KR20040031463A - System for packaging a digital contents file and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for packaging a digital content file. The packaging system may include a computer configured to convert a specific digital content file to have a predetermined file format, and then package, a database storing and managing the packaging related information, and packaging related information connected to the database and transmitted from the computer. Characterized in that the application server for transmitting to the database. The computer may include a user input unit capable of receiving information about a digital content file to be packaged by a user, an encoding unit converting the digital content file to be packaged into a format of a Windows media file, and a format of a Windows media file. A packaging unit for packaging a digital content file, and a data transmission unit for transmitting packaging related information to the application server.

The present invention provides a packaged digital content file that can be played on a Windows media player.

Description

Packaging method and system for digital content {SYSTEM FOR PACKAGING A DIGITAL CONTENTS FILE AND METHOD THEREOF}

The present invention relates to a method of packaging digital content for use in a particular authentication system, and more specifically, to a digital media that can be played on a Windows media player with a content header containing an authentication key and information about the content. A method and system for packaging content.

With the recent development of the Internet, there are many cases where digital contents produced and distributed by a content provider or an author are distributed without permission or unauthorized copying. As a result, authors rarely receive legitimate protection for the digital content they have invested in time and effort.

In order to solve this problem, various alternatives such as the use of encryption keys have been proposed, but since most digital contents are not easy to manage after they have been sold, various methods do not work well. There is a situation.

Accordingly, the present applicant has proposed an authentication system and method that can protect the rights of content providers or authors and provide the most efficient and legitimate protection for digital content completed by them, and the present invention can be used in such authentication system. We would like to propose a method of packaging a digital content file.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of packaging digital content in order to enable authentication and payment at the time of playing or executing the digital content in a Windows media player.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording medium on which a program for packaging a digital content file includes a content header consisting of an authentication key and information about the content.

1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a packaged digital content file according to the present invention.

2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a system for packaging digital content files in accordance with the present invention.

3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of packaging a digital content file in accordance with the present invention in sequence.

4 is a system block diagram illustrating a process of playing a digital content file packaged according to the present invention in a Windows media player.

5 is a flow chart illustrating in sequence the process of playing a digital content file packaged according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: authentication key

110: original file

120: Packaged Digital Content File

222: user input unit

224: encoding section

226: packaging

228: data transmission unit

250: application server

260: database

430: license server

440: payment server

400: Windows Media Player

410 web server

420: authentication server

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for packaging digital content, the method comprising: storing an original file for a specific digital content in a predetermined folder, inputting content information for the digital content, and the original file is in the format of a Windows media file. If the original file is not in the format of a Windows Media file, encoding the original file and converting the file into a Windows Media Format file, generating an authentication key for the digital content and storing it in a database. And generating a content header using the content information and the authentication key, and repackaging the content header and the original file into a single file.

The packaging method may further include storing and managing packaging related information in an external database through an application server when packaging is completed.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a packaging system includes a computer for converting and packaging a specific digital content file to have a predetermined file format, a database for storing and managing the packaging related information, and being connected to and transmitted from the computer. And an application server for transmitting packaging related information to the database.

The computer may include a user input unit capable of receiving information about a digital content file to be packaged by a user, an encoding unit converting the digital content file to be packaged into a format of a Windows media file, and a format of a Windows media file. A packaging unit for packaging a digital content file, and a data transmission unit for transmitting packaging related information to the application server.

According to the packaging method for digital content according to the present invention, there is provided a digital content file including a content header comprising an authentication key, information about the content, and a URL for a license server that can be issued a license for playing the content. You can do it. The present invention also provides a packaged digital content file that can be played on a Windows media player.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the present invention. First, in adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, even if displayed on different drawings.

Hereinafter, a method of packaging digital content according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Prior to describing the digital content packaging method according to the present invention, a system for reproducing digital content packaged according to the present invention will be described schematically.

1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of digital content packaged according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the authentication key 100 rewrites the digital content file 120 packaged together with the original file 110 such as a media file.

2 is a block diagram illustrating an overall system for packaging digital content in accordance with the present invention. Hereinafter, the configuration of the system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2.

