Title: Device control method, data transfer apparatus and recording medium
Abstract: A data transfer apparatus for simplifying a module structure for controlling a connected data recording apparatus and improving the processing efficiency. A control code issued by a common application module having a main purpose of check-out/check-in is made a control code corresponding to a device connected by a conversion module and transmitted via a device driver. Moreover, for example, a control code issued by a local application module having a main purpose of controlling processing depending on a device connected shares the aforementioned device driver. For example, the local application module issues a control code in a state matched with a control code format converted by the conversion module. Alternatively, the local application module issues a local control code by indicating issuance of a local control code of a format different from the control code format converted by the conversion module.
Patent Number: 6,959,366 Issued on 10/25/2005 to Abe, et al.
| Inventors:
|
Abe; Miki (Kanagawa, JP);
Hosoi; Takafumi (Tokyo, JP);
Morinaga; Eiichiro (Tokyo, JP);
Tanaka; Masao (Kanagawa, JP)
|
| Assignee:
|
Sony Corporation (Tokyo, JP)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
363299 |
| Filed:
|
June 27, 2002 |
| PCT Filed:
|
June 27, 2002
|
| PCT NO:
|
PCT/JP02/06484
|
| 371 Date:
|
February 28, 2003
|
| 102(e) Date:
|
February 28, 2003
|
| PCT PUB.NO.:
|
WO03/005359 |
| PCT PUB. Date:
|
January 16, 2003 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
711/154; 711/155; 711/202; 711/203; 711/204; 711/205; 711/206 |
| Intern'l Class: |
G06F 013/14 |
| Field of Search: |
711/154-155,202-206,111-112
380/211
382/100
709/200
705/50,51
713/193
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 6311214 | Oct., 2001 | Rhoads.
| |
| 6442285 | Aug., 2002 | Rhoads et al.
| |
| 6522769 | Feb., 2003 | Rhoads et al.
| |
| 6650761 | Nov., 2003 | Rodriguez et al.
| |
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 1 081 574 | Mar., 2001 | EP.
| |
| 2000/-347851 | Dec., 2000 | JP.
| |
| 2001/-143379 | May., 2001 | JP.
| |
Primary Examiner: Nguyen; T
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Frommer Lawrence & Haug LLP, Frommer; William S.
Claims
1. An apparatus control method adopted by a data transfer apparatus to control
a data-recording apparatus connected to said data transfer apparatus, wherein:
said data transfer apparatus includes a primary recording medium in which contents
data have been stored; said data-recording apparatus is capable of recording contents
data onto a secondary recording medium; and the contents data stored on said primary
recording medium can be transferred to said secondary recording medium by connecting
said data-recording apparatus to said data transfer apparatus,
wherein a first control procedure or a second control procedure is selectively
executed in accordance with a control condition,
said first control procedure including the steps of:
using a common application module to issue a first control code according to
a common control condition independently of a type of said secondary recording medium;
using a transformation module to transform said first control code in accordance
with said data-recording apparatus connected to said data transfer apparatus; and
transmitting the transformed control code to said data-recording apparatus connected
to said data transfer apparatus by way of a device driver;
said second control procedure including the steps of:
using a local application module to issue a second control code in accordance
with a control condition not prepared in said common application module; and
transmitting the issued second control code to said data-recording apparatus
connected to said data transfer apparatus by way of said device driver.
2. An apparatus control method according to claim 1, wherein, in said second
control procedure, said local application module issues the second control code
having a format adjusted to that of the control code transformed by said transformation module.
3. An apparatus control method according to claim 1, wherein, in said second
control procedure, said local application module presents that a local control
code having a format different from that of the control code transformed by said
transformation module is to be issued and issues the local control code.
4. A data transfer apparatus comprising:
primary-recording-medium-driving means for recording data onto a primary recording
medium and reproducing data from said primary recording medium;
communication means for carrying out operations to exchange various kinds of
data with an external data-recording apparatus for recording data onto a secondary
recording medium and specially carrying out an operation to transfer contents data
recorded on said primary recording medium; and
connected-apparatus control means for transmitting a control code to a variety
of data-recording apparatus connectable to said data transfer apparatus in a state
of being capable of communicating with said data transfer apparatus through said
communication means, and for controlling the data-recording apparatus connected
to said data transfer apparatus,
wherein said connected-apparatus control means includes:
a common application module for issuing a control code according to a common
control condition independently of a type of said secondary recording medium;
a transformation module for transforming said control code issued by said common
application module in accordance with the data-recording apparatus connected to
said data transfer apparatus;
a local application module for issuing a control code in accordance with a control
condition not prepared in said common application module; and
a device driver for transmitting the transformed control code transformed by
said transformation module and the issued control code issued by said local application
module to the data-recording apparatus connected to said data transfer apparatus.
5. A data transfer apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said local application
module issues the control code having a format adjusted to that of the control
code transformed by said transformation module.
6. A data transfer apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said local application
module presents that a local control code having a format different from that of
the control code transformed by said transformation module is to be issued and
issues the local control code.
