Abstract: A recording or reproduction apparatus is provided which utilizes copyright information in operations to record content data onto a recording medium or reproduce content data from the recording medium. Copyright information for the contents includes information identifying an input source of the content data. The information identifying an input source is stored in the recording medium along with the content data. When the contents are reproduced from the recording medium, the input source information is acquired and used as a basis for determining whether the contents can be reproduced and output. Thus, it is possible to impose an output restriction on an operation to reproduce the contents in accordance with the input source.

Abstract: A video information recording apparatus includes a first obtaining unit operable to obtain video information to be recorded; a second obtaining unit operable to obtain thumbnail picture information to be recorded in correspondence with the video information; an encrypting unit operable to encrypt the thumbnail picture information; and a recording unit operable to record the video information and the encrypted thumbnail picture information onto a recording medium.

Abstract: An inertial separator comprises, a main duct having a first half (H1) with high aspect ratio and positive curvature and a latter half (H2) with larger average curvature and an opened outside wall; a boundary layer suction part (H3) formed on a side of the opened outside wall of the latter half (H2); a curved duct (H4c) of a final collection part succeeding the boundary layer suction part(H3), having a larger mean curvature and a smaller radial channel width than the latter half (H2) of the main duct, with an opened outside wall; and a collection chamber part formed on a side of the opened outside wall of the curved duct (H4c) of the final collection part. A hybrid air cleaner combines the said inertial separator with an air filter, removably having an allergen suction means sucking an allergen from hair, bedding and so on, and a separated blowing mouth whereby a suspended allergen is transported during a patient's sleep.

Abstract: An inertial separator includes a main duct having a first half (H1) with high aspect ratio and positive curvature and a latter half (H2) with larger average curvature and an outside wall section removed; a boundary layer suction part (H3) formed on the side of the outside wall of the latter half (H2) with the section removed; a curved duct (H4c) of a final collection part succeeding the boundary layer suction part (H3), having a larger mean curvature and a smaller radial channel width than the latter half (H2) of the main duct, with an outside wall section removed; and a collection chamber part formed on a side of the outside wall of the curved duct (H4c) with the section removed. A hybrid air cleaner combines the inertial separator with an air filter, removably having an allergen suction device sucking allergen from hair, bedding and so on, and a separated blowing mouth whereby the suspended allergen may be transported away during a patient's sleep.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording a sequence of video data signals on a record carrier includes input structure for receiving video data signals, generating structure for generating characteristic point information signals, processing structure for processing the characteristic point information signals for a plurality of characteristic points into a sequence of characteristic points information signals (CPI) and writing structure for writing the sequence of video data signals and the sequence of characteristic points information signals on the record carrier. The characteristic point information signals identify a characteristic point in the sequence of video data signals. Various measures are proposed in relation to the CPI aiming at providing compact way of storing information related to a size of I-pictures.

Abstract: Congested rewriting in the same area is to be evaded to suppress the tendency towards occurrence of defective areas. When a stream 1 has been recorded, the last written address, representing the last written position, is stored. When recording a stream 2 next, recording is started directly following the position indicated by the last written address for the stream 1. The last written address, corresponding to the last address of the recording position, is stored. If the stream 2 is erased for recording a stream 3, recording is started not at a position directly following the last written address of the stream 1, but from a position directly following the last written address of the stream 2. When the stream 3 has reached the end of a recording area, the next following data is recorded as from a position directly following the stream 1.

Abstract: In a recording medium storing MPEG stream, flag information (encode_condition) indicating that the stream is recorded in a format enabling easily the first stream (MPEG transport stream) to be converted into the second stream (MPEG program stream) is provided. Such a flag information is included in Tip packet which is a control packet, in the medium. Thus it can easily determine whether the data is recorded in this format without analysis of data stored in the recording medium.

Abstract: When recording data on a medium where a certain data rate is required, an allocation manager in the player must allocate sections of the logical space in such a way that the recording medium is efficiently filled and that an adequate data rate can be guaranteed even in the presence of defective ECC blocks. The allocation rules for the allocation manager are complex. The rules can be simplified by placing a lower limit on the size of an extent and by increasing the size of the extent depending on the number of defect ECC blocks in the extent.

Abstract: For encoding externally input AV signal to MPEG-TS that enables quickly conversion from MPEG-TS to MPEG-PS, data unit (Multiplexing Unit) is defined which includes a plurality of packet and has data size corresponding to data amount of one pack in MPEG-PS, and MPEG-TS is encoded for each defined data unit. Furthermore, time stamp information (ATS) added to a packet of MPEG-TS which is converted to MPEG-PS and time stamp information (SCR) added to a packet of the converted MPEG-PS are correlated with a predetermined formula.

Abstract: Congested rewriting in the same area is to be evaded to suppress the tendency towards occurrence of defective areas. When a stream 1 has been recorded, the last written address, representing the last written position, is stored. When recording a stream 2 next, recording is started directly following the position indicated by the last written address for the stream 1. The last written address, corresponding to the last address of the recording position, is stored. If the stream 2 is erased for recording a stream 3, recording is started not at a position directly following the last written address of the stream 1, but from a position directly following the last written address of the stream 2. When the stream 3 has reached the end of a recording area, the next following data is recorded as from a position directly following the stream 1.

Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus, a video signal playback apparatus, and a video signal recording apparatus are presented for preventing illegal copying of thumbnail images. For example, a thumbnail encoder generates a thumbnail image of a video signal input from a terminal. A macrovision detector, a CGMS detecting/updating unit, and a WM (watermark) detecting/updating unit detect an analog copy protection signal (APS), a CGMS signal as copy generation management information, and watermark, respectively, of the video signal input from the terminal, and outputs them to a controller. The controller generates copy control information of the thumbnail image based on the input copy control information. The thumbnail image and the copy control information thereof are recorded in an information recording medium. This may be applied to a recording apparatus for recording data into an information recording medium and to a playback apparatus for playing back data recorded in an information recording medium.

Abstract: A video information recording apparatus includes a first obtaining unit operable to obtain video information to be recorded; a second obtaining unit operable to obtain thumbnail picture information to be recorded in correspondence with the video information; an encrypting unit operable to encrypt the thumbnail picture information; and a recording unit operable to record the video information and the encrypted thumbnail picture information onto a recording medium.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording a sequence of video data signals on a record carrier (3) has been proposed. The apparatus comprises input (1) means for receiving video data signals, generating means (100) for generating characteristic point information signals, processing means for processing the characteristic point information signals for a plurality of characteristic points into a sequence of characteristic points information signals (CPI) and writing means (108) for writing the sequence of video data signals and the sequence of characteristic points information signals on the record carrier (3). The characteristic point information signals identify a characteristic point in the sequence of video data signals. Various measures are proposed in relation to the CPI aiming at providing compact way of storing information related to a size of I-pictures.

Abstract: When recording data on a medium where a certain data rate is required, an allocation manager in the player must allocate sections of the logical space in such a way that the recording medium is efficiently filled and that an adequate data rate can be guaranteed even in the presence of defective ECC blocks. The allocation rules for the allocation manager are complex. The rules can be simplified by placing a lower limit on the size of an extent and by increasing the size of the extent depending on the number of defect ECC blocks in the extent.

Abstract: An information recording/reproducing apparatus is disclosed which includes: a recording section for recording files to a storage medium; an arranging section for arranging the files into groups by attribute so as to establish allocation of the files on the storage medium; and a controlling section for controlling the recording section so as to record the files to the storage medium based on the allocation established by the arranging section and to record concurrently allocation information reflecting the allocation to a predetermined location on the storage medium.

Abstract: The characteristic playback domain of an AV stream is to be reproduced simply and reliably without complicating the management. As marks representing characteristic points of an AV stream, a mark of the type indicating a point and a mark of the type indicating a section (duration) are provided. The mark of the type indicating a point designates a point with a time stamp corresponding to a preset playback timing of the AV stream. The mark of the type indicating a section specifies the domain based on the time stamp of the playback start point of the preset playback domain of the AV stream and on the duration as from the playback start point until the playback end point.

Abstract: In a data processing apparatus used for a multi-channel digital television broadcasting system, coded streams are recorded on a recording medium in a high efficiency, and can be random-accessed in a high speed. The data processing apparatus is arranged by segmenting means for segmenting the entered coded stream with respect to a predetermined time unit, and first forming means for forming a time unit map indicative of an address of data every time unit of the coded stream which is segmented by the segmenting means.

Abstract: A reflective surge suppressing cable is provided wherein surge is suppressed by canceling a specific frequency component of the surge by reflection. A main wire is constituted by an insulated core wire comprising a conductor covered with for plating for increasing resistance, and provided thereon with an insulator of high permittivity. An auxiliary wire is constituted by an insulating core provided with shielding on top of a construction identical with that of the main wire. The reflection is deliberately generated by adjusting the length of the auxiliary wire when winding the auxiliary wire in the longitudinal direction around the periphery of the main wire.

Abstract: Congested rewriting in the same area is to be evaded to suppress the tendency towards occurrence of defective areas. When a stream 1 has been recorded, the last written address, representing the last written position, is stored. When recording a stream 2 next, recording is started directly following the position indicated by the last written address for the stream 1. The last written address, corresponding to the last address of the recording position, is stored. If the stream 2 is erased for recording a stream 3, recording is started not at a position directly following the last written address of the stream 1, but from a position directly following the last written address of the stream 2. When the stream 3 has reached the end of a recording area, the next following data is recorded as from a position directly following the stream 1.

Abstract: An information recording and/or reproducing method for supervising the information, such as an input source, in a stream recorded on a recording medium. If, in a reproduction processing of reproducing an AV stream from the recording medium, the source_securrity_info, which is the copy control information recorded on the recording medium, is read out, the AV stream is read out, and analog video, for example, is output (step 203), it is verified, from the information contained in the source_securrity_info, whether or not the input source is DTCP-concordant. If the input source is DTCP-concordant, reproduction restricting processing for a video output, conforming to the DTCP rule, is executed to issue the video output.