Abstract: If content is transmitted/received through a digital signal bus, protection of copyright causes a problem because of no deterioration in quality. Accordingly, authentication is required. The quantity of information to be processed is, however, so large that a long time is required for authentication. Accordingly, both achievement of handling property as in conventional analog connection and protection of copyrighted content without user's awareness become an object. The foregoing object can be achieved by authentication which is executed, for management of copyright, among apparatuses connected to the digital signal bus when the apparatuses are powered on or connected to the digital signal bus or when an input terminal connected to the digital signal bus is selected. The object can be further achieved by an encryption key shared among these apparatuses.

Abstract: A content transmission apparatus including: an authenticator configured (i) to perform authentication, (ii) to share an authentication key, (iii) to request transmission range acknowledgement and authentication information, (iv) to receive a response, and (v) to share an exchange key; an encryptor to encrypt based on the exchange key; and a timer measuring a time interval between transmission of said request for transmission range acknowledgement and reception of a response; wherein, said authenticator measures said time interval using said timer, and if a time measurement value exceeds a predetermined value, said authenticator does not share said exchange key; and wherein, said response of said request for transmission range acknowledgement includes a data generated based on said authentication information and said authentication key, and if said data is incorrect, said authenticator does not share said exchange key.

Abstract: In a recording method, in particular, for recording still pictures, while classifying the still pictures and managing the still pictures classified, wherein still picture data and management information for managing that still picture data are recorded therein. The management information includes information for classifying the still picture data into a classifying unit, each, and also includes a file format of the still picture data classified into the classifying unit mentioned above.

Abstract: To provide a recording method for recording still images that is particularly suitable for sorting still images and recording and managing the sorted still images, there is disclosed a recording method for recording still image data and management information for managing the still image data, with the management information including information based on which a plurality of pieces of the still image data are sorted into sorting units, and an earliest one and a latest one of photographing dates at which the pieces of still image data sorted into each of the sorting units are respectively taken.

Abstract: If content is transmitted/received through a digital signal bus, protection of copyright causes a problem because of no deterioration in quality. Accordingly, authentication is required. The quantity of information to be processed is, however, so large that a long time is required for authentication. Accordingly, both achievement of handling property as in conventional analog connection and protection of copyrighted content without user's awareness become an object. The foregoing object can be achieved by authentication which is executed, for management of copyright, among apparatuses connected to the digital signal bus when the apparatuses are powered on or connected to the digital signal bus or when an input terminal connected to the digital signal bus is selected. The object can be further achieved by an encryption key shared among these apparatuses.

Abstract: In a content transmitting method in a content transmitting apparatus, wherein the content transmitting apparatus adds copy control information for indicating to execute a recoding control with either one of “copy can be made only one (1) generation” or “number of times of copying is limited”, on number-limited copy target content, when distributing the number-limited copy target content, which can be copied within a region of limited number of pieces.

Abstract: A copyright of a content is protected by preventing creation of illegal copies of the content and the content is prevented from being transmitted beyond a range of personal use in a process to transmit the content through a LAN. Before transmission of a content, a content transmission apparatus and a content reception apparatus perform a determination of authentication information available in a predetermined command accompanying authentication information, or an authentication determination based on a time until reception of a response to a predetermined command request accompanying predetermined authentication information. If the authentication is unsuccessful, the requested content is not transmitted to the content reception apparatus. With such arrangement, it is possible to effectively protect a copyright when a content is transmitted by way of a network.

Abstract: It is configured to receive digital content and output control information for controlling output of the relevant digital content, and when the output control information received shows that picture subjected to high resolution transformation using super-resolution technology is not allowed to be digitally outputted, to output the digital content to a display means in resolution equal to or lower than resolution of picture received.

Abstract: For achieving the protection of copyright, by suppressing illegal copy production thereof, in particular, when transmitting contents with using a wired or wireless LAN, as well as, for preventing the transmission of contents from deviating from a range of a personal use thereof, a contents transmitter apparatus and a contents receiver apparatus make an authentication, mutually, before transmitting contents therebetween.

Abstract: When recording a Copy One Generation digital broadcast program, ease of operation is improved while applying copy control. Digital content, metadata describing information about the digital content, and license acquisition time limit information indicating a time limit until which license information on the digital content can be acquired, are received. The digital content, the metadata, and the license acquisition time limit information are recorded, and if the time limit indicated by the license acquisition time limit information has elapsed, the recorded digital content is not outputted.