7. A recording medium for a recording program module to be executed by a data
transfer apparatus including a primary recording medium in which contents data
have been stored, in order to control a data-recording apparatus which is connected
to said data transfer apparatus and which is used for recording contents data onto
a secondary recording medium in a state allowing contents data recorded on said
primary recording medium to be transferred to said secondary recording medium by
connecting said data-recording apparatus to said data transfer apparatus, said
program module comprising:
a common application module for issuing a control code according to a common
control condition independently of a type of said secondary recording medium;
a transformation module for transforming said control code issued by said common
application module in accordance with the data-recording apparatus connected to
said data transfer apparatus;
a local application module for issuing a control code in accordance with a control
condition not prepared in said common application module; and
a device driver for transmitting the transformed control code transformed by
said transformation module and the issued control code issued by said local application
module to the data-recording apparatus connected to said data transfer apparatus.
8. A recording medium according to claim 7, wherein said local application module
issues the control code having a format adjusted to that of the control code transformed
by said transformation module.
9. A recording medium according to claim 7, wherein said local application module
presents that a local control code having a format different from that of the control
code transformed by said transformation module is to be issued and issues the local
control code.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an apparatus control method, a data transfer
apparatus and a recording medium that are suitable for a system in which the data
transfer apparatus is connected to a data-recording apparatus and contents data
such as music are transferred from the data transfer apparatus to the data-recording apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
For example, there is an application in which an HDD (hard-disc drive) employed
in a personal computer is used as a primary recording medium for storing contents
data such as music and the contents data are transferred to another recording medium
referred to as a secondary recording medium and recorded on the secondary recording
medium to be reproduced and enjoyed later. It is to be noted that the contents
data are data mainly to be distributed, transferred and used. Examples of the contents
data are music data, video data, game data and computer software.
In this case, the HDD employed in the personal computer is used for storing contents
data such as pieces of music, which are reproduced from a package medium such as
a CD-DA (Compact Disc Digital Audio) or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc). As an alternative,
the contents data are downloaded to the personal computer from an external music
server by way of a communication network, to which the personal computer is connected.
Then, the user connects a recording apparatus employing the secondary recording
medium to the personal computer to copy or move contents data stored in the HDD
to the secondary recording medium. Finally, the user utilizes a reproduction apparatus
for the secondary recording medium to reproduce the copied contents data such as
music from the recording apparatus (secondary recording medium).
Examples of the secondary recording medium include a memory card using a
semiconductor memory such a flash memory, a mini disc used as a magneto-optical
disc, a CD-R (CD Recordable), a CD-RW (CD Rewritable) a DVD-RAM, a DVD-R and a DVD-RW.
As the recording apparatus and the reproduction apparatus, which are used for
the secondary recording medium, respectively, a recorder and a player have been
becoming popular for a wide range of applications. There are a variety of recorders
and players such as stationary and portable recording/reproduction apparatus. The
user is thus allowed to record and reproduce contents data by using a recording/reproduction
apparatus that the user likes or is suitable for an apparatus already owned by
the user.
It is to be noted that, when considering such usage of contents data, protection
of a copyright of the contents data must be taken into account. Assume for example
that the user makes use of a service of distributing contents data to users, purchases
a package medium used for recording contents data or obtains contents data in another
way, and records the contents data on to the HDD. If the user is allowed to copy
the contents data from the HDD to a secondary recording medium without any restrictions,
there will be resulted in a situation in which the copyright of the contents data
is not protected properly. In order to solve this problem, there have been proposed
a variety of technologies and a variety of data-processing rules for protection
of a copyright of contents data used in handling of the contents data as digital
data. One of the rules is called an SDMI (Secure Digital Music Initiative).
A data path of contents data prescribed by the SDMI standard will be described
later. Network contents and disc contents are transferred to a secondary recording
medium and recorded onto the secondary recording medium appropriately by considering
protection of copyrights of the contents data and interests of general users or
rights to copy the contents data for private use. Network contents are contents
data distributed from an external server to a personal computer by way of a network
and stored in the personal computer's HDD serving as a primary recording medium.
On the other hand, disc contents are contents data reproduced from the personal
computer's disc drive unit such as a CD-ROM drive, or contents data reproduced
from a package medium such as a CD-DA or a DVD mounted on a disc drive unit connected
to such a personal computer.
By the way, in a process to transfer contents data from a primary recording medium
such as an HDD to a secondary recording medium such as a mini disc or a memory
card and record the contents data onto the secondary recording medium, efforts
are made to consider both protection of a copyright of the contents data and a
right to copy the contents data for private use. That is to say, contents data
are transferred to a secondary recording medium conforming to the SDMI standard
described above as follows.
A memory card, which uses a semiconductor memory such as a flash memory and conforms
to the SDMI standard, can be assumed to be an example of a secondary recording
medium conforming to the SDMI standard. In such a secondary recording medium, contents
are recorded in an encrypted state. SDMI-conforming contents are encrypted before
being recorded onto a primary recording medium such as an HDD. Thus, SDMI-conforming
contents are copied to a secondary recording medium in an encrypted state as it is.
It is needless to say that a reproduction apparatus for the secondary recording
medium has a decryption function. Thus, the reproduction apparatus is capable of
reproducing the contents data from the secondary recording medium, which have been
copied to the secondary recording medium in an encrypted state.
In addition, the format of a secondary recording medium conforming to the SDMI
standard includes an area for recording contents IDs each serving as an identifier
for contents data recorded on the secondary recording medium.
