Information processing apparatus and method, and program storage medium

Abstract

The CPU of the personal computer controls the CPU of the adaptor made of a semiconductor ID to compute a hash value of a content-managing music data base recorded in the HDD and store it into the nonvolatile memory. When playing back a content recorded in the HDD, the CPU computes the hash value of the music data base recorded in the HDD, compares it with hash values stored cumulatively in the nonvolatile memory, and controls the playback of the content from the HDD based on the result of the comparison.

1 . An information processing apparatus comprising: 
 an interface via which content data is supplied from a predetermined recording medium or server;    a storage medium configured to store content data supplied via the interface;    a compression program configured to compress content data for storage into the storage medium in a predetermined manner in accordance with a first predetermined compression format;    an encryption program configured to encrypt the content data for storage into the storage medium in a predetermined manner in correspondence with the first predetermined compression format; and,    a controller configured to control reading/writing into or from the storage medium, the content data having been compressed by the compression program and encrypted by the encryption program; and,    the compression program compressing, or the encryption program encrypting, content data supplied via the interface and having been provided in different compression and encryption formats, for storage into the storage medium, and converting from the different compression and encryption formats to the first predetermined compression format and corresponding predetermined encryption format when reading from the storage medium the content data having been compressed or encrypted in the different formats, respectively, for use by the apparatus or delivery to a predetermined portable device.    
   
   
       2 . An information processing method comprising: 
 inputting content data from a predetermined recording medium or server;    storing the input content data;    compressing the stored content data in accordance with a first predetermined compression format;    encrypting the compressed content data stored correspondence with the first predetermined compression format; and    controlling reading/writing into or from the storage medium of the compressed and encrypted content data;    the compression step compressing, or the encryption step encrypting, content data supplied at the data input step and having been provided in different compression and encryption formats for storage into the storage medium, and converting from the different compression and encryption formats to the first predetermined compression format and corresponding predetermined encryption format when reading from the storage medium the content data having been compressed or encrypted in the different formats, respectively, for use by the apparatus or delivery to a predetermined portable device.    
   
   
       3 . An information processing apparatus comprising: 
 a storage device configured to store content data;    a memory configured to hold a usage rule set corresponding to the content data stored in the storage device; and    a transfer management program to judge, when the content data stored in the storage device is to be moved to a portable device, whether the portable device is capable of implementing the usage file set corresponding to the content data;    wherein, transfer of the content data stored in the storage device to the portable device is inhibited by the transfer management program when it is determined as the result of the judgment that the portable device can not implement the usage rule set.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the move includes copy, move or check-out, and the usage rule includes playback limiting condition, playback accounting condition or copy limiting condition.  
   
   
       5 . An information processing method, comprising: 
 storing data;    holding a usage rule set corresponding to the stored data;    judging whether or not, when transferring the stored data to another apparatus, the usage rule set corresponding to the stored data is able to be implemented by the another apparatus; and    transferring, based on the result of the judgment indicating that the another apparatus can implement the usage rule set, the data stored to the other apparatus along with the usage rule set corresponding to the stored data.    
   
   
       6 . An information processing method, comprising: 
 storing content data into a storage device;    holding in a memory a usage rule set corresponding to the stored content data; and    judging, when the content data stored in the storage device is to be transferred to a portable device, whether the portable device is capable of implementing the usage rule set corresponding to the content data;    inhibiting movement of the content data stored in the storage device to the portable device when it is determined that the portable device can not implement the corresponding usage rule set.    
   
   
       7 . The method as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the move includes copy, move or check-out, and the usage rule includes playback limiting condition, playback accounting condition or copy limiting condition.  
   
   
       8 . A program storage medium having recorded therein a program intended for execution by an information processing apparatus and readable by a computer to implement a method, comprising: 
 storing data;    holding a usage rule set corresponding to the stored data;    judging whether or not, when transferring the data stored at the data storing step to another apparatus, the usage rule set corresponding to the stored data at the data storing step is able to be implemented by the another apparatus; and    transferring, based on the result of the judgment, the data stored to the other apparatus along with the usage rule set corresponding to the data stored.