Combination system and copy error preventing method thereof

Abstract

A combo system and method having a play unit to play a signal recorded on a first recording medium and a recording unit to record the signal played by the play unit on a second recording medium. A detector detects whether a predetermined copy preventing signal exists within the signal played by the play unit. A controller controls the recording unit to stop a recording operation of the recording unit when the copy preventing signal is detected by the detector.

1 . A copy error preventing method of a system comprising a playback unit to read data recorded on a first recording medium and a recording unit to record the data on a second recording medium, the method comprising: 
 reading the data recorded on the first recording medium using the playback unit;    detecting whether a predetermined copy preventing mechanism is provided for the data read by the playback unit; and    stopping a recording operation of the recording unit in response to the copy preventing mechanism being detected.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a warning signal indicating the detection of the copy preventing mechanism.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the generating of the warning signal comprises generating an audio signal.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the generating of the warning signal comprises generating a character, sign, text, or video signal for a display.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising reproducing the data from the first recording medium using the playback unit, wherein reproduction of the data for the display is uninterrupted by the stopping of the recording operation, and the warning signal is added to the data output to the display.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copy preventing mechanism is a macrovision signal and the detecting of the copy preventing mechanism comprises detecting the macrovision signal from the data read by the playback unit.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data is video and/or audio data.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising carrying out the recording operation to record the data on the second recording medium in response to the copy preventing mechanism not being detected.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the playback unit is an external device with respect to the recording unit, or the recording unit is an external device with respect to the playback unit.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a protocol is established between the playback unit and the recording unit using a cable to perform communication.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the system is a combo system comprising the playback unit and the recording unit integrated into the combo system.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the combo system further comprises an input unit to receive data from an external device, and the method further comprises in response to receiving the data from the external device: 
 detecting whether a corresponding copy preventing mechanism is provided for the data received from the external device; and    stopping a recording of the data of the external device on the second recording medium in response to the corresponding copy preventing mechanism being detected.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the playback unit is an optical recording medium playback unit.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reproducing data recorded on the second recording medium using the recording unit in response to a playback command.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising detecting whether a corresponding copy preventing mechanism is provided for the data read by the recording unit.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 detecting a copy command by the recording unit;    outputting a copy mode setting signal from the recording unit to the playback unit in response to the copy command;    reproducing the data recorded on the first recording medium read by the playback unit in response to the copy mode setting signal; and    outputting the detected copy preventing mechanism to the recording unit, wherein:    the copy preventing mechanism is a copy preventing signal provided for the data, and    the reproduction of the data by the playback unit is uninterrupted by the stopping of the recording operation in response to the copy preventing signal.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising recording the data onto the second recording medium using the recording unit, wherein the stopping of the recording operation comprises stopping the recording of the data by the recording unit.  
   
   
       18 . A copy error preventing method of a system comprising a playback unit to read video and/or audio data recorded on a first recording medium and a recording unit to record the video and/or audio data on a second recording medium, the method comprising: 
 reading the video and/or audio data recorded on the first recording medium using the playback unit;    detecting whether a predetermined copy preventing mechanism is provided for the video and/or audio data read by the playback unit; and    generating a warning signal indicating the detection of the copy preventing mechanism in response to a command requesting the recording unit to record the video and/or audio data on the second recording medium.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising stopping a recording operation of the recording unit in response to the copy preventing mechanism being detected.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the copy preventing mechanism is a macrovision signal and the detecting of the copy preventing mechanism comprises detecting the macrovision signal from the video and/or audio data read by the playback unit.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the warning signal is an audio signal, and/or a character, sign, text, or video signal for a display.  
   
   
       22 . A copy error preventing method of a combo system comprising or receiving a first recording medium having video and/or audio data and a second recording medium to record the video and/or audio data from the first recording medium, the method comprising: 
 detecting whether a predetermined copy preventing mechanism is provided for the video and/or audio data from the first recording medium; and    stopping a recording operation to record the video and/or audio data on the second recording medium in response to the copy preventing mechanism being detected by the detector.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising generating a warning signal indicating the detection of the copy preventing mechanism for the video and/or audio data.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the copy preventing mechanism is a macrovision signal and the detecting of the macrovision signal comprises detecting the macrovision signal from the video and/or audio data.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the warning signal is an audio signal, and/or a character, sign, text, or video signal for a display.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first recording medium is an optical recording medium.  
   
