Abstract: A recording medium cartridge with a recording medium and cartridge memory records a first CRC code produced from data of the recording medium in the cartridge memory in an unrewritable state. A recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing the recording medium cartridge is provided with a CRC code producing means, CRC code recording means, CRC code comparing means, and authentication determining means. The comparing means compares a fourth CRC code produced from data recorded in the recording medium with the first CRC code corresponding to the data recorded in the cartridge memory. The authentication determining means determines authentication of the data recorded in the recording medium based on a comparison result of the comparing means.

Abstract: An exemplay object of the present invention is to provide an encryption data recording method, encryption data recording system, and encryption data reproducing system which do not need a specific control to handle key data and are excellent in a security protection property, and furthermore in which a person with a due access right to a recording medium can easily utilize data. The encryption data recording method is characterized in that the method is provided with a data writing step which writes encryption data in at least one recording medium using the encryption data recording system with a plurality of recording media; a key data dividing step which divides the key data of the encryption data into a plurality of key data elements; and a key data element storing step which separately stores each key data element in a plurality of the recording media.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus using a charge multiplying solid-sate imaging device for use with an endoscope system, etc., capable of providing an output signal with an improved S/N ratio by reducing the dark noise. The full well size of the CCD imaging device is reduced to 1/M of the number of electrons corresponding to a maximum amount of light which may be received by the individual pixel determined by the technical specifications of the system, and the signal charges are read out N times in a prescribed time period corresponding to a time for a single frame in a TV frame rate. The system satisfies the relation, nd (1−1/M)>nr2(N2−1), assuming that nd is the dark noise and nr is the readout noise contained in single reading from a reference solid-state imaging means having a full well size equivalent to the number of electrons described above.