Abstract: The present invention relates to an information providing system. More particularly, this invention relates to an information management apparatus capable of reliable management of distributed information and an information providing system employing the same information management apparatus. The information management apparatus comprises a main information reproducing means for reproducing main information recorded in a given recording medium; and a reproduction management means for managing the main information reproducing means for reproducing the main information. The present invention provides a receiving means provided with a means for recording distributed information and control information limiting the number of main information reproducing cycles on a recording medium, and a main information reproducing means provided with a reproduction disabling means for limiting the reproduction of main information.

Abstract: A data embedding method and apparatus and a data reproducing method and apparatus are provided which can apply a digital watermark to various contents. Instead of embedding watermarking information in respective pixels or by using a relation between pixels, the watermarking information is embedded as a position pattern of changed pixels in the contents. Reliability comparable with conventional techniques can be obtained irrespective of a change in a smaller number of pixels for the contents.

Abstract: A reproducing method and apparatus for receiving and reproducing data and outputting the data into an external device. After reproducing the data, a descrambler corresponding to a type of the reproduced data is selected from a plurality of descramblers and the external device is authenticated by a selected authenticator which is included in a plurality of authenticators for authenticating the external device and corresponds to the selected descrambler, and the data is outputted.

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: When a video signal having electronic watermark information embedded therein is recorded on a recording medium, a reference signal is inserted in the video signal at a position different from a position of embedment of the electronic watermark information. The electronic watermark information is embedded in the video signal by alteration of a luminous value of a luminance signal included in the video signal. When the video signal is reproduced from the recording medium, a luminous value of the electronic watermark information is modified based on the reference signal.

Abstract: A spindle (5) has a chuck (9) provided on a distal end (5a) thereof for chucking a tool (11), and a nut (13) screwed to the distal end (5a) and rotatable for tightening and loosening the chucking. The spindle (5) is positioned relative to a nut loosening station provided with a nut loosening driver (43) for driving the nut (13) to rotate in a loosening direction, the nut (13) is loosened by the nut loosening driver (43) to remove from the chuck (9) a first tool (11) to be replaced with a second tool (11), the spindle (5) is positioned relative to a nut tightening station provided with a nut tightening driver (41) for driving the nut (13) to rotate in a tightening direction, and the nut (13) is driven by the nut tightening driver (41) to tight-chuck the second tool (11).

Abstract: A receiving device comprises a signal demodulator circuit for demodulating an encrypted video signal and attribute information including information for decoding an encryption, an attribute information identifying circuit for identifying and outputting the attribute information, and a descramble circuit for unscrambling the video signal obtained from the signal demodulator circuit, based on the output produced from the attribute information identifying circuit. A signal re-scrambled in accordance with a device ID signal is recorded in a recording and reproducing device. Further, the recording of the signal is controlled based on the output obtained from the attribute information identifying circuit.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus for reproducing data from a recording medium and supplying the data to an external apparatus for recording of the data. The reproducing apparatus has a plurality of authenticators for authenticating the external apparatus and the reproducing apparatus selects an authenticator corresponding to a type of the data reproduced from the recording medium and conducts authentication with the external apparatus. After authentication is confirmed, the reproducing apparatus sends the data to the external apparatus to record the data by the external apparatus.

Abstract: A simulation circuit for MOS transistors is provided in which neither oscillation nor a change in a characteristic of feedback capacitance occurs. A ratio of a junction capacitance characteristic of a third diode and an electrostatic capacity characteristic of a capacitor to be displayed, changes in response to a change in a voltage between a drain and a gate and the junction capacitance characteristic of the third diode and the electrostatic capacity characteristic of the capacitor are displayed at an equal ratio in a region where a voltage between the drain and gate is almost 0 (zero) V and, therefore, normal simulation testing can be done and no oscillation occurs. Moreover, since no resistor component is connected in series in the third diode and the capacitor, there is no time constant. Therefore, a characteristic curve of the feedback capacitance can be normally obtained irrespective of the change rate of the voltage between the drain and gate.

Abstract: A method for determining a soluble human ST2 in a sample conveniently at a high sensitivity and an assay kit are provided. By an immunological method comprising a step for bringing a sample into contact with an immobilized antibody formed by binding to an insoluble support a first anti-human ST2 antibody which binds specifically to a non-denatured human ST2, a step for labelling a first reaction product generated in the previous step by reacting said first reaction product with a second anti-human ST2 antibody which binds specifically to a non-denatured human ST2 by recognizing a site different from the site on ST2 where said first anti-human ST2 antibody binds and which is labelled with a label, and a step for determining the amount of the label on said first reaction product which has been labelled, a soluble human ST2 in a sample is determined. In addition, a recombinant ST2 is employed as a standard to prepare a calibration curve, based on which the ST2 in a sample is quantified.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus having an adding unit to add information by changing a data value of image data and a detecting unit to detect the information added to the image data. In a digital watermark image processing method in the image processing apparatus, filter passage image data is formed by performing an image filtering process to original image data, watermark core image data is formed by performing a process to obtain a difference between the filter passage image data and the original image data, change amount image data is formed by performing a process to obtain a value to change the data value of the image data on the basis of the watermark core image data and desired information to be added, and watermark inserted image data is formed by performing a process to add the original image data and the change amount image data.

