Patent ID: 7904392
Filing Date: 2011-03-08
Classification: G06Q,H04N

Abstract:
1. A content usage rule management system comprising a user terminal that provides a content utilization for users and at least one content usage rule management device that stores a content usage rule for permitting a content utilization with the user terminal and manages the content utilization, wherein the user terminal includes: a utilization unit that specifies a user who has logged in, and accepts a utilization request from the specified user, the utilization request indicating a request for a desired content utilization and including a usage rule and a content ID, the usage rule including an ID of a contractor of the content usage rule management device but not including a user ID of the user nor a key for decrypting an encrypted content desired by the user, and the content ID specifying the content desired by the user; a storage unit in which a usage rule is stored, the usage rule including (i) a condition which includes utilization conditional data of a content, (ii) a key for decrypting the content which is encrypted, and (iii) the ID of the contractor, but not including the user ID of the user, and being available for the user of the user terminal; and an interface unit that sends to the usage rule management device the user ID of the user and the utilization request via wireless communication in the case where the usage rule corresponding to the utilization request accepted by said utilization unit is not stored in said storage unit of the user terminal, the user ID being inputted when the user has logged in, and the utilization request including: the usage rule indicating utilization of the content desired by the user; and the content ID specifying the desired content, and the content usage rule management device, which is a portable device, includes: a sending and receiving unit that receives, from said interface unit of the user terminal, the user ID of the user other than the contractor and the utilization request via wireless communication, the utilization request including: the usage rule desired by the user, and the content ID specifying the content desired by the user; a copyright data storage management unit in which the usage rule and contract related data are stored, the usage rule including (i) a condition which includes utilization conditional data of a content, (ii) a key for decrypting the content which is encrypted, and (iii) the ID of the contractor, but not including the user ID of the user and being obtained by the contractor of the content usage rule management device from a content-providing-rights holder, and the contract related data (i) being information created by the contractor of said content usage rule management device, (ii) including plural user IDs specifying the contractor and the user other than the contractor, and (iii) indicating whether or not the contractor permits the usage rule of the contractor to be utilized by the user who is other than the contractor and specified by a corresponding one of the plural user IDs; a copyright data processing unit that (i) searches the copyright data storage management unit for the usage rule corresponding to the utilization request received (ii) checks whether or not the utilization of the search-out usage rule by the user is permitted, based on the user ID of the user and the contract related data (iii) creates, from the searched-out usage condition, in the case where the utilization of the usage rule is permitted, utilization permission data which includes a key for decrypting the content which is encrypted and (iv) creates, in the case where the utilization of the usage rule is not permitted, utilization permission data which does not include the key but includes a notice indicating that the utilization is not permitted; and a notification and confirmation unit that provides the contractor with a notification that a utilization request has been received from the user terminal and that allows confirmation that the utilization permission data for use of the content is permitted, wherein said sending and receiving unit also sends the created utilization permission data to the user terminal via wireless communication, said interface unit receives the created utilization permission data and said utilization unit decodes encrypted content using the key included with the created utilization permission data.