Abstract: At the time of performing signal processing of information signals to which copyright protection information has been added, signal processing which would make detection of copyright protection information difficult or impossible is restricted, based on the copyright protection information detected from the information signals. Thus, even in the event that the information signals pass through a device having a signal processing unit which would make detection of copyright protection information difficult or impossible, copyright protection can be performed in a sure and inexpensive manner.

Abstract: An image signal to be outputted is divided into two areas or a first area and a second area. In an electronic watermarking information forming section (WM forming section), a spectrum spread signal (electronic watermarking information) is formed as the first additional information so as to be superposed on the first area of the image signal. The spectrum spread signal is superposed on the first area of the image signal by an electronic watermarking information superposing section (WM superposing section). Moreover, in the case where the image signal is recorded on a recording medium, for example, the second additional information is newly superposed on the second area of the image signal. Thus, deterioration of the information signal is suppressed at minimum, and first and second additional information are superposed on the information signal to be capable of transmitting the information signal.

Abstract: A playback device 10 generates a PN code with a start timing based on a video sync signal, and generates a PN inverse code which has a reverse polarity to that of the PN code with a timing based on the video sync signal. An anti-duplication control signal is spectrally spread using this PN code, superimposed on the video signal and supplied to a recording device. A PN inverse code which is the same as the PN inverse code used in the playback device is also generated in the recording device based on the video sync signal, and reverse spectral spread is performed using this PN inverse code.

Abstract: A content distribution system, a content distribution method and a terminal device are capable of effectively preventing disadvantages of users who formally bought content. In the content system in which a distribution server and a terminal device are connected through a network, even content is taken out from a storage means of the terminal device to the outside later, the content always carries user identification information, so that even the user having the content distributes the content over the network illegally, the distributor of the content can be found with sure.

Abstract: A watermark information embedding method, and apparatus, capable of suppressing the quality degradation of contents and increasing the survivability of embedded information. When embedding watermark information in moving picture data formed of a plurality of still picture frames arranged in time series, a motion vector representing a property specific to moving picture is detected for each of image blocks generated by dividing a target frame. According to a motion quantity, a pixel change factor specifying rule is selected for each block. Out of pixels permitted to be changed in luminance depending upon the state of an image in each block representing a property specific to still picture, as many pixels as a number specified by the selected rule are selected. Luminance change processing for forming watermark information is conducted on the selected pixels.

Abstract: Information capable of tracing a content distribution route, such as a user ID of a content destination, a content ID, a content provider ID, and a service provider ID, is superimposed on the content as additional information for digital watermarking or steganography before delivering the content. For example, the content ID and the user ID are detected from the delivered content. When both the content ID and the user ID are not detected from the content, it is determined that the content is illegally distributed, and the content distribution route is traced to identify the source of the illegally distributed content. In most cases, unique information, such as a user ID, still remains in copies of the content, thus effectively preventing illegal distribution of the content.

Abstract: An additional information transmission method for transmitting an information signal and additional information in the form of an electronic watermark. The electronic watermark information is generated and superimposed on the information signal for transmission so as to form a superimposition/non-superimposition pattern corresponding to first additional information and transmitting second additional information on the information signal such that one value of one-bit information is expressed by a period in which electronic watermark information is superimposed on the information signal and other values of one-bit information are expressed by a period in which the electronic watermark information is not superimposed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for superimposing additional information onto image information in a manner such that the additional information is inconspicuous on the displayed image. The additional information is spread throughout the image signal via logical operation with a pseudo-random code sequence. A dithering process is performed on the spread additional information in which masking patterns are randomly applied to mask some pixels from superimposition, thereby reducing the effective level of the additional information signal. High frequency random noise is added to the dithered additional information to further reduce the perceptible effect of the additional information on the image. The dithered and noise-added additional information signal is superimposed with the image signal, and recorded on a storage medium.

Abstract: When a use permission information detecting unit detects restrictive use permission information, time shift start information, and time shift end information from a reproduced video signal S6 supplied thereto, the use permission information detecting unit forms a use prohibition control signal S7 and supplies it to a use prohibition processing unit. The use prohibition processing unit erases the video signal recorded on a recording medium, on which the restrictive use permission information is add, in accordance with the use prohibition control signal S7 and the like, and makes it impossible to use the video signal repeatedly.

Abstract: When digital image signals fed in through an input terminal are to be recorded on a disc, medium-related information, such as a serial number recorded in a table of contents of the disc, is read from the disc and is spectrum-spread in a spectrum spreading additional information generating section and then the digital image signals on which the spectrum-spread medium-related information has been superimposed in a spectrum spreading additional information superimposing section are recorded on the disc. When the signals are to be reproduced, the reproduction can be performed only if the medium-related information superimposed on the image signals recorded on the disc is consistent with the medium-related information of the disc on which the image signals are recorded. Thus, copying of the information signals can be limited to copying for private use.