The system according to the invention consists of a computer 220, an application server 250 and a database 260 for packaging a particular digital content file. Packaging for a particular digital content file takes place at the content provider's computer 220, where the computer 220 is a user input 222, an encoding 224, a packaging 226 and a data transmitter 228. ). In this case, the digital content files that can be packaged include not only Windows Media Files having extensions such as ASF, WMV, and WMA, but also multimedia files having extensions such as MPG, MP3, WAV, and AVI.

When the digital content file to be packaged by the content provider is set, information about the digital content file is input through the user input unit 222. In this case, the content information input through the user input unit 222 includes (1) content title, (2) content author, (3) copyright owner or company name, (4) content reseller, (5) description of content, (6) content viewing restriction age, and (7) content profile. The content profile is used when packaging a file that is not a file having an extension of WMA, WMV, or ASF that can be played in a Windows media player, and is compressed according to an audio type and a video type. This is determined.

If the digital content file to be packaged is a file other than the Windows Media File (WMF) format, the encoding unit 224 converts the file into a WMF format.

The packaging unit 226 generates an authentication key for a digital content file in a WMF format, and then packages the input content information and the digital content file.

The data transmitter 228 transmits predetermined data to the application server 250.

The database 260 stores and manages packaging related information and content information.

The application server 250 may be connected to the database 260 to communicate with the database, and may be connected by content providers. The application server 250 transmits the packaging related information by the data transmitter 228 after the packaging is executed, and the server 250 stores the received information in the database 260.

In addition, the application server 250 transmits a result of confirming from the database 260 through the data transmission unit 228 whether the content provider is a valid content provider after packaging.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a digital content packaging method according to the present invention in sequence. Hereinafter, a packaging method according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3.

First, the content provider sets an original file in which the digital content to be packaged is stored and stores it in a predetermined folder (step 300). Next, a content provider who wants to produce and distribute digital content is inputted with an original file for the digital content and basic information about the content (step 310). In this case, the multimedia files that can be packaged according to the present invention are files having an extension of WMV, WMA, ASF, MP3, MP (E) G, AVI, WAV, and the like.

In this case, the content information that the content provider should input includes (1) content title, (2) content author, (3) copyright owner or company name, (4) content reseller, (5) description of content, ( 6) content viewing restriction age, and (7) content profile. The content profile is used when packaging a file that is not a file having an extension of WMA, WMV, or ASF that can be played in a Windows media player, and is compressed according to an audio type and a video type. This is determined.

Next, it is determined whether the original file is a file having an extension of WMA, WMV, or ASF corresponding to a format of a Windows Media File that can be played on a Windows Media Player (step 320). If the original file is a file whose format is not a Windows Media file, the original file is encoded (step 330) and then packaged. To encode the original file, the original file is converted to a Windows media file using the content profile, content title, content author, copyright owner or company name, description of the content, among the content information input by the original file and CP to be encoded. Convert it to the format of.

If the original file is a Windows Media Format file in step 320, it is packaged directly without an encoding process.

In order to package the original file, an authentication key is first generated (step 340).

The present invention generates a keyID, ContentsID, SeedKey, publicKey, privateKey to use the PKI algorithm, which is a security algorithm of the public key infrastructure, and generates a unique Key using the keyID and seedKey. The keyID, seedKey, and publicKey generated as described above are stored in an external database (step 350) to be used for authentication when playing content later.

Next, a content header is created using the authentication key and the content information (step 360). At this time, the content header preferably includes not only the authentication key and the content information, but also a domain address (URL) that designates a license server necessary for receiving a license at the time of playing the content.

Next, packaging for the original file is completed using the generated content header, a domain address specifying a license server, a keyID, and a publicKey (step 370).

The digital content file packaged according to the present invention can be played on a Windows media player provided by Microsoft Corporation. In addition, since the packaged digital content file according to the present invention is authenticated and settled at the time of reproduction, even if copied or distributed without permission, it cannot be executed or reproduced without a license from an authorized person.

4 is a system block diagram illustrating a process of playing a digital content file packaged according to the present invention in a Windows media player.

As shown in FIG. 4, in order to play a digital content file according to the present invention, a Windows media player 400, a web server 410, an authentication server 420, a license server 430, and a payment server 440 are provided. And database 260 is required.