Contents ID is generated by an apparatus for a primary recording medium
for each contents data recorded on the HDD used as the primary recording medium
and stored in the primary recording medium along with the contents data. When the
contents data are copied to a secondary recording medium, the contents ID for the
contents data are also recorded onto the secondary recording medium as well.
Contents IDs are used in management of contents rights in the primary recording
medium and the secondary recording medium. Contents right in the primary recording
medium is a right to transfer (or copy) contents data to the secondary recording
medium. On the other hand, contents right in the secondary recording medium is
a right to reproduce copied contents data.
It is to be noted that, in the following description, a transfer of contents
data
from a primary recording medium to a secondary recording medium, that is, a transfer
of a right, is referred to as a check-out. On the other hand, a return of contents
data from a secondary recording medium to a primary recording medium is referred
to as a check-in. As will be described later, a check-in is actually only a return
of a right.
The SDMI standard sets usage rules for check-outs and check-ins. For example,
only up to three check-outs from a primary recording medium to a secondary recording
medium can be carried out on contents data. That is to say, the transfer of a right
described above can be performed up to three times.
When a check-out is carried out on contents data, the right of the contents
data is transferred from a primary recording medium to a secondary recording medium.
That is to say, the transfer of a right of the contents data can be carried out
only two more times. On the other hand, the secondary recording medium obtains
a right to reproduce the contents data.
When a check-in is carried out on contents data from a secondary recording medium
to a primary recording medium, on the other hand, the right of the contents data
is returned from the secondary recording medium to the primary recording medium.
That is to say, a right to reproduce the contents data from the secondary recording
medium is lost while the number of times the contents data can be transferred from
the primary recording medium to a secondary recording medium is incremented by 1.
Such check-outs and check-ins are managed in contents data units by assigning
contents ID to each of contents data.
In a check-out of contents data from a primary recording medium to a secondary
recording medium, the contents data and the contents ID of the contents data are
recorded onto the secondary recording medium in order to allow the contents data
to be reproduced from the secondary recording medium, that is, in order to give
the secondary recording medium a right to reproduce the contents data. In the primary
recording medium, on the other hand, the check-out is regarded as one transfer
of contents ID, and the number of transfers allowable by the usage rule is decremented
by 1.
In a check-in, contents data are not actually returned to the primary recording
medium. Instead, the contents data are deleted from the secondary recording medium
and, in the primary recording medium, the check-in is regarded as a return of the
contents ID of the contents data from the secondary recording medium. Thus, the
number of transfers allowable by the usage rule is incremented by 1. In the secondary
recording medium, a right to reproduce the contents data from the secondary recording
medium is lost.
As described above, contents data in an encrypted state is copied to a secondary
recording medium and recorded onto the secondary recording medium, which conforms
to the SDMI standard, as it is. In addition, a right of contents is managed in
every check-in and every check-out. Thus, a copyright can be protected by avoidance
of copy operations without restrictions. At the same time, the user's right to
copy contents data for private use is assured.
It is to be noted that contents data are downloaded from typically an external
server to an HDD used as a primary recording medium in a state of being encrypted
by using a contents key CK.
In the description of this specification, contents data recorded in an HDD used
as a primary recording medium is assumed to be A3D contents data encrypted by using
a contents key CK. A3D contents data are contents data compressed by adoption of
an ATRAC3 technique. It is needless to say, however, that contents data may be
compressed by using a compression method other than the ATRAC3 technique.
In addition, in the description of this specification, symbol E (x, y) denotes
data y encrypted by adoption of a key x. On the other hand, symbol D {x, E (x,
y)} denotes data obtained as a result of decrypting data E (x, y) by adoption of
the key x.
Thus, symbol E (CK, A3D) denotes data obtained as a result of encrypting contents
data A3D by adoption of a contents key CK. As described above, the A3D contents
data are contents data compressed by adoption of the ATRAC3 compression technique.
On the other hand, symbol D {CK, E (CK, A3D)} denotes data obtained as a result
of decrypting data E (CK, A3D) by adoption of the contents key CK.
In addition, an HDD serving as a primary recording medium is used for storing
also E (KR, CK) along with the encrypted contents data E (CK, A3D). Symbol E (KR,
CK) denotes the contents key CK encrypted by adoption of a root key KR. Thus, the
encrypted contents key E (KR, CK) is downloaded from an external server to the
HDD along with the encrypted contents data E (CK, A3D).
In this case, when the encrypted contents data E (CK, A3D) is transferred from
the HDD serving as a primary recording medium to a secondary recording medium,
the encrypted contents key E (KR, CK) needs to be also transmitted to the secondary
recording medium as well.
The apparatus for the secondary recording medium has the root key KR and is thus
capable of decrypting the encrypted contents key E (KR, CK) by using the root key
KR to produce the contents key CK, which is then used to decrypt the encrypted
contents data.
However, the root key KR may be varied in accordance with the will of the
copyright owner or in accordance with a variety of changes in condition. For example,
the set root key KR may vary from contents data to contents data. A function to
limit contents distribution destinations can be executed by carrying out a process
of the root key KR. However, details of this process are not explained in this specification.
