Patents by Inventor Satoshi Niwano

Satoshi Niwano has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20110060922
    Abstract: A history file that an IC card received from a receiver is confirmed to be a proper history file, so that a repeat input of a license can be prevented. A server (100) which transmits a license that has a usage condition of content includes: a classification key generating unit (101) which generates a classification key that has a history file ID for uniquely identifying each of a plurality of history files on which license-input history on the receiver side is recorded, the license-input history being distributed among the history files; a license issuing unit (103) which issues a license that has the usage condition of content in association with the classification key generated by the classification key generating unit (101); and a server communicating unit (104) which transmits the classification key and the license associated with the classification key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Takamitsu Sasaki, Satoshi Niwano, Takuji Hiramoto
  • Publication number: 20100250665
    Abstract: Provided is a content distribution system and the like that enables division at an appropriate position when dividing a content to record the content on a recording medium. A content distribution system (100) includes: a content distribution apparatus (200) that distributes a content; and a terminal apparatus (300) that records the content. The content distribution apparatus (200) includes: a storage unit (201) that stores division information indicating a division position at which the content is divided; and a distribution unit (204) that reads the division information from the storage unit (201) and distributes the division information to the terminal apparatus (300). The terminal apparatus (300) includes: a receiving unit (302) that receives the division information from the content distribution apparatus (200); and a recording unit (304) that obtains the content divided at the division position indicated by the division information and records divisional contents on plural recording medium (304).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Ryuichi Okamoto, Koji Miura, Satoshi Niwano
  • Patent number: 7694149
    Abstract: A method is provided for judging use permission of information on one or more terminal apparatuses which use content provided by a content provider and metadata provided by a metadata provider and supplementing the content, the method comprising: metadata use permission judgment judging use permission of the metadata based on usage control information regarding use control of the metadata; and using the metadata in the case where in said metadata use permission judgment, the use of the metadata is permitted. Specifically, the usage control information includes the first signer identification information which identifies the range of the provider of the metadata that can be used. The metadata includes a signature of the metadata provider identified in the first signer identification information, and the second signer identification information identifying the signer of the signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Niwano, Katsumi Tokuda, Kouji Miura
  • Patent number: 7676042
    Abstract: To reduce a frequency of recording communication management information for communication disconnection countermeasure. A digital content distribution system includes a license server (101) that issues a license, and a user terminal (103) that controls use of content based on the issued license. The license server (101) judges, according to the license to be issued, whether or not the communication management information for the communication disconnection countermeasure needs to be recorded, and notifies the user terminal of a result of the judgment. This enables the user terminal (103) to reduce the frequency of recording the communication management information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuichi Okamoto, Akio Higashi, Satoshi Niwano, Hiroki Murakami
  • Patent number: 7493638
    Abstract: An IC card (processing terminal) divides a process into process blocks, and holds a time period required for processing each process block. A receiver (receiving terminal) notifies the IC card of a time period which can be spent for processing non-real-time process data when causing the IC card to perform the processing. The IC card processes the process blocks which can be processed within the notified time period. After the processing, the IC card once sends a response back to the receiver, and then transitions into a state in which it can receive a new request. Accordingly, it becomes possible for the IC card to process real-time process data such as an ECM. In the case where the receiver continues the suspended processing, it notifies the IC card of the continuation of the processing so that it causes the IC card to continue the processing of non-real-time process data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takuji Hiramoto, Satoshi Niwano, Katsumi Tokuda, Hiroki Murakami
  • Publication number: 20090010439
    Abstract: To reduce a frequency of recording communication management information for communication disconnection countermeasure. A digital content distribution system includes a license server (101) that issues a license, and a user terminal (103) that controls use of content based on the issued license. The license server (101) judges, according to the license to be issued, whether or not the communication management information for the communication disconnection countermeasure needs to be recorded, and notifies the user terminal of a result of the judgment. This enables the user terminal (103) to reduce the frequency of recording the communication management information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Ryuichi Okamoto, Akio Higashi, Satoshi Niwano, Hiroki Murakami
  • Publication number: 20070112681
    Abstract: The transmission format A license conversion unit (430) of the terminal device (120) converts the transmission format license (710), which is obtained from the license relay server (110), described in a transmission format into a processing format license (510) to be specified by the conversion format specification information (711) and detects modifications on the license whose format has already been converted by performing a signature verification on the after-conversion processing format license (510) using a processing format signature (712).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventors: Satoshi Niwano, Ryuichi Okamoto, Katsumi Tokuda, Hiroki Murakami
  • Publication number: 20060272026
    Abstract: A method for judging use permission of information on one or more terminal apparatuses which uses content provided by a content provider and metadata provided by a metadata provider and supplementing the content, the method comprising: metadata use permission judgment judging use permission of the metadata based on usage control information regarding use control of the metadata; and using the metadata in the case where in said metadata use permission judgment, the use of the metadata is permitted. Specifically, the usage control information includes the first signer identification information which identifies the range of the provider of the metadata that can be used. The metadata includes a signature of the metadata provider identified in the first signer identification information, and the second signer identification information identifying the signer of the signature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Niwano, Katsumi Tokuda, Kouji Miura
  • Publication number: 20050240974
    Abstract: An IC card (processing terminal) divides a process into process blocks, and holds a time period required for processing each process block. A receiver (receiving terminal) notifies the IC card of a time period which can be spent for processing non-real-time process data when causing the IC card to perform the processing. The IC card processes the process blocks which can be processed within the notified time period. After the processing, the IC card once sends a response back to the receiver, and then transitions into a state in which it can receive a new request. Accordingly, it becomes possible for the IC card to process real-time process data such as an ECM. In the case where the receiver continues the suspended processing, it notifies the IC card of the continuation of the processing so that it causes the IC card to continue the processing of non-real-time process data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Publication date: October 27, 2005
    Inventors: Takuji Hiramoto, Satoshi Niwano, Katsumi Tokuda, Hiroki Murakami