”. Is possible only within the range of the condition.

Returning to FIG. 15, a description will be given of a content usage fee collection configuration by issuing a reception log from a content providing user device in content distribution between users.

In FIG. 15, first, the service provider 2
From 40, the content as a secure container is provided to the user device A, and the user device A
The content usage fee is paid by the electronic money 1511. Specifically, the user device A generates a usage log A1532 based on the price information, the sales conditions, and the issuance log A1531 in the secure container, and transfers the generated usage log A1532 to the service provider. A receiving log A1533 is generated based on A1532, and the receiving log A1533 is transferred to the clearing center 260. The clearing center 260 performs settlement processing based on the receiving log. The actual transfer of the usage fee is executed by the account management organization 280 based on the transfer request of the clearing center 260.

The structure of the reception log has been described briefly with reference to FIG. 6. Another specific example of the reception information forming the reception log is shown in FIG. The reception information includes distribution information of the content usage fee. In the data section 1701 of the reception information in FIG. 17, the profit / margin of the content provider, the profit / margin of the service provider, and the profit / margin of other related parties are recorded. The reception information shown here is an example, and for example, a profit distribution may be set for the user device that has performed the secondary distribution, or the management user who manages the user device, or the sales of the content may be performed on a CD, a DVD, or the like. In the case where the distribution is performed via media, it is possible to set a profit distribution to the store, set a profit distribution to the clearing center, or set a profit distribution to the content creator.

The profit distribution information set in the reception information is information set based on the price information of the secure container (see FIG. 14) and the sales conditions (see FIG. 13). Set information and distribute content. The clearing center constructs a settlement processing configuration in accordance with the distribution information recorded in the reception information, and outputs a transfer request to the account management institution 280 based on this, and the account management institution 280 performs the transfer processing in accordance with the request. Execute. On the other hand, the receipt information is as shown in FIG. 6, and the clearing center 260 pays all the sales to the service provider, and the service provider 2
40 may be configured to share profits with other content providers.

As shown in FIG. 17, the received information includes
“UCP generation management information” 1702 included in the sales conditions of the secure container is stored, and the clearing center
The number of received logs issued based on the same container is compared with the "UCP generation management information" recorded in the reception information. If the reception log exceeds the setting of "UCP generation management information", the processing is performed with the received log invalid. Absent.

As described above, by the service provider 240 distributing the secure container, the content is used in accordance with the data recorded in the secure container, and a receipt log is issued with the use and the issued content is issued. Accurate collection of the content usage fee is automatically performed based on the receipt log.

Further, the distribution of contents between different user devices will be described with reference to FIG. The secure container acquired by the user device A 1510 and subjected to, for example, a predetermined number of times of reproduction or download processing can be transferred to a different user device B 1520. However, for contents that can be distributed between generations or secondary distribution, as described above, the “UCP generation management information” and “UCP secondary distribution count” of the sales conditions of the secure container are set so that secondary distribution is possible. Only if you have. In this case, the secure container can be transferred to the user device B 1520. However, as described above, transfer is possible only when the number of times set in the "UCS generation management information" and "UCS secondary delivery possible number" is within the limited range. This is controlled by the content use determination program. Become. In the data transfer between the user devices, the above-described authentication processing, session key generation, and signature verification processing of the transferred data are executed.

When the user device B1520 receives the secure container and executes the purchase process, the issuance log B15
51, a usage log B1552 is generated, and the generated usage log B1552 is transferred to the user device A1510.
1 is processed for payment. User device A1510
Is the reception log B1553 based on the usage log B1552.
Is generated and the reception log B is transferred to the clearing center 260, and the clearing center 260 performs the settlement processing based on the reception log B. The actual usage fee is transferred by the account management organization 280 based on a transfer request from the clearing center 260. The reception log B in this case also includes content usage fee distribution information similar to that described with reference to FIG. 17 described above, and the clearing center 260 uses the user device based on the content usage fee distribution information in the reception log. The usage fee distribution based on the content usage of B1520 is executed.

As described above, the secure container can be distributed between users up to the restrictions set in the container sales conditions (UCP), and if it is within the range, it is shown in FIG. As described above, the secure container having the content can be distributed from the user device B 1520 to another user device C 1570. In this case, the user device B 1520 generates a reception log based on the usage log from the user device C 1570, transmits the reception log to the clearing center 260, and performs settlement.

As shown in FIG. 15, the reception log is transmitted to the service provider 240. In the secondary distribution, the service provider 240 does not settle the usage fee of the content, but the service provider 240 gives the content provider a user. You may be comprised so that the point for giving a certain privilege may be given. This point giving structure will be described later.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram mainly showing a user device configuration for executing a process of transferring a secure container between user devices. Using FIG. 18, secure container transfer, content usage control information (UCS) generation,
The storage processing will be described.

The service provider 1810 shown in FIG.
Perform the first distribution (primary distribution) of the secure container.
The service provider 1810 stores content in a content database 1812, and further stores user information in a user information database 1813. Under the control of the control unit 1811, the service provider 1810 causes the encryption processing unit 1814 to perform mutual authentication processing with the transfer destination required for the transfer processing of the secure container, signature processing for the transfer data, and the like. Encryption processing unit 1814
Transmits the key information required for each of these cryptographic processes, the public key of the public key certificate issuing authority (IA) described above, the public key certificate issued by the public key certificate issuing authority (IA), and the like. It has a retained memory.

The clearing center 1 shown in FIG.
840 performs the settlement (contents on electronic money) processing of the content usage fee accompanying the content distribution. The clearing center 1840 executes authentication processing with each device in receiving a receipt log or issuing log transmission for settlement performed via the communication unit 1845, and performs encryption processing for executing signature processing and signature verification processing on transmitted / received data. Processing unit 18
44, and a database 1842 storing various data for user management and user balance management described with reference to FIGS. Encryption processing unit 184
4 includes key information required for each encryption process, a public key of a public key certificate issuing authority (IA), and a public key certificate issuing authority (IA).
Has a memory holding a public key certificate issued by the company. The control unit 1841 controls data transmission / reception, data transfer at the time of encryption processing in the encryption processing unit, and the like.

The service provider 1810 transmits a secure container to the user device A 1820 via the communication unit 1.
When the user device A 1820 receives the transfer via the communication unit 1827 and executes the purchase process, the user device A 1820
Under the above control, the encryption processing unit 1822 generates content use restriction information (UCS) based on the sales conditions (UCP) of the secure container and the like, and stores this in a memory 1824 such as a flash memory.

The user device A 1820 generates a content usage fee payment process using the electronic money 1828, that is, generates the above-described usage log in the encryption processing unit 1822, and sends the service log to the service provider 181
Send to 0. The secure container received by the user device A 1820 is stored in a storage unit 1825 such as a hard disk.
Is stored in The service provider 1810 verifies the usage log transmitted from the user device A 1820, and when the verification is completed, encrypts the content key with the session key and transmits the content key to the user device A 1820. The user device A1820 decrypts the encrypted content key with the session key, and further decrypts the decrypted content key with the user device A1820.
20 and stored in the memory 1824.