In order to carry out a process of the root key KR, data called an EKB (Enabling
Key Block) is also distributed. For example, an ordinary terminal apparatus to
receive contents data adopts a technique allowing a root key to be verified by
using a received EKB. That is to say, an EKB is also distributed by a server along
with the aforementioned encrypted contents data and the aforementioned encrypted
contents key to an apparatus and stored onto the HDD employed in the apparatus.
In this case, consider a case in which a mini disc or a magneto-optical disc,
which has been becoming popular in a wide range of applications, is used as a secondary
recording medium.
To be more specific, as an example, let a mini-disc-recording apparatus conform
to the SDMI standard. The apparatus records encrypted contents data E (CK, A3D)
transferred from a primary recording medium in a check-out onto a mini disc thereof
in an encrypted state as it is.
In a reproduction process, the mini-disc-reproduction apparatus conforming to
the SDMI standard generates D {CK, E (CK, A3D)}, which is the contents data A3D
itself. Then, the mini-disc-reproduction apparatus carries out a predetermined
decoding process on the contents data A3D to reproduce and output typically music
of the contents data.
On the other hand, an ordinary mini-disc system, which has been becoming popular,
does not record encrypted contents onto a mini disc thereof. It is needless to
say that such a mini-disc-reproduction apparatus does not have a function to decrypt
encrypted contents data either.
Thus, even if contents data can be recorded on a mini disc by a mini-disc-recording
apparatus conforming to the SDMI standard, the contents data recorded on a mini
disc cannot be reproduced by a large number of mini-disc players not conforming
to the SDMI standard. This is because there is no reproduction compatibility between
the mini-disc-recording apparatus conforming to the SDMI standard and the mini-disc
players not conforming to the SDMI standard.
This reproduction incompatibility restricts proper use of SDMI contents purchased
by the general user and, hence, substantially reduces the value of a service to
provide the SDMI contents to the general user and the degree of user satisfaction.
In order to solve the problem described above, when SDMI contents are recorded
onto a secondary recording medium of a mini-disc-recording apparatus not conforming
to the SDMI standard in a copy operation, there is conceived a technique wherein
the contents data are decrypted before being transferred to the apparatus and finally
recorded onto a mini disc used as the secondary recording medium in an unencrypted
state as it is.
If the above technique to copy contents data is adopted, however, the contents
data can be copied with ease. Thus, there is inevitably room for illegally copying
contents data. As a result, the original object of the SDMI standard to protect
copyrights cannot be achieved.
Thus, in order to solve the problems described above, the applicant for a patent
of the present invention has proposed the following transfer technique as a means
for transferring contents data.
In a process to transfer contents data, the primary-recording-medium-side apparatus
serving as a data transfer apparatus authenticates the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus serving as a data-recording apparatus, and a transfer of the contents
data is permitted on condition that the result of the authentication is OK and
the contents provider such as the copyright owner approves the transfer. The contents
data are then transferred through a transmission line in an encrypted state but
decrypted before being recorded on a secondary recording medium of the data-recording
apparatus. In addition, in accordance with this proposed technique, contents rights
are managed in every check-out and every check-in.
Thus, an operation to copy and record contents data in an unencrypted state
is permitted and the function to protect a copyright of the contents data is not lost.
In actuality, a transfer of contents from an HDD used as a primary recording
medium
in a personal computer serving as the data transfer apparatus to a mini disc used
as a secondary recording medium in a mini-disc recorder serving as a data-recording
apparatus by adoption of the technique described above is beneficial to both the
contents provider and the user.
By the way, in a data transfer system adopting the technique described above,
there is a variety of recording media such as a memory card and a mini disc, which
can be utilized by the user as a secondary recording medium at a destination of
a check-out of contents data. In such a data transfer system, a data-recording
apparatus or a mini-disc recorder is connected arbitrarily to the personal computer,
allowing a check-out and a check-in to be carried out.
In this case, it is necessary to provide the personal computer serving as the
data transfer apparatus with a function for controlling check-outs and check-ins
of contents data in conjunction with a variety of data-recording apparatus such
as a memory-card-recording apparatus or a mini-disc recorder and controlling processes
of contents data on the secondary recording medium of the data-recording apparatus.
In other words, the personal computer serving as the data transfer apparatus
is
required to have application software capable of transmitting commands or control
codes provided for each of various secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus to
the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus.
In the present state of the art, however, the memory-card-recording apparatus
and the mini-disc recorders do not share standardized formats such as control-code
forms and command-frame structures for control commands issued by the application software.
Because of the reason described above, in the case of an application intended
mainly for check-outs and check-ins of contents data, it is necessary to provide
independent application for each secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus connected
to the personal computer.
In addition, since a variety of secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus exists,
it is necessary to also provide a separately local application intended mainly
for controlling various kinds of processing dependent on the types of the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus. Examples of the processing dependent on the types of the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus are processes to reproduce, record and edit contents data.
In this case, there exist independent control-code forms and independent command-frame
structures for control commands issued by the application issued by the application
for the purpose of mainly carrying out check-outs and check-ins and control commands
issued by the local application for the purpose of mainly controlling the processing
dependent on the types of the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus.
