Method and apparatus for contents information

A method of transmitting contents information comprising the steps of:

• generating a signal representative of a key from authenticator-value information and key base information, the authenticator-value information representing a specified authenticator value, the key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce the specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function:
• encrypting at least the identification information in the key base information to convert the key base information into encryption-resultant key base information:
• encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal:
• and
• transmitting the encryption-resultant key base information and the encryption-resultant contents information:
• wherein the identification information in the key base information contains at least one of 1) information about a region or regions corresponding to one or more countries, one or more zones, or one or more spaces, 2) information about identification of an individual, 3) information about identification of a group of persons, 4) information about a rating, 5) information about identification of an apparatus maker or a device maker, 6) information about identification of a contents provider, 7) information about time, 8) information about contents authors, 9) information about identification of a reproducing apparatus or a reproducing device, 10) information about identification of a connection apparatus or a connection device, 11) information about identification of a medium on which contents information is recorded, 12) information about identification of contents information, and 13) information about accounting.

A method of recording contents information, comprising the steps of:

• generating a signal representative of a key from key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce a specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;
• encrypting at least the identification information in the key base information to convert the key base information into encryption-resultant key base information;
• encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• and
• recording the encryption-resultant key base information and the encryption-resultant contents information;
• wherein the identification information in the key base information contains at least one of 1) information about a region or regions corresponding to one or more countries, one or more zones, or one or more spaces, 2) information about identification of an individual, 3) information about identification of a group of persons, 4) information about a rating, 5) information about identification of an apparatus maker or a device maker, 6) information about identification of a contents provider, 7) information about time, 8) information about contents authors, 9) information about identification of a reproducing apparatus or a reproducing device, 10) information about identification of a connection apparatus or a connection device, 11) information about identification of a medium on which contents information is recorded, 12) information about identification of contents information, and 13) information about accounting.

An apparatus for transmitting contents information, comprising:

• means for generating a signal representative of a key from key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce a specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;
• means for encrypting at least the identification information in the key base information to convert the key base information into encryption-resultant key base information;
• means for encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• and
• means for transmitting the encryption-resultant key base information and the encryption-resultant contents information;
• wherein the identification information in the key base information contains at least one of 1) information about a region or regions corresponding to one or more countries, one or more zones, or one or more spaces, 2) information about identification of an individual, 3) information about identification of a group of persons, 4) information about a rating, 5) information about identification of an apparatus maker or a device maker, 6) information about identification of a contents provider, 7) information about time, 8) information about contents authors, 9) information about identification of a reproducing apparatus or a reproducing device, 10) information about identification of a connection apparatus or a connection device, 11) information about identification of a medium on which contents information is recorded, 12) information about identification of contents information, and 13) information about accounting.

An apparatus for recording contents information, comprising:

• means for generating a signal representative of a key from key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce a specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;
• means for encrypting at least the identification information in the key base information to convert the key base information into encryption-resultant key base information;
• means for encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• and
• means for recording the encryption-resultant key base information and the encryption-resultant contents information;
• wherein the identification information in the key base information contains at least one of 1) information about a region or regions corresponding to one or more countries, one or more zones, or one or more spaces, 2) information about identification of an individual, 3) information about identification of a group of persons, 4) information about a rating, 5) information about identification of an apparatus maker or a device maker, 6) information about identification of a contents provider, 7) information about time, 8) information about contents authors, 9) information about identification of a reproducing apparatus or a reproducing device, 10) information about identification of a connecting apparatus or a connection device, 11) information about identification of a medium on which contents information is recorded, 12) information about identification of contents information, and 13) information about accounting.

A method of transmitting contents information, comprising the steps of:

• generating a signal representative of a key from key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce a specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;
• encrypting at least the identification information in the key base information to convert the key base information into encryption-resultant key base information;
• encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• and
• transmitting the encryption-resultant key base information and the encryption-resultant contents information;
• wherein the identification information in the key base information contains at least one of 1) information about a region or regions corresponding to one or more countries, one or more zones, or one or more spaces, 2) information about identification of an individual, 3) information about identification of a group of persons, 4) information about a rating, 5) information about identification of an apparatus maker or a device maker, 6) information about identification of a contents provider, 7) information about time, 8) information about contents authors, 9) information about identification of a reproducing apparatus or a reproducing device, 10) information about identification of a connection apparatus or a connection device, 11) information about identification of a medium on which contents information is recorded, 12) information about identification of contents information, and 13) information about accounting.

A method of decrypting encryption-resultant contents information generated by an encrypting side which implements the steps of generating a signal representative of a key from authenticator-value information and key base information, the authenticator-value information representing a specified authenticator value, the key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce the specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;

• and encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• reproducing the authenticator-value information representative of the specified authenticator value from the identification information in the key base information according to the predetermined degeneration function;
• reproducing the key signal from the reproduced authenticator-value information and the key base information;
• and
• decrypting the encryption-resultant contents information into the original contents information in response to the reproduced key signal.

A method of decrypting encryption-resultant contents information generated by an encrypting side which implements the steps of generating a signal representative of a key from authenticator-value information and key base information, the authenticator-value information representing a specified authenticator value, the key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce the specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;

• encrypting at least the identification information in the key base information to convert the key base information into encryption-resultant key base information;
• and encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• decrypting the encryption-resultant key base information into the original key base information;
• reproducing the authenticator-value information representative of the specified authenticator value from the identification information in the original key base information according to the predetermined degeneration function;
• reproducing the key signal from the reproduced authenticator-value information and the original key base information;
• and
• decrypting the encryption-resultant contents information into the original contents information in response to the reproduced key signal.

