Patent Application
20050142526
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a music content using system that provides the convenience of using a complex music content including encrypted multiple music content materials.
2. Background Art
Systems for copyright protection of music performance data (music content) are conventionally known, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, in which only electronic musical instruments (electronic music machines) that know an encryption key can decrypt and use the encrypted performance data to ensure security. Patent Document 1 is Japanese patent laid-open application No. 2003-208163.
On the other hand, there are provided systems for allowing users to enjoy variety of music at a time by providing a composite music content including multiple content materials, such as MIDI performance data and logic score data, to electronic music machines, and allowing the electronic music machines to use the multiple content materials.
In this case, the electronic music machines may not be able to use all the content materials contained in each composite music content file provided, depending on the type and capability of electronic music machine. For example, some electronic music machines may be able to reproduce MIDI performance data from the composite content file including the MIDI performance data as content materials, but not be able to use the logic score data also contained in the composite content because of lack of monitor for displaying a musical score. In such a case, if the composite music content file is encrypted for security, the electronic music machines will have to decrypt all the encrypted content materials including those unusable on the electronic music machines, thereby wasting time on unnecessary decryption.
This invention has been made in view of the foregoing situation, and it is an object of the invention to provide a music content using system capable of quickly using a composite music content file including two or more encrypted music content materials.
According to the main features of the invention, there is provided a music apparatus having a capability of using a composite music content. The inventive music apparatus comprises a storage section that stores a file of the composite music content composed of a plurality of content materials, each of which is encrypted individually, the content materials including a usable content material which matches with the capability of the music apparatus and an unusable content material which does not match with the capability of the music apparatus, an identifying section that identifies the usable content material among the plurality of the content materials of the composite music content stored in the storage section, a decrypting section that selectively decrypts the usable content material identified by the identifying section, and a using section the uses the decrypted usable content material.
There is also provided a program for use in a music apparatus having a processor and a storage storing a file of a composite music content composed of a plurality of content materials, each of which is encrypted individually, the music apparatus being capable of using at least one of the content materials of the composite music content after decrypted, the content materials of the composite music content stored in the storage including a usable content material which can be used by the music apparatus and an unusable content material which is not used by the music apparatus. The inventive program is executable by the processor for causing the music apparatus to perform a method comprising the steps of identifying the usable content material among the plurality of the content materials of the composite music content stored in the storage, then decrypting the identified usable content material, and using the decrypted usable content material.
Preferably in the inventive music apparatus, the storage section stores the file of the composite music content such that the plurality of the content materials are arranged in orders predetermined correspondingly to different capabilities required for using the content materials, and the identifying section automatically identifies the usable content material arranged at a particular order predetermined in correspondence to the capability of the music apparatus.
Otherwise in the inventive music apparatus, the identifying section determines whether each of the plurality of the content materials matches with the capability of the music apparatus so as to identify the usable content material among the plurality of the content materials.
Preferably in the inventive music apparatus, the storage section stores the composite music content composed of the plurality of the content materials which are encrypted by a code key set commonly to the plurality of the content materials. Otherwise, the storage section stores the composite music content composed of the plurality of the content materials which are encrypted by code keys set differently to the plurality of the content materials.
In the music content using system according to the invention, when the composite music content file including the multiple kinds of content materials, each encrypted individually, is used on various music content using apparatuses or music information processing apparatuses, only a content material(s) usable on each electronic music machine is decrypted and used.
According to the invention, each electronic music machine (music content using apparatus or music information processing apparatus) decrypts only a desired kind(s) of content material(s) usable on the electronic music machine. In other words, since other kinds of unusable content materials are not decrypted, the time required for decryption can be reduced.
Further, the multiple kinds of content materials included in the composite music content file are arranged in the composite music content file in a predetermined and fixed order. Therefore, each electronic music machine decrypts only the content material(s) arranged in a specific location(s) corresponding to the content using capability of the electronic music machine. This makes possible quick use of a desired content material(s) in such a simple manner as to decrypt only the content materials arranged in specific locations in the music content file.
On the other hand, as mentioned above, when the order of the arrangement of the multiple kinds of content materials is not fixed, each electronic music machine determines whether each content material included in the composite music content file is usable on the electronic music machine, and decrypts only the content material(s) determined to be usable. This also makes possible quick use of content materials even when the locations of the content materials in the composite music content file are uncertain.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are just examples of the invention and they will therefore be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
The CPU 1 performs various kinds of music information processing including music content using processing in response to clocks from a timer 13 according to various control programs including music content using programs. The RAM 2 is used as a working area for temporary storage of various kinds of data necessary for these kinds of processing. Prestored in the ROM 3 are not only various control programs and parameters, or music information, necessary for these kinds of processing, but also machine number information uniquely assigned to the electronic music machine EM.
