Abstract: The present invention protects the right of a digital content, and enables final output of the digital content in a form of stimulating user's visual and auditory desire. An information processing apparatus main body transfers a digital content (display data) encrypted by using an encrypted key information shared with a display unit while the display unit performs a decryption process on the display data transferred from the information processing apparatus main body by using the encryption key information. Herein, the display data transferred from the information processing apparatus main body to the display unit is encrypted only in a part thereof, e.g. display data is encrypted in an amount of several lines every several lines.

Abstract: The present invention provides a digital copying method for preventing complete copying by the use of digital copying. A data generating portion includes a storage device which generates a plurality of digital copies having mutually different amounts of effective information from original digital data, and stores the set of digital content having the digital copies encrypted different numbers of times in a memory. A digital output portion decrypts the set of digital content retrieved from the memory a prescribed number of times, making usable and outputting one of the digital copies in the set of digital content. An analog output portion extracts the digital copy that has been encrypted zero times from the set of digital content, converts that copy to analog data, and outputs that data.

Abstract: Distribution of a digital content is made possible in a form stimulating user's visual and auditory desire while protecting the right of digital content A digital content distributing apparatus distributes to an information processing apparatus a digital content partly encrypted by using encryption key information shared with the information processing apparatus while the information processing apparatus performs a decryption process on an encrypted part of the digital content distributed from the digital content distributing apparatus by using the encryption key information. Herein, the digital content distributed from the digital content distributing apparatus is encrypted, in a part of the units as a subject of encryption with a formatting unit of the digital content in plaintext taken as one unit.

Abstract: A storage medium and an information processing system utilizing that storage medium capable of outputting information stored on the storage medium in a format unusable by other information devices or storage mediums. A storage medium and an information processing system utilizing that storage medium further capable of transferring information stored on the storage medium rather than copying the information so that the uniqueness of the information is assured. A storage medium comprised of a storage device for storing information, information required for encryption and encrypted information, and an I/F device for inputting and outputting information, information required for coding and store encrypted information in a storage device or from an external apparatus other than the storage device, and an encoding device for coding of information and decoding of encoded information.