When using the content such as content reproduction in the data reproduction unit 1826, the user device A 1820 decrypts the content key stored in the memory 1824 with the storage key, and uses the decrypted content key to store the content in the storage unit 1.
The content in the secure container stored in 825 is decrypted and reproduced in the data reproducing unit 1826.
In the process of decrypting the content in the secure container, as a preceding step, setting conditions such as the number of remaining reproductions of the content use restriction information (UCS) stored in the memory 1824 are determined, and when the condition is cleared. Can be decoded.

Further, when distributing the secure container from the user device A 1820 to the user device B 1830, the user device A 1820 stores the secure container in the memory 1824.
The content usage restriction information (UCS) is read out from the storage device and decrypted with the storage key in the encryption processing unit 1822 (the decryption process is unnecessary if the content is not encrypted), and the UCS “UCS generation management information” and “UCS secondary The number of times of distribution is determined, and when it is determined that new distribution is possible, the secure container is transmitted to the user device B 1830 by the communication unit 1827.
, And the user device B 1830 receives this via the communication unit 1837, and executes a purchase process.
Under the control of the control unit 1831, the user device B 1830 controls the encryption processing unit 1832 to change the sales conditions (UCP) of the secure container and the UC of the user device A 1820.
New “UCS generation management information” based on S information etc.,
The content usage restriction information (UCS-B) in which the “number of times the UCS can be secondary-distributed” is set is generated and stored in a memory 1834 such as a flash memory.

The UCS-B generated at this time inherits the content use history of the user device A 1820 as described above. As described above, the UCS-B "U
The “CS generation management information” is set as the number of times subtracted by one from the “UCS generation management information” of UCS-A. UCS-B
Of "UCS secondary delivery count" is the UCS-A "UCS
There is a configuration in which the number is set as one less than the "number of possible secondary distributions" and a configuration in which the same number of times as the "number of UCP secondary distributions" in the secure container is newly set.

The user device B 1830 executes the content usage fee payment processing by the electronic money 1838, that is, generates the above-described usage log in the encryption processing unit 1832, and transmits the usage log to the user device A 1820 via the communication unit 1837.
Send to The secure container received by the user device B 1830 is stored in the storage unit 1835 such as a hard disk. The user device A 1820 verifies the usage log transmitted from the user device B 1830,
After the verification, the content key is read from the memory 1824, decrypted with the storage key, encrypted with the session key, and transmitted to the user device B 1830. The user device B 1830 decrypts the encrypted content key with the session key, encrypts the decrypted content key with the storage key unique to the user device B 1830, and stores the decrypted content key in the memory 1
834.

Further, if the usage exceeding the setting is performed due to unauthorized tampering, the number of received logs generated based on the same secure container is changed according to the sales conditions (UC
Since it exceeds the setting of “UCP generation management information” included in P), it is determined to be invalid when sent to the clearing center 1840. As shown in FIG. 17, “UCP generation management information” recorded in the secure container is recorded in the reception log together with information such as the content ID, and in the settlement processing in the clearing center 1840, “UCP generation management information” is used. If a reception log exceeding the setting of “Information” is received, this is invalidated. It should be noted that, for a reception log generated based on content for which distribution between users is not permitted, a process of invalidating the reception log is executed.

When using the content such as content playback in the data playback unit 1836, the user device B 1830 decrypts the content key stored in the memory 1834 with the storage key, and uses the decrypted content key to store the content in the storage unit 1
The content in the secure container stored in the 835 is decrypted and reproduced in the data reproducing unit 1836.
When decrypting the content in the secure container, as described above, as a preceding step,
The availability status such as the number of remaining reproductions set in the content usage restriction information (UCS) stored in the memory 1834 is determined, and the content can be used, that is, decrypted, within the set condition range.

Through these processes, the secure container can perform primary distribution between the service provider and the user device, and secondary distribution (inter-generational distribution or secondary distribution) between a plurality of user devices. This is possible within a range limited by “UCP generation management information” and “UCP secondary distribution possible number” included in the sales conditions (UCP) in the secure container. In addition, the collection of content usage fees associated with primary distribution and secondary distribution (inter-generational distribution or secondary distribution) can be automatically processed according to the receipt log generated based on price information, sales conditions, etc. in the secure container. Therefore, a new process for the payment process is not required.

Next, the main processing flow of the user device A as the content supply side and the user device B as the content reception side when performing inter-generational distribution and secondary distribution of content will be described with reference to FIG. .

First, in step S1901, a mutual authentication process between the user device A and the user device B (see FIGS. 10 and 11) is executed. In this mutual authentication process, a session key is generated. Step S19
If it is determined in step 02 that mutual authentication has not been established, an error occurs, and the subsequent processing is not continued. If necessary, retry the mutual authentication process.

If mutual authentication is established, step S190
In 3, the user device A reads the secure container from a storage medium such as a hard disk, and further reads the content use restriction information (UCS (A)) stored in a memory such as a flash memory in step S1904.

[0188] In step S1905, the user device A transmits the secure container and the content use restriction information (UCS) to the user device B. In this transmission, the user device A performs a signature process on the transmission data. Note that the content usage restriction information (UC
It is not essential to send the entire S (A)), and only the data that needs to be taken over as update data, such as the aforementioned “UCS generation management information”, is used as the content usage restriction information (U
CS (A)) and send it to the user device B.

[0189] In step S1906, the user device B executes signature verification of the secure container and the content use restriction information (UCS (A)) sent from the user device A. If the verification is not satisfied, an error occurs and the processing is terminated without continuing.

In step S1907, the user device B pays a content usage fee by electronic money. The payment fee at this time is specified in the price information of the secure container and the sales conditions. The specific process of the user device B is a process of generating a usage log and sending it to the device A. At this time, the signature of the user device B is added to the usage log.

Next, in step S1908, the user device A verifies the signature of the usage log sent from the user device B. If the validation fails,
An error occurs and the process ends without continuing.

In step S1909, the user device A retrieves the content key encrypted with the storage key (stored in the memory of the encryption processing unit of the user device A) from the memory, and performs decryption processing using the storage key. And then re-encrypted with the session key (generated during the authentication process in step S1901). In step S1910,
The content key encrypted with the session key is transmitted to the user device B.

[0193] In step S1911, the user device B has taken over the generation management information (or the generation management information + the number of possible secondary distributions) based on the content use restriction information (UCS (A)) received from the user device A. It generates new content use restriction information (UCS (B)), decrypts the content key encrypted with the session key received from the user device A with the session key, and further decrypts the content key of the user device B. Re-encrypt with the storage key stored in the memory. Step S19
In 12, the content use restriction information (UCS (B))
Then, the content key encrypted with the storage key is stored in a memory such as a flash memory.

