Content information providing system, content information providing server, content reproduction apparatus, content information providing method, content reproduction method and computer program

A content information providing server for providing a content key to a content reproduction apparatus which decrypts and reproduces an encrypted content with the content key, comprising:

• a user information storage section for storing identification information of a user who uses said content reproduction apparatus and a user key unique to the user in an associated relationship with each other;
• a content key storage section for storing identification information of contents and content keys unique to the individual contents in an associated relationship with each other;
• a recommendation section for selecting a content to be recommended to the user;
• a content key encryption section for acquiring the content key of the content selected by said recommendation section from said content key storage section and acquiring the user key of the user who is a target of the recommendation from said user information storage section and for encrypting the acquired content key with the acquired user key;
• and
• a content information sender section for transmitting content information including the content key encrypted with the user key to said content reproduction apparatus used by the user who is a target of the recommendation.

A computer program for causing a computer to function as a content information providing server which provides a content key to a content reproduction apparatus which decrypts and reproduces an encrypted content with the content key, comprising:

• a user information storage process of causing a user information storage section to store identification information of a user who uses said content reproduction apparatus and a user key unique to the user in an associated relationship with each other;
• a content key storage process of causing a content key storage section to store identification information of contents and content keys unique to the individual contents in an associated relationship with each other;
• a recommendation process for selecting a content to be recommended to the user;
• a content key encryption process for acquiring the content key of the content selected by the recommendation process from said content key storage section and acquiring the user key of the user who is a target of the recommendation from said user information storage section and for encrypting the acquired content key using the acquired user key;
• and
• a content information transmission process for transmitting content information including the content key encrypted with the user key to said content reproduction apparatus used by the user who is a target of the recommendation.

A content information providing method for providing a content key to a content reproduction apparatus which decrypts and reproduces an encrypted content with the content key, comprising the steps of:

• associating identification information of a user who uses said content reproduction apparatus and a user key unique to the user;
• associating identification information of contents and content keys unique to the individual contents;
• selecting a content to be recommended to the user;
• encrypting a content key of the selected content with the user key of the user who is a target of the recommendation;
• and
• transmitting content information including the content key encrypted with the user key to said content reproduction apparatus used by the user who is a target of the recommendation.