Abstract: A signal reproducing method and apparatus in which the generation limitation information, such as a token or a ticket, contained in digital data, is recorded in analog signals. A reproducing device 20 reproduces, from a source disc S, picture data etc having the superimposed copyright control information for copying limitation and a ticket representing the generation limitation information specifying the number of times of possible copying or reproduction. The reproducing device 20 converts the picture data etc into analog baseband signals and detects the ticket. The reproducing device 20 superimposes the detected ticket on audio signals by watermark processing to output the resulting analog baseband signals.

Abstract: A data reproducing apparatus high in security against unauthorized duplication. A drive 20 includes a first CSS encoder 21 for performing first encryption processing on picture data etc reproduced from an optical disc D and a second CSS encoder 22 for performing second encryption processing different from the first encryption processing on the media type information of the optical disc D. The drive transmits the so-processed data or information. A data processing device 30 performs decryption processing on the transmitted picture data etc and on the media type information by respective independent decoders. The data processing apparatus detects the copyright control information from the picture data etc and performs reproduction limitation or recording limitation on the picture data etc.

Abstract: A content signal having a control signal added thereto indicating whether or not a playback restricting function for restricting reproduction is activated is recorded on a disk. When an encryption key generation section determines at the time of reproduction that the content signal has the control signal added thereto indicating that the playback restricting function is activated, it is determined whether or not a playback permission condition is satisfied. The playback permission condition is read from the disk, or acquired via a communication section if it is not stored on the disk. A correct encryption key Kp is supplied to an encryption processing section only when the playback permission condition is satisfied. The encryption processing section decrypts the encrypted content signal recorded on the disk with the encryption key Kp and the correctly decrypted content signal is outputted from an output control section.

Abstract: An information signal reproducing apparatus for reproducing an information signal from a recording medium on which the information signal, including added copy control information is recorded, comprising a first detector for detecting whether the information signal read out from said recording medium is encrypted or not-encrypted and for producing an output representative thereof; a second detector for detecting said copy control information from the information signal read out from the recording medium and for producing an output representative thereof; and a controller for selectively restricting reproduction of the information signal based on the outposts of the first detector and the second detector.

Abstract: To enable usage of content at a receiver which does not have a copying function even if copyright protection is provided. Model names of receivers not having a function enabling copying of content are held in an authentication processing circuit (151) of a transmitter (10). When a model name obtained from a connected receiver (40) is held, regardless of whether the content is copyright protected, a signal selection circuit (122) selects a terminal a side, a switch (123) is turned on, and an unencrypted signal is transmitted. When a change of the receiver (40) is detected by a hot plug detection function or a plug and play function at a processing circuit (152) during the transfer of a signal of copyright protected content without providing copyright protection, the selection circuit (122) is made to select a terminal b side or the switch (123) is turned off to suspend the transfer of the non-copyright protected signal. The information indicating the receiver is held in a tamper-proof updateable manner.

Abstract: An electronic signal transmission device comprises a first communication section to be connected to a first electronic device of a signal transmitting side; a second communication section to be connected to a second electronic device of a signal receiving side; an authentication section for executing an authentication process with the first elecronic device and supplying key information for decryption; a decryption section for executing a decryption process of an encrypted signal supplied from the first electronic device based on the key information from the authentication process; and a supply section for directly supplying the encrypted signal from the first electronic device and the key information to the second communication section in order to avoid signal delay by the authentication.

Abstract: Copyright information is stored as property information of a file in a header portion of the file. The copyright information is composed of copy generation restriction information of a file. With a predetermined encrypting key kc, the copyright information is encrypted. When the file is accessed, the copyright information is extracted from the header portion. Unless the user who accesses the file has the encrypting key kc, he or she cannot decrypt the copyright information. Thus, A/V data stored in the file cannot be read. When a file is copied, the generation restriction information is rewritten and stored as copyright information. Thus, the copy generation can be restricted. When the A/V data itself is encrypted with another encrypting key kd and the key kd is encrypted with the key kc along with the copyright information, the copyright of the file can be more securely protected.

Abstract: A recording medium cartridge includes a memory circuit for storing information concerning signals recorded on the recording medium within the cartridge. The information is stored in the memory circuit in the form of a hierarchic data structure which includes a plurality of data packets having a predetermined form and length. Each data packet includes a code indicative of a level in the data structure to which the data packet belongs. At least some of the data packets include data indicative of starting and ending positions on the recording medium of recorded signals which the data packet represents. The hierarchic (or “tree”) data structure facilitates rapid retrieval and reproduction of the signals recorded on the recording medium, particularly when the recording medium is a magnetic tape. The tree structure also facilitates storage of information in connection with recording of additional signals on the recording medium.

Abstract: Copyright of contents to be transmitted may be protected for an analog signal produced by converting a digital signal representative of the contents. A signal transmission apparatus determines whether the contents are protected by copyright by detecting copyright protection information of a digital image signal of the contents at a protection information detecting unit, and scrambles an analog image signal converted from the digital image signal to output when the copyright is protected, or prohibits outputting of the analog image signal. When a receiving apparatus receives a transmitted signal, the apparatus generates a digital image signal and the analog image signal based on the transmitted signal.

Abstract: A signal transmission device and method wherein the signal transmission device includes a first communication part for transmitting a signal through a number of high-speed serial buses, and a second communication part for transmitting a signal through a low-speed serial bus having a transmission speed lower than that of the high-speed serial buses; each signal transmission device is disposed on the terminal side of a transmission line which is configured of the number of high-speed serial buses and the low-speed serial bus, and a signal transmitting operation through the high-speed serial buses is controlled on the basis of the result of communications through the low-speed serial bus.

