Abstract: The invention provides an enciphering apparatus and method, a deciphering apparatus and method and an information processing apparatus and method by which illegal copying can be prevented with certainty. Data enciphered by a 1394 interface of a DVD player is transmitted to a personal computer and a magneto-optical disk apparatus through a 1394 bus. In the magneto-optical disk apparatus with which a change to a function is open to a user, the received data is deciphered by a 1394 interface. In contrast, in the personal computer with which a change to a function is open to a user, the enciphered data is deciphered using a time variable key by a 1394 interface, and a result of the decipherment is further deciphered using a session key by an application section.

Abstract: Methods for realizing advanced graphical user interface (GUI) in panel subunit. The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a button GUI element descriptor that defines a bitmap to be displayed when a button is out of focus and another bitmap to be displayed when the button is in focus. In another embodiment, the present invention provides a table GUI element descriptor that defines a table-like on screen display to be displayed on the controller device. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a panel GUI element descriptor that includes a focused identifier attribute indicating a pre-determined element of the on-screen display as default focus. In this way, the target device would be able to control the default focus of the controller device when displaying an on-screen display.

Abstract: The invention provides an enciphering apparatus and method, a deciphering apparatus and method and an information processing apparatus and method by which illegal copying can be prevented with certainty. Data enciphered by a 1394 interface of a DVD player is transmitted to a personal computer and a magneto-optical disk apparatus through a 1394 bus. In the magneto-optical disk apparatus with which a change to a function is open to a user, the received data is deciphered by a 1394 interface. In contrast, in the personal computer with which a change to a function is open to a user, the enciphered data is deciphered using a time variable key by a 1394 interface, and a result of the decipherment is further deciphered using a session key by an application section.

Abstract: There is provided a configuration enabling prevention in advance of leakage and outflow of secret information in the local network, such as private data and content whose copyright and use right is restricted. A plurality of identification information of a communication destination device are acquired at different data processing levels. Identification information acquired by data processing at a level of a physical layer or a data link layer of the OSI reference model and identification information acquired by data processing at a layer level of a network layer or higher are received and these identification information are matched.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a content purchase history storage unit in which a content purchase history for each user is stored, a metadata storage unit in which metadata of a plurality of contents is stored, and a metadata retrieval unit to retrieve, upon reception of a metadata retrieval request that is sent from a terminal apparatus of the user via a network and includes information for identifying a user and a retrieval condition, metadata of a content that meets the retrieval condition from the metadata storage unit, judge whether the content retrieved has already been purchased based on the content purchase history of the user that is stored in the content purchase history storage unit, and send a retrieval result of the metadata of the content that includes a judgment result to the terminal apparatus via the network as a metadata retrieval response.

Abstract: Particular embodiments generally relate to transferring data with first usage rights to a device and presenting the data by a receiving device by using different usage rights. The receiving device contacts one or more services that can determine what rights are available and can issue those rights to the receiving device. The receiving device can update the state across devices and services that maintain compliance with the usage rights.

Abstract: In a first embodiment, an applications programming interface (API) implements and manages isochronous and asynchronous data transfer operations between an application and a bus structure. During an synchronous transfer the API includes the ability to transfer any amount of data between one or more local data buffers within the application and a range of addresses over the bus structure using one or more asynchronous transactions. An automatic transaction generator may be used to automatically generate the transactions necessary to complete the data transfer. The API also includes the ability to transfer data between the application and another node on the bus structure isochronously over a dedicated channel. During an isochronous data transfer, a buffer management scheme is used to manage a linked list of data buffer descriptors.

Abstract: In order to predictively time stamp isochronous data packets transmitted over an IEEE 1394-1995 serial bus network, an application, which is to send a stream of isochronous data packets to a receiving node, first transmits a number of dummy frames each consisting of a number of packets. Preferably, these isochronous data packets make up frames of video data. From these dummy packets, the application obtains the time stamp values within the common isochronous packet (CIP) header of each packet. Using these obtained time stamp values, the application calculates a presentation time value for each data frame to be transmitted. The obtained time stamp value from a transmitted video frame is used to calculate the presentation time for a video frame which is a number of frames ahead within the transmit queue.

Abstract: Particular embodiments generally relate to transferring data with first usage rights to a device and presenting the data by a receiving device by using different usage rights. The receiving device contacts one or more services that can determine what rights are available and can issue those rights to the receiving device. The receiving device is challenged to identify the received content. The receiving device can update the state across devices and services that maintain compliance with the usage rights.

Abstract: When transmitting data such as audio data which require protection to be provided, difficulty levels of authentication are switched corresponding to processing power of equipments to communicate. Thus, for an equipment of low processing power may perform a Bluetooth communication based on the SDMI. Further, for a communicating counterparty which is an equipment of high processing power, such as a personal computer, sufficient countermeasures against hacking may be taken.