In step S1913, the user device A generates a reception log based on the usage log received from the user device B, and transmits this to the clearing center. Note that the signature of the user device A is attached to this reception log. After verifying the signature, the clearing center performs a settlement process based on the receipt log. In addition, as described above, instead of the settlement processing based on the reception log, a process of setting some preferential points for the user device that has performed the secondary distribution of the content or the management user who manages the user device is performed, for example. In the case where the service log is executed by the service provider, the reception log may be transmitted to the service provider, and the point addition processing may be executed in the user database on the service provider side. Note that the reception log is not transmitted immediately, but is stored in a memory for recording and managing electronic money, and the transmission processing is performed at an appropriate timing, for example, after accumulating a predetermined number of reception logs or at predetermined intervals. May be executed.

[5. Point addition process in secondary distribution of content] As described above, the secondary distribution of content using a secure container between user devices can all be grasped and managed by a reception log.

[0196] Here, a preferential treatment point for giving a certain privilege to a user who has secondary-distributed the content by using the reception log is used to manage the user device or the user device as the content provider at the time of secondary distribution. A configuration will be described in which the secondary distribution of content between users is more activated by giving the content to an administrative user who performs the content distribution.

In the above-described configuration, the profit / margin of the content provider, the profit / margin of the service provider, and the like are recorded in the reception information (see FIG. 17) included in the reception log, and the clearing center records them. Based on the data, the payment processing of the content usage fee, specifically, the processing of allocating the content usage fee paid by the user to the content provider, the service provider, the other content sales store, and the content creator is executed. I was

First, point addition information for the user device that has performed the secondary distribution or the management user who manages the user device is set in the reception information described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 17, and the reception including the point addition information is set. By transmitting a reception log having information to, for example, a service provider (see FIG. 15), the service provider can provide a user device that has performed secondary distribution or an administrative user who manages a user device that has performed secondary distribution. On the other hand, it is possible to add some preferential treatment points. The preferential treatment point is, for example, one point per one secondary distribution of one secure container, and discounts the provision price of new content according to the number of points.
Alternatively, it is possible to relax the use restriction of the content, for example, to increase the number of times of reproduction and the like and set it.

The processing of the preferential treatment points may be performed by a service provider, a clearing center, a content provider, or another service organization. Here, an example in which the service provider performs the point processing will be described. FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating the point processing.

Referring to FIG. 1 to No. 5 is
The time-series processing order is shown. No. 1, No. The processing of No. 2 is the same as the processing described in FIG.
No. In the process 3, in the secondary distribution of the content (secure container) from the user device A 1510 to the user device B 1520, the reception log B 1553 generated by the user device A 1510 based on the usage log B 1552 issued by the user device B 1520 is transmitted to the service provider 240. This is the process of sending.

The service provider 240 performs the point addition processing (the processing of No. 4 in FIG. 20) based on the reception log B1553 generated by the secondary distribution of the content (secure container) from the user device A 1510 to the user device B 1520. Execute

FIG. 21 shows a data configuration example of the user management database 1534 of the service provider 240. Each data entry includes a user ID indicating the user who provided the content and a user device I as shown in FIG.
D, a content ID indicating the provided content, a reception log ID as an identifier of a reception log based on the secondary distribution, and point data based on the secondary distribution are set.

The service provider 240 counts the total points for each user or the total points for each user device from these data, and can give a privilege to the user or user device that has reached a predetermined point, for example. Becomes As the privilege, for example, it is possible to discount the price of the next content, relax the restrictions on the use of the content, or provide a prize service.

The point adding process by the service provider and the content usage fee settlement process by the clearing center can be executed by sending a receipt log to each of them. It is also possible to execute both processes in parallel.

[6. Specific Example of Payment Processing] Next, a specific processing example in the content transaction system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 22 shows a specific example of the settlement processing in the clearing center and the account management organization. In FIG. 22, a user device 2210 purchases content from a service provider or user device B 2220. In this example, the content usage fee is 1
Suppose it is 000 yen. The usage price and the distribution information of the usage fee collected from the content user are recorded in the price information and the sales conditions of the secure container storing the content.

First, the process of setting the amount of money available for electronic money of the user device A 2210 will be described. User A, an administrative user managing user device A 2210, has an account management institution 2240, for example a bank.
Has an account 2241 of user A for 100,000 yen. At the request of the user A, the account management organization 2240
The amount available for the electronic money, 10,000 yen, is transferred to the user A's electronic money account of the clearing center 2230 that manages the electronic money. This processing is notified to the clearing center 2230 that executes the settlement processing on the electronic data of the electronic money, and the clearing center 2230 is executed.
230 sets the balance of User A of the user balance management server that manages the electronic money balance of each user installed in the clearing center 2230 to 10,000 yen. After the balance setting, the set amount is notified to the user device A 2210. This notification is executed as a process of generating the issue log 2211 and transmitting it to the user device A 2210. The issuance log transmission process is performed by performing a series of processes such as a mutual authentication process, a signature process of the clearing center, and a signature verification by the user device A.

An amount corresponding to the balance set in the issuance log 2211 can be used in the payment process using electronic money in the user device A 2210. this is,
This matches the balance management data of the clearing center 2230.

[0209] The user device A 2210 withdraws and pays 1,000 yen from the electronic money to use the content. The user device A 2210 executes this payment process as a process of generating a usage log and sending the usage log to the content provider. At the same time, 1000 is subtracted from the balance information, so that the balance is 9,000 yen. The content provider is the service provider or the user device B 2220. The service provider or the user device B 2220 generates a reception log based on the usage log received from the user device A, and sends the generated reception log to the clearing center 2230.

[0210] The clearing center 2230 constructs a settlement structure according to the distribution information recorded in the reception log, and transmits this to the account management institution 2240 as a transfer request. The payment processing configuration here is processing for paying a content usage fee of 1000 yen from the content receiver (user device A 2210) to the content provider (service provider or user device B 2220).

The account management institution 2240 receives the settlement processing configuration data from the clearing center 2230 and executes the transfer processing according to the data. That is, a process of extracting a content usage fee of 1000 yen from the user account 2242 managed by the clearing center and transferring the 1000 yen to the account 2243 of the service provider or the user device B 2220 as the content provider is executed.

After executing a series of these processes, the account management organization 2240 sends the transfer confirmation to the clearing center 223.
Send to 0. Upon receiving the transfer confirmation, the clearing center 2230 updates the data of the user balance management server according to the transfer process. In FIG. 22, the electronic money balance of the user A is set from 10,000 yen to 9000 yen. In the data of the user balance management server, the user B
Remains at 0. This is the account management agency 2240
This is because the account of the user B is an actual account and is not an account indicating the balance of electronic money. That is, there is no balance of the user B or the service provider in the clearing center account 2242.