Abstract: In a digital information recording/reproducing apparatus, information recorded on a hard disk with copy restriction thereof is protected from being copied onto other hard disks by means of a PC, etc., to be produced a large number of illegal copies, i.e., infringing a copyright. The information is recorded onto a hard disk drive through encryption thereof, with using an identification being number unique thereto, when it is recorded onto the hard disk. With this, normal reproduction is prevented, since the drive identification number necessary for decryption is different from, even if it is copied onto the other hard disk. Also, a version information of the hard disc is memorized in an information management circuit. When the information is illegally copied onto the other hard disc, the version information is changes; therefore it does not coincide with the version information memorized in the information management circuit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for receiving and/or reproducing a digital signal, capable of efficiently recording a compressed, packeted digital signal and inhibiting a copy thereof. An input packet signal is added with a time stamp indicating a relative time of an arrival of the packet, and the packet signals of digital information with the added time stamps are recorded at reduced intervals therebetween. In reproducing, a packet interval adjusting circuit restores the original packet intervals in accordance with the time stamps, and then a time stamp change circuit changes at least one bit of the time stamp and thereafter outputs the digital information.

Abstract: A content transmitter apparatus is provided which decides whether to permit a content receiver apparatus at a content transmission destination to retransmit content to another content receiver apparatus located inside a house and transmits to the content receiver apparatus the content along with an identifier indicating a permission or prohibition of the content retransmission. A content receiver apparatus is also provided which, when it receives encrypted content from the content transmitter apparatus, checks an identifier received together with the content in executing the content retransmission to another content receiver apparatus located outside the house. If the identifier is found to permit the content retransmission, the content receiver apparatus encrypts and retransmits the content to the outside-house content receiver apparatus. If the identifier is found to not permit the content retransmission, the content receiver apparatus does not retransmit the content to the outside of the house.

Abstract: For achieving the protection of copyright, by suppressing illegal copy production thereof, in particular, when transmitting contents with using a wired or wireless LAN, as well as, for preventing the transmission of contents from deviating from a range of a personal use thereof, a contents transmitter apparatus and a contents receiver apparatus make an authentication, mutually, before transmitting contents therebetween.

Abstract: A content reception equipment for accessing an in-home content transmission equipment from a remote place executes a first authentication process with the content transmission equipment in advance, executes the remote access information sharing process required for access from a remote place, and causes the information on the content reception equipment and the remote access information to be registered in an equipment information table of the content transmission equipment.

Abstract: A method is disclosed wherein a first piece of digital information and copy control information of the first piece of digital information is received. The copy control information is for controlling the recording of the first piece of digital information on a recording medium. When the received copy control information is Copy One Generation indicating that only one generation copy of digital information is allowed, then a plurality of the first pieces of digital information are recorded on a first recording medium as the first piece of digital information and a second piece of digital information, wherein the first piece of digital information is different in format or in bit rate from the second piece of digital information.

Abstract: A method is disclosed wherein a first piece of digital information and copy control information of the first piece of digital information is received. The copy control information is for controlling the recording of the first piece of digital information on a recording medium. When the received copy control information is Copy One Generation indicating that only one generation copy of digital information is allowed, then a plurality of the first pieces of digital information are recorded on a first recording medium as the first piece of digital information and a second piece of digital information, wherein the first piece of digital information is different in format or in bit rate from the second piece of digital information.

Abstract: A technique is provided for reproducing information from a recording medium, on which there are recorded a plurality of picture information sets; presentation time values, each associated with a corresponding one of the picture information sets; picture information record marks, each of which is associated with a corresponding one of the presentation time values; clip information specifying what position on the recording medium is associated with each of the presentation time values; and reproducing order specifying information which specifies in what order the picture information sets are to be reproduced.

Abstract: An output control method for controlling copy operation for a digital broadcast program permitted to be recorded for one generation (copy one generation) with an improved operating convenience. A digital content and a plurality of types of copy control information for controlling the copies of the digital content are received, and in accordance with the copy control information, the digital content is output to a plurality of recording media connected through a network. If first information contained in the copy control information received indicates copy generation information to permit copies for one generation and second information contained in the copy control information indicates “limited number of copies permitted” mode permitting a predetermined number of copies, then the digital content is output to only one of the recording media in a state permitting copying up to the predetermined number.

Abstract: A technique is provided for reproducing information from a recording medium, on which there are recorded a plurality of picture information sets; presentation time values, each associated with a corresponding one of the picture information sets; picture information record marks, each of which is associated with a corresponding one of the presentation time values; clip information specifying what position on the recording medium is associated with each of the presentation time values; and reproducing order specifying information which specifies in what order the picture information sets are to be reproduced.