Abstract: Two transfer modes of a band-guaranteed cycle and an event-driven asynchronous cycle are defined in a multimedia bus. In the band-guaranteed cycle, stream data is transferred between nodes in real time using a reserved band for each cycle time. Both a single-edge access and a double-edge access are provided for the stream data transfer in the band-guaranteed cycle, and it is possible to select one of the single-edge access and double-edge access for each data transfer between nodes. The transfer band of stream data on the bus can thus be expanded and the transfer efficiency of AV stream can be improved.

Abstract: If a recording medium having a medium ID is used, a secure manager manages enciphering/decoding of a content with use of the medium ID for each recording medium. If a HDD having no medium ID is used, the secure manager obtains a device ID specific to a computer system through a BIOS and manages enciphering/decoding of a content to be recorded into the HDD, with use of the device ID. The device ID is stored in a safe area in the computer system. As a result, even if a content is recorded into an open recording medium such as a hard disk drive, the content can be protected from improper use so that utility and protection of digital contents can be improved.

Abstract: Multimedia data embedded with control information for playback control are recorded on a recording medium in predetermined playback units. The recording medium also stores a management table, which manages a first file that defines the physical locations of the multimedia data and control information, and a second file that defines the physical locations of at least part of the multimedia data. A CPU executes playback control based on the first or second file by looking up the management table. Since a plurality of files that share multimedia data are used, the respective processes can be efficiently done without recording different versions of identical multimedia data.

Abstract: Region or field data corresponding to digital contents contained in a stream is embedded in the header field of the stream transmitted from a data output system. A data processing system controls grant/denial of partial processing in correspondence with the contents in the stream data on the basis of the region or field data embedded in the header field of the data packet in place of limiting the entire stream. Hence, the contents that each receiving system can deal with can be flexibly controlled without requiring any control for changing the stream to be transmitted in accordance with the branch structure of a title.

Abstract: A CPU which performs video processing, and a network processor which performs network processing share a PCI bus. Video data is transmitted to a wireless LAN via the PCI bus.

Abstract: After receiving a first packet from a personal computer, an access point on a shop side forms a second packet containing the first packet in its payload and transmits the formed second packet to an access point on a head office side via the Internet. After receiving the second packet from the Internet, the access point on the head office side extracts from the payload of the received second packet the first packet that was formed by the access point on the shop side and outputs the extracted first packet to a server computer.

Abstract: This invention provides a communication network system capable of obtaining setting information used in a network application program. This invention acquires setting information by using a protocol in which the option field of DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) contains a first field of 2 bytes or more which stores an identification number representing the type of setting information, and a second field which stores the setting information.

Abstract: The invention relates to an access point having a function of checking application/non-application of an encryption function in each of radio communication packets, and determining a communication service for a packet on the basis of the application/non-application. The access point has a radio LAN packet process section having a function of checking application/non-application of WEP to a packet received from a radio terminal.

Abstract: During a blanking period of a video signal transmitted from a DVD decoder to a video input port of a VGA controller, display control information, such as video control data or a command, is transmitted to the video input port of the VGA controller through a video signal line for transmitting the video signal. With the transmission of the display control information during the blanking period of a video signal, the display control information can be transmitted through the normal video signal line. Therefore, the display control operations of the display controller, for example, interlace/non-interlace conversion, can be controlled timely without using a special hardware connector.

Abstract: A device authentication unit authenticates a wireless LAN terminal in response to a request from a connection control unit, and requests the connection control unit to send a device authentication result to a wireless LAN terminal. The connection control unit executes a procedure for device authentication between a wireless LAN control unit and the device authentication unit, and monitors a packet transmitted between the wireless LAN control unit and a bridge control unit. The connection control unit determines whether or not a wireless LAN terminal is already authenticated, on the basis of the MAC (Media Access Control) address assigned to the terminal, thereby transferring only acceptable packets, and braking off the other packets.

Abstract: An Internet service provider (ISP) writes appropriate configuration information (ACI) for communication applications into an access point (AP) and delivers to the user the access point (AP) into which the appropriate configuration information (ACI) for communication applications has been incorporated.

Abstract: A VGA controller has a pass through mode and VRAM mode as motion picture display modes, and one of these display modes can be selected by controlling a switch. In the pass through mode, video data input from a video port interface can be directly output to an NTSC/PAL encoder without the intervention of a VRAM. In this mode, original video data can be displayed on a TV with its original quality. On the other hand, in the VRAM mode, the refresh rate for screen display is matched with the vertical sync frequency of video data, and a high-quality image free from any “tearing” can be obtained.

Abstract: In a data recording and reproducing apparatus which records and reproduces a record medium in which at least two kinds of data having different data types can be recorded, data is read out from the record medium, and a digital watermark is detected from the data read out. The kind of data is determined depending upon whether the digital watermark is detected, and it is determined whether retry processing at the time of reading-out the data and verifying processing at the time of writing should be executed. The retry processing or the verifying processing is executed only for the data which is determined that the retry processing or the verifying processing should be executed. Therefore, in the case of data whose reading-out continuity is more important than reliability, the retry processing is omitted, so that time required for reading-out processing can be shortened.

Abstract: Network setups for a plurality of wireless devices are registered together with their priority order, and a connection request is output based on the priority order. If a response signal to the output connection request cannot be received, a connection request is output to the wireless device with the second highest priority. When a response signal to the connection request can be received, an authentication process is performed with that wireless device, and a network setup with the wireless device is established. When a communication with that wireless device is disabled, the aforementioned process is executed again to detect a device with which communication connection can be established.

Abstract: A VGA controller has a simple field synthesis mode and an interpolation mode, both for interlace/noninterlace conversion. The switching between these two modes is dynamically controlled in accordance with the value of a progressive flag signal output from a DVD decoder 112. If the value of the progressive flag is “1”, this means that frame data is being decoded, so that the simple field synthesis mode is used. On the other hand, if the value of the progressive flag is “0”, this means that the decoding of field data has been started, so that the conversion mode is switched to the interpolation mode. In the interpolation mode, fields are not synthesized together, and a line which is absent in each field is interpolated so as to produce frames for noninterlace display. The mask circuit of the DVD decoder receives a repeat first field flag register (Rep-Reg), each time signal Vsync is output.

Abstract: A data processing system includes a bus, a plurality of devices connected to the bus, and a unit for executing data transfer between at least two of the plurality of devices via the bus, using one of a first bus cycle mode that enables data transfer with handshaking operation therebetween and a second bus cycle mode that enables stream data transfer without handshaking operation therebetween.

Abstract: In a data recording and reproducing apparatus which records and reproduces a record medium in which at least two kinds of data having different data types can be recorded, data is read out from the record medium, and a digital watermark is detected from the data read out. The kind of data is determined depending upon whether the digital watermark is detected, and it is determined whether retry processing at the time of reading-out the data and verifying processing at the time of writing should be executed. The retry processing or the verifying processing is executed only for the data which is determined that the retry processing or the verifying processing should be executed. Therefore, in the case of data whose reading-out continuity is more important than reliability, the retry processing is omitted, so that time required for reading-out processing can be shortened.