The Windows Media Player 400 plays the packaged digital content file in accordance with the contents of the rights stored in the license repository in the Windows Media Player.

The web server 410 displays information about the packaged digital content and allows the user to decide whether to purchase.

Next, the license server 430 issues a license for the digital content file requested from the Windows media player 400.

On the other hand, the payment server 440 is a server that makes a payment when the user enters payment information such as personal information and credit card in order to purchase the digital content file. Once the payment is approved for the user, the license server issues a license for playback of the digital content file to the Windows Media Player.

The authentication server 420 is a server that issues a certificate for the web server 410 and the license server 430 to the user.

The database 260 stores information about a content provider, packaged information of a digital content file, license issuance history, and data related to purchase, and is packaged in each digital content file, which is data that is a reference when issuing a license. Stores information about the rights set by the data and content providers for each digital content.

Hereinafter, a process of playing a packaged digital content file according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 5.

First, the Windows Media Player 400 provided by Microsoft receives a request for playing the packaged digital content file from a user who has obtained the digital content file packaged by the content provider (step 500). According to the user's request, it is checked whether there is a license already issued for the file in the license repository in the Windows Media Player (step 510). The Windows Media Player 400 further includes a license repository therein, which includes a personalized version of each piece of content, information about rights issued for each piece of content, and a KeyID for each piece of content. Stored.

If there is a license already issued in the license repository (step 520), the digital content file is played (step 595).

If a license already issued in the license repository does not exist, the content header is read from the packaged digital content file to detect a URL for the license server, and then the license server is accessed using the URL (step 530). ).

Next, information about the content is detected from the content header of the digital content file and displayed on the screen (step 540), and then it is checked whether the user wants to make a purchase request (step 550). If there is no purchase request from the user, the digital content ends immediately without playing the content. If there is a purchase request from the user, a certificate for the license server is issued from the authentication server 320 to display the certificate to the user to trust the license server (step 560).

Next, user information and credit card information are input from the user for payment (step 570), payment is made through the payment server 440 using the input information, and payment approval is received (step 580).

Upon receiving payment approval from a payment server, the license server issues a license for the digital content file (step 585). Rights relating to licenses issued from a license server are stored in a license repository in the Windows Media Player (step 590).

The Windows media player plays the packaged digital content file in accordance with the rights relating to the license stored in the license repository (step 595).

As described above, in the detailed description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described, but various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined not only by the claims below, but also by those equivalent to the claims.

According to the packaging method for digital content according to the present invention, there is provided a digital content file including a content header comprising an authentication key, information about the content, and a URL for a license server that can be issued a license for playing the content. You can do it. The present invention also provides a packaged digital content file that can be played on a Windows media player.

Claims (6)

Storing the original file for the specific digital content in a predetermined folder; Inputting content information on the digital content; Checking that the original file is in the format of a Windows media file; If the original file is not in a Windows media file format, encoding the original file and converting the original file into a file in a Windows media format; Generating an authentication key for the digital content and storing it in a database; Creating a content header using the content information and the authentication key; Repackaging the content header and the original file into a single file Packaging method for digital content having a. The method of claim 1, wherein the content header further comprises a URL of a license server that can issue a license to the digital content. The method of claim 1, wherein the packaging method further comprises storing and managing packaging related information in an external database through an application server when packaging is completed. Storing an original file for a specific digital content in a predetermined folder; Inputting content information on the digital content; Checking whether the original file is in the format of a Windows media file; If the original file is not in a Windows media file format, encoding the original file and converting the original file into a file in a Windows media format; Generating an authentication key for the digital content and storing it in a database; Creating a content header using the content information and the authentication key; Repackaging the content header and the original file into a single file A computer-readable recording medium that records a program for executing the program on a computer. A computer for converting and packaging a specific digital content file to have a predetermined file format; A database for storing and managing the packaging related information; And An application server connected to the database and transmitting packaging related information transmitted from the computer to the database. Packaging system comprising a. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the computer is A user input unit configured to receive information about a digital content file to be packaged from a user; An encoding unit for converting a digital content file to be packaged into a format of a Windows media file; A packaging unit for packaging a digital content file in the format of a Windows media file; And Data transmission unit for transmitting packaging related information to the application server Packaging system comprising a.