Data distribution system and method thereof, data processing device, data control device, and machine-readable recording medium recording distribution data

Abstract

A contents provider stores contents data in a container in a format which can only be decoded with a key distributed from an EMD service center, and transmits the container to a service provider. The service provider adds pricing information and the like and distributes this to a user home network. The user home network pays charges to the EMD service center based on the pricing information, receives the key, and decodes the contents data. Information regarding the number of times which copying is permitted is contained in the secure container, and the number of times permitted is increased each time charges are paid, thereby enabling copying to other media and the like. It is impossible to make copies from a container simply copied, or in cases where in the number of permitted times of copies has been used up. Thus, contents data can be distributed in a format wherein copying of contents data can be controlled including the number of copies made.

1 - 66 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         67 . A data processing device, comprising: 
 control information extracting means for extracting, from contents data wherein copy control information including a number of permitted times of a copy of said contents data has been added to desired contents data, information regarding the number of permitted times of said copy from said copy control information;    copy control means for controlling said copy so as to copy said contents data on the basis of the extracted copy control information; and    control information updating means for updating said copy control information so as to decrease a number of permitted times of use, based on usage;    wherein said copy control information is a parallel copy or a serial copy.    
     
     
         68 . The data processing device according to  claim 67 , further comprising a signal processing device wherein external observation and alteration of a signal processing state is impossible, and wherein said signal processing device performs detection of whether or not use of said contents data is permitted, control of use of said contents data based on detection results, and updating use control information based on use.  
     
     
         69 . The data processing device according to claim  58 , wherein when said contents data is recorded, said data processing device generates new distribution data by adding to said contents data said use control information containing said information regarding the number of permitted times of use that has been newly set to an arbitrary value, and performs recording with said distribution data as a unit.  
     
     
         70 . The data processing device according to  claim 69 , further comprising an administration device which is connected so as to be capable of communicating with at least said data processing device, and which performs billing processing related to the use of said contents data, based on information related to use of said contents data sent from said data processing device; 
 wherein said data processing device sends information related to the use of said contents data to said administration device.    
     
     
         71 . The data processing device according to  claim 70 , wherein, in the event of newly obtaining permission of use regarding said distribution data which is already distributed, said data processing device sends information for requesting a desired number of times of use of said contents data to said administration device, and when there is a notification from said administration device to the effect of permitting the request, permission of new use of said desired number of times is taken to have been granted; 
 and when that information for requesting the desired number of times of use of said contents data is sent from said data processing device, said administration device performs billing processing related to the use of said contents data for said desired number of times, and when said billing processing has been performed appropriately, notification to the effect of permitting the request is made to said data processing device.    
     
     
         72 . A data processing method, comprising the steps of: 
 extracting, from contents data wherein copy control information including a number of permitted times of a copy of said contents data has been added to desired contents data, information regarding the number of permitted times of said copy from said copy control information;    controlling said copy so as to copy said contents data on the basis of the extracted copy control information; and    updating said copy control information so as to decrease a number of permitted times of use, based on usage;    wherein said copy control information is a parallel copy or a serial copy.    
     
     
         73 . The data processing method according to  claim 72 , further comprising a signal processing device wherein external observation and alteration of a signal processing state is impossible, and wherein said signal processing device performs detection of whether or not use of said contents data is permitted, control of use of said contents data based on detection results, and updating use control information based on use.  
     
     
         74 . The data processing method according to  claim 73 , wherein when said contents data is recorded, said data processing device generates new distribution data by adding to said contents data said use control information containing said information regarding the number of permitted times of use that has been newly set to an arbitrary value, and performs recording with said distribution data as a unit.  
     
     
         75 . The data processing method according to  claim 74 , further comprising an administration device which is connected so as to be capable of communicating with at least said data processing device, and which performs billing processing related to the use of said contents data, based on information related to use of said contents data sent from said data processing device; 
 wherein said data processing device sends information related to the use of said contents data to said administration device.    
     
     
         76 . The data processing method according to  claim 75 , wherein, in the event of newly obtaining permission of use regarding said distribution data which is already distributed, said data processing device sends information for requesting a desired number of times of use of said contents data to said administration device, and when there is a notification from said administration device to the effect of permitting the request, permission of new use of said desired number of times is taken to have been granted; 
 and when that information for requesting the desired number of times of use of said contents data is sent from said data processing device, said administration device performs billing processing related to the use of said contents data for said desired number of times, and when said billing processing has been performed appropriately, notification to the effect of permitting the request is made to said data processing device.    
     
     
         77 . A record medium from which a computer reads a program that causes a data processing device to perform the steps of: 
 extracting, from contents data wherein copy control information including a number of permitted times of a copy of said contents data has been added to desired contents data, information regarding the number of permitted times of said copy from said copy control information;    controlling said copy so as to copy said contents data on the basis of the extracted copy control information; and    updating said copy control information so as to decrease a number of permitted times of use, based on usage;    wherein said copy control information is a parallel copy or a serial copy.