Next, referring to FIG. 23, the electronic money of each user device generated in the payment of the content fee between the user devices by the secondary distribution (inter-generational distribution or secondary distribution) of the content between the users will be described. An example of the balance update process will be described.

FIG. 23 shows the contents provider 2310
Is distributed to the user device B 2340 via the content service provider 2320 and the user device A 2330, and the user device B 2340
Distributes the content to the user device C2350, and the user device C2350
This is a processing example when a usage fee is paid to 340.

In this example, the usage fee for the content is 500 yen, and the price information and the sales conditions of the secure container storing the content include the account management institution 2 shown in FIG.
It is assumed that distribution information shown in the column of [profit distribution] 370 is recorded. That is, 4
The price is set at 00 yen, the service provider is set at 10 yen, the content providing user is set at 50 yen, and the clearing center is set at 40 yen.

The processing proceeds in the order of (1) to (10) in FIG. First, the management user of the user device C 2350 performs a deposit process (the process of (1) in FIG. 23) on the user C account of the account management institution 2370 and sets an amount usable as electronic money, in this case, 10,000 yen. Request to do so. The account management organization 2370 transfers 10,000 yen from the user C account to the clearing center management account, and transfers this to the clearing center 236.
Notify 0. The clearing center 2360 executes a setting in the user management server and each database of the user balance management server so that the user C can use the electronic money of 10,000 yen, and outputs the issuance log to the user device C2350.
(Process (2) in FIG. 23).

The user device C 2350 receives the content distribution from the user device B 2340 (process (3) in FIG. 23), and makes payment by electronic money. At this time, the balance of electronic money is set to 500
A usage log is recorded to the user device B 2340 in which it is recorded that the payment for the content is paid from the user device C to the user device B by decreasing the amount by the yen (FIG. 2).
3 (4)). In the usage log generated at this time, distribution information recorded in the secure container is recorded.

The user device B 2340 generates a reception log based on the usage log received from the user device C 2350 and transmits it to the clearing center 2360 (processing (5) in FIG. 23). The reception log includes the data recorded in the usage log, and the user device C
From the user to the user device B, and the content charge distribution information is recorded.

The clearing center 2360 checks the reception log against the user data of the user management server, confirms that the request is a settlement request by a user managed by the center, and updates the content charge settlement data of the settlement server. Then, a transfer configuration based on the content fee distribution information is constructed, and a transfer request accompanied by the transfer configuration data is transmitted to the account management institution 2370 (process (6) in FIG. 23).

The account management institution 2370 executes the transfer process for each account according to the [profit distribution] information described in the frame of the account management institution 2370 in FIG. 23 (process (7) in FIG. 23). Although only the electronic money settlement of the user C and the user B is described in the figure, the account management institution 2370 also performs transfer to an account of another content provider or the like. The information on profit distribution is
The information may be extracted from the reception log and transmitted from the clearing center 2360 to the account management organization 2370.

When the transfer process by the account management organization 2370 is completed, a transfer confirmation is notified to the clearing center 2360 (the process of (8) in FIG. 23), and the clearing center 2360 setstles the electronic money information managed by itself. The process, that is, the update process of each user electronic money balance is executed (the process of (9) in FIG. 23). Further, issuance of 50 yen to the user device 2340 that provided the content according to the profit distribution information of the content ((10) in FIG. 23).
Process).

In the series of processes, each means for executing data communication performs a mutual authentication process, a signature process on transmitted data, and a signature confirmation process on received data. Through such a series of processes, in the distribution of the content between the users, the payment process is executed in accordance with the profit distribution information set in the secure container in advance.

In the example of FIG. 23 described above, an example is shown in which the reception log generated by the user device 2340 that has distributed the content to the receiving user devices C and 2350 is directly sent to the clearing center 2360. FIG. 24 shows an example in which the user device that has performed secondary distribution (inter-generational distribution or secondary distribution) of the content sends a reception log to the service provider instead of the clearing center. By sending the receipt log to the service provider instead of the clearing center, the user device can collectively execute various processes associated with content distribution, such as profit distribution processing and point grant management. Further, the clearing center may be configured to execute only the electronic money issuance (management of the issuance log) and the settlement operation based on the reception log.

The processing configuration shown in FIG. 24 will be described.
The processing proceeds in the order of (1) to (22) in FIG. FIG.
4 is an example in which the content is secondarily distributed (inter-generational distribution or secondary distribution) from the user device A 2410 to the user device B 2420. First, user device B
2420 requests (1) content from the user device A 2410. Next, the user device A 2410 transfers the content (secure container) to the user device B 242.
Send to 0 (2). The user device B2420 confirms the sales conditions and the like, executes a purchase process, and pays by electronic money. At this time, the balance information of the electronic money is reduced according to the usage amount of the content ($ 20,000 → $ 1).
9,500) (3). Further, the user device B2
420 generates and sends to the user device A a usage log in which payment of the content is recorded (4).
I do. In the usage log generated at this time, distribution information recorded in the secure container is recorded.

[0225] The user device A 2410 executes signature verification (5) of the usage log, generates and stores (6) a reception log based on the usage log, and transmits (7) the content key to the user device B 2420. The reception log includes data recorded in the usage log, and records that the payment of the content is paid from the user device C to the user device B, and the content fee distribution information. The user device A 2410 transmits the generated receipt log to the service provider 2430 (8).

Service Provider 2 Received Receipt Log
430 verifies the signature of the receipt log, executes processing in accordance with the profit distribution information and the point grant information recorded in the reception log, and stores the processed data in the user management database or the profit distribution management server. When a series of these processes is completed, the service provider 2430 transfers the reception log to the clearing center 2440 (10).

The clearing center 2440 checks the received log against the user data of the user management server, confirms that the request is a settlement request by a user managed by the center, and updates the content charge settlement data of the settlement server. Then, a transfer request from the clearing center management account of the content fee to the account of the service provider is transmitted to the account management organization 2450 (11).

The account management organization 2450 executes the transfer from the clearing center management account 2451 to the service provider management account 2452 based on the transfer request from the clearing center 2440 (12). In this example, the profit distribution process based on the profit distribution information is managed by the service provider, so the process based on the transfer request from the clearing center 2440 is the transfer process from the clearing center management account 2451 to the service provider management account 2452. Only. That is, as shown in the figure, the clearing center management account 2451 is changed from $ 30,000 to $ 29,500, and the service provider account 2452 is changed from $ 0 to $ 500. When the transfer of the account management organization 2450 is completed, the account management organization 2450 ends.
Sends a transfer confirmation to the clearing center 2440 (1
3) Then, the clearing center 2440 sets the user device B in the electronic money balance management server based on the transfer confirmation.
Update (14) the balance data of user B who is the management user of 2420 (the balance of user B is $ 20,000
From $ 19,500). With this update,
Electronic money balance of user device B 2420 ($ 19,
500) is the clearing center 2440
Of the user B in the electronic money balance management server (# 19,500).