In consequence, it is necessary to carry out a complicated process to switch
the
application from one to another and a device driver from one to another in dependent
on the processing.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is thus an object of the present invention addressing the problems described
above to simplify a software structure and to make processing efficient by providing
a module structure for control executed by a data transfer apparatus on a data-recording
apparatus connected to the data transfer apparatus.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus
control method adopted by a data transfer apparatus to control a data-recording
apparatus connected to the data transfer apparatus, wherein: the data transfer
apparatus includes a primary recording medium in which contents data have been
stored; the data-recording apparatus is capable of recording contents data onto
a secondary recording medium; and the contents data stored on the primary recording
medium can be transferred to the secondary recording medium by connecting the data-recording
apparatus to the data transfer apparatus,
wherein a first control procedure or a second control procedure is selectively
executed in accordance with a control condition,
the first control procedure including the steps of:
- using a common application module to issue a control code according
to a common control condition independently of a type of the secondary recording medium;
- using a transformation module to transform the control code in accordance
with the data-recording apparatus connected to the data transfer apparatus; and
- transmitting the transformed control code to the data-recording apparatus
connected to the data transfer apparatus by way of a device driver;
the second control procedure including the steps of:
- using a local application module to issue a control code in accordance
with a control condition not prepared in the common application module; and
- transmitting the issued control code to the data-recording apparatus
connected to the data transfer apparatus by way of the device driver.
Preferably, in the second control procedure, the local application module
issues the control code having a format adjusted to that of the control code transformed
by the transformation module.
Preferably, in the second control procedure, the local application module
presents that a local control code having a format different from that of the control
code transformed by the transformation module is to be issued and issues the local
control code.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a data transfer apparatus comprising:
primary-recording-medium-driving means for recording
data onto a primary recording medium and reproducing data from the primary recording medium;
communication means for carrying out operations to exchange various
kinds of data with an external data-recording apparatus for recording data onto
a secondary recording medium and specially carrying out an operation to transfer
contents data recorded on the primary recording medium; and
connected-apparatus control means for transmitting a control
code to a variety of data-recording apparatus connectable to the data transfer
apparatus in a state of being capable of communicating with the data transfer apparatus
through the communication means, and for controlling the data-recording apparatus
connected to the data transfer apparatus,
wherein the connected-apparatus control means includes:
a common application module for issuing a control code according to a common
control
condition independently of a type of the secondary recording medium;
a transformation module for transforming the control code issued by the common
application module in accordance with the data-recording apparatus connected to
the data transfer apparatus;
a local application module for issuing a control code in accordance with a control
condition not prepared in the common application module; and
a device driver for transmitting the transformed control code transformed by
the
transformation module and the issued control code issued by the local application
module to the data-recording apparatus connected to the data transfer apparatus.
Preferably, the local application module issues the control code having
a format adjusted to that of the control code transformed by the transformation module.
Preferably, the local application module presents that a local control
code having a format different from that of the control code transformed by the
transformation module is to be issued and issues the local control code.
In accordance with further another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided
a recording medium for a recording program module to be executed by a data transfer
apparatus including a primary recording medium in which contents data have been
stored, in order to control a data-recording apparatus which is connected to the
data transfer apparatus and which is used for recording contents data onto a secondary
recording medium in a state allowing contents data recorded on the primary recording
medium to be transferred to the secondary recording medium by connecting the data-recording
apparatus to the data transfer apparatus, the program module comprising:
a common application module for issuing a control code according to a common
control
condition independently of a type of the secondary recording medium;
a transformation module for transforming the control code issued by the common
application module in accordance with the data-recording apparatus connected to
the data transfer apparatus;
a local application module for issuing a control code in accordance with a control
condition not prepared in the common application module; and
a device driver for transmitting the transformed control code transformed by
the
transformation module and the issued control code issued by the local application
module to the data-recording apparatus connected to the data transfer apparatus.
Preferably, the local application module issues the control code having
a format adjusted to that of the control code transformed by the transformation module.
Preferably, the local application module presents that a local control
code having a format different from that of the control code transformed by the
transformation module is to be issued and issues the local control code.
In accordance with the present invention, a control code issued by the common
application module for the purpose of mainly carrying out typically check-outs
and check-ins is transformed by the transformation module into a control code suitable
for a data-recording apparatus connected to the data transfer apparatus and transmitted
to the data-recording apparatus by way of the device driver.
On the other hand, a control code issued by the local application module for
the
purpose of mainly controlling processing dependent on the data-recording apparatus
is also transmitted to the data-recording apparatus by way of the same device driver.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a system implemented
by an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing typical data paths of SDMI contents
according to the embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a primary-recording-medium-side apparatus
provided by the embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
provided by the embodiment;
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of application modules
provided by the embodiment;
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a transformed command frame issued
by a plug-in module provided by the embodiment;
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a transformed command frame issued
by a local application provided by the embodiment;
FIGS. 8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams showing the embodiment's send control
command and receive response command respectively; and
FIGS. 9A and 9B are explanatory diagrams showing the embodiment's send vendor
command and receive vendor command respectively.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is explained in chapters arranged
in the following order:
1: System Configuration
2: Data Paths of SDMI contents
3: Typical Configuration of Data Transfer Apparatus (Primary-Recording-Medium-Side
Apparatus or PC)
4: Typical Configuration of Data-Recording Apparatus (Secondary-Recording-Medium-Side
Apparatus or Recording/Reproduction Apparatus)
5: Structure of Application Modules
1: System Configuration
The following description explains the configuration of a system implemented
by an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a typical system configuration. A primary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
1 corresponds to a data transfer apparatus provided by the present
invention. On the other hand, secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A
and
20B each correspond to the data-recording apparatus connected to the
data transfer apparatus provided by the present invention. The primary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
1 and the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A
or
20B form a data transfer system.
