Abstract: A broadcasting system, a receiving apparatus, a broadcasting method, and a receiving method which can protect a copyright of a still image which is sent by a digital broadcast are provided. When it is necessary to protect the copyright of the still image in the digital broadcast, a still image copy control descriptor is described and this still image copy control descriptor is included in PMT, EIT, and SDT. By using the still image copy control descriptor, the operation of a receiver can be finely described by copyright information of the still image in the digital broadcast and copyright information. Printing in the receiver of contents of the digital broadcast can be finely controlled. Recording to a recording medium in the receiver of contents of the digital broadcast can be finely controlled.

Abstract: Based on the detailed reproduction control information defining the reproduction control state of data to be transmitted, the CPU 12 of the data transmission apparatus creates a simplified reproduction control information roughly defining the reproduction control state of the data, stores the simplified reproduction control information of the data in the packet header of a data packet carrying the data, stores the detailed reproduction control information in the data, and transmits the simplified reproduction control information and the detailed reproduction control information as well as the data to the data receiving apparatus 20 through the transmission channel 30 from the input-output interface 16.

Abstract: A transport stream (TS) is recorded and the recorded TS is reproduced simultaneously. An input PID parser extracts the first packet only to be recorded, the second packet to be recorded and to be used for controlling, and the third packet to be used only for controlling from among the TS packet that constitutes the TS supplied from a descrambler. The first and second packets are supplied to a receiver and supplied to a hard disk drive (HDD) for recording. The second and third packets are supplied to an MUX. On the other hand, the TS packet stored in the HDD is read out and supplied to the MUX by way of an output PID parser. The MUX multiplexes the second or third packet supplied from the input PID parser and the TS packet read out from the HDD, and supplies the multiplexed packet to a CPU that controls a descrambler or the like.

Abstract: To compensate a failure in downloading of music piece data. For example, when a viewer instructs purchase of a music piece C to an IRD at a timing t0 during the sixth transmission of music piece data, the music piece data to be transmitted for the seventh time immediately after the instruction is usually downloaded. When the downloading of the music piece data transmitted for the seventh time fails for some reason, downloading is re-executed on music piece data to be transmitted for the eighth time. The music piece data for the final transmission time in each of musical pieces is used for re-execution. Timing at which downloading of the music piece data transmitted for the time immediately preceding the final time can be instructed is set as purchase limit time by using elapsed time since program start time.

Abstract: Data input to an encrypting/decoding portion are input to an erroneous decoding detector. The erroneous decoding detector judges whether the data input are correctly decoded or not. For example, if it is judged that audio data input are not correctly decoded, the erroneous decoding detector does not output the audio data or outputs data indicating silence, thereby executing mute processing.

Abstract: In an information processing apparatus, a key management unit forms a judgment as to whether an authentication key owned by an application program is valid or invalid. A content protection unit is controlled based on this determination so that contents are exchanged between the information processing apparatus and the application program. An encryption/decryption unit encrypts a decrypted content by using an encryption key received from a key management unit and outputs the encrypted content to an encrypted-information addition unit. The encrypted-information addition unit adds encrypted information to the encrypted content received from the encryption/decryption unit and outputs the encrypted content with the encrypted information added thereto to the application program. As a result, it is possible to prevent content from being utilized illegally.

Abstract: To compensate a failure in downloading of music piece data. For example, when a viewer instructs purchase of a music pieceC to an IRD at a timing t0 during the sixth transmission of music piece data, the music piece data to be transmitted for the seventh time immediately after the instruction is usually downloaded. When the downloading of the music piece data transmitted for the seventh time fails for some reason, downloading is re-executed on music piece data to be transmitted for the eighth time. The music piece data for the final transmission time in each of musical pieces is used for re-execution. Timing at which downloading of the music piece data transmitted for the time immediately preceding the final time can be instructed is set as purchase limit time by using elapsed time since program start time.

Abstract: A transmission/reception system includes a providing apparatus and a recording apparatus. The providing apparatus has a generating section which generates restrictive information for each piece of content to be broadcast, and a providing section which provides the restrictive information by broadcasting to the recording apparatus. The recording apparatus has a management section which manages the restrictive information, and a restriction section that adds a restriction to at least one of a next copying of the same content as copied last or each piece of the recorded content that provided a source of the copying.

Abstract: In a program receiver and a method of display processing of a program explanation screen, it is possible to display a reproduced program explanation screen as high-definite as a received program explanation screen when reproducing received program explanation information after recorded. Unrelated and unnecessary information is not displayed in reproduction when program explanation screen generating means for generating a received program explanation screen based on program explanation information added to the received program data is employed to generate a reproduced program explanation screen based on program explanation information added to the reproduced data. This enables efficient graphics processing and helps the user distinguish the received program explanation screen from the reproduced program explanation screen to prevent confusion.

Abstract: Elements necessary for a digital television receiver are structured as blocks that are a plurality of digital signal processing blocks and a host arithmetic operation processing block. The blocks are connected through a general-purpose bus. Commands for controlling operations of the blocks and data of streams are transferred through the bus. An extension plug-in card for a new service can be attached and detached to/from the bus. The extension plug-in card has hardware that accomplishes an extension function and a script for commands of the hardware. When the extension plug-in card is attached to the bus through an interface, the script for the commands is automatically uploaded to the host arithmetic operation processing block side. The host arithmetic operation processing block can operate the extension plug-in card corresponding to the transferred script for the commands.

