Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Sony Corporation

Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

Muneki Shimada

Toyoshi Okada

Kenjiro Komaki

Yousuke Kimoto

Kazuhiro Kanee

Keiso Shimakawa

Shiho Moriai

Akio Ohba

Masakazu Suzuoki

Minoru Hashimoto

Takahiro Fujii

Shuji Hiramatsu

Shigeru Enomoto

Kyoji Shibutani

Tomokazu Kake

Shinichi Okamoto

Masafumi Kusakawa

Hiromasa Horie

Sumio Morioka

Yuta Kimura

Hidehisa Onai

Shinichi Tanaka

Mitsuhiro Nakamura

Ken Kutaragi

Dai Sasaki

Asami Yoshida

Masaharu Yoshimori

Masaru Masuda

Tsutomu Inui

Keisuke Yamaguchi

Yosuke Kimoto

Masanobu Okabe

Makoto Kubo

Shingo Kannari

Kanee Kazuhiro

The present invention provides a technique of executing a suitable file from plural files of the same type. In a game apparatus, a ROM medium with game data recorded therein is loaded into a drive device. A patch file acquisition unit acquires a patch file for the game data, and stores the patch file in a HDD. The ROM medium and the patch file respectively include boot files for initiating a main program. An execution processor loads into the memory, the boot file having newer version information, and executes a boot sequence. The execution processor does not execute the boot sequence, when the ROM medium is not loaded into the drive device, and executes the boot sequence, as a condition that the ROM medium is loaded into the drive device.

Conditional startup process for a game apparatus and information processing apparatus

A receiver is configured to receive, from a mobile device of a first type adapted to read a content from a recording medium and run the content, a first device identifier identifying the mobile device of the first type and a recording medium identifier identifying a recording medium loaded in the mobile device of the first type, along with a digital signature generated in the mobile device of the first type using an encryption key secretly stored in the mobile device of the first type. A signature verification unit is configured to verify the authenticity of the digital signature. A voucher issuance unit is configured to issue a voucher to a mobile device of a second type adapted to acquire a content by downloading the content and to run the content accordingly and mapped into the mobile device of the first type, so that the mobile device of the second type is capable of downloading a content.

Management server, management method, management system for downloading of contents, and mobile devices

Provided is an authentication system capable of identifying a cause of a failure when authentication fails. A data structure of data to be authenticated has a header authentication data area (D), and an authentication data area (D) in addition to a header area (D) and a data area (D). The header authentication data area (D) authenticates validity of the header area (D), and the authentication data area (D) authenticates the validity of the header authentication header area (D) and the data area (D). Since two kinds of authentication are carried out, the cause of the failure in authentication can be identified easily when authentication is failed.

Authentication device and method

The present invention is directed to an information processing system composed of plural information processing units adapted for mutually executing data communication, and for executing data processing in which communication data has been applied. The first entity A transmits error notification data on the basis of error detection to execute initial state return processing on the condition that data reception after error notification data has been transmitted is made, and the second entity B transmits error notification data on the basis of error detection to execute initial state return processing on the condition that transmit processing of error notification data is executed. Thus, the both entities A and B can return to the initial state in a manner synchronous with each other. As a result, it becomes possible to perform reliable error recovery and data processing restart.

Information processing apparatus, information processing system, information processing method and computer program

Methods and apparatus in accordance with the present invention are operable to carry out certain functions including: receiving an encrypted program at a processing apparatus; transmitting a machine ID over a network to an administrator; receiving registration data over the network from the administrator in response to the machine ID; transmitting the registration data over the network to a distributor; receiving an encrypted decryption key and an encrypted virtual ID at the processing apparatus over the network from the distributor in response to the registration data; decrypting the encrypted decryption key using the virtual ID, and decrypting the encrypted program using the decryption key; re-encrypting the program using the virtual ID; and storing the encrypted virtual ID and the re-encrypted program in a first storage device.

Methods and apparatus for secure distribution of program content

To provide a recording medium on which an entire piece of decryption information that is required to be highly secure is recorded while being kept secure even when it is larger in data size than the storage capacity of an area originally intended for recording it. A recording medium in which encrypted content that has been encrypted and decryption information for the decryption of the encrypted content are recorded in two areas of different security levels. Decryption information B which is a portion of the decryption information is recorded in an area L of a relatively higher security level. The encrypted content and decryption information C which is the remainder of the decryption information that has been encrypted are recorded in an area D of a relatively lower security level. The decryption information B recorded in the area L includes information indicating the location where the decryption information C is recorded and information for the decryption of the remainder.