The primary-recording-medium-side apparatus
1 is implemented by typically
a personal computer. For the sake of convenience, in the following explanation,
by a personal computer, the primary-recording-medium-side apparatus
1 is
meant. However, the primary-recording-medium-side apparatus
1 is not necessarily
a personal computer.
In order to carry out operations of the data transfer apparatus provided by the
present invention, the personal computer functioning as the primary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
1 executes software for implementing transfers and accumulation
of SDMI contents data, which are initiated in the personal computer
1. In
addition, a group of application modules is activated by the personal computer
to carry out functions of an apparatus for controlling operations of the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
20A and
20B connected to the personal computer. The controlled
operations include check-outs and check-ins in conjunction with the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
20A and
20B as well as processing to reproduce contents
data from the secondary recording medium and recording contents data onto the secondary
recording medium and edit contents data stored on the secondary recording medium.
An HDD
5 embedded in or externally added to the personal computer
1
serves as the primary recording medium (and a primary-recording-medium drive means).
It is to be noted that, while the HDD
5 is used as the primary recording
medium in the explanation of the embodiment, a recording medium functioning as
the primary recording medium is not necessarily an HDD. The primary recording medium
can be one of a variety of conceivable recording media such as an optical disc,
a magneto-optical disc, a semiconductor memory embedded in the primary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
1 and a portable semiconductor memory such as a memory card.
The primary-recording-medium-side apparatus
1 is capable of communicating
with a contents server
91 through a communication network
110. Contents
data such as music can thus be downloaded from the contents server
91 to
the primary-recording-medium-side apparatus
1. It is needless to say that
a plurality of contents servers
91 may be connected to the network
110.
The user of the personal computer
1 can receive a service to download various
kinds of data from any arbitrary one of the contents servers
91.
Contents data downloaded from the contents server
91 to the personal
computer
1 can be contents data conforming to the SDMI standard or contents
data not conforming to the SDMI standard.
A transmission line forming the network
110 is a wire or radio public
communication
line. As an alternative, a transmission line forming the network
110 can
be a dedicated line connecting the personal computer
1 to the contents server
91. To put it concretely, the network
110 can be the Internet, a
satellite communication network, an optical fiber network or any other communication line.
The HDD
5 of the personal computer
1 can be an embedded or externally
connected disc drive unit for driving a package medium
90 such as a CD-DA
or a DVD, from which contents data such as music are reproduced. In the following
description, the package medium
90 is also referred to as a disc
90
or a removable recording medium
90.
The personal computer
1 is connected to a secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
20A or
20B, to which contents data stored in the HDD
5
can be transferred in a check-out. The secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A or
20B is a recording apparatus or a recording/reproduction apparatus
for recording data onto a secondary recording medium. Thus, contents data received
from the personal computer
1 can be recorded onto the secondary recording
medium in a copy operation.
There are a variety of conceivable examples of the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
20A or
20B. In the following description, however, the
secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B is a recording apparatus conforming
to the SDMI standard.
In the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B conforming to the
SDMI standard, the secondary recording medium is assumed to be a memory card conforming
to the SDMI standard. Such a memory card employs a semiconductor memory such as
a flash memory. Thus, the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B
is a recording/reproduction apparatus or a memory-card-drive for recording and
reproducing data onto and from a memory card conforming to the SDMI standard. In
this case, SDMI contents are recorded on the secondary recording medium in an encrypted state.
There is created an information management format including a contents ID stored
in the secondary recording medium conforming to the SDMI standard. The contents
ID is used as an identifier for identifying SDMI contents. When contents data are
stored in the HDD
5 of the personal computer
1, a contents ID is
generated by an application for the contents data and stored in the HDD
5
along with the contents data. In addition, check-outs and check-ins are managed
by using contents IDs. It is assumed that, when contents data are recorded onto
the secondary recording medium conforming to the SDMI standard, the contents ID
of the contents data can also be recorded onto the secondary recording medium along
with the contents data.
On the other hand, the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A is
a data-recording apparatus not conforming to the SDMI standard. The secondary recording
medium of the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A is used for
storing SDMI contents, which require protection of its copyright, in an unencrypted
state. An example of this secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A
is a mini disc. Thus, an example of the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A is a mini-disc recording/reproduction apparatus or a mini-disc recorder.
In this case, in order not to lose a function to protect a copyright even if
SDMI
contents are recorded in an unencrypted state, successful authentication to be
described later is taken as one of conditions for an operation to copy the SDMI contents.
It is to be noted that a medium, which data are recorded onto and reproduced
from
by the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A, is not limited to
a mini disc. Other secondary recording media of the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
20A conceivably include a memory card employing a semiconductor
memory such as a flash memory, a mini disc functioning as a magneto-optical disc,
a CD-R (CD Recordable), a CD-RW (CD Rewritable), a DVD-RAM, a DVD-R and a DVD-RW.
