Abstract: Content is transmitted within a range of the user's legitimate use while limiting the number of equipment to which the content is transmitted at the same time. A content using apparatus periodically transmits an exchange key and the corresponding key ID using a command. Only while receiving the key ID at predetermined reception cycles, a content providing apparatus maintains the corresponding exchange key. When not periodically receiving the key ID, the content providing apparatus destroys the corresponding exchange key. After that, when receiving a command including the key ID, the content providing apparatus returns a response including information indicating that the exchange key has become invalid.

Abstract: A content usage control apparatus prevents a content managed by an end user from being illegally used. To prevent a content from being used by an apparatus or user other than an authorized apparatus or user, a content usage control apparatus registers the authorized apparatus or user and determines, before providing the content, whether the content is going to be provided to the authorized apparatus or user. The content usage control apparatus also has the capability of imposing a limitation on rewriting of registration. The above-described capabilities of the content usage control apparatus make it possible to protect copyright of information to be provided. A specific example of the content usage control apparatus is a server which stores contents such as movie contents or music contents, and may be used in a system in which a content is provided in response to a request from a client such as a portable telephone, a TV set, or a personal computer, connected to the server.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus allowing proper communication with a communication partner in accordance with a communication time of the communication partner.

Abstract: A content transmission device for transmitting content, whose copying is controlled, includes an authentication section for performing an authentication procedure between the content transmission device and a content receiving device, a first copy-control-information processing section for processing first copy control information describing copy control information concerning the content, a second copy-control-information processing section for processing second copy control information including content information different from the first copy control information, and a content transmission section for generating and transmitting, to the content receiving device, a packet including a header including the first copy control information and the second copy control information, and a payload obtained by encrypting the content with a predetermined content key.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a telecommunications apparatus and a method, a storage medium, and a program for determining whether or not an other side communicating apparatus is near in a network. In a transmitting apparatus, a transmitting unit transmits a sending-message, and a control unit receives a response message to the sending-message, which includes acknowledgement information based on shared data and transmission information in the sending-message. The transmitting apparatus also includes a first judging unit that judges whether a response time of the acknowledgement message is less than a predetermined time. A receiving apparatus includes a generating unit that generates the acknowledgment information and transmits the response message to the transmitting apparatus.

Abstract: A data transmitting apparatus including a transmitting unit connected to a first network and configured to transmit a check packet to a data receiving apparatus; a control unit configured to receive an acknowledgment message to the check packet from the data receiving apparatus, the acknowledgment message including acknowledgment information based on shared data shared with said data receiving apparatus; a computing unit configured to compute an expected acknowledgment information based on the shared data shared with said data receiving apparatus; a comparing unit configured to produce a comparison result for said data receiving apparatus based on the acknowledgment information and the expected acknowledgment information; a timer configured to determine whether a response time of the acknowledgment message is less than a predetermined time; and a judgment unit configured to judge whether to stop transmission of content data based on the comparison result and the determination of the timer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a telecommunications apparatus and a method, a storage medium, and a program for determining whether or not an other side communicating apparatus is near in a network. In a transmitting apparatus, a transmitting unit transmits a sending-message, and a control unit receives a response message to the sending-message, which includes acknowledgement information based on shared data and transmission information in the sending-message. The transmitting apparatus also includes a first judging unit that judges whether a response time of the acknowledgement message is less than a predetermined time. A receiving apparatus includes a generating unit that generates the acknowledgment information and transmits the response message to the transmitting apparatus.

Abstract: The construction of a receiving apparatus for receiving a broadcast from a plurality of broadcasting providers is simplified. In a receiving apparatus for receiving a broadcast from a plurality of broadcasting providers, of the function blocks which constitute the receiving apparatus, a block used in common irrespective of the broadcasting provider is formed as a common block, and a block different from one broadcasting provider to another is formed as an independent block. These blocks are connected to each other through an IEEE1394 interface, and the common block is shared among the plurality of blocks which are not used in common, so that a receiving process is performed.

Abstract: A data transmitting apparatus including a transmitting unit connected to a first network and configured to transmit a check packet to a data receiving apparatus; a control unit configured to receive an acknowledgment message to the check packet from the data receiving apparatus, the acknowledgment message including acknowledgment information based on shared data shared with said data receiving apparatus; a computing unit configured to compute an expected acknowledgment information based on the shared data shared with said data receiving apparatus; a comparing unit configured to produce a comparison result for said data receiving apparatus based on the acknowledgment information and the expected acknowledgment information; a timer configured to determine whether a response time of the acknowledgment message is less than a predetermined time; and a judgment unit configured to judge whether to stop transmission of content data based on the comparison result and the determination of the timer.

Abstract: A method of information processing in a server/client system including a server for storing content and a client for receiving from the server and storing copy content of the content stored in the server. The method includes the steps of: the server generating at least either a content-ID list storing content-IDs corresponding to content for which use-expiration-date updating is permitted out of the copy content stored in the client or a content-ID list storing content-IDs corresponding to content for which use-expiration-date updating is not permitted, transmitting the content-ID list to the client; and the client selectively performing update processing of use-expiration date out of the copy content stored in that client or invalidation processing of the copy content stored in that client based on the content-ID list received from the server.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus allowing proper communication with a communication partner in accordance with a communication time of the communication partner.