Next, the clearing center 2440 reports (15) to the service provider 2430 that the payment processing of the content fee from the user device B 2420 has been completed. Upon receiving the report from the clearing center 2440, the service provider 2430 transmits (16) a transfer request based on the profit distribution information previously determined based on the receipt log to the account management organization 2450. The account management organization 2450 executes a transfer process for each account according to the distribution information from the service provider 2430 (17). In the example shown in FIG. 24, the amounts of money are transferred to the account 2453 of the content provider and the account 2454 of the clearing center in accordance with the profit distribution information. That is, by the transfer process, the clearing center management account 2451 becomes $ 29,500 → $ 2
9,550, service provider management account 2452
But $ 500 → $ 10, content provider account 2
453 is changed from $ 0 to $ 400, and the account 2454 of the clearing center is changed from $ 0 to $ 40.

When these transfers by the account management institution 2450 are completed, the account management institution 2450 sends a transfer confirmation indicating the end of the distribution process to the clearing center 2440 (19). Upon receiving the transfer confirmation, the clearing center 2440 executes the electronic money balance change processing of the user device A managed by the clearing center 2440 (changes the balance of the user A from $ 10,000 to $ 10,050) ( 20). This processing is based on the reception log previously received from the service provider 2430,
That is, profit distribution by secondary distribution ($ 50 in the example in the figure)
Is a process passed to the user A who is the management user of the user device A 2410. Clearing center 2440
When the electronic money balance change processing of the user device A by the user is completed, the profit distribution to the user device A (# 5
Send a new issue log having the issue amount of 0) (21)
Then, the user device A 2410 changes the balance of the electronic money based on the issuance log (22) (the balance is changed to $ 10,000).
To $ 10,050).

The issue log sent in (21) of FIG. 21 is processed in the same manner as the additional issue process of the issue log described above, with the “issue log-old” already issued to the user device A 2410 and the electronic money. The clearing center 2440 requests transmission of the balance data, and the user A
And the “issue log-o” received from the user.
A configuration in which the sum of the electronic money usable balance based on “ld” and the new issue log “issuance log-new” is set as the issue amount of the new issue log “issuance log-new” and the new issue log “issuance log-new” is transmitted to the user device A It may be. in this case,
The “issuance log-old” is invalidated in the clearing center 2440.

Next, with reference to FIG. 25, a description will be given of a processing example of a settlement process in content distribution using various logs. FIG. 25 shows an example of a local management system in which the center of management of settlement processing in content distribution is a service provider.

The processing proceeds in the order of the numbers (1) to (18) shown in FIG. In this example, the service provider 25
20 is a processing example in the case where the user device A 2510 purchases a content from the device 20.

First, the user device A 2510 performs processing for registering the clearing center 2530 with the user management server and setting the balance of the electronic money balance management server to the clearing center 2530 in order to enable payment processing using electronic money. On the other hand, it is requested as a deposit instruction (1) (electronic money: $ 0 → $ 10,000). The clearing center 2530 may request the account management institution 254 according to the request.
0, requesting transfer from the user A account 2541 to the clearing center management account 2542, and the account management organization 2540 executes the transfer process according to the request (2) (user A account 2541: $ 10,000 → ¥ 90,
000, Clearing Center account 2542: {0 →}
10,000). Upon completion of the transfer process, an acknowledgment is made to the clearing center 2530, and in response to the response, the clearing center 2530 updates the balance of the user A of the electronic money balance management server according to the payment processing amount (3) ( Electronic money of user A2510: $ 0 → $ 1
000), and transmits an issuance log in which the amount is set as the issuance amount to the user device A 2510 (4).

Next, the user device A 2510 requests the service provider 2520 for the content (5). Next, the service provider 2520 transmits (6) the content (secure container) to the user device A 2510. The user device A 2510 confirms the sales conditions and the like, executes the purchase process, and executes the electronic money balance change (7) as the electronic money payment process (# 1).
0000 → $ 9,500), and generates a usage log in which payment of the content is recorded and sends it to the service provider 2520 (8). In the usage log generated at this time, distribution information recorded in the secure container is recorded.

The service provider 2520 executes signature verification of the usage log (9), acquires content fee distribution information based on the usage log, and generates and stores a reception log (1).
0), and transmits the content key to the user device A 2510 (11). Then, the settlement log is transmitted to the clearing center 2530 at the time of settlement (12).

The clearing center 2530 executes a collation process between the data stored in the reception log and the user data in the user management server, confirms that the settlement request is made by the user managed by the center, and clears the content fee. A transfer request from the ring center management account to the service provider account is transmitted to the account management organization 2540 (13).

The account management organization 2540 executes (14) transfer from the clearing center management account 2542 to the service provider management account 2543 based on the transfer request from the clearing center 2530 (service provider management account 2543: $ 0). → ¥ 500). In this example, since the profit distribution process based on the profit distribution information is managed by the service provider 2520, the process based on the transfer request from the clearing center 2530 is transferred from the clearing center management account 2542 to the service provider management account 2543. Only processing. Account management organization 25
When the transfer is completed, the account management organization 2540 transmits a transfer confirmation to the clearing center 2530 (15),
The clearing center 2530 updates the balance data of the user A (management user of the user device A 2510) in the electronic money balance management server based on the transfer confirmation (16).
($ 10,000 → $ 9,500).

Next, the clearing center 2530 reports to the service provider 2520 that the payment processing of the content fee from the user device A 2510 has been completed as a transfer confirmation (17). Service Provider 25
20 receives the report from the clearing center 2530, and transmits a transfer request based on the profit distribution information previously determined based on the usage log to the account management organization 2540. The account management institution 2540 is the service provider 25
According to the distribution information from 20, the transfer process for each account is executed (18). In the example shown in FIG. 25, the money amount is transferred to the account 2544 of the content provider and the account 2545 of the clearing center according to the profit distribution information. That is, the service provider management account 2543: $ 500 → $ 60, the content provider account 2544: $ 0 → $ 400, and the clearing center account 2545: $ 0 → $ 40 are transferred.

In the example of FIG. 25, the service provider executes various processes associated with content distribution such as profit distribution and point management, and the main business of the clearing center is to manage the balance of electronic money.

Next, with reference to FIG. 26, a description will be given of a processing example of the clearing center management system in which the clearing center manages the balance of the electronic money without executing the balance management in the user device. Processing proceeds in the order of (1) to (15). This example is a processing example in the case where the user device A 2610 purchases content from the service provider 2620.

