Abstract: A signal representative of a key is generated from authenticator-value information and key base information. The authenticator-value information represents a specified authenticator value. The key base information contains identification information which is set to reproduce the specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function. Contents information is encrypted into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal. The key base information and the encryption-resultant contents information are transmitted or recorded.

Abstract: An audio disk has a first audio zone and a second audio zone. In the first audio zone, both of a plurality of tracks each including a single piece of music and a first management information including first control information for allowing each track to be reproduced are recorded. The music is composed of audio data produced from either a linear PCM signal or a signal produced by applying lossless compression to the linear PCM signal. In the second audio zone, music composed of audio signal produced under lossy compression, a plurality of files each storing a signal of a single piece of music subjected to the lossy compression, and second management information including second control information for allowing each file to be reproduced are recorded. Each piece of music stored in each file corresponds to the music included in any one of the tracks in the first audio zone.

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: 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: A recording medium such as a video CD, for recording both audio and still picture data, has all audio data recorded on successive tracks within one recording region and data of all of the still pictures recorded together within another recording region as successive data sets expressing respective ones of a plurality of groups of still pictures. Each of recorded sets of track control information specifies, for the corresponding track, a still picture group which includes all of the still pictures that are to be displayed during playback of that track, those pictures (within that group) which are actually to be displayed during that playback, and respective display starting time points for the specified pictures.

Abstract: When a code word sequence is generated by converting input data words of p bits into code words of q bits and concatenating adjacent ones of the code words with a merge bit sequence of r bits in order to obtain the best DSV value, according to one aspect, the adjacent code words are concatenated with the merge bit sequence of r bits which is selected, free from the restriction of the minimum run-length of (d+1)T and the maximum run-length of (k+1)T based on the run-length limiting rule RLL(d, k) but permitting the minimum run-length of (d+1)T and the maximum run-length of (k+2)T.

Abstract: Encoding tables are accorded with variable-length encoding rules using a variable constraint length. A DSV control bit is periodically inserted into a first input bit stream to generate a second input bit stream. Every m-bit piece of the second input bit stream is encoded into an n-bit output signal forming at least a portion of an output code word by referring to the encoding tables. Thereby, the second input bit stream is converted into a first output bit stream composed of output code words and observing RLL (d, k). A sync word is inserted into the first output bit stream for every frame to generate a second output bit stream. A frame-end output code word is terminated at a position before a next-frame sync word. DSV control of the second output bit stream is implemented in response to the inserted DSV control bits.

Abstract: A recording medium such as a video CD, for recording both audio and still picture data, has all audio data recorded on successive tracks within one recording region and data of all of the still pictures recorded together within another recording region as successive data sets expressing respective ones of a plurality of groups of still pictures. Each of recorded sets of track control information specifies, for the corresponding track, a still picture group which includes all of the still pictures that are to be displayed during playback of that track, those pictures (within that group) which are actually to be displayed during that playback, and respective display starting time points for the specified pictures.

Abstract: There is disclosed a modulation method in which a four bit unit of a plurality of continuous input data words is encoded into a six bit unit of a plurality of continuous output code words by referring to a plurality of coding tables including output code words corresponding to input data words, and coding table designation information in which a coding table for use in encoding the next input data word is designated. The plurality of coding tables includes at least a first coding table and a second coding table, and first and second signals respectively obtained by subjecting a first output code word of said first coding table corresponding to a predetermined input data word and a second output code word of said second coding table corresponding to said predetermined input data word to NRZI modulation are reverse to each other in polarity. Further, in particular, two redundant bits are inserted into the plurality of continuous output code words for each predetermined number of corresponding data words.

Abstract: Encoding tables are accorded with variable-length encoding rules using a variable constraint length. A DSV control bit is periodically inserted into a first input bit stream to generate a second input bit stream. Every m-bit piece of the second input bit stream is encoded into an n-bit output signal forming at least a portion of an output code word by referring to the encoding tables. Thereby, the second input bit stream is converted into a first output bit stream composed of output code words and observing RLL (d, k). A sync word is inserted into the first output bit stream for every frame to generate a second output bit stream. A frame-end output code word is terminated at a position before a next-frame sync word. DSV control of the second output bit stream is implemented in response to the inserted DSV control bits.

Abstract: A unidirectional function circuit generates a first encryption key according to the device identification information stored in a device identification information holding unit. Another unidirectional function circuit generates a second encryption key that depends on a write block address. A contents key generator generates a contents key using the first encryption key, second encryption key, and relation information. An encryptor records contents, which are encrypted using the contents key, onto a HDD.