Abstract: A reproducing and/or recording system in which copy generation of an information signal is controlled through the use of copy control information that is added to the information signal. The copy control information takes on at least one of three possible states, a one-copy allowed state, a more-copy prohibited state and a copy absolutely prohibited state. The system determines an initial copy control state for the signal being reproduced and determines the state of copy control information to be added to the reproduced signal based on at least the initial copy control information. During recording it may be determined that no further copy control information is to be added to the signal.

Abstract: A digital watermark embedding apparatus divides data to be watermarked into a plurality of data areas on the basis of data characteristics, in time series, or on the basis of user selection and performs digital watermark embedding in which different algorithms are applied to the separate data areas. Unlike schemes that embed digital watermarks using an algorithm that is uniform with all data areas, a digital watermark can be embedded in accordance with each data area of an image. When the algorithm is selected in accordance with user input, the embedding algorithm can be selected in accordance with the characteristics of the human vision or auditory sense. Image/audio quality control and detection performance improvement are thus made possible, and deterioration in data quality can be prevented.

Abstract: A signal reproducing method and apparatus in which the generation limitation information, such as a token or a ticket, contained in digital data, is recorded in analog signals. A reproducing device 20 reproduces, from a source disc S, picture data etc having the superimposed copyright control information for copying limitation and a ticket representing the generation limitation information specifying the number of times of possible copying or reproduction. The reproducing device 20 converts the picture data etc into analog baseband signals and detects the ticket. The reproducing device 20 superimposes the detected ticket on audio signals by watermark processing to output the resulting analog baseband signals.

Abstract: A new additional information generating section generates new additional information FS1 based upon information from an additional information reading section. The spectrum of the new additional information FS1 is spread by an SS additional information generating section and supplied to a signal superimposing section as SS additional information SF1. The signal superimposing section generates a digital video signal S2 by superimposing the SS additional information SF1 on a digital video signal S1. A writing section records the digital video signal S2 on which the SS additional information SF1 is superimposed on a recording medium. Hereby, adding additional information to an information signal without deteriorating the quality of the read information signal so that the falsification and deletion are disabled, detecting the additional information added to the information signal if necessary and utilizing it are enabled.

Abstract: A spectrum spread signal spread by a spread code synchronized with a synchronous signal accompanying to an information signal is superimposed on the information signal and is then transmitted and the spectrum spread signal is then detected using the spread code for detection synchronized with the synchronous signal from the information signal on which the spectrum spread signal is superimposed. A value of the information signal on which the spectrum spread signal is superimposed is added or subtracted depending on the chip value of the relevant spread code for detection in each chip of the spread code for detection. The spectrum spread signal is detected by determining whether the added/subtracted value has exceeded the predetermined threshold value or not.

Abstract: A playback device 10 generates a pseudo random noise (PN) code with a start timing based on a video sync signal, and generates a PN inverse code which has a reverse polarity to that of the PN code with a timing based on the video sync signal. An anti-duplication control signal is spectrally spread using this PN code, superimposed on the video signal and supplied to a recording device. A PN inverse code which is the same as the PN inverse code used in the playback device is also generated in the recording device based on the video sync signal, and reverse spectral spread is performed using this PN inverse code.

Abstract: A data reproducing apparatus high in security against unauthorized duplication. A drive 20 includes a first CSS encoder 21 for performing first encryption processing on picture data etc reproduced from an optical disc D and a second CSS encoder 22 for performing second encryption processing different from the first encryption processing on the media type information of the optical disc D. The drive transmits the so-processed data or information. A data processing device 30 performs decryption processing on the transmitted picture data etc and on the media type information by respective independent decoders. The data processing apparatus detects the copyright control information from the picture data etc and performs reproduction limitation or recording limitation on the picture data etc.

Abstract: It is the object of this invention to extract spectrally spread additional information superimposed on the video signal rapidly and correctly. The output device 10 generates the PN code string every second vertical interval with reference to the video sync signal, and spectrally spreads the additional information using this PN code string. The spectrally spread additional information is superimposed on the video signal every second vertical interval and outputted. Upon receiving the video signal, in the recording device for recording the video signal on a recording medium, the video signal component is canceled each other between the video signal component in the vertical interval on which the additional information is superimposed and the video signal component in the vertical interval on which the additional information is not superimposed because of the field correlation of the video signal, and only the additional information is extracted.

Abstract: An information signal reproducing apparatus for reproducing an information signal from a recording medium on which the information signal, including added copy control information is recorded, comprising a first detector for detecting whether the information signal read out from said recording medium is encrypted or not-encrypted and for producing an output representative thereof; a second detector for detecting said copy control information from the information signal read out from the recording medium and for producing an output representative thereof; and a controller for selectively restricting reproduction of the information signal based on the outposts of the first detector and the second detector.

Abstract: Visual influence on the reproduced image by the spectrum spread additional information signal can be controlled on the reproduced image by sequentially changing the level of the spectrum spread additional information signal with the predetermined pattern in each chip section on the occasion of superimposing, on the video signal, the spectrum spread additional information signal in which the additional information such as duplication preventing control information and copy right information, etc. is spectrum spread.