First, the user device A 2610 sends to the clearing center 2630 a process of registering the clearing center 2630 with the user management server and setting a balance of the electronic money balance management server in order to enable payment processing by electronic money. It is requested as a deposit instruction (1). The clearing center 2630 requests the account management institution 2640 to transfer from the account 2641 of the user A who is the management user of the user device A 2610 to the clearing center management account 2642 in accordance with the request, and the account management institution 2640 performs the transfer process in accordance with the request. Is executed (2). That is, user A's account 2641: $ 1
A transfer of 00,000 → $ 90,000, clearing center management account 2642: $ 0 → $ 10,000 is executed. When the transfer process is completed, an acknowledgment is sent to the clearing center 2630. In response to the response, the clearing center 2630 updates the balance of the user A of the electronic money balance management server according to the payment processing amount (3) ($ 0
→ ¥ 10,000).

In this center management system, the user device A 2610 can transmit a deposit command to the clearing center 2630 and also can request (4) contents from the service provider 2620. In the example of FIG. 25 described above, the balance check of the electronic money is executed on the user device side, and the purchase processing of the content is executed.
In this example, the clearing center updates the electronic money balance, and receives the report from the service provider 2620.
However, after the report, the content key is transmitted to the user device A.

When the user device A 2610 requests contents from the service provider 2620, the service provider 2620 transmits the contents (secure container) to the user device A 2610 (5). The user device A 2610 confirms the sales conditions and the like, executes a purchase process, generates a usage log in which payment by electronic money and content payment are recorded, and sends it to the service provider 2620 (6). In the usage log generated at this time, distribution information recorded in the secure container is recorded.

The service provider 2620 verifies the signature of the usage log, obtains content charge distribution information based on the usage log, generates a reception log, and transmits it to the clearing center 2630 (7).

The clearing center 2630 checks the received log against the user data of the user management server, confirms that the request is a settlement request by a user managed by the center, and updates the content charge settlement data of the settlement server. Perform the balance check on the electronic money balance management server (8)
Then, a transfer request from the clearing center management account for the content fee to the service provider account is transmitted to the account management organization 2640 (9).

The account management institution 2640 executes (10) transfer from the clearing center management account 2642 to the service provider management account 2643 based on the transfer request from the clearing center 2630 (clearing center management account 2642: $). 10,000 → ¥ 9,50
0, service provider management account 2643: $ 0 → $ 5
00). Also in this example, the profit distribution process based on the profit distribution information is managed by the service provider 2620, and therefore the process based on the transfer request from the clearing center 2630 is performed from the clearing center management account 2642 to the service provider account 2643. Only transfer processing is performed. When the transfer of the account management institution 2640 is completed, the account management institution 2640 transmits a transfer confirmation to the clearing center 2630 (11), and the clearing center 2630
Update the balance data of user A in the electronic money balance management server based on the transfer confirmation ($ 10,000 → $ 9,50)
0) and (12) are performed.

Next, the clearing center 2630 transmits a transfer confirmation transmission (13) to the service provider 2620 that the payment processing of the content fee from the user device A 2610 has been completed. Service provider 2620
Receives the transfer confirmation from the clearing center 2630, transmits the content key to the user device A 2610 (14). Further, the service provider 2620
Transmits a transfer request based on the profit distribution information previously determined based on the usage log to the account management organization 2640. The account management institution 2640 has the service provider 26
The transfer process for each account is executed according to the distribution information from (20) (15). In the example shown in FIG. 26, the amounts of money are transferred to the account 2644 of the content provider and the account 2645 of the clearing center in accordance with the profit distribution information. That is, the service provider account 2643: $ 500 → $ 60, the content provider account 2644: $ 0 → $ 400, and the clearing center account 2645: $ 0 → $ 40 are transferred.

In this example, the user device A 261
0 indicates that the balance check of the electronic money is unnecessary, the clearing center 2630 checks the user balance in the electronic money balance management server, and the account management institution 2640 transfers the content usage fee from the user A. The content key is transmitted to the user device A 2610 only after the electronic money balance managed in the clearing center 2630 is updated and the completion of these processes is reported to the service provider 2620. According to this processing configuration, it is possible to prevent the clearing center 2630 from generating an unsettled content fee. In order to reduce the commission, the actual transfer processing is performed collectively, and the clearing center 26
A configuration may be adopted in which only the data within 30 is changed and the transfer process is performed later.

[7. User Management Using Log] As described above, in the content transaction system and the content transaction method of the present invention, an issue log, a use log, a reception log, and the like are distributed in each device and institution. As described with reference to FIG. 6, various information is stored in each log. Here, a user management configuration using such information will be described.

(7-1) Management of User Usage Charge As is clear from the configuration of each log described with reference to FIG. 6, the usage generated by the user who wants to purchase the content and transmitted to the service provider The usage amount is stored as information in the log. Here, a configuration in which payment of a high fee is checked using the usage amount information recorded in the usage log will be described.

FIG. 27 shows a usage fee check processing flow. Description will be made according to the flow of FIG. Step S
At 2701, a usage log generated by a user is transmitted to a service provider. In step S2702, the service provider checks the usage amount in the received usage log and executes a comparison process with a predetermined threshold.
This threshold may be, for example, a threshold common to all users, or a threshold uniquely set by a service provider based on the age, usage status, and the like of the user. The service provider holds user management data in which these thresholds are set.

If it is determined in step S2703 that inspection is required, the service provider proceeds to step S27
At 04, the issuing log is extracted from the usage log, and the extracted issuing log is transmitted to the clearing center. In step S2705, the clearing center checks the user balance of the electronic money balance management server in the clearing center based on the issuance log received from the service provider, and in step S2706, the clearing center sends the balance check data to the service provider. Send to The service provider has no problem based on the check data (Yes in step S2707)
If it is determined that the content is a valid content purchase process, the process proceeds to a normal process of transmitting a content key to the user device (step S2708). On the other hand, if it is determined that there is a problem (No in step S2707), for example, it may be difficult to collect the content usage fee, a content purchase rejection response is sent to the user device and the transmission of the content key is stopped ( Step S27
09).

By this processing, illegal transaction of contents,
Alternatively, it is possible to prevent minors from trading high-priced products. It should be noted that the usage amount check may be performed by the clearing center itself, or the clearing center may request the service provider to execute, for example, a user inquiry process when it is determined that there is a problem.

Further, on the user device side, a threshold value is set as the upper limit of the usage amount specific to the user device, the set threshold value data is stored in the memory, and the threshold value data is referred to when generating a usage log accompanying the use of the content. Then, if the usage amount exceeding the threshold is set in the usage log, the identification data (identification bit) indicating that the usage fee exceeds the threshold or that the check processing by the clearing center is necessary is used. A configuration may be added to the log. The service provider that has received the usage log to which the identification data has been added requests the user's balance check process to the clearing center based on the identification data. According to this configuration, the service provider does not need to hold the threshold data of the user, and an arbitrary threshold can be set for each user.

(7-2) Use Log Management of Issue Log As apparent from the description of the present invention, a user who intends to purchase content receives an issue log from the clearing center. The expiration date is set in the issue log as shown in FIG. Here, management based on the expiration date will be described.