Thus, the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A can be any recording
apparatus as long as the recording apparatus is capable of recording data onto
any one of these recording media.
The personal computer
1 is connected to the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
20A or
20B by a line conforming to a transmission standard
such as the USB (Universal Serial Bus) or IEEE-1394 standard. It is needless to
say that another kind of transmission line can also be used as long as the other
transmission line is capable of transmitting contents data or the like. Examples
of the other transmission line are a wire transmission line and a radio transmission line.
It is to be noted that, in the following description, if it is necessary to distinguish
the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A and
20B from each
other, the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A is referred to
as a mini-disc recorder
20A while the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B is referred to as a memory-card drive
20B in some cases.
2: Data Paths of SDMI Contents
Assume for example a data transfer system like one shown in FIG. 1. In this
case, data paths prescribed by the SDMI standard are shown in FIG. 2.
It is to be noted that music contents go through the data path in processing
carried
out by the personal computer
1, which is provided with typically the HDD
5 as the primary recording medium, to store the music contents onto the
HDD
5 or to transfer the contents to an external apparatus such as the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
20A or
20B. In other words, the data paths are implemented
by software executed by the personal computer
1 to carry out processing
to store the music contents onto the HDD
5 or to transfer the contents to
the external apparatus.
Procedures and processing to store music contents onto the HDD
5
or to transfer the contents to an external apparatus through the data paths shown
in FIG. 2 are denoted by reference notations DP
1 to DP
9. In the following
description, reference notations DP
1 to DP
9 are used to refer to
their respective procedures.
In a procedure DP
1, contents data distributed by the external contents
server
91 by way of the network
110 shown in FIG. 1 are examined
to form a judgment as to whether or not the data are contents requiring protection
of the copyright in conformity with the SDMI standard.
Distributed network contents can be contents conforming to the SDMI standard
or contents having nothing to do with the SDMI standard. Contents conforming to
the SDMI standard and contents having nothing to do with the SDMI standard are
referred to as SDMI-conforming contents and non-SDMI contents respectively.
SDMI-conforming contents have been encrypted by using a contents
key CK in a key encryption process such as a DES process. Typically, the pre-encryption
data of SDMI-conforming contents are encoded data A3D compressed by using a compression
technique such as ATRAC3. In this case, the encrypted SDMI-conforming contents
are expressed by reference notation E (CK, A3D).
If the distributed network contents are SDMI-conforming contents, the data path
continues from the procedure DP
1 to a procedure DP
2, in which the
network contents are stored as SDMI contents in the HDD
5 serving as the
primary recording medium.
In this case, the contents data are written into the HDD
5 in the distributed
state E (CK, A3D) as it is. As an alternative, the contents data are once decrypted
before being encrypted again by using another contents key CK′ to generate
encrypted data E (CK′, A3D) to be stored onto the HDD
5. That is
to say, the contents key is changed from CK to CK′.
If the distributed network contents are non-SDMI contents, on the other hand,
the data path continues from the procedure DP
1 to a procedure DP
3,
in which a watermark-check process is carried out. The watermark-check process
is a screening process based on an electronic watermark.
Also in the procedure DP
3, a watermark-check process is carried out on
disc contents. Disc contents are contents data read out from a package medium mounted
on a drive embedded in the personal computer
1 or mounted on a disc drive
unit connected to the personal computer
1. An example of the embedded drive
is a CD-ROM drive. Examples of the package medium include a CD-DA and a DVD.
That is to say, for disc contents, which are contents data not conforming to
the SDMI standard, a watermark-check process is carried out.
If the disc contents does not pass the watermark-check process, the data path
continues from the procedure DP
3 to a procedure DP
5 in which the
disc contents are determined to be contents data that cannot be copied in the data
paths. A variety of conceivable concrete handlings can be implemented through the
design of software. For example, such disc contents are stored into the HDD
5
but treated like contents data that cannot be transferred for the purpose of copying
or moving the data to another medium. As an alternative conceivable handling, such
disc contents are not stored in the HDD
5 in the contents processing conforming
to the SDMI standard.
If the contents data pass the watermark-check process, that is, if an electronic
watermark exists and a copy control bit is confirmed to indicate that a copy operation
is permitted, on the other hand, the contents data are determined to be contents
data that can be copied legally. In this case, the data path continues to a procedure
DP
4 to form a judgment as to whether or not the contents data are to be
handled in conformity with the SDMI standard. Whether or not contents data are
to be handled as data conforming to the SDMI standard is dependent on the software
design, a user setting or the like.
If the contents data are not to be handled in conformity with the SDMI standard,
the data path continues to a procedure DP
6 in which the contents data are
treated as non-SDMI contents and excluded from the contents-data path conforming
to the SDMI standard. For example, a transfer of the contents data to a recording
apparatus not conforming to the SDMI standard is enabled.
If the contents data are to be handled in conformity with the SDMI standard,
on
the other hand, the data path continues from the procedure DP
4 to the procedure
DP
2 in which the contents data is encrypted and stored into the HDD
5
as SDMI contents. To be more specific, the contents data are stored into the HDD
5 typically in an E (CK, A3D) or E (CK′, A3D) state.