Recording medium, content player, content player method, and computer program

A client terminal reads a device ID fixedly assigned to itself, and sends the device ID to an authentication server to make a request for authentication. The authentication server authenticates the device ID accepted from the client terminal. When succeeding in the authentication, the authentication server issues and sends a ticket to the client terminal. The client terminal receives the ticket, and then sends the ticket to a locator server to make a request for registration of an IP address. The locator server verifies the correctness of the accepted ticket. When the correctness is confirmed, the locator server registers an ID and the IP address of the client terminal in a manner that they are associated with each other, and replies the completion of the registration.

System and method for controlling communication using device ID

Methods and apparatus in accordance with the present invention are operable to carry out certain functions including: receiving an encrypted program at a processing apparatus; transmitting at least some identification information related to the processing apparatus over a network to an administrator; receiving an encrypted decryption key at the processing apparatus over the network from the administrator in response to the at least some identification information; decrypting the encrypted decryption key; decrypting the encrypted program using the decryption key; re-encrypting the program using at least some of the identification information ; and storing the identification information and the re-encrypted program in a first storage device.

A digital contents distribution system has a multi-layered structure including a server device (CS device) of one or a small number of managers which are each to be a manager main body, a plurality of server devices (DS devices) of middle managers, and client terminal devices (SC terminal devices) of a large number of users. Accesses from the respective users are processed in the server devices of respective ones of the middle managers. It is therefore possible to prevent an inconvenience in which the accesses from a large number of users concentrate on the CS device of the manager. As a result, it is possible to reduce the load imposed on the CS device, and to perform a smooth distribution service of digital contents.

Contents distribution system

A display apparatus including a communication line connected to a network, an information acquisition device for acquiring in real time at least information relating to a predetermined site on the network via the communication line, the communication line being held by a communication line holding device. The display apparatus includes a display control device for displaying in real time information relating to a plurality of sites acquired by the information acquisition device, and forming symbols corresponding to the plurality of sites, displaying the symbols three-dimensionally in a contrastable state from each other. The information acquired by the information acquisition device is displayed will a symbol, which corresponds to the site, and the information acquisition device acquires at least one of or a plurality of pieces of information indicating congestion status, update status, response, type, popularity, cost, and links of each site, and congestion status of the network.

Display apparatus for accessing desired web site

A management server receives first user identification information and designation information for designating a service which are sent from a user terminal; detects specific information corresponding to a service provider which provides the desired service from a database containing specific information uniquely assigned to each service provider; generates second user identification information based on the detected specific information and the first user identification information; and then transmits the second user identification information to the user terminal. Using the second user identification information, the user terminal accesses the server of the service provider providing the desiring service. This prevents important information such as device IDs from being used when a user receives a service through a network from a service provider other than device manufacturers, and relieves the burden on such service provider upon providing a service.

Method for issuing identification information

Objects which are created in conformity with the data format of objects to be handled in a virtual world are offered to users on the terminal computers of the users independently of the virtual world. The users transmit the offered objects to a server computer which generates the virtual world, while the server computer stores these objects in association with the operators. Since these objects are recorded in a format which can be interpreted by the server computer for generating the virtual world, they can be handled in the virtual world in the same manner as the other objects which have been defined in the virtual world beforehand. Thus, the users are permitted to use in the virtual world objects which are different from the objects which were defined in the virtual world beforehand.

Virtual world system, server computer and information processor

In a contents distributing system, a monitoring server is equipped on a network with which all user terminals being capable of utilizing contents are allowed to connect, and a member card is issued to a user operating the user terminal. In the contents distributed from an information service server, a middleware for storing a history of utilizing contents (log data etc.) to the member card and for transmitting this history of utilizing contents along with a user ID to the monitoring server is embedded. The monitoring server generates utilization information indicating how much the particular contents are utilized by the user, based on the collected history of utilizing contents and the collected user ID.

Method and system for monitoring utilizing condition of contents, computer program and recording medium

A data processing apparatus that tests whether a secure circuit is normal or not while maintaining confidentiality of the secured circuit is provided: wherein the secured circuit conducts a self-diagnostic test thereof in accordance with a self-diagnostic test start instruction signal from a CPU, and the secured circuit outputs a self-diagnostic test result signal indicating whether the secured circuit is normal or not to the CPU.

Data processing apparatus, program, and method for testing a secured circuit and maintaining confidentiality of the circuit

When content data is downloaded under a pull-type connection, a domestic client terminal device incorporates a schedule file supplied from a server machine, and the domestic client terminal device then accesses the server machine at the time specified by the schedule file, to thereby download the desired content data. When the content data is distributed under a push-type connection, the server machine accesses the individual domestic client terminal devices according to the schedule determined on the server machine side, and then distributes the desired content data.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Muneki Shimada