Abstract: A 6-bit output code word is generated in response to every 4-bit input code word by referring to a set of encoding tables. The encoding tables contain output code words assigned to input code words, and contain encoding-table designation information accompanying each output code word. The encoding-table designation information designates an encoding table among the encoding tables which is used next to generate an output code word immediately following the output code word accompanied with the encoding-table designation information. The generated output code words are sequentially connected into a sequence which follows run length limiting rules. The run length limiting rules are changed between RLL(1, 7) and RLL(1, 8) in response to auxiliary information to superimpose the auxiliary information on the sequence of the generated output code words.

Abstract: A writable storage medium has a first storage area divided into a plurality of sectors having the same data capacity and a second storage area. The first storage area stores at least encoded moving picture data and encoded audio data. The second storage area stores at least first information indicating whether the audio data is silence data, second information indicating an encoding method by which the audio data has been encoded at a constant bit rate and third information indicating the number of audio channels related to the audio data. The first and second storage areas may further store encoded bitmap video data and data identification information indicating whether the bitmap video data is invisible data, respectively. The first information is detected to determine whether the first audio data is silence data.

Abstract: The invention provides a recording media player and a recording media recorder provided with a high-security copy protection system of less complexity. A recording media player and/or recorder provided with a copy protection system stubborn to attacks and highly flexible in dealing with recording media of various copy conditions. For this purpose, various distributed copyright protection information (DCPI) values are used. The DCPI values include water marks in case of an MPEG stream, Copy Generation Management System (CGMS) codes, EMI (encryption mode indicator) in case of an IEEE 1394-1995 interface, and user defined DCPI values. The recording is achieved such that DCPI values are recorded in user-unrewritable (or user-inaccessible) areas of the recording medium as long as possible.

Abstract: In a reproduction apparatus, for reproducing an original signal conveyed as main data by a data medium such as a recording disk or broadcasting system, with medium protection data which are specific to the data medium being conveyed together with the main data, the apparatus includes a section for generating apparatus protection data which are specific to the reproduction apparatus, a section for combining the apparatus protection data with the medium protection data to define a protection level, and a section for applying the protection level to restrict reproduction of the original signal, with stepwise variations in restriction occurring in accordance with changes in protection level. The medium protection data may include information for specifying restricted reproduction of portions of the original signal, such as by producing degraded resolution within specified regions of specified frames of a video signal.

Abstract: In a reproduction apparatus, for reproducing an original signal conveyed as main data by a data medium such as a recording disk or broadcasting system, with medium protection data which are specific to the data medium being conveyed together with the main data, the apparatus includes a section for generating apparatus protection data which are specific to the reproduction apparatus, a section for combining the apparatus protection data with the medium protection data to define a protection level, and a section for applying the protection level to restrict reproduction of the original signal, with stepwise variations in restriction occurring in accordance with changes in protection level. The medium protection data may include information for specifying restricted reproduction of portions of the original signal, such as by producing degraded resolution within specified regions of specified frames of a video signal.

Abstract: In a reproduction apparatus, for reproducing an original signal conveyed as main data by a data medium such as a recording disk or broadcasting system, with medium protection data which are specific to the data medium being conveyed together with the main data, the apparatus includes a section for generating apparatus protection data which are specific to the reproduction apparatus, a section for combining the apparatus protection data with the medium protection data to define a protection level, and a section for applying the protection level to restrict reproduction of the original signal, with stepwise variations in restriction occurring in accordance with changes in protection level. The medium protection data may include information for specifying restricted reproduction of portions of the original signal, such as by producing degraded resolution within specified regions of specified frames of a video signal.

Abstract: In a reproduction apparatus, for reproducing an original signal conveyed as main data by a data medium such as a recording disk or broadcasting system, with medium protection data which are specific to the data medium being conveyed together with the main data, the apparatus includes a section for generating apparatus protection data which are specific to the reproduction apparatus, a section for combining the apparatus protection data with the medium protection data to define a protection level, and a section for applying the protection level to restrict reproduction of the original signal, with stepwise variations in restriction occurring in accordance with changes in protection level. The medium protection data may include information for specifying restricted reproduction of portions of the original signal, such as by producing degraded resolution within specified regions of specified frames of a video signal.

Abstract: In a reproduction apparatus, for reproducing an original signal conveyed as main data by a data medium such as a recording disk or broadcasting system, with medium protection data which are specific to the data medium being conveyed together with the main data, the apparatus includes a section for generating apparatus protection data which are specific to the reproduction apparatus, a section for combining the apparatus protection data with the medium protection data to define a protection level, and a section for applying the protection level to restrict reproduction of the original signal, with stepwise variations in restriction occurring in accordance with changes in protection level. The medium protection data may include information for specifying restricted reproduction of portions of the original signal, such as by producing degraded resolution within specified regions of specified frames of a video signal.

Abstract: Digital video data is encryptically processed and then subjected to an encoding procedure with orthogonal transform to produce a coded video signal. A representative value of luminance of pixels of the digital video data is obtained for each of pixel blocks having a predetermined number of pixels, each pixel block corresponding to a unit of data subjected to the encoding procedure, as a quantized integer for each pixel block by using a specific function with the stored luminance data as a parameter. It is determined whether the quantized integer of the representative value for each pixel block is a multiple of a preset integer N of two or larger, and, if not, the stored luminance data are rewritten with a specific requirement giving the least range of change in gradation so that the quantized integer becomes a multiple of the integer N, whereas the stored luminance data remain unchanged if the quantized integer is a multiple of the integer N, thus the digital video data being encryptically processed.

Abstract: In a reproduction apparatus, for reproducing an original signal conveyed as main data by a data medium such as a recording disk or broadcasting system, with medium protection data which are specific to the data medium being conveyed together with the main data, the apparatus includes a section for generating apparatus protection data which are specific to the reproduction apparatus, a section for combining the apparatus protection data with the medium protection data to define a protection level, and a section for applying the protection level to restrict reproduction of the original signal, with stepwise variations in restriction occurring in accordance with changes in protection level. The medium protection data may include information for specifying restricted reproduction of portions of the original signal, such as by producing degraded resolution within specified regions of specified frames of a video signal.

Abstract: A writable storage medium has a first storage area divided into a plurality of sectors having the same data capacity and a second storage area. The first storage area stores at least encoded moving picture data and encoded audio data. The second storage area stores at least first information indicating whether the audio data is silence data, second information indicating an encoding method by which the audio data has been encoded at a constant bit rate and third information indicating the number of audio channels related to the audio data. The first and second storage areas may further store encoded bitmap video data and data identification information indicating whether the bitmap video data is invisible data, respectively. The first information is detected to determine whether the first audio data is silence data.

Abstract: Digital image data is divided, per frame, into an “N” number of fields (“N” being an integer of 2 or more). An N/m number of combinations of imperceptible codes are produced. Each combination has an “m” number of imperceptible codes given by a function, an inverse of a specific function that gives a specific identification code by using the “m” number of imperceptible codes as variables (“m” being an integer of 2 or more and given by dividing “N ” by an integer).

Abstract: In a reproduction apparatus, for reproducing an original signal conveyed as main data by a data medium such as a recording disk or broadcasting system, with medium protection data which are specific to the data medium being conveyed together with the main data, the apparatus includes a section for generating apparatus protection data which are specific to the reproduction apparatus, a section for combining the apparatus protection data with the medium protection data to define a protection level, and a section for applying the protection level to restrict reproduction of the original signal, with stepwise variations in restriction occurring in accordance with changes in protection level. The medium protection data may include information for specifying restricted reproduction of portions of the original signal, such as by producing degraded resolution within specified regions of specified frames of a video signal.

Abstract: In a reproduction apparatus, for reproducing an original signal conveyed as main data by a data medium such as a recording disk or broadcasting system, with medium protection data which are specific to the data medium being conveyed together with the main data, the apparatus includes a section for generating apparatus protection data which are specific to the reproduction apparatus, a section for combining the apparatus protection data with the medium protection data to define a protection level, and a section for applying the protection level to restrict reproduction of the original signal, with stepwise variations in restriction occurring in accordance with changes in protection level. The medium protection data may include information for specifying restricted reproduction of portions of the original signal, such as by producing degraded resolution within specified regions of specified frames of a video signal.

Abstract: A disc recorder is provided with: a reproduction peak rate detector for detecting a peak rate; a data recording start position detector for detecting a data recording start position; a data recording position manager and a defect position and length detector for detecting length of a discontinuous portion when real time reproduction data are suppositionally recorded on a disc medium; a continuous reproduction possibility determining unit for determining a possibility of continuous reproduction of the suppositionally recorded real time reproduction data; a copy manager for recording the real time reproduction data on the disc medium when it is determined that the suppositionally recorded real time reproduction data can be continuously reproduced; and a data recording position manager for changing the data recording start position when it is determined that the continuous reproduction is impossible.

Abstract: In a reproduction apparatus, for reproducing an original signal conveyed as main data by a data medium such as a recording disk or broadcasting system, with medium protection data which are specific to the data medium being conveyed together with the main data, the apparatus includes a section for generating apparatus protection data which are specific to the reproduction apparatus, a section for combining the apparatus protection data with the medium protection data to define a protection level, and a section for applying the protection level to restrict reproduction of the original signal, with stepwise variations in restriction occurring in accordance with changes in protection level. The medium protection data may include information for specifying restricted reproduction of portions of the original signal, such as by producing degraded resolution within specified regions of specified frames of a video signal.

Abstract: A predetermined code word is allocated to each of data values in the number of time series data obtained by orthogonal transform of a supplied picture signal or audio signal, and a variable length coding table is obtained. From among the code words written in the variable length coding table, code words to which the same number of time series data are allocated and differ from each other are exchanged to generate an exchanged variable length coding table. Then, a coding selection signal is generated by a CPU to determine either the variable length coding table or the exchanged variable length coding table with which variable length coding is performed by a VLC unit. The coding selection signal is thereafter outputted together with a compressed and encoded signal, and a configuration of a contents signal encoding apparatus is thus realized.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for altering the picture updating frequency within an MPEG compressed video data stream replaces the data of each of successive predictively encoded pictures of that data stream, such as all of the B-picture or all of the B-pictures and all of the P-pictures, with copy data which have been stored beforehand in a memory and which designate all of the macroblocks of each such replaced picture as being skipped macroblocks with respect to a corresponding reference picture, thereby ensuring that each such replaced picture will be decoded as a copy of the corresponding reference picture by a MPEG decoder apparatus. Alteration of the picture updating frequency of the stream of pictures expressed by the MPEG data stream can thereby be achieved very simply, while in addition the overall amount of MPEG data can be substantially reduced.

Abstract: When enciphered contents information is transferred from media A to media B, enciphered key information and ID(A) of the media A are recorded as a control number of data link ID in a memory of a media control unit. The control number is attached to the enciphered contents information and duplicated to the media B with the enciphered key information. The enciphered key information read from the media B and the enciphered key information read from the media B are compared with each other. When they coincide, a differential ID (A−B) value which is a differential value between media A ID and media B ID is outputted to the media B. After the output, the enciphered key information and ID(A) recorded in the memory are deleted.

Abstract: In an encrypted information recording apparatus, a digital contents signal is divided into data blocks. A statistical quantity of the digital contents signal is calculated for every data block. A corrective quantity is calculated from encrypted information and the calculated statistical quantity. First random numbers are changed into second random numbers in response to the calculated corrective quantity. A signal representative of the second random numbers is added to the digital contents signal so that the encrypted information is embedded therein and thereby a digital information signal is generated. The digital information signal is transmitted from the recording apparatus to an encrypted information reproducing apparatus. In the reproducing apparatus, the digital information signal is divided into data blocks. The statistical quantity of the digital information signal is calculated for every data block.