[0257] The clearing center has data in which the user who issued the issue log to the user management server is associated with the issue log information. The issue log contains the issue amount,
An expiration date is set, and the user device that has received the issue log can perform payment processing by electronic money based on the issue log within the amount set in the issue log and the expiration date.

In the clearing center, for example, the issue amount is set based on the creditworthiness of the user, such as setting a small issue amount as an upper limit for minors or setting a large issue amount according to the number of transactions. be able to. Further, it is possible to set an expiration date according to each issue log, for example, by setting a long expiration date for an issuance log in which a high issuance amount is set, and shortening an expiration date for an issuance log in which a low issue amount is set.

The clearing center manages all issue log information in the user management server and manages the electronic money balance of each user in the electronic money balance management server. A periodic audit process is performed based on each data, and a message prompting a user having an issue log whose expiration date is approaching to request a new issue log issuance request with an updated expiration date is sent to a user having an expiration date imminent. Can be performed.

FIG. 28 shows the flow of the expiration date management process of the issue log by the clearing center. Step S28
At 01, the clearing center executes data check with the user management server and the electronic money balance management server, and extracts an issue log whose expiration date is imminent based on data stored in the user management server. This check process is executed periodically, for example, every month, and is set as a process of searching for an issue log whose remaining expiration date is within two months.

The clearing center specifies a user device based on the user device identifier recorded in the issue log information based on the extracted issue log (step S28).
02), and transmits a message to the user device indicating that there is an issue log whose expiration date is imminent (step S2803). The user device receives the message and executes an issue log update request (step S2).
If Yes in 804, the clearing center generates an updated issuance log having a new expiration date based on the update request and sends it to the user device (step S2805,
S2806). If the user device does not execute the issuance log update request within the validity period after receiving the message (No in step S2804), after the validity period elapses, the usage period of the issuance log elapses and reissue processing is necessary. Is transmitted to the user device (step S2807), and if there is a subsequent reissue request from the user device (Yes in step S2808), the clearing center updates the issue log based on the request. Issue processing is performed (step S280)
9), send the reissue log to the user device (step S
2810).

As described above, by using a configuration in which the issuing log is managed by the clearing center, unauthorized distribution and use of the issuing log can be prevented. In addition, when checking the expiration date of the issue log, by checking the balance of the clearing center electronic money balance management server together, it is possible to aggregate the used and collected electronic money and the uncollected electronic money. Become.

Also, the clearing center executes a periodic check of the electronic money balance management server and transmits a message to that effect to the user device whose electronic money balance has become small, or The remaining amount may be transmitted as data.

Further, the user device executes a process of checking the expiration date of the issued log when using the electronic money. If the expiration date has passed, the clearing center is notified to the clearing center before the generation process of the usage log. A configuration may be adopted in which a request for update or reissue processing of an issue log is executed to acquire a new issue log, and thereafter, a process of generating a usage log based on the new issue log with a new expiration date is performed. .

In the series of processes, the user device, the clearing center, and the service provider, which execute data communication, perform mutual authentication, signature processing for transmission data, and signature confirmation processing for reception data, respectively. The data is not leaked.

The present invention has been described in detail with reference to the specific embodiments. However, it is obvious that those skilled in the art can modify or substitute the embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention. That is, the present invention has been disclosed by way of example, and should not be construed as limiting. In order to determine the gist of the present invention, the claims described at the beginning should be considered.

[0267]

As described above, according to the content secondary distribution management system and the content secondary distribution management method of the present invention, a content provider, a content sales company, etc., can use a credit card or a bank account to specify online contents. There is no need to construct a payment system, and payment processing or point addition processing in content transaction processing between users is executed based on preset distribution information. In addition, transfer of one content among a plurality of users becomes possible,
Usage management for each use of the same content becomes possible, and content transactions between users can be managed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional super distribution system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system outline of a content transaction system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a user device in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a distribution form of contents and a distribution form of log information in the contents dealing system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a public key certificate used in a mutual authentication process in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an issue log, a use log, and a reception log used in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a signature generation process applicable in the content transaction system according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a signature generation process applicable in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a signature verification process applicable in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a mutual authentication process applicable in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a mutual authentication process applicable in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a secure container used in content distribution in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is sales condition information (UCP) included in a secure container in the content transaction system of the present invention.
FIG.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating price information included in a secure container in the content transaction system according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a payment processing configuration based on distribution of secure containers and log information in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating usage control information (UCS) recorded on a user device in distribution of a secure container in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of reception information included in a reception log issued in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating processing in distribution of a secure container between user devices in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow in distribution of a secure container between user devices in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a point addition process in distribution of a secure container between user devices in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an example of a database configuration used for a point addition process in distribution of a secure container between user devices in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a settlement process based on content distribution in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating a specific example (part 1) of a settlement process based on content distribution between user devices in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a diagram for explaining a specific example (part 2) of a settlement process based on content distribution between user devices in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating a specific example (local management system) of a settlement process based on content distribution in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating a specific example (clearing center management method) of a settlement process based on content distribution in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating a payment management process flow based on the usage amount of the usage log in the content transaction system of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating an issuance log management flow based on the expiration date of an issuance log in the content transaction system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

220 User device 221 Electronic money 222 Issue log 240 Service provider 251 Issue log 252 Usage log 253 Receipt log 260 Clearing center 280 Account management agency 281 User account 282 Service provider account 283 Clearing center management account 300 User device 301 Control unit 302 Encryption Processing unit 303 Recording device controller 304 Reading unit 305 Communication unit 306 Control unit 307 Internal memory 308 Encryption / decryption unit 310 Electronic money 311 Control unit 312 Encryption processing unit 313 Memory 321 Main CPU 322 RAM 323 ROM 324 Input interface 326 PIO 327 SIO 350 Recording device 351 Encryption processing unit 352 External memory 360 Media 370 Communication means 410 Public Key Certificate Issuing Authority (IA) 1200 Secure Container 1201 Content 1202 Price Information 1203 Sales Information (UCP) 1204 Electronic Signature 1301 UCP Generation Management Information 1302 Secondary Distribution Possible Count 1510 User Device A 1520 User Device B 1511, 1521 Electronic Money 1531 Issue log A 1532 Use log A 1533 Receive log A 1551 Issue log B 1552 Use log B 1553 Receive log B 1570 User device C 1601 UCS generation management information 1701 Distribution information 1702 UCP generation management information 1810 Service provider 1811 Control unit 1812 Content database 1813 User information database 1814 Encryption processing unit 1815 Communication unit 1820 User device A 1830 User device B 1821, 1831 Control unit 1822, 1832 Encryption processing unit 1824, 1834 Memory 1825, 1835 Storage unit 1826, 1836 Data reproduction unit 1827, 1837 Communication unit 1828, 1838 Electronic money 1840 Clearing center 1841 Control unit 1842 Database 1844 Encryption processing unit 1845 Communication unit 2210 User device A 2211 Issue log 2220 Service provider or user device B 2230 Clearing center 2240 Account management agency 2241 User A account 2242 Clearing center account 2243 Service provider, user B account 2310 Content provider 2320 Service provider 2330 User device A 2340 user device B 2350 user device C 236 0 Clearing center 2370 Account management organization 2410, 2420, 2510, 2610 User device 2430, 2520, 2620 Service provider 2440, 2530, 2630 Clearing center 2450, 2540, 2640 Account management organization

