Contents distribution system for handling secondary products utilizing raw material contents

Abstract

A contents distribution system uses a copyright rental use scheme in which the economical burden on the users at a time of utilizing contents can be reduced to a reasonable level, and appropriate fees can be collected for the copyrights of the contents created and provided at each stage by the raw material creators and the secondary product creators. In this system, the secondary product creator can create the secondary product contents by incorporating the raw material contents for free, and sell the secondary product contents. The end-user pays respective utilization fees to the secondary product creator and each raw material provider at a time of the purchasing the secondary product contents.

1 . A contents distribution system for enabling utilization of encrypted raw material contents which are provided from a raw material provider and encrypted by using an encryption key and to which an information for a contract processing to enable utilization of the raw material contents is attached, from secondary product contents produced by a secondary product contents producer which contain one or more encrypted raw material contents. the contents distribution system comprising: 
 a server configured to maintain the encryption key of the encrypted raw material contents; and    a client connected with the server and including a decoder configured to acquire the encryption key from the server and decrypt the encrypted raw material contents by using acquired encryption key, by executing the contract processing with the server according to the information for the contract processing which is attached to specified raw material contents in the secondary product contents and containing (a) a contract procedure information described by a contract description language, (b) the encryption key for decrypting contents, and (c) a unique identifier assigned to each contents, and a player configured to reproduce decrypted contents;    wherein the information for the contract processing contains a first description regarding a charge to an end-user by the raw material provider and the secondary product contents producer and a second description regarding a monetary transaction charge between the raw material provider and the secondary product contents producer, and when own contents are incorporated into other contents, the second description is defined such that it is charged if an incorporating entity is a commercial utilization and it is free if an incorporating entity is a non-commercial one.    
   
   
       2 . A contents distribution system for enabling utilization of secondary product contents produced by a secondary product contents producer which contain one or more encrypted raw material contents which are provided from a raw material provider and encrypted by using an encryption key and to which an information for a contract processing to enable utilization of the raw material contents is attached, the contents distribution system comprising: 
 a server configured to maintain the encryption key of the encrypted raw material contents; and    a client connected with the server and including a decoder configured to acquire the encryption key from the server and decrypt the encrypted raw material contents by using acquired encryption key, by executing the contract processing with the server according to the information for the contract processing which is attached to the encrypted raw material contents in the secondary product contents that are specified to be utilized and containing (a) a contract procedure information described by a contract description language, (b) the encryption key for decrypting contents, and (c) a unique identifier assigned to each contents, and a player configured to reproduce decrypted contents:    wherein the information for the contract processing contains a first description regarding a charge to an end-user by the raw material provider and the secondary product contents producer and a second description regarding a monetary transaction charge between the raw material provider and the secondary product contents producer, and when own contents are incorporated into other contents, the second description is defined such that it is charged if an incorporating entity is a commercial utilization and it is free if an incorporating entity is a non-commercial one.    
   
   
       3 . A contents distribution method for enabling utilization of encrypted raw material contents which are provided from a raw material provider and encrypted by using an encryption key and to which an information for a contract processing to enable utilization of the raw material contents is attached, from secondary product contents produced by a secondary product contents producer which contain one or more encrypted raw material contents, the contents distribution method comprising the steps of: 
 maintaining the encryption key of the encrypted raw material contents at a server; acquiring the encryption key from the server and decrypting the encrypted raw material contents by using acquired encryption key at a decoder connected with the server, by executing the contract processing with the server according to the information for the contract processing which is attached to specified and encrypted raw material contents in the secondary product contents and containing (a) a contract procedure information described by a contract description language. (b) the encryption key for decrypting contents, and (c) a unique identifier assigned to each contents; and    reproducing contents decrypted by the decoder, at a player;    wherein the information for the contract processing contains a first description regarding a charge to an end-user by the raw material provider and the secondary product contents producer and a second description regarding a monetary transaction charge between the raw material provider and the secondary product contents producer, and when own contents are incorporated into other contents, the second description is defined such that it is charged if an incorporating entity is a commercial utilization and it is free if an incorporating entity is a non-commercial one.    
   
   
       4 . A contents distribution method for enabling utilization of secondary product contents produced by a secondary product contents producer which contain one or more encrypted raw material contents which are provided from a raw material provider and encrypted by using an encryption key and to which an information for a contract processing to enable utilization of the raw material contents is attached, the contents distribution method comprising the steps of: maintaining the encryption key of the encrypted raw material contents at a server; 
 acquiring the encryption key from the server and decrypting the encrypted raw material contents by using acquired encryption key at a decoder connected with the server, by executing the contract processing with the server according to the information for the contract processing which is attached to the encrypted raw material contents in the secondary product contents that are specified to be utilized and containing (a) a contract procedure information described by a contract description language, (b) the encryption key for decrypting contents, and (c) a unique Identifier assigned to each contents; and    reproducing contents decrypted by the decoder, at a player; wherein the information for the contract processing contains a first description regarding a charge to an end-user by the raw material provider and the secondary product contents producer and a second description regarding a monetary transaction charge between the raw material provider and the secondary product contents producer, and when own contents are incorporated into other contents, the second description is defined such that it is charged if an incorporating entity is a commercial utilization and it is free if an incorporating entity is a non-commercial one.    
   