The external memory unit 4 includes an internal storage medium drive for driving an internal storage medium 4A such as a hard disk (HD), and external storage medium drives for driving various kinds of portable storage media 4B, such as a compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM), a flexible disk (FD), a magneto-optical (MO) disk, a digital versatile disk (DVD), and a small memory card like Smart Media (trademark). The internal storage medium 4A can store music information like music contents and control programs acquired from a music content distribution server DS and the like. The external storage media 4B can also store information acquired by the machine EM. In this case, however, information requiring permission such as a music content is recorded according to predetermined conditions.
The external storage media 4B include specific external recording media (specific media) with music contents or music content using programs prerecorded on them. The specific media each have a unique media number, respectively, from which the music contents or the music content using programs can be introduced to the machine EM through each of the external storage medium drives.
The performance operation detection circuit 5 detects the operating state of each performance operator or control 14, such as a keyboard or wheel, to introduce performance information to the machine EM according to the detected operating state. The performance operation detection circuit 5 and the performance operators 14 constitute the performance operation section. The setting operation detection circuit 6 detects the operating state of each setting operator or control 15, such as a character/numeral cursor key, a panel switch, or a mouse, to introduce setting information to the machine EM according to the detected operating state.
The display circuit 7 drives the display 16 for various screens or various indicators (lamps), and controls these display/lighting states in accordance with instructions from the CPU 1. These elements 7 and 16 constitute display output section that aids the display of data in response to the operating state of each operator or control 14, 15. For example, music information such as performance data (MIDI data) stored in the storage section 3, 4 can be edited using the display output section. The display output section may also have additional functions for some types of electronic music machines EM, including the function of displaying image data of a musical score or the like included in the music information or music content on the screen of the display 16, and the function of guiding performance according to performance-aiding data.
The sound generator circuit 8 generates a tone signal corresponding to performance data from the performance operator 14 or the memory means 3, 4. The effector circuit 9 having a DSP for effect impartment gives predetermined effects to the tone signal. A sound system 17 connected to the effector circuit 9 includes a D/A converter, amplifier, and a speaker to generate sound based on the effect-imparted tone signal. These elements 8, 9, and 17 constitute a sound output section. The sound output section may also have an audio data processing function for some types of electronic music machines EM. In this case, an audio signal corresponding to audio data (waveform data) included in the music information from the storage section 3, 4 can be imparted with an effect(s) and outputted to the sound system 17.
Further, some types of electronic music machines EM may have printing function and provide a printing section with a printing circuit and a printer (not shown) as an output device in addition to the display output section 7, 16, and the sound output section 8, 9, 17. In this case, printing data such as a musical score included in the music information or music content can be printed on the printer.
The MIDI I/F 10 is connected to another electronic musical instrument (MIDI device) ED so that the music information can be exchanged between the electronic music machine EM and the electronic musical instrument ED. The communication I/F 11 is connected to a communication network CN such as the Internet so that music contents and various control programs for using the music contents can be distributed from one or more music content distribution servers DS and used on the electronic music machine EM.
Each of the music content distribution servers DS has substantially the same hardware structure as the electronic music machine EM shown in
The following describes the data format and the system operation in more detail. Music contents used in this system include a content file Cf called the “composite music content.” As shown in
The composite music content file Cf consists of a plurality of chunks encrypted in a hierarchical fashion, including a header chunk Hc, a code information chunk Cc, a security information chunk Sc, and a plurality of content material chunks Mc1, Mc2, . . .
The header chunk Hc describes header information in plaintext or non-encrypted form, such as the content name of the composite music content file Cf, the total number of bytes, the number of chunks, etc. On the other hand, the contents of the other chunks Cc, Sc, Mc1, Mc2, . . . are encrypted with predetermined keys (encryption keys), respectively, as indicated by different hatching.
The code information chunk Cc is encrypted with a first encryption key (hereinafter also called “the first key”). The first encryption key is, for example, a machine unique key uniquely assigned to the electronic music machine EM, or a media unique key unique to each of predetermined specific external recording media (specific media). The code information chunk Cc describes information (code information) related to the ciphers, or codes, of the other chunks Sc, Mc1, Mc2, . . . lower in hierarchy than the code information chunk Cc. For example, the code information describes that the security chunk Sc can be decrypted with a second encryption key and each of the content material chunks Mc1, Mc2, . . . can be decrypted with a third encryption key, etc.