Abstract: In order to reproduce data scrambled in respective manners to recordable recording medium, it is necessary to take the step of discriminating if the reproduction signal comes from any recording medium before descrambling the data. Further, before doing the control, it is necessary to discriminate if the data is copy-permitted or copy-prohibited. To accomplish this process, a data recording and reproducing apparatus includes a first reproducing unit, a second reproducing unit for receiving the data processed by the first reproducing unit and executing the next reproducing process about the data, a first authenticating unit for authenticating the first reproducing unit, a second authenticating unit positioned in correspondence with the first authenticating unit and for authenticating the second reproducing unit.

Abstract: At recording of a video signal, with electronic watermark information being embedded therein, on a recording medium, a reference signal which is formed differently from the watermark information is inserted to the video signal. At reproduction of the video signal, the luminance of the watermark information is modified based on the reference signal.

Abstract: When a video signal having electronic watermark information embedded therein is recorded on a recording medium, a reference signal is inserted in the video signal at a position different from a position of embedment of the electronic watermark information. The electronic watermark information is embedded in the video signal by alteration of a luminous value of a luminance signal included in the video signal. When the video signal is reproduced from the recording medium, a luminous value of the electronic watermark information is modified based on the reference signal.

Abstract: When a video signal having electronic watermark information embedded therein is recorded on a recording medium, a reference signal is inserted in the video signal at a position different from a position of embedment of the electronic watermark information. The electronic watermark information is embedded in the video signal by alteration of a luminous value of a luminance signal included in the video signal. When the video signal is reproduced from the recording medium, a luminous value of the electronic watermark information is modified based on the reference signal.

Abstract: In a digital information recording and reproducing apparatus of a rotary magnetic head type for selecting and recording a plurality of digital information signals having different transmission rates and for selectively reproducing the recorded signal, a high-rate digital information signal and a low-rate digital information signal are inputted for selection of either one thereof to be converted by a recording-system encoder into two channels of recording signals. When recording the high-rate signal, the rotary drum is turned at a rotation speed and the magnetic tape is fed at a feed speed (V1) to conduct 4-track azimuth recording of the signals for each rotation of the rotary drum by the first to fourth magnetic heads.

Abstract: Electronic watermark information obtained by changing a luminance value of a luminance signal in a video signal and a copy generation management signal (CGMS signal) inserted into an area out of a scan region of the video signal are recorded into a recording medium. A reproducing apparatus comprises an electronic watermark information detecting circuit, a CGMS signal detecting circuit, a control circuit to which detected electronic watermark information and CGMS signal are supplied, and a video signal processing circuit controlled by an output of the control circuit. When the electronic watermark information and the CGMS signal have a rational relation, the video signal processing circuit is controlled to output the video signal.

Abstract: A digital information recording apparatus having a first recording mode recording a first digital information signal of a first information rate on a magnetic tape and a second recording mode recording a second digital information signal of a second information rate on the magnetic tape. The apparatus includes a circuit which when the second information rate is less than 1/N times the first information rate (N is an integer ≧2), adds a dummy signal to the second digital information signal to make the recording rate of the second digital information signal substantially equal to the recording rate of the first digital information signal and a circuit which multiplexes identification signals for identifying the first and the second digital information signals or the first and the second recording rates on the first or the second digital information signal, for recording.

Abstract: A method of embedding information into contents includes a changeable range calculating step of obtaining a range where value change of the contents is imperceptible to the human being and a step of embedding information by changing the values of the contents within the changeable range.

Abstract: In a data transmission method for information data containing additional information data therewith, comprising, at a transmitter side, following steps: adding error correction codes for correcting error to said additional information data; embedding said additional information data added with said error correction codes into the information data by plural times, repetitively; and transmitting the information data embedded with the repetitive additional information data therein, and comprising, at a receiver side, following steps: receiving the transmitted information data embedded with the repetitive additional information data therein; detecting the repetitive additional information data embedded from said transmitted information data received; determining said additional information data on a basis of a majority rule when receiving said information data; and correcting error with using the error correction codes received and determined when said additional information data contains error(s) therein.