Digital Data Reproducing Device Copyright Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital data reproducing devices fail to effectively control data degradation based on reproduction times and copy operations, leading to potential quality degradation and increased operational costs, while also lacking mechanisms to protect copyright in a scalable manner.
Innovation Solution
A digital data reproducing device with a data reading unit, copyright management information detection and updating unit, and data degradation control, which embeds and updates copyright management information using digital watermarks to control data degradation levels based on reproduction times, time limits, and copy operations, ensuring only degraded data is reproduced by unauthorized devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple scrambles are applied to encoded data with digital watermark embedding, then copyright protection capability is improved, but data quality deteriorates due to increased embedding data amount
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential copyright management information (reproduction time limit, reproduction count limit) from complex multiple scramble systems, embedding only this critical data as digital watermark rather than embedding all scramble key information, thereby reducing embedding data amount and preserving data quality while maintaining copyright protection capability
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying multiple scrambles and embedding all related keys (traditional approach), the patent inverts the approach by embedding minimal copyright management information and using a single scramble system with dynamic key generation based on the embedded information, achieving the same protection level with reduced data embedding
2Reliability
If quality degradation policy is specified for every digital data, then copyright protection capability is improved, but operational cost increases enormously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal copyright protection system where a single degradation policy framework can be applied to all digital data content. The system uses standardized copyright management information structures and processing mechanisms that work across different content types, eliminating the need for separate customization and reduction operational costs significantly
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from specifying detailed quality degradation policies for each individual data file to using parameter-based control where general degradation rules are defined once and applied universally. The system adjusts degradation parameters dynamically based on embedded copyright management information rather than requiring individual policy specifications for each content item
3Reliability
If data degradation is applied based on reproduction times, then copyright protection is improved, but data usability deteriorates when degradation is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic degradation control where the degradation level is adjusted in real-time based on the reproduction count embedded in the copyright management information. The system progressively increases degradation only after exceeding predefined reproduction thresholds, allowing full usability within authorized usage limits while providing gradual degradation as a copyright protection mechanism for excessive use
4Reliability
If copyright management information is embedded in degraded data, then copyright protection capability is improved, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary embedding of copyright management information in the original undegraded data before any degradation processing occurs. This ensures that the copyright information is already in place and can be easily detected without requiring complex processing of degraded data, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining strong copyright protection capability
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a digital data reproducing device having a simple configuration and being capable of protecting copyright of digital data such as video or audio. Content provider side embeds copyright management information (cumulative number of reproduction times, permissible number of reproduction times, etc.) into digital data that has been degraded by scrambling, and provides it to a content user. A reproducing device of the content user side causes copyright management information detection unit to detect the copyright management information, decreases the data degradation depending on result of the detection, and reproduces by data reproducing unit.