The security chunk Sc is encrypted with a second encryption key for the security information chunk (hereinafter also called “the second key”) defined in the code information chunk Cc. The security information chunk Sc describes information (security information) defining security conditions for using each of the content materials Mc1, Mc2, . . . In other words, the security information represents the limiting conditions for using the content to instruct whether to enable or disable (whether to permit or not permit) each of content using items, such as replay (sound replay, musical score display), editing, duplicate (copying), and printing.
Each of the content material chunks Mc1, Mc2, . . . is encrypted with a third encryption key (hereinafter also called “the third key”) defined in the code information chunk Cc. The third encryption key used to encrypt and decrypt each of the content material chunks Mc1, Mc2, . . . may be a common key for all the content material chunks, or a different key for each content material. A common key may also be used as the second encryption key and the third encryption key.
Each of the content material chunks Mc1, Mc2, . . . includes real data that form an actual part of each type of content material, such as MIDI performance data, logic score data, or audio data. For example, the first content material chunk Mc1 includes MIDI performance data as the content material A, while the second content material chunk Mc2 includes logic score data as the content material B. The same kind of content materials may be included in two or more content material chunks, such as a case where a piece of MIDI performance data is recorded in the first content material chunk Mc1 and another piece of MIDI performance data is recorded in the second content material chunk Mc2.
The kind of usable content materials A, B, . . . in such a composite music content file Cf varies according to the type of electronic music machine EM. For example, an X type electronic music machine EMx as a high-end model can use both the content material A (MIDI performance data) and the content material B (logic score data), while a Y type electronic music machine EMy as a low-end mode can use only the content material A (MIDI performance data).
In the first embodiment of the invention, the content materials A, B, . . . in the composite music content file Cf are arranged in a predetermined, fixed-order according to the order of the multiple content material chunks Mc1, Mc2, . . . Based on the order of the content materials A, B, the content using programs for each electronic music machine EM are preset according to the type of the machine to decrypt only the material chunks including usable content materials. In the above example, the X type electronic music machine EMx can decrypt the first and second content material chunks Mc1, Mc2 including usable content materials A (MIDI performance data) and B (logic score data), while the Y type electronic music machine EMy can decrypt only the first content material chunk Mc1 including the content material A (MIDI performance data) as the usable content material.
On the other hand, in the second embodiment of the invention, the order of the arrangement of the content materials A, B, . . . in the composite music content file Cf is unspecified or irrelevant to the order of the multiple content material chunks Mc1, Mc2, . . . In this case, the security information chunk Sc in the composite music content file Cf describes material type information representing each of the content materials A, B, . . . in each of the content material chunks Mc1, Mc2, . . . as part of security information. The electronic music machine EM checks the contents of the material type information to determine whether each of the content material chunks Mc1, Mc2, . . . includes a content material usable on the machine EM. Then, based on the determination results, the electronic music machine EM decrypts only the content material chunk(s) corresponding to the usable content material(s). Alternatively, part of each content material (e.g., the headmost part) may be described in plaintext or non-encrypted form so that the plaintext part describing the material type information will be used to determine whether the content material is usable.
In
In step S1, the code information chunk Cc is first decrypted with the first key to determine the second and third keys for decrypting the security information chunk Sc and the content material chunks Mc1, Mc2, . . . , respectively. Then, in step S2, the security information chunk Sc is decrypted with the second key, or key for the security information chunk, obtained from the code information chunk Cc.
Further, in step S3, only the first content material chunk Mc1 is decrypted with the third key, or key for the content material chunks, obtained from the code information chunk Cc, to read the content material A (performance data) from the content material chunk Mc1. In the subsequent step 4, the decrypted content material A is used as defined in the limiting conditions in the security information of the security information chunk Sc decrypted in step S2.
For example, if the security information dictates that the content material A decrypted in step S3 is “replayable,” sound will be emitted through the sound output section 8, 9, 17 based on the performance data of the content material A. If the security information dictates that it is “editable,” it will mean that the performance data of the content material A can be edited. Further, if it is “replicable,” it will mean that the content material A can be encrypted by a predetermined encryption system and copied to a licensed external recording medium 4A.
After completion of using the content material A as the first content material, the procedure goes to the final step S5. In step S5, if the content material A needs to be restored onto the internal storage medium 4A after being edited or processed in the content using step S4, the composite music content file Cf with the chunks from the chunk Cc to the chunk Mc1 that have been decrypted and expanded on the RAM 2 is re-encrypted to prevent unauthorized use and stored on the internal storage medium 4A. Then, the composite music content file Cf is deleted from the RAM 2 to prevent a careless leakage of the content from the RAM 2. After completion of the reencryption and deletion processing, the content material using processing 1 is ended.