An apparatus for decrypting encryption-resultant contents information generated by an encrypting side which implements the steps of generating a signal representative of a key from authenticator-value information and key base information, the authenticator-value information representing a specified authenticator value, the key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce the specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;

• encrypting at least the identification information in the key base information to convert the key base information into encryption-resultant key base information;
• and encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• the apparatus comprising:
• means for decrypting the encryption-resultant key base information into the original key base information;
• means for reproducing the authenticator-value information representative of the specified authenticator value from the identification information in the original key base information according to the predetermined degeneration function;
• means for reproducing the key signal from the reproduced authenticator-value information and the original key base information;
• and
• means for decrypting the encryption-resultant contents information into the original contents information in response to the reproduced key signal.

A method of decrypting encryption-resultant contents information generated by an encrypting side which implements the steps of generating a signal representative of a key from key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce a specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;

• and encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• reproducing the authenticator-value information representative of the specified authenticator value from the identification information in the key base information according to the predetermined degeneration function;
• reproducing the key signal from the key base information;
• deciding whether or not the reproduced authenticator-value information is correct;
• decrypting the encryption-resultant contents information in response to the reproduced key signal when it is decided that the reproduced authenticator-value information is correct;
• and
• altering the reproduced key signal into a wrong key signal and decrypting the encryption-resultant contents information in response to the wrong key signal when it is decided that the reproduced authenticator-value information is not correct.

A method of decrypting encryption-resultant contents information generated by an encrypting side which implements the steps of generating a signal representative of a key from key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce a specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;

• encrypting at least the identification information in the key base information to convert the key base information into encryption-resultant key base information;
• and encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• decrypting the encryption-resultant key base information into the original key base information;
• reproducing the authenticator-value information representative of the specified authenticator value from the identification information in the original key base information according to the predetermined degeneration function;
• reproducing the key signal from the original key base information;
• deciding whether or not the reproduced authenticator-value information is correct;
• decrypting the encryption-resultant contents information in response to the reproduced key signal when it is decided that the reproduced authenticator-value information is correct;
• and
• altering the reproduced key signal into a wrong key signal and decrypting the encryption-resultant contents information in response to the wrong key signal when it is decided that the reproduced authenticator-value information is not correct.

An apparatus for decrypting encryption-resultant contents information generated by an encrypting side which implements the steps of generating a signal representative of a key from key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce a specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;

• encrypting at least the identification information in the key base information to convert the key base information into encryption-resultant key base information;
• and encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• the apparatus comprising:
• means for decrypting the encryption-resultant key base information into the original key base information;
• means for reproducing the authenticator-value information representative of the specified authenticator value from the identification information in the original key base information according to the predetermined degeneration function;
• means for reproducing the key signal from the original key base information;
• means for deciding whether or not the reproduced authenticator-value information is correct;
• means for decrypting the encryption-resultant contents information in response to the reproduced key signal when it is decided that the reproduced authenticator-value information is correct;
• and
• means for altering the reproduced key signal into a wrong key signal and decrypting the encryption-resultant contents information in response to the wrong key signal when it is decided that the reproduced authenticator-value information is not correct.

A method of decrypting encryption-resultant contents information generated by an encrypting side which implements the steps of generating a signal representative of a key from key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce a specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;

• and encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• reproducing the authenticator-value information representative of the specified authenticator value from the identification information in the key base information according to the predetermined degeneration function;
• reproducing the key signal from the key base information;
• deciding whether or not the reproduced authenticator-value information is correct;
• decrypting the encryption-resultant contents information in response to the reproduced key signal when it is decided that the reproduced authenticator-value information is correct;
• and
• failing to decrypt the encryption-resultant contents information in response to the reproduced key signal when it is decided that the reproduced authenticator-value information is not correct.

A method of decrypting encryption-resultant contents information generated by an encrypting side which implements the steps of generating a signal representative of a key from key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce a specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;

• encrypting at least the identification information in the key base information to convert the key base information into encryption-resultant key base information;
• and encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• decrypting the encryption-resultant key base information into the original key base information;
• reproducing the authenticator-value information representative of the specified authenticator value from the identification information in the original key base information according to the predetermined degeneration function;
• reproducing the key signal from the original key base information;
• deciding whether or not the reproduced authenticator-value information is correct;
• decrypting the encryption-resultant contents information in response to the reproduced key signal when it is decided that the reproduced authenticator-value information is correct;
• and
• failing to decrypt the encryption-resultant contents information in response to the reproduced key signal when it is decided that the reproduced authenticator-value information is not correct.

An apparatus for decrypting encryption-resultant contents information generated by an encrypting side which implements the steps of generating a signal representative of a key from key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce a specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function;

• encrypting at least the identification information in the key base information to convert the key base information into encryption-resultant key base information;
• and encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal;
• the apparatus comprising:
• means for decrypting the encryption-resultant key base information into the original key base information;
• means for reproducing the authenticator-value information representative of the specified authenticator value from the identification information in the original key base information according to the predetermined degeneration function;
• means for reproducing the key signal from the original key base information;
• means for deciding whether or not the reproduced authenticator-value information is correct;
• means for decrypting the encryption-resultant contents information in response to the reproduced key signal when it is decided that the reproduced authenticator-value information is correct;
• and
• means for failing to decrypt the encryption-resultant contents information in response to the reproduced key signal when it is decided that the reproduced authenticator-value information is not correct.