Abstract: A source apparatus and a conditional access apparatus are disclosed. The source apparatus may transmit a command to the conditional access apparatus. The conditional access apparatus may transmit a response to the command to the source apparatus. When a time elapsed between transmission of the command by the source apparatus and reception of the response by the source apparatus does not exceed a predetermined round trip time (RTT), a first authorization signal to permit the conditional access apparatus to decrypt encrypted content may be generated. Additionally, whenever a non-RTT condition is met, a second authorization signal to permit the conditional access apparatus to decrypt the content may be generated.

Abstract: To securely transmit content through remote access via an external network, such as a WAN, while exceeding restrictions of an RTT and a TTL. A way of handling a flag for controlling remote access of content is explicitly defined, and an authentication method is explicitly defined when a content using device performs remote access. Thus, also in remote access, similarly to access of the related art in a household, a copyright protection environment of content based on the DTCP-IP is constructed.

Abstract: The construction of a receiving apparatus for receiving a broadcast from a plurality of broadcasting providers is simplified. In a receiving apparatus for receiving a broadcast from a plurality of broadcasting providers, of the function blocks which constitute the receiving apparatus, a block used in common irrespective of the broadcasting provider is formed as a common block, and a block different from one broadcasting provider to another is formed as an independent block. These blocks are connected to each other through an IEEE1394 interface, and the common block is shared among the plurality of blocks which are not used in common, so that a receiving process is performed.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for moving electronic content between devices. In one implementation, an content-transmitting apparatus may include a transmitting unit configured to transmit content to a content-receiving apparatus. The content-transmitting apparatus may also include a determination unit configured to determine, in response to the transmission, whether first key information associated with the content-receiving apparatus corresponds to second key information associated with the content-transmitting apparatus. A receiving unit may be configured to receive a confirmation message from the content-receiving apparatus, and a confirmation unit may be configured to confirm whether the content is usable at the content-receiving apparatus, based on at least the confirmation message.

Abstract: A content transmission device for transmitting content, whose copying is controlled, includes an authentication section for performing an authentication procedure between the content transmission device and a content receiving device, a first copy-control-information processing section for processing first copy control information describing copy control information concerning the content, a second copy-control-information processing section for processing second copy control information including content information different from the first copy control information, and a content transmission section for generating and transmitting, to the content receiving device, a packet including a header including the first copy control information and the second copy control information, and a payload obtained by encrypting the content with a predetermined content key.

Abstract: Transmission of contents from a transmitting apparatus to a plurality of receiving apparatuses is performed, while putting restrictions on a communication area and the number of receiving apparatuses in conformity with a definition of DTCP. In a case of a need to distribute literary works such as movies and the music within a single home network, while preventing the transmission of the literary works to other home networks, a degree of freedom in communication is raised in a case where a communication delay time is short so that a high possibility exists that the communication delay time falls within a specific range. Conversely, in a case where the communication delay time is long so that a low possibility exists that the communication delay time falls within the specific range, the degree of freedom in communication is lowered.

Abstract: A content transmission device for transmitting content, whose copying is controlled, includes an authentication section for performing an authentication procedure between the content transmission device and a content receiving device, a first copy-control-information processing section for processing first copy control information describing copy control information concerning the content, a second copy-control-information processing section for processing second copy control information including content information different from the first copy control information, and a content transmission section for generating and transmitting, to the content receiving device, a packet including a header including the first copy control information and the second copy control information, and a payload obtained by encrypting the content with a predetermined content key.

Abstract: A content transfer system for transferring content between a source device transmitting the content and a sink device receiving the content, includes a content specifying unit for specifying the content to be transferred between the source device and the sink device, an authentication unit for performing an authentication exchange key process between the source device and the sink device, a content transfer unit for performing a content transfer process by encrypting and transferring the content specified by the content specifying unit from the source device to the sink device using the key exchanged by the authentication unit, and a content transfer finalizing unit for performing a content transfer finalizing process by validating the content at the sink device and invalidating the original content at the source device in response to the end of the content transfer process performed by the content transfer unit, the content thus being moved from the source device to the sink device.

Abstract: In a digital broadcast receiving apparatus, digital broadcast signals provided by a digital broadcast method are supplied to various types of external units and are effectively utilized. In the above apparatus, a descrambler descrambles a transport stream output from a front end unit and supplies it to a digital interface and a demultiplexer. The demultiplexer extracts from the transport stream a compressed video signal and a compressed audio signal of a program specified by a user, and supplies the extracted signals to an MPEG decoder. The MPEG decoder decompresses the supplied video signal and the audio signal and supplies them to the digital interface, an NTSC encoder, and an audio signal D/A converter. The digital interface supplies either of the transport stream or the decompressed data to a digital external unit under the control of the controller.