Distribution System of Contents Embedding License Machine ID

Abstract

A server apparatus operates a content sale site for selling a digital content and connects communicably via a communication network to a client apparatus which may purchase a digital content for use in an electronic music apparatus. In the server apparatus, a communicating section communicates with the client apparatus for receiving therefrom order information specifying a digital content to be purchased, and machine ID information designating machine IDs of electronic music apparatuses which are intended to use the specified digital content. A licensing section embeds the received machine ID information in the digital content specified by the client apparatus so as to license the specified digital content to the electronic music apparatuses designated by the client apparatus. A providing section provides the digital content embedded with the machine ID information to the client apparatus such that the provided digital content is made available exclusively by the designated electronic musical apparatuses according to the embedded machine ID information.

1 . A digital content usage system usable with a content usage apparatus, said content usage apparatus for use of a digital content containing a license machine ID, the system comprising:
 an acquiring section that acquires a unique machine ID of the content usage apparatus;   a detecting section that detects, from the digital content, the license machine ID;   a comparing section that compares the acquired unique machine ID with the detected license machine ID; and   a determining section that permits the content usage apparatus to freely use the digital content if the acquired unique machine ID matches with the detected license machine ID,   and restricts the content usage apparatus to a temporary use of the digital content within a time duration if the acquired unique machine ID does not match with the detected license machine ID.   
   
   
       2 . The digital content usage system according to  claim 1 , wherein the detecting section further detects time information from the digital content, the time information being indicative of the time duration allotted to the digital content, and the determining section restricts the content usage apparatus to exercise a temporary use of the digital content within the time duration indicated by the time information. 
   
   
       3 . The digital content usage system according to  claim 1  wherein the detecting section further detects status information from the digital content, the status information being indicative of whether the digital content is available for a content usage apparatus having no license machine ID, and the determining section permits the content usage apparatus to temporarily use the digital content if the status information indicates that the digital content is available for a content usage apparatus having no license machine ID. 
   
   
       4 . The digital content usage system according to  claim 1  wherein the determining section inhibits the content usage apparatus from exercising an extended use of the digital content if the acquired unique machine ID does not match with the detected license machine ID for, the extended use including at least one of copying of the digital content, reserving of the digital content into a storage medium and transferring of the digital content to another content usage apparatus. 
   
   
       5 . A digital content usage system usable with a first content usage apparatus for transfer of a digital content to a second content usage apparatus, the digital content containing machine ID information indicative of license machine IDs, the system comprising:
 a designating section that designates the second content usage apparatus as a destination to which the digital content is transferred from the first content usage apparatus, and that acquires a unique machine ID of the designated second content usage apparatus;   a detecting section that detects the license machine IDs from the digital content;   a writing section that writes rental information into the digital content if the acquired unique machine ID of the second content usage apparatus is not included in the detected license machine IDs, the rental information indicating that the digital content is limited to a temporary use within a predetermined time duration; and   a transferring section that allows the first content usage apparatus to transfer the digital content written with the rental information to the second content usage apparatus, wherein the second content usage apparatus is permitted to temporarily use the digital content as specified by the rental information.   
   
   
       6 . A digital content usage system usable with a first content usage apparatus for transfer of a digital content to a second content usage apparatus, the digital content containing machine ID information indicative of license machine IDs, the system comprising:
 a designating section that designates the second content usage apparatus as a destination to which the digital content is transferred from the first content usage apparatus, and that acquires a unique machine ID of the designated second content usage apparatus;   a detecting section that detects the license machine IDs from the digital content and further detects status information from the digital content, the status information indicating whether the digital content is available for a temporary use by a content usage apparatus having no license machine ID; and   a transferring section that permits the first content usage apparatus to transfer the digital content to the second content usage apparatus if the acquired unique machine ID of the second content usage apparatus is not included in the detected license machine IDs and if the status information indicates that the digital content is available for the temporary use, wherein the second content usage apparatus is limited to temporary use of the digital content.   
   
   
       7 . A digital content usage system usable with a first content usage apparatus having no license machine ID for use of a digital content stored in a second content usage apparatus having a license machine ID, the system comprising:
 a retrieving section that retrieves the digital content from the second content usage apparatus;   a detecting section that detects status information from the retrieved digital content, the status information indicating of whether the digital content is available for a content usage apparatus having no license machine ID;   a checking section that checks whether a connection is established between the first content usage apparatus and the second content usage apparatus if the detected status information indicates that the digital content is available for a content usage apparatus having no license machine ID; and   a determining section responsive to the checking section for allowing the first electronic apparatus to use fuse the digital content when the connection is established between the first content usage apparatus and the second content usage apparatus.