   
       27 . A copy error preventing method of a combo system comprising or receiving a first recording medium having video and/or audio data and a second recording medium to record the video and/or audio data from the first recording medium, the method comprising: 
 detecting whether a predetermined copy preventing mechanism is provided for the video and/or audio data from the first recording medium; and    generating a warning signal indicating the detection of the copy preventing mechanism in response to a command requesting the video and/or audio data to be recorded on a second recording medium.    
   
   
       28 . The combo system according to  claim 27 , wherein the copy preventing mechanism is a macrovision signal and the detecting of the macrovision signal comprises detecting the macrovision signal from the video and/or audio data.  
   
   
       29 . A copy error preventing method of an apparatus for a system comprising a playback unit to read data recorded on a first recording medium and a recording unit to record the data from the playback unit on a second recording medium, the apparatus comprising a detector and a controller, the method comprising: 
 detecting by the detector whether a predetermined copy preventing mechanism is provided for the data read by the playback unit; and    controlling by the controller to stop a recording operation of the recording unit in response to the copy preventing mechanism being detected by the detector.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the recording unit is a VCR unit to record the data on a magnetic tape.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the playback unit is a DVD playback unit to reproduce the data recorded on a DVD.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a signal generator, and the method further comprising generating a warning signal by the signal generator indicating the detection of the copy preventing mechanism.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the warning signal is an audio signal, and/or a character, sign, text, or video signal for a display.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the copy preventing mechanism is a macrovision signal and the detecting of the copy preventing mechanism comprises detecting the macrovision signal from the data read by the playback unit.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the system is a combo system comprising the playback unit and the recording unit integrated into the combo system.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the combo system further comprises a display unit to display a signal indicating the detection of the copy preventing mechanism.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein: 
 the playback unit is an external device with respect to a device comprising the recording unit and the apparatus, or    the recording unit is an external device with respect to a device comprising the playback unit and the apparatus.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein a protocol is established between the playback unit and the recording unit using a cable to perform communication.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the data is a video and/or audio data, and reproduction of the video and/or audio data by the playback unit is uninterrupted by the stopping of the recording operation.  
   
   
       40 . A copy error preventing method of an apparatus for a system comprising a playback unit to read video and/or audio data recorded on a first recording medium and a recording unit to record the video and/or audio data from the playback unit on a second recording medium, the apparatus comprising a detector and a signal generator, the method comprising: 
 detecting by the detector whether a predetermined copy preventing mechanism is provided for the video and/or audio data read by the playback unit; and    generating a warning signal by the signal generator to indicate the detection of the copy preventing mechanism in response to a command requesting the recording unit to record the video and/or audio data on the second recording medium.    
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the system further comprises a controller, and the method further comprising controlling by the controller to stop a recording operation of the recording unit in response to the copy preventing mechanism being detected by the detector.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the copy preventing mechanism is a macrovision signal and the detecting of the copy preventing mechanism comprises detecting the macrovision signal from the video and/or audio data read by the playback unit.  
   
   
       43 . The apparatus according to  claim 42 , wherein the warning signal is an audio signal, and/or a character, sign, text, or video signal for a display.  
   
   
       44 . A copy error preventing method of an apparatus for a combo system comprising or receiving a first recording medium having a video and/or audio data recorded thereon and a second recording medium to record the video and/or audio data from the first recording medium, the apparatus comprising a detector and a controller, the method comprising: 
 detecting by the detector whether a predetermined copy preventing mechanism is provided for the video and/or audio data from the first recording medium of the combo system; and    controlling by the controller to stop a recording operation to record the video and/or audio data on the second recording medium of the combo system in response to the copy preventing mechanism being detected by the detector.    
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44 , the apparatus further comprises a signal generator, and the method further comprising generating a warning signal by the signal generator indicating the detection of the copy preventing mechanism for the video and/or audio data.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the copy preventing mechanism is a macrovision signal and the detecting of the copy preventing mechanism comprises detecting the macrovision signal from the video and/or audio data.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the warning signal is an audio signal, and/or a character, sign, text, or video signal for a display.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the first recording medium is an optical recording medium.  
   
   
       49 . A copy error preventing method of an apparatus for a combo system comprising or receiving a first recording medium having a video and/or audio data recorded thereon and a second recording medium to record the video and/or audio data from the first recording medium, the apparatus comprising a detector and a signal generator, the method comprising: 
 detecting by the detector whether a predetermined copy preventing mechanism is provided for the video and/or audio data from the first recording medium of the combo system; and    generating a warning signal by the signal generator indicating the detection of the copy preventing mechanism in response to a command requesting the video and/or audio data be recorded on the second recording medium.    
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the copy preventing mechanism is a macrovision signal and the detecting of the copy preventing mechanism comprises detecting the macrovision signal from the video and/or audio data.