   
       5 . A medium recording a computer readable and executable contents distribution program for enabling utilization of encrypted raw material contents which are provided from a raw material provider and encrypted by using an encryption key and to which an information for a contract processing to enable utilization of the raw material contents is attached, from secondary product contents produced by a secondary product contents producer which contain one or more encrypted raw material contents, the contents distribution program having the steps of: 
 maintaining the encryption key of the encrypted raw material contents at a server; acquiring the encryption key from the server and decrypting the encrypted raw material contents by using acquired encryption key at a decoder connected with the server, by executing the contract processing with the server according to the information for the contract processing which is attached to specified and encrypted raw material contents in the secondary product contents and containing (a) a contract procedure information described by a contract description language, (b) the encryption key for decrypting contents, and (c) a unique identifier assigned to each contents; and    reproducing contents decrypted by the decoder, at a player; wherein the information for the contract processing contains a first description regarding a charge to an end-user by the raw material provider and the secondary product contents producer and a second description regarding a monetary transaction charge between the raw material provider and the secondary product contents producer, and when own contents are incorporated into other contents, the second description is defined such that it is charged if an incorporating entity is a commercial utilization and it is free if an incorporating entity is a non-commercial one.    
   
   
       6 . A medium recording a computer readable and executable contents distribution program for enabling utilization of secondary product contents produced by a secondary product contents producer which contain one or more encrypted raw material contents which are provided from a raw material provider and encrypted by using an encryption key and to which an information for a contract processing to enable utilization of the raw material contents is attached, the contents distribution program having the steps of: 
 maintaining the encryption key of the encrypted raw material contents at a server; acquiring the encryption key from the server and decrypting the encrypted raw material contents by using acquired encryption key at a decoder connected with the server, by executing the contract processing with the server according to the information for the contract processing which is attached to the encrypted raw material contents in the secondary product contents that are specified to be utilized and containing (a) a contract procedure information described by a contract description language, (b) the encryption key for decrypting contents, and (e) a unique identifier assigned to each contents; and    reproducing contents decrypted by the decoder, at a player; wherein the information for the contract processing contains a first description regarding a charge to an end-user by the raw material provider and the secondary product contents producer and a second description regarding a monetary transaction charge between the raw material provider and the secondary product contents producer, and when own contents are incorporated into other contents, the second description is defined such that it is charged if an incorporating entity is a commercial utilization and it is free if an incorporating entity is a non-commercial one.    
   
   
       7 . The contents distribution system of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the own contents are the raw material contents.  
   
   
       8 . A contents distribution system for enabling utilization of encrypted raw material contents which are provided from a raw material provider and encrypted by using an encryption key and to which an information for a contract processing to enable utilization of the raw material contents is attached, from secondary product contents produced by a secondary product contents producer which contain one or more encrypted raw material contents, the contents distribution system comprising: 
 a server configured to maintain the encryption key of the encrypted raw material contents; and    a client connected with the server and including a decoder configured to acquire the encryption key from the server and decrypt the encrypted raw material contents by using acquired encryption key, by executing the contract processing containing a first action for satisfying a contract condition and a second action related to a contents utilization style with the server according to the information for the contract processing which is attached to specified raw material contents in the secondary product contents and containing (a) a contract procedure information described by a contract description language, (b) a key for decrypting contents, and (c) a unique identifier assigned to each contents, and a player configured to reproduce decrypted contents.    
   
   
       9 . A contents distribution system for enabling utilization of secondary product contents produced by a secondary product contents producer which contain one or more encrypted raw material contents which are provided from a raw material provider and encrypted by using an encryption key and to which an information for a contract processing to enable utilization of the raw material contents is attached, the contents distribution system comprising: a server configured to maintain the encryption key of the encrypted raw material contents; and a client connected with the server and including a decoder configured to acquire the encryption key from the server and decrypt the encrypted raw material contents by using acquired encryption key, by executing the contract processing containing a first action for satisfying a contract condition and a second action related to a contents utilization style with the server according to the information for the contract processing which is attached to the encrypted raw material contents in the secondary product contents that are specified to be utilized and containing (a) a contract procedure information described by a contract description language, (b) a key for decrypting contents, and (c) a unique identifier assigned to each contents, and a player configured to reproduce decrypted contents.  
   