Abstract: A receiving system and a receiving device are provided for receiving and processing broadcast digital and analog signals such as video and audio programs. The system and device are capable of determining whether a received program is subject to copy prohibition. If the program is subject to copy prohibition, the system prevents copying of the program. The system and device are capable of performing timed recording of received programs, including checking the status of the device and/or the recording medium to determine whether timed recording is permitted. Timed recording may be permitted if a selected broadcast receiving device is a registered device.

Abstract: A broadcasting system, a receiving apparatus, a broadcasting method, and a receiving method which can protect a copyright of a still image which is sent by a digital broadcast are provided. When it is necessary to protect the copyright of the still image in the digital broadcast, a still image copy control descriptor is described and this still image copy control descriptor is included in PMT, EIT, and SDT. By using the still image copy control descriptor, the operation of a receiver can be finely described by copyright information of the still image in the digital broadcast and copyright information. Printing in the receiver of contents of the digital broadcast can be finely controlled. Recording to a recording medium in the receiver of contents of the digital broadcast can be finely controlled.

Abstract: A broadcast receiving system and a broadcast receiving device are provided for receiving and processing broadcast digital and analog signals such as video and audio programs. The system and device are capable of determining whether a received program is subject to copy prohibition. If the program is subject to copy prohibition, the system prevents copying of the program. The system and device are capable of performing timed recording of received programs, including checking the status of the device and/or the recording medium to determine whether timed recording is permitted. Timed recording may be permitted if a selected broadcast receiving device is a registered device.

Abstract: This invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording digital data compressively encoded by use of a predetermined scheme having: receiving means for receiving a transport stream from an external unit connected through a digital bus; extracting means for extracting from the received transport stream a transport stream packet having a predetermined packet identification (PID); acquiring means for acquiring the compressively encoded digital data arranged in the transport stream packet extracted by the extracting means; and recording means for recording the acquired digital data onto a predetermined recording medium.

Abstract: Elements necessary for a digital television receiver are structured as a plurality of digital signal processing blocks and a host arithmetic operation processing block. The blocks are connected through a general purpose bus. Commands for controlling operations of the blocks and data of a stream are transferred through the bus. When an encryption encoder/decode is disposed in each block, contents transferred through the bus can be protected. When an encryption encoder/decode circuit is disposed in an interface to which an extension plug-in card is attached, contents that are output from the interface can be protected.

Abstract: A digital broadcast receiver receives and decodes a digital broadcast containing video data and audio data transmitted in the form of a transport stream. An interface supports communication with a recording apparatus. The receiver determines information corresponding to a transmission rate of a received transport stream of a received digital broadcast. The receiver also generates a recording rate setting command on the basis of the information corresponding to the transmission rate and transmits the recording rate setting command to the recording apparatus through the interface when a connection between the recording apparatus and the interface is initiated, when a request command is received from the recording apparatus, or periodically after predetermined intervals.

Abstract: A digital broadcast, in which video data and audio data are transmitted in the form of a transport stream, is received in a digital broadcast receiver and is decoded to provide a received transport stream. A first interface of the digital broadcast receiver is connected to a corresponding interface of a recording apparatus. Information corresponding to a transmission rate of the received transport stream is determined. A recording rate setting command is generated on the basis of the information corresponding to the transmission rate. The recording rate setting command is transmitted to the recording apparatus through the first interface and the corresponding interface when the connection between the first interface and the corresponding interface is initiated, when a request command is received from the recording apparatus, or periodically after predetermined intervals.

Abstract: A digital broadcast receiver for receiving a digital broadcast containing video data and audio data transmitted in the form of a transport stream is connected through an interface to a digital recording apparatus for recording the received transport stream. The receiver judges information corresponding to the transmission rate of the received transport stream, and transmits a setting command for the recording rate through the interface to the recording/reproducing apparatus on the basis of the information corresponding to the transmission rate. Just before the stream is transmitted from the receiver, the setting command of the recording rate is transmitted to the recording/reproducing apparatus when the channel is switched, when the program is switched or every predetermined period, so that the optimum recording rate is correctly set when the recording is started in the recording/reproducing apparatus.

Abstract: Based on the detailed reproduction control information defining the reproduction control state of data to be transmitted, the CPU 12 of the data transmission apparatus creates a simplified reproduction control information roughly defining the reproduction control state of the data, stores the simplified reproduction control information of the data in the packet header of a data packet carrying the data, stores the detailed reproduction control information in the data, and transmits the simplified reproduction control information and the detailed reproduction control information as well as the data to the data receiving apparatus 20 through the transmission channel 30 from the input-output interface 16.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a data processing system and method that control the outputs of a receiving apparatus depending upon a copy restriction code. The receiving apparatus determines whether the copy restriction code allows for one or no copies to be made and controls the outputs of the receiving apparatus accordingly.