Digital Information Recording Apparatus and Outputting Apparatus

Abstract

A digital information recording apparatus includes multiple recording circuits for making multiple copies. The apparatus limits the number of copies, however, in accordance with copy information provided within the digital information itself. When the number of copies is reached, if additional copies are to be made, then the source copy is disabled when a new copy is made.

1 . A digital information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording an inputted digital information on a recording medium and reproducing a recorded digital information from the recording medium;
 wherein the digital information includes at least a copy control information that indicates whether or not one generation of copies is permitted; and   wherein the apparatus comprises:   a recording/reproducing circuit that records the digital information on the recording medium and reproduces the recorded digital information from the recording medium;   a detecting circuit that detects the copy control information added to the digital information or control information added to the reproduced digital information; and   a recording/reproducing control circuit that controls the recording/reproducing operation of the recording/reproducing circuit in accordance with a result of detection by the detecting circuit,   wherein, when the copy control information added to the digital information indicates permission of one generation of copies, in case the digital information is reproduced within a predetermined period after recording of the digital information, an information that indicates permission of one generation of copies is added to the digital information reproduced from the recording medium and outputted, and, in case the digital information is reproduced after the predetermined period after recording of the digital information, an information that indicates no permission of copies is added to the digital information reproduced from the recording medium and outputted.   
   
   
       2 . A digital information recording/reproducing method for recording an inputted digital information on a recording medium and reproducing a recorded digital information from the recording medium;
 wherein the digital information includes at least a copy control information that indicates whether or not one generation of copies is permitted; and   wherein the method comprises the steps of:   detecting the copy control information added to the digital information or control information added to the reproduced digital information; and   recording the digital information on the recording medium and reproducing a recorded digital information from the recording medium in accordance with control of the copy control information,   wherein in the reproducing step, when the copy control information added to the digital information indicates permission of one generation of copies, in case the digital information is reproduced within a predetermined period after recording of the digital information, an information that indicates permission of one generation of copies is added to the digital information reproduced from the recording medium and outputted, and, in case the digital information is reproduced after the predetermined period after recording of the digital information, an information that indicates no permission of copies is added to the digital information reproduced from the recording medium and outputted.   
   
   
       3 . A digital information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording an inputted digital information on a recording medium and reproducing a recorded digital information from the recording medium;
 wherein the digital information includes at least a copy control information that indicates whether or not one generation of copies is permitted; and   wherein the apparatus comprises:   a recording/reproducing circuit that records the digital information on the recording medium and reproduces the recorded digital information from the recording medium;   a detecting circuit that detects the copy control information added to the digital information or control information added to the reproduced digital information; and   a recording/reproducing control circuit that controls the recording/reproducing operation of the recording/reproducing circuit in accordance with a result of detection by the detecting circuit,   wherein, when the copy control information added to the digital information indicates permission of one generation of copies, after recording of the digital information, a first condition in which an information that indicates permission of one generation of copies is added to the digital information reproduced from the recording medium and outputted and a second condition in which an information that indicates no permission of copies is added to the digital information reproduced from the recording medium and outputted are formed.   
   
   
       4 . A digital information recording/reproducing method for recording an inputted digital information on a recording medium and reproducing a recorded digital information from the recording medium;
 wherein the digital information includes at least a copy control information that indicates whether or not one generation of copies is permitted; and   wherein the method comprises the steps of:   detecting the copy control information added to the digital information or control information added to the reproduced digital information; and   recording the digital information on the recording medium and reproducing a recorded digital information from the recording medium in accordance with control of the copy control information,   wherein in the reproducing step, when the copy control information added to the digital information indicates permission of one generation of copies, after recording of the digital information, a first condition in which an information that indicates permission of one generation of copies is added to the digital information reproduced from the recording medium and outputted and a second condition in which an information that indicates no permission of copies is added to the digital information reproduced from the recording medium and outputted are formed.