   
       10 . A contents distribution method for enabling utilization of encrypted raw material contents which are provided from a raw material provider and encrypted by using an encryption key and to which an information for a contract processing to enable utilization of the raw material contents is attached, from secondary product contents produced by a secondary product contents producer which contain one or more encrypted raw material contents, the contents distribution method comprising the steps of: 
 maintaining the encryption key of the encrypted raw material contents at a server;    acquiring the encryption key from the server and decrypting the encrypted raw material contents by using acquired encryption key at a decoder connected with the server, by executing the contract processing containing a first action for satisfying a contract condition and a second action related to a contents utilization style with the server according to the information for the contract processing which is attached to specified and encrypted raw material contents in the secondary product contents and containing (a) a contract procedure information described by a contract description language, (b) a key for decrypting contents, and (c) a unique identifier assigned to each contents; and    reproducing contents decrypted by the decoder, at a player.    
   
   
       11 . A contents distribution method for enabling utilization of secondary product contents produced by a secondary product contents producer which contain one or more encrypted raw material contents which are provided from a raw material provider and encrypted by using an encryption key and to which an information for a contract processing to enable utilization of the raw material contents is attached, the contents distribution method comprising the steps of: maintaining the encryption key of the encrypted raw material contents at a server; 
 acquiring the encryption key from the server and decrypting the encrypted raw material contents by using acquired encryption key at a decoder connected with the server, by executing the contract processing containing a first action for satisfying a contract condition and a second action related to a contents utilization style with the server according to the information for the contract processing which is attached to the encrypted raw material contents in the secondary product contents that are specified to be utilized and containing (a) a contract procedure information described by a contract description language, (b) a key for decrypting contents, and (c) a unique identifier assigned to each contents; and    reproducing contents decrypted by the decoder, at a player.    
   
   
       12 . A medium recording a computer readable and executable contents distribution program for enabling utilization of encrypted raw material contents which are provided from a raw material provider and encrypted by using an encryption key and to which an information for a contract processing to enable utilization of the raw material contents is attached, from secondary product contents produced by a secondary product contents producer which contain one or more encrypted raw material contents, the contents distribution program causing a computer to function as a contents distribution system having: 
 a server configured to maintain the encryption key of the encrypted raw material contents; and    a client connected with the server and including a decoder configured to acquire the encryption key from the server and decrypt the encrypted raw material contents by using acquired encryption key, by executing the contract processing containing a first action for satisfying a contract condition and a second action related to a contents utilization style with the server according to the information for the contract processing which is attached to specified raw material contents in the secondary product contents and containing (a) a contract procedure information described by a contract description language, (b) a key for decrypting contents, and (c) a unique identifier assigned to each contents, and a player configured to reproduce decrypted contents.    
   
   
       13 . A medium recording a computer readable and executable contents distribution program for enabling utilization of secondary product contents produced by a secondary product contents producer which contain one or more encrypted raw material contents which are provided from a raw material provider and encrypted by using an encryption key and to which an information for a contract processing to enable utilization of the raw material contents is attached, the contents distribution program causing a computer to function as a contents distribution system having: 
 a server configured to maintain the encryption key of the encrypted raw material contents; and    a client connected with the server and including a decoder configured to acquire the encryption key from the server and decrypt the encrypted raw material contents by using acquired encryption key, by executing the contract processing containing a first action for satisfying a contract condition and a second action related to a contents utilization style with the server according to the information for the contract processing which is attached to the encrypted raw material contents in the secondary product contents that are specified to be utilized and containing (a) a contract procedure information described by a contract description language, (b) a key for decrypting contents, and (c) a unique identifier assigned to each contents, and a player configured to reproduce decrypted contents.    
   
   
       14 . The contents distribution system of  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the decoder also carries out a processing for checking whether or not a lifetime specifying format recorded in the acquired encryption key is a number of times for which it can be reproduced, and reducing the number of times for which it can be reproduced by one if it is the number of times for which it can be reproduced and the number of times for which it can be reproduced is remaining.  
   
   
       15 . The contents distribution system of  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the decoder also carries out a processing for checking whether or not a lifetime recorded in the acquired encryption key is within a valid period, and setting the encryption key as valid if it is within the valid period or setting the encryption key as invalid after deleting the encryption key if it is not within the valid period.  
   
   
       16 . The contents distribution system of  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the contract processing to be executed by the decoder includes a processing for generating an XML document by interpreting a contract procedure described by the contract description language, and taking out a style sheet from the contract description language and applying it to the XML document.  
   
   
       17 . The contents distribution system of  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the contract processing to be executed by the decoder includes a processing for generating an XML document by interpreting a contract procedure described by the contract description language, and taking out the first action from the contract description language and executing it.