If the X type electronic music machine EMx, which can use the content materials A and B, performs the content material using processing 1 according to the first embodiment, it will also decrypt the second content material chunk Mc2 in step S3, though not shown in
Further, even in the case of an electronic music machine EM of any type that can use content materials included in three or more content material chunks, the content materials usable on the machine and the content material chunks that include the content materials are known beforehand. In this case, all the content material chunks usable on the machine are decrypted from the composite music content file Cf in step S3 of
In
In the subsequent step P3, it is determined that the content material included in the first content material chunk Mc1 is type A according to the material type information included in the security information of the security information chunk Sc decrypted in step P2 to determine whether the content material A is usable on the electronic music machine EM.
If it is determined that the content material A in the first content material chunk Mc1 is usable on the machine like on the type X or Y electronic music machine EMx or EMy (if YES in P3), the procedure goes to step P4. Then, in step P4, the first content material chunk Mc1 is decrypted with the third key (key for the content material chunks), obtained from the code information chunk Cc, to read the content material A (performance data) from the first content material chunk Mc1.
After the first content material chunk is decrypted (P4), or when it is determined that the content material A in the content material chunk Mc1 is unusable on the electronic music machine EM (when No in P3), the procedure goes to step P5. Then, in step P5, it is determined that the content material included in the second content material chunk Mc2 is type B according to the material type information to determine whether the content material B is usable on the electronic music machine EM.
If it is determined that the content material B in the second content material chunk Mc2 is usable on the machine like on the type X electronic music machine EMx (if YES in P5), the procedure goes to step P6. Then, in step P6, the second content material chunk Mc2 is decrypted with the third key, or key for the content material chunks, obtained from the code information chunk Cc, to read the content material B (logic score data) from the second content material chunk Mc2.
After the second content material chunk is decrypted (P6), or when it is determined that the content material B in the second content material chunk Mc2 is unusable on the machine EM like on the type Y electronic music machine EMy (when No in P5), the procedure goes to step P7.
In step P7, each of the decrypted content materials is used according to the security information in the security information chunk Sc decrypted in step P2. For example, in the case of the type Y electronic music machine EMy, only the content material A (performance data) decrypted in step P4 is used according to the contents of the security information. Meanwhile, in the case of the type X electronic music machine EMx, both the content materials A and B decrypted in steps P4 and P6 are used according to the contents of the security information.
After completion of using the content material(s) in step P7, the procedure goes to the final step P8. In step P8, when the content needs to be restored onto the internal storage medium 4A to prevent a careless leakage of the decrypted content, the composite music content file Cf with the material chunks including the usable content material(s) that have been decrypted and expanded on the RAM 3 is reencrypted and restored on the internal storage medium 4A. Then, the composite music content file Cf is deleted from the RAM 3, and the content material using processing 2 is ended.
When the composite music content file Cf has three or more music content material chunks Mc1, Mc2, . . . , the content material using processing 2 is applied in common to electronic music machines EM of any type, including the electronic music machines EMx and EMy, by changing part of the procedure as indicated by the broken lines. In other words, after the second content material chunk Mc2 is decrypted (P6), or when it is determined that the content material B in the content material chunk Mc2 is unusable (when No in P5), the procedure returns to step P5 as indicated by the broken lines.
In this case, in step P5, it is determined, in the same manner described above, whether a content material in the subsequent, third content material chunk Mc3 is usable on the electronic music machine EM. The procedure returns to step P5 directly or via step P6, depending on the determination result in P5, thus repeating the processing step P5. After completion of determination of the last content material chunk (when NO in P5 or via P6), the procedure goes to step P7 to use the content materials decrypted in steps P4 and P6.
Thus, in the second embodiment, since the locations of the content materials A, B, . . . in the composite music content Cf are uncertain, it is first determined whether each content material included in each content material chunk Mc1, Mc2, . . . is usable on each electronic music machine EM. Then, only the chunks including usable content materials are decrypted without decrypting the other chunks including unusable content materials.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, they can be modified in various ways. For example, the aforementioned embodiments assume that each chunk in the composite music content file is encrypted by the same encryption system using the same or different encryption key for each chunk. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and each chunk may be encrypted by an encryption system different from that for another chunk.
In the first embodiment, the content materials are arranged in the predetermined order of first MIDI performance data, second logical score data and so on. However, the invention is not limited to this specific order. The order of arranging the content materials may be predetermined differently. However, it should be noted that the order must be predetermined commonly to all the electronic musical machines compliant to the inventive system.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-435636 | Dec 2003 | JP | national |