Abstract: A video frame is part of an isochronous stream of video data transmitted over an IEEE 1394-1995 network. The desired frame rate is determined by the receiving device. The source device determines a ratio of data packets versus video frames in response to the frame rate and a cycle time. This ratio rarely computes to an integer result. Accordingly, the source device generates two groups of frames. A first group contains an integer value of packets nearest to and above the ratio. A second group contains an integer value of packets nearest to and below the ratio. To achieve the frame rate, the source device serially generates each of the frames in an order including a combination of the first group of frames and the second group of frames to achieve the ratio. The source device then transmits the resulting isochronous video stream of data to the receiving device.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for transmitting an isochronous video stream of data at a desired frame rate from a source device to a receiving device. A video frame is part of an isochronous stream of video data which is transmitted over an IEEE 1394-1995 serial bus network. The desired frame rate is determined by the receiving device. The source device preferably determines a proper ratio of data packets versus video frames in response to the particular frame rate required and a cycle time for isochronous data. This ratio of data packets versus video frames rarely computes to an integer result. Accordingly, the source device preferably generates two groups of frames. A first group contains an integer value of packets nearest to and above the desired overall average ratio of data packets versus video frames. The source device generates a second group of frames where each frame from this second group contains an integer value of packets nearest to and below the ratio of packets versus video frames.

Abstract: The invention provides an enciphering apparatus and method, a deciphering apparatus and method and an information processing apparatus and method by which illegal copying can be prevented with certainty. Data enciphered by a 1394 interface of a DVD player is transmitted to a personal computer and a magneto-optical disk apparatus through a 1394 bus. In the magneto-optical disk apparatus with which a change to a function is open to a user, the received data is deciphered by a 1394 interface. In contrast, in the personal computer with which a change to a function is open to a user, the enciphered data is deciphered using a time variable key by a 1394 interface, and a result of the decipherment is further deciphered using a session key by an application section.

Abstract: The invention provides an enciphering apparatus and method, a deciphering apparatus and method and an information processing apparatus and method by which illegal copying can be prevented with certainty. Data enciphered by a 1394 interface of a DVD player is transmitted to a personal computer and a magneto-optical disk apparatus through a 1394 bus. In the magneto-optical disk apparatus with which a change to a function is not open to a user, the received data is deciphered by a 1394 interface. In contrast, in the personal computer with which a change to a function is open to a user, the enciphered data is deciphered using a time variable key by a 1394 interface, and a result of the decipherment is further deciphered using a session key by an application section.

Abstract: An isochronous data pipe provides a bi-directional path for data between an application and a bus structure. The isochronous data pipe includes the ability to send, receive and perform manipulations on any isochronous stream of data, including data on any number of isochronous channels. The isochronous data pipe is a programmable sequencer that operates on the stream of isochronous data as it passes through the isochronous data pipe. The isochronous data pipe is programmed by an application to perform specific operations on the stream of data before the data is either transmitted across the bus structure or sent to the application, thereby pre-processing and manipulating the data before it is delivered to its destination. The operations are performed on both the packet header and the data field of the data packet. The isochronous data pipe can be stopped and started on the occurrence of specific events.

Abstract: A recording medium cartridge includes a memory circuit for storing information concerning signals recorded on the recording medium within the cartridge. The information is stored in the memory circuit in the form of a hierarchic data structure which includes a plurality of data packets having a predetermined form and length. Each data packet includes a code indicative of a level in the data structure to which the data packet belongs. At least some of the data packets include data indicative of starting and ending positions on the recording medium of recorded signals which the data packet represents. The hierarchic (or “tree”) data structure facilitates rapid retrieval and reproduction of the signals recorded on the recording medium, particularly when the recording medium is a magnetic tape. The tree structure also facilitates storage of information in connection with recording of additional signals on the recording medium.

Abstract: A recording medium cartridge includes a memory circuit for storing information concerning signals recorded on the recording medium within the cartridge. The information is stored in the memory circuit in the form of a hierarchic data structure which includes a plurality of data packets having a predetermined form and length. Each data packet includes a code indicative of a level in the data structure to which the data packet belongs. At least some of the data packets include data indicative of starting and ending positions on the recording medium of recorded signals which the data packet represents. The hierarchic (or “tree”) data structure facilitates rapid retrieval and reproduction of the signals recorded on the recording medium, particularly when the recording medium is a magnetic tape. The tree structure also facilitates storage of information in connection with recording of additional signals on the recording medium.

Abstract: A content transfer system includes a source device transmitting content and a sink device receiving the content. The sink incrementally validates portions of data of the content received from the source device. The source device incrementally invalidates the portions of the data of the content transmitted therefrom in order to move the content from the source device to the sink device.

Abstract: A content transfer system for transferring content between a source device transmitting the content and a sink device receiving the content, includes a content specifying unit for specifying the content to be transferred between the source device and the sink device, an authentication unit for performing an authentication exchange key process between the source device and the sink device, a content transfer unit for performing a content transfer process by encrypting and transferring the content specified by the content specifying unit from the source device to the sink device using the key exchanged by the authentication unit, and a content transfer finalizing unit for performing a content transfer finalizing process by validating the content at the sink device and invalidating the original content at the source device in response to the end of the content transfer process performed by the content transfer unit, the content thus being moved from the source device to the sink device.

Abstract: The invention provides an enciphering apparatus and method, a deciphering apparatus and method and an information processing apparatus and method by which illegal copying can be prevented with certainty. Data enciphered by a 1394 interface of a DVD player is transmitted to a personal computer and a magneto-optical disk apparatus through a 1394 bus. In the magneto-optical disk apparatus with which a change to a function is open to a user, the received data is deciphered by a 1394 interface. In contrast, in the personal computer with which a change to a function is open to a user, the enciphered data is deciphered using a time variable key by a 1394 interface, and a result of the decipherment is further deciphered using a session key by an application section.