Abstract: Encoding tables are accorded with variable-length encoding rules using a variable constraint length. A DSV control bit is periodically inserted into a first input bit stream to generate a second input bit stream. Every m-bit piece of the second input bit stream is encoded into an n-bit output signal forming at least a portion of an output code word by referring to the encoding tables. Thereby, the second input bit stream is converted into a first output bit stream composed of output code words and observing RLL (d, k). A sync word is inserted into the first output bit stream for every frame to generate a second output bit stream. A frame-end output code word is terminated at a position before a next-frame sync word. DSV control of the second output bit stream is implemented in response to the inserted DSV control bits.

Abstract: An audio signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant audio data. A video signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant video data. An audio time stamp for audio-vide synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant audio data. A video time stamp for audio-video synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant video data. The time-stamp-added audio data and the time-stamp-added video data are multiplexed into main data. To a plurality of first after-recording-purpose data for at least one of (1) the encoding-resultant audio data and (2) the encoding-resultant video data which form the main data, time stamps for reproduction synchronous with a portion of the main data and identification information for identifying the plurality of first after-recording-purpose data are added to convert the first after-recording-purpose data into second after-recording-purpose data.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus, data received as an MPEG-2 transport stream, for example from a digital broadcast or by playback of data in the D-VHS recording format, are converted to respective MPEG-2 program streams of one or more programs conveyed by the transport stream, with the program stream data being recorded, while in addition the program specific information and service information (PSI/SI information) which are received multiplexed within the transport stream are demultiplexed and also recorded.

Abstract: Encoding tables are accorded with variable-length encoding rules using a variable constraint length. A DSV control bit is periodically inserted into a first input bit stream to generate a second input bit stream. Every m-bit piece of the second input bit stream is encoded into an n-bit output signal forming at least a portion of an output code word by referring to the encoding tables. Thereby, the second input bit stream is converted into a first output bit stream composed of output code words and observing RLL (d, k). A sync word is inserted into the first output bit stream for every frame to generate a second output bit stream. A frame-end output code word is terminated at a position before a next-frame sync word. DSV control of the second output bit stream is implemented in response to the inserted DSV control bits.

Abstract: An encryption key is generated in response to a plurality of information pieces being bases for the encryption key. Original information is encrypted into encryption-resultant information in response to the generated encryption key. The encryption-resultant information is divided into units. Each of the units is loaded with encryption control information for identifying the plurality of information pieces being the bases for the encryption key.

Abstract: First and second synchronous words having respective numbers of times of inversion different from each other in NRZI conversion are generated in a synchronous word generation portion, and first and second code word series data are generated by arranging code word data generated making reference to a run-length coding table after these two synchronous words. With respect to the first and second code word series data, DSV calculation results stored in two DSV calculation peak value memories corresponding to these data are compared with each other by a peak value comparison portion. Based on a comparison result, the code word series data having a smaller direct-current component generated in NRZI conversion is selected.

Abstract: There is disclosed a modulation method in which a four bits unit of a plurality of continuous input data words is encoded into a six bits unit of a plurality of continuous output code words by referring to a plurality of coding tables including output code words corresponding to input data words, and coding table designation information in which an coding table for use in encoding the next input data word is designated. Further, in particular, two redundant bits are inserted into each predetermined number of data words of the plurality of continuous output code words. Even with such redundant bits, a DSV control is possible, k satisfies 9 in a (1, k) RLL rule, and a repetition frequency of a minimum run is limited.

Abstract: In case that a skipping section is provided by editing in a recording region other than a recording region for block data in an information recording medium recorded with at least more than one collation table of time recording location, which is composed of more than one collation data by each fixed time interval and time compensating data, a collation table of time recording location is read out from the information recording medium and divided in response to a designated skipping period. A collation data, which assigns block data of designated skipping period, are deleted. A second time compensating data is calculated in response to the skipping period. Combining the second time compensating data with collation data succeeding the deleted collation data composes a new collation table of time recording location.

Abstract: A signal is recorded on and reproduced from a first tape-like storage medium. At least one indexing signal is recorded on the first storage medium. Or, at least one indexing signal already recorded on the first storage medium is detected. The location of the indexing signal is determined as an indexing position. The signal that has been recorded on the first storage medium is recorded on a randomly accessible second storage medium from the indexing position for a specific period.