Abstract: A sound volume control device includes a sound input section, a band dividing section, an excessive output notification section, a correction band decision section and a sound output control section. The sound input section converts input sound into a sound signal. The band dividing section carries out band-division with respect to the sound signal. The excessive output notification section outputs excessive output notification information when output sound from the present device is excessive. The correction band decision section calculates audible signal distribution information when the excessive output notification information is not output and excessive signal distribution information when the excessive output notification information is output, for each band in the sound signal, and decides a correction band according to the audible signal distribution information and excessive signal distribution information.

Abstract: In a data using apparatus, first data use history information is generated in accordance with every use of data. The first data use history information represents a starting time and an ending time of every use of data. The first data use history information is sent toward an external apparatus. Second data use history information is received from the external apparatus. Calculation is made as to first data use terms between the starting times and the ending times represented by the first data use history information. Calculation is made as to second data use terms between starting times and ending times represented by the second data use history information. Multiple apparatus use notice information is generated when at least one of the calculated first data use terms and at least one of the calculated second data use terms overlap each other.

Abstract: A sound volume control device includes a sound input section, a band dividing section, an excessive output notification section, a correction band decision section and a sound output control section. The sound input section converts input sound into a sound signal. The band dividing section carries out band-division with respect to the sound signal. The excessive output notification section outputs excessive output notification information when output sound from the present device is excessive. The correction band decision section calculates audible signal distribution information when the excessive output notification information is not output and excessive signal distribution information when the excessive output notification information is output, for each band in the sound signal, and decides a correction band according to the audible signal distribution information and excessive signal distribution information.

Abstract: A speech-segment determination process is performed to determine whether audio data is a speech segment. A result of the speech-segment determination process is memorized. A noise rejection process is performed to reject a noise component of the audio data while performing an adaptive process to change filter coefficients for adaptive filtration if a result of the determination process indicates that the audio data is not the speech segment. The noise component is rejected with no adaptive process if the result of the determination process indicates that the audio data is the speech segment. The determination process is performed again to the audio data having the noise component rejected and the rejection process is performed again to the audio data if a result of the determination process performed again is different from the memorized result of the determination process.

Abstract: A first domain ID information piece for a first domain is sent from a first domain managing entity to a second domain managing entity. The first domain managing entity manages the first domain. The second domain managing entity manages a second domain. A second domain ID information piece for the second domain is sent from the second domain managing entity to the first domain managing entity. The first domain is registered with the second domain as a domain higher in rank than the second domain in response to the first domain ID information piece sent from the first domain managing entity to the second domain managing entity. The second domain is registered with the first domain as a domain lower in rank than the first domain in response to the second domain ID information piece sent from the second domain managing entity to the first domain managing entity.

Abstract: A first domain ID information piece for a first domain is sent from a first domain managing entity to a second domain managing entity. The first domain managing entity manages the first domain. The second domain managing entity manages a second domain. A second domain ID information piece for the second domain is sent from the second domain managing entity to the first domain managing entity. The first domain is registered with the second domain as a domain higher in rank than the second domain in response to the first domain ID information piece sent from the first domain managing entity to the second domain managing entity. The second domain is registered with the first domain as a domain lower in rank than the first domain in response to the second domain ID information piece sent from the second domain managing entity to the first domain managing entity.

Abstract: Each of data using apparatuses generates a history information piece which represents a term of the use of content data and a received user ID while relating them with each other. The history information piece is sent to a managing apparatus. In each of the data using apparatuses, the use of the content data is prohibited when a user ID in a multiple use notice sent from the managing apparatus is equal to the received user ID. In the case where at least two of terms represented by history information pieces sent from the data using apparatuses are related with a same user ID and at least partially overlap each other, the managing apparatus generates a multiple use notice inclusive of the same user ID. The generated multiple use notice is sent to the data using apparatuses.

Abstract: In a data using apparatus, first data use history information is generated in accordance with every use of data. The first data use history information represents a starting time and an ending time of every use of data. The first data use history information is sent toward an external apparatus. Second data use history information is received from the external apparatus. Calculation is made as to first data use terms between the starting times and the ending times represented by the first data use history information. Calculation is made as to second data use terms between starting times and ending times represented by the second data use history information. Multiple apparatus use notice information is generated when at least one of the calculated first data use terms and at least one of the calculated second data use terms overlap each other.

Abstract: The error detection code adding circuit adds error detection codes to watermark data. An encrypting circuit encrypts the error detection code added watermark data according to a first password. N encoders hide (embed) the encrypted error detection code added watermark data in the content data by N different hiding algorithms, respectively. A selector selects one of N encoders in response to a selection signal and outputs the encoded and selected content data in which the encrypted error detection code added watermark data is hidden. N decoders read watermark data and the error detection codes from the encoded content data by N extracting algorithms corresponding to the N hiding algorithms, respectively, to output N extracted content data including N read watermark data and N error detection codes and N read watermark data, respectively.

Abstract: In a method of inserting watermark information into digital data, a specified data value is determined in response to the watermark information. A data-value occurrence-frequency distribution of a predetermined number of samples of the digital data is changed into a modified occurrence-frequency distribution in which the specified data value occurs at a frequency extremely different from frequencies of occurrence of data values other than the specified data value.

Abstract: A digital memory card includes a first area for storing a first file set having a set of audio objects and a second area for storing a second file set including a set of sound objects. A managing area is provided in the second file set and includes data for managing the first and the second file sets. Another memory card includes a first area for storing a set of sound files having a managing area, a second area for storing a still picture file and a third area for storing a motion picture file. The managing area stores data for managing the still picture and the motion picture files separately or together. The first and second file sets and the still picture and the motion picture files can be reproduced by a reproduction apparatus. Tune information is embedded in tune data as a digital watermark, the tune information being peculiar to the tune data. The tune information is further recorded in a file provided other than the tune data.

Abstract: A motion vector detection method detects a motion vector of an input image by using two image information which are different each other in time base. The method comprises a step of correcting at least one of the two image information on the basis of two image data constituting two image information, respectively, and a step of detecting a motion vector from a displacement between corrected image data and the other image data.