In accordance with the data paths described above, SDMI network contents or SDMI
disc contents are stored into the HDD
5, which is used as a primary recording
medium. SDMI network contents are contents, which are received from the network
110 and to be handled in conformity with the SDMI standard. On the other
hand, SDMI disc contents are contents, which are read out from a disc such as a
CD-DA or another medium and to be handled in conformity with the SDMI standard.
In addition, for SDMI contents, a contents ID unique to the SDMI contents is
generated
and stored into the HDD
5 along with the SDMI contents. The contents ID
is used in management of usage rules, which is executed for each SDMI contents
as will be described later.
In accordance with a predetermined rule, SDMI contents stored in the HDD
5
is transferred to the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B conforming
to the SDMI standard so that the contents can be copied to a secondary recording
medium also conforming to the SDMI standard. As described above, SDMI contents
can be SDMI network contents or SDMI disc contents. In addition, in the case of
this embodiment, besides the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B
conforming to the SDMI standard, the SDMI contents stored in the HDD
5 can
also be transferred to the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A
under a predetermined condition. Examples of the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
20A and
20B are a mini-disc recorder and a memory-card
drive respectively.
First of all, assume that the personal computer
1 employing the HDD
5 is connected to the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B
conforming to the SDMI standard. In this case, SDMI contents stored in the HDD
5 is transferred to the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B
as follows.
In the case of SDMI disc contents, a usage rule for transferring the contents
is determined in advance. In a procedure DP
8, the transfer of the SDMI disc
contents according to the usage rule to the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B conforming to the SDMI standard for the purpose of copying the contents
to the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B is recognized.
It is to be noted that these data paths are paths of a check-out or an operation
to transfer contents from the HDD
5 serving as a primary recording medium
to a secondary recording medium such as a memory card mounted on the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
20B or the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20A
to copy the contents to be reproduced by the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B or
20A. An operation opposite to a check-out is a check-in, which
is an operation to transfer or move contents from the secondary recording medium
back to the primary recording medium. It is worth noting that, in such a move operation
to transfer contents from the secondary recording medium back to the primary recording
medium, the contents data are erased from the secondary recording medium.
As a usage rule of a transfer of SDMI disc contents, an upper limit is imposed
on the number of allowable check-outs. For example, up to three check-outs are
permitted for a piece of contents data. Thus, contents can be copied to up to three
secondary recording media conforming to the SDMI standard in check-out operations.
When contents are moved back from a secondary recording medium to the primary recording
medium in a check-in, the number of check-outs carried out so far for the contents
data is decremented by 1. Thus, even after contents have been copied to three secondary
recording media conforming to the SDMI standard, the contents can be copied again
to a secondary recording medium conforming to the SDMI standard provided that the
contents have been moved from one of the three secondary recording media in a check-in
back to the primary recording medium. That is to say, contents data are permitted
to exist in up to three secondary recording media conforming to the SDMI standard.
Also in the case of SDMI network contents, a usage rule for transferring the
contents is determined in advance. In a procedure DP
7, the transfer of the
SDMI network contents according to the usage rule to the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
20B conforming to the SDMI standard for the purpose of copying
the contents to the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B is recognized.
As a usage rule of a transfer of SDMI network contents, an upper limit is imposed
on the number of allowable check-outs as is the case with SDMI disc contents. The
upper limit can be the same as or different from the upper limit set for SDMI disc
contents. For example, an upper limit of 1 imposed on the number of allowable check-outs
is conceivable. In this case, each piece of contents data can be copied only to
one secondary recording medium conforming to the SDMI standard. If the contents
data are moved back from the secondary recording medium to the primary recording
medium in a check-in, the contents data can be copied again to a secondary recording
medium conforming to the SDMI standard.
SDMI contents copied in accordance with these usage rules from a primary recording
medium to a secondary recording medium conforming to the SDMI standard are transferred
through a transmission line in an encrypted state. To be more specific, the SDMI
contents are transferred through a transmission line in an E (CK, A3D) or E (CK′,
A3D) state.
Then, the SDMI contents transferred in an encrypted state is received by the
secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B conforming to the SDMI standard
to be copied to the secondary recording medium in the encrypted state as it is.
In an operation carried out by the secondary-recording-medium-side apparatus
20B
conforming to the SDMI standard to reproduce the SDMI contents copied and recorded
to the secondary recording medium, the contents data are read out from the secondary
recording medium and decrypted to reproduce the contents data. To put it in detail,
the contents data recorded in the secondary recording medium in the E (CK, A3D)
or E (CK′, A3D) state is decrypted by using the contents key CK or CK′
to generate respectively contents data D {CK, E (CK, A3D)}=A3D or D {CK′,
E (CK′, A3D)}=A3D, which are the original unencrypted contents data compressed
by using the ATRAC3 compression technique. The original unencrypted compressed
contents data A3D is subjected to processing such as a decompression process opposite
to the ATRAC3 compression process to carry out demodulation processing to produce
output audio data such as music.
As described above, a copyright for contents data conforming to the SDMI standard
can be properly protected by the encrypted state of the contents data along the
data paths for a check-out of the contents data to the secondary-recording-medium-side
apparatus
20B conforming to the SDMI standard and the encrypted state of
the contents data in the secondary recording m