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Claims (18)

[Claims] A content secondary distribution management system for managing secondary distribution, which is a transaction between user devices, of content available on a user device, wherein each time the same content is distributed between different user devices, A configuration in which a log for settlement processing accompanying use of content is issued from a content providing user device to a service provider or a clearing center, and settlement processing is performed for each distribution of the same content under the management of the service provider or the clearing center. A secondary distribution management system for contents. 2. A content receiving user device for receiving content, based on content sales condition information,
The content usage fee equivalent amount is reduced from the balance of electronic money installed in the user device up to the issuance amount set in the issue log, a content usage log including a used content identifier is generated, and transmitted to the content providing user device. The content providing user device generates a reception log including usage fee information of the content based on the usage log received from the content receiving user device, and transmits the reception log to the service provider or the clearing center. The service provider or the clearing center has a configuration for executing a transmission process. The service provider or the clearing center executes an electronic money settlement process corresponding to content usage based on the reception log received from the content providing user device, and transfers a usage fee. Processing request The content according to claim 1, further comprising a configuration for executing a transmission process to the account management institution, wherein the account management organization has a configuration for executing a transfer process between accounts in accordance with the transfer process request. Secondary distribution management system. 3. Content distributed between user devices is configured as a secure container having sales condition information that stores profit distribution information relating to content usage fees including content prices and consideration information for content providers. The clearing center is
2. The secondary distribution management system according to claim 1, wherein a transfer processing configuration is configured based on a log including payment source data and payment destination data of the content fee based on the profit distribution information. . 4. The content sales condition information includes secondary distribution permission / prohibition information in which permission / prohibition of secondary distribution of content between user devices is set. 3. The content storage device according to claim 2, wherein the reception log generated based on the content for which the setting is not permitted is configured to execute a process of invalidating a settlement process based on the reception log. Next distribution management system. 5. A user device for performing a content transaction has an encryption processing unit. When transmitting data between the user devices, the user device performs a mutual authentication process between the user devices. The content secondary distribution management system according to claim 1, wherein the content is generated by executing a digital signature generation process, and the receiving side executes a digital signature verification process. 6. The user device, the service provider, and the clearing center each have a cryptographic processing unit, and perform mutual authentication processing when transmitting data between each other. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the digital signature generation processing is executed, and the receiving side executes the digital signature verification processing.
2. The secondary distribution management system according to item 1. 7. The clearing center has a user balance database for managing the electronic money balance of the content receiving user device, and issues an issue amount in accordance with the electronic money balance registered in the user balance database. The secondary distribution management system according to claim 1, further comprising a configuration for generating a log and transmitting the log to the content receiving user device. 8. The sales condition information includes content usage fee allocation information, the usage log and the reception log include the allocation information, and the service provider or the clearing center includes the allocation information. 3. The secondary distribution management system according to claim 2, further comprising: executing a settlement process of the content usage fee based on the request, and executing a transmission process of the transfer request to the account management institution. 9. A content secondary distribution management method for performing secondary distribution management as a transaction between user devices of content available in a user device, comprising the steps of: Issue a log for payment processing associated with the use of content from the content providing user device to the service provider or clearing center, and settle each time the same content is distributed based on the log under the control of the service provider or clearing center. A content secondary distribution management method, characterized by performing a process. 10. A content receiving user device for receiving a content, based on the sales condition information of the content, determines a content usage fee from a balance of electronic money installed in the user device up to an issue amount set in an issue log. Reduce the amount, generate a content usage log including a usage content identifier and execute a transmission process to the content providing user device, the content providing user device, based on the usage log received from the content receiving user device, A reception log including content usage fee information is generated and transmission processing is performed to a service provider or a clearing center, and the service provider or the clearing center performs content transmission based on the reception log received from the content providing user device. In addition to executing the settlement process of the electronic money corresponding to the use of the service, the process of transmitting the usage fee transfer processing request to the account management organization is performed, and the account management organization performs the transfer processing between the accounts according to the transfer processing request. The method according to claim 9, wherein the method is performed. 11. Content distributed between user devices is configured as a secure container having sales condition information storing profit distribution information relating to content usage fees including content prices and consideration information for content providers. The clearing center is
10. The secondary distribution management method according to claim 9, wherein a transfer processing configuration is constructed based on a log including payment source data and payment destination data of the content fee based on the profit distribution information. 12. The content sales condition information includes secondary distribution availability information which sets whether or not secondary distribution of content between user devices is possible, and the service provider or the clearing center performs secondary distribution. 11. The secondary distribution management of content according to claim 10, wherein a process of invalidating a settlement process based on the reception log is executed for a reception log generated based on content for which setting is not permitted. Method. 13. A user device for performing a content transaction has an encryption processing unit. When data is transmitted between user devices, mutual authentication processing is executed between the user devices. 10. A digital signature generation process, and the receiving side executes a digital signature verification process.
Secondary distribution management method described in 2. 14. The user device, the service provider, and the clearing center each have a cryptographic processing unit, execute mutual authentication processing when transmitting data between each other, and further, when the data transmitting side transmits data, 10. The secondary distribution management method according to claim 9, wherein a process of generating an electronic signature is performed on the content, and the receiving side executes a process of verifying the electronic signature. 15. The clearing center has a user balance database for managing the electronic money balance of the content receiving user device, and issues an issue amount in accordance with the electronic money balance registered in the user balance database. The method according to claim 9, wherein a log is generated and transmitted to the content receiving user device. 16. The sales condition information includes distribution information of a content usage fee, the usage log and the reception log include the distribution information, and the service provider or the clearing center transmits the distribution information. 11. The secondary distribution management method according to claim 10, further comprising: executing a settlement process of the content usage fee based on the request, and executing a process of transmitting the transfer request to the account management institution. 17. A program providing medium for providing a computer program for causing a computer system to execute a secondary distribution management process of content, which executes management of a transaction process between user devices for content usable in the user device. , The computer
A program providing medium characterized by comprising a step of issuing a log for a payment process accompanying use of content from a content providing user device to a clearing center every time the same content is distributed between different user devices. . 18. A program providing medium for providing a computer program for causing a computer system to execute a secondary distribution management process of content for executing a transaction process management between user devices for content usable in the user device. , The computer
For each distribution of the same content between different user devices, the program issues a log for a payment process accompanying the use of the content, and executes a payment process for each distribution of the same content based on the log, A program providing medium comprising: