Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing – Local trick play processing – With randomly accessible medium
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-13
2003-06-10
Tran, Thai (Department: 2615)
Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing
Local trick play processing
With randomly accessible medium
C360S060000, C380S201000, C380S203000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06577810
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for restricting repeated reproduction of an information signal recorded on a recording medium, and the device of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Accompanying the widespread use of video tape recorders (hereunder, referred to as VTR), a lot of software that VTRs can reproduce has been provided. Recently, a digital VTR and a reproducing or recording/reproducing device of a DVD (digital video disc) have been available, and it becomes easy to enjoy videos and sounds of a high picture and sound quality.
On the other hand, however, these devices invite a risk that the readily supplied software is duplicated without restriction. Accordingly, a measure has been taken to prevent a duplication, in which a duplication prevention control is carried out by adding a duplication prevention control signal to control prohibition, permission, or generation restriction of a duplication on an information signal.
FIG. 1
illustrates a basic construction of a recording/reproducing device that deals with a video signal from a VTR, etc., on which a duplication prevention control signal is added, as the information signal. The recording/reproducing device shown in
FIG. 1
is supplied with a video signal S
11
on which a duplication prevention control signal reproduced, for example, by a reproducing VTR is added.
The video signal S
11
having the duplication prevention control signal added thereon is supplied to a writing unit
11
and a duplication prevention control signal detecting unit
12
. The writing unit
11
converts the video signal S
11
into a video signal S
12
for recording so as to record it on a recording medium. The writing unit
11
is controlled by a writing control signal S
14
from a writing control unit
13
.
The duplication prevention control signal detecting unit
12
detects a duplication prevention control signal added on the video signal S
11
. Here, the duplication prevention control signal detected is supplied to the writing control unit
13
as a duplication prevention control signal S
13
.
The writing control unit
13
generates the writing control signal S
14
on the basis of the duplication prevention control signal S
13
supplied thereto, and controls the writing of the video signal S
11
by supplying the writing control signal S
14
to the writing unit
11
.
The writing unit
11
is designed to write the video signal S
11
supplied in a recording medium
100
if the writing control signal S
14
from the writing control unit
13
indicates permission of a duplication, and not to write the video signal S
11
in the recording medium
100
if the writing control signal S
14
indicates prohibition of a duplication.
Further, if the duplication prevention control signal S
13
from the duplication prevention control signal detecting unit
12
indicates permission of a duplication only for the first generation, the writing control unit
13
supplies the writing unit
11
with the writing control signal S
14
for instructing to permit a duplication and change the duplication prevention control signal S
13
added on the video signal S
11
into a signal that indicates prohibition of a duplication for the second generation and after.
In this case, the writing unit
11
changes the duplication prevention control signal S
13
for the recording video signal S
12
into a signal to instruct prohibition of a duplication, and records on the recording medium
100
the recording video signal S
12
on which the duplication prevention control signal S
13
thus changed is added. Therefore, the video signal S
12
recorded on the recording medium
100
cannot be duplicated any further in this case.
And, a signal S
15
obtained from the recording medium
100
by reproduction is supplied to a read-out unit
14
, which generates a reproduced video signal S
16
. This reproduced video signal S
16
is supplied, for example, to a monitor receiving set to observe.
In this manner, the addition of the duplication prevention control signal S
13
on the video signal S
11
makes it possible to perform the duplication prevention control of the video signal S
11
in accordance with the duplication prevention control signal S
13
, and to reproduce and observe the video signal S
12
recorded on the recording medium
100
as needed.
If the video signal has the duplication prevention control signal added thereon, it is possible to perform the duplication prevention control in accordance with the duplication prevention control signal added on the video signal. However, if the video signal permitted for a duplication is supplied to the recording/reproducing device shown in
FIG. 1
, it is naturally possible to duplicate the video signal on the recording medium
100
, and it is possible to repeatedly reproduce the video signal that has been duplicated on the recording medium
100
; and the video signal will be used permanently.
In this manner, if the video signal permitted for a duplication is recorded on the recording medium, repeated reproduction becomes possible, and a further duplication of the video signal recorded on the recording medium becomes possible. Or, by lending the recording medium having the video signal permitted for a duplication recorded thereon to another person, an unspecified number of users will be able to use the same video signal repeatedly without limit.
Thus, when a video signal permitted for a duplication is provided, this video signal is used by an unspecified number of users with a high possibility, whereby the provider of the video signal will be subjected to a disadvantage. To avoid this situation, as mentioned above, it is possible to prohibit the duplication itself by adding the duplication prevention control signal on the video signal provided. This measure, however, is not agreeable to users who receive the supply of video signals, because the users will be subjected to too much restriction on the duplication of the video signal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a method, device, and recording medium, whereby a provider of information signals such as video signals is able to appropriately restrict the use of the information signals provided.
The invention provides a method for restricting reproduction of an information signal, in which an information signal having reproduction restricting information added thereon is stored, the information signal stored is reproduced, the reproduction restricting information of the information signal is detected, and repeated reproduction of the information signal stored is restricted in accordance with the detection of the reproduction restricting information.
Thereby, the provider of an information signal adds the reproduction restricting information on the information signal to be provided, which will prevent a user from a permanent use, for example, that the user duplicates the provided information signal on a recording medium and reproduces it repeatedly. Further, it is possible to prevent an unspecified number of persons whom the provider of the information signal does not give the authentication from a fraudulent use of the concerned information signal, by lending the recording medium having the provided information signal duplicated thereon to another person and repeating duplication, and the like.
According to another aspect of the method for restricting reproduction of an information signal relating to the invention, an information signal on which reproduction restricting information and identification information for indicating to have reproduced specified information are added is stored, the information signal stored is reproduced, the reproduction restricting information and the identification information of the information signal are detected, and repeated reproduction of the information signal stored is restricted in accordance with the detection of the reproduction restricting information.
Therefore, if the identification i
Maioli Jay H.
Sony Corporation
Tran Thai
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