Abstract: A data transmitting method comprising the steps of generating parameter setting data for various items of hardware, embedding the parameter setting data into a control code and transmitting that control code. The parameter setting data sets parameters for a plurality of hardware versions and includes parameter setting data common to at least first and second hardware versions, parameter setting data limited to a first hardware version, and parameter setting data limited to a second hardware version. Thus, the first version of hardware utilizes parameter setting data intended for it while the second version of hardware utilizes parameter setting data intended for it.

Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus, a video signal processing method and a recording medium are provided for reliably preventing illegal copy through a VTR and supplying a high-quality video signal with a copyright protecting function without interfering with an image displayed on a TV set. A color burst signal generating unit and a signal selector are controlled by a timing generator in a color stripe sequence. The color burst signal generating unit is controlled to output at least two of a U-axis inverted burst signal UI produced by inverting a U-axis component of a burst phase, a V-axis inverted burst signal VI produced by inverting a V-axis component of the burst phase, and a both-axes inverted burst signal I produced by inverting the U-axis/V-axis as a color stripe signal with a copyguard function. Then, the signal selector operates to add the color stripe signal to color difference signals U and V as a copyguard signal in place of a normal color burst signal.

Abstract: In order to provide a copy protection signal for an analog video signal so as to prohibit recording/reproducing of such video signal by a VCR while permitting the video signal containing the copy protection signal to be displayed, without disturbance, by a television monitor; a macro block of the copy protection signal is constituted by lines of the color video signal containing a color burst signal whose phase is partially inverted and which are interspersed, at intervals, with at least one line containing a normal phase color burst signal. Further, one or more of the lines in the macro block of the copy protection signal which contains the normal phase color burst signal has the latter constituted by pulses with amplitudes greater than those of the normal color burst signal so that color densities will not be disturbed when the video signal is displayed in a television monitor.

Abstract: A video signal is processed to selectively permit copying by superposing in that portion of the video signal which does not contain useful picture information a copyright information signal indicative of whether the viewable picture that is displayed from the video signal is subject to copyright and a copy generation signal indicative of the number of successive generations of copies that can be made from the video signal.

Abstract: An aspect ratio converter converts the input aspect ratio of an input video signal to an output aspect ratio. The input video signal contains partial area information representing a portion of the input video signal which constitutes substantially all of the video picture with the desired output aspect ratio. The input video signal is stored in an addressable memory and is read out from those addresses corresponding to the partial area of the input video signal.

Abstract: A digital signal recording and/or reproducing apparatus and method can maintain a satisfactory continuity of a previously-recorded area and a postrecorded area by reducing a tracking displacement between the previously-recorded area and the postrecorded area. A signal from a playback amplifier (10) is supplied to a f1/f2 discriminating circuit (13), and a discriminated signal is supplied to a tracking information detector (14). A memory (15) is controlled by a system controller (100). Tracking information from the detector (14) is supplied to the memory (15) which independently memorizes tracking information signals of respective areas of a video signal, an audio signal, a subcode signal and an ITI signal. Tracking information signals of the respective areas memorized in the memory (15) are selected by a selector (16) formed of switches (16.sub.1 to 16.sub.4) and supplied to an averaging circuit (17).

Abstract: Regular burst signals from video line (n+0) to line (n+3) are replaced by modified burst signals which function as copy prohibit signals. The phase of the modified burst signals is controlled by controlling at least one of the orthogonal vectors into which the phase of the regular burst signal is resolved; and the phase vector of the modified burst signals is equal to the average value of the phase vector of the regular burst signals in lines (n+0) through (n+3). The phase vector of the modified burst signal in line (n+2) exhibits a phase difference of 135.degree. from the phase vector of the original regular burst signal in that line and causes image disturbances when the thus-modified video signal is recorded and reproduced by a VCR. The phase vector of the modified burst signal in each of lines (n+0), (n+1) and (n+3) exhibits a difference as small as 45.degree. from the phase vector of the original regular burst signal in those lines.

Abstract: There is provided a highly flexible television multiplex data extracting apparatus which can fetch the multiplex data of the television broadcast services where the horizontal section for multiplexing data is not fixed, wherein a register receives an information from a controller to generate information for designating the horizontal section for fetching multiplex data, sampling frequency information of the data to be multiplexed and information for designating fetch of data, a sampling apparatus has the first and second fetch modes and detects any one mode of the first and second modes depending on the information from the register, the first mode is the extracting mode corresponding to the case where the horizontal section for multiplexing data is fixed and the second mode is designated to discriminate existence of the multiplex data in the designated horizontal section and fetch the data depending on the discrimination result.

Abstract: Video information records are recorded in a small capacity memory included in a tape cassette under the control of a system controller supplied with date information from a calendar circuit, clock information from a clock circuit, place information from a GPS (global positioning system) circuit, and scene setting information from a scene setting switch of an operation unit (such as a video camera). When video information is recorded by using the date information, for example, the system controller uses that date information as well as date information previously stored in the memory to process the just-recorded video information record.

Abstract: A recording medium cartridge includes a memory circuit for storing information concerning signals recorded on the recording medium within the cartridge. The information is stored in the memory circuit in the form of a hierarchic data structure which includes a plurality of data packets having a predetermined form and length. Each data packet includes a code indicative of a level in the data structure to which the data packet belongs. At least some of the data packets include data indicative of starting and ending positions on the recording medium of recorded signals which the data packet represents. The hierarchic (or "tree") data structure facilitates rapid retrieval and reproduction of the signals recorded on the recording medium, particularly when the recording medium is a magnetic tape. The tree structure also facilitates storage of information in connection with recording of additional signals on the recording medium.