Recording medium and apparatus for protecting copyrighted digital data

Abstract

Copying, dubbing or reproducing copyrighted digital data can be inhibited or restricted to properly protect a copyright. AV data recorded on a pre-recorded tape is output from a reproducing unit of a first digital VCR with protective information indicating whether the copy of the AV data is inhibited or not. The protective information is input with the A/V data to a second digital VCR. Copy permission information of a blank tape loaded in the second digital VCR is discriminated and the second digital VCR records the AV data supplied from the first digital VCR based on the protective information and the copy permission information.

1 . An apparatus for controlling usage of digital content data, comprising:
 a storage unit configured to store the digital content data;   a determination processing unit configured to determine whether the digital content data stored by the storage unit is eligible for reproduction based on reproduction duration information; and   a control processing unit configured to control reproduction of the digital content data based on the determination by the determination processing unit.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the determination processing unit is further configured to determine whether the digital content data stored by the storage unit is eligible for reproduction based on remaining reproduction duration information. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the determination processing unit is further configured to determine that the digital content data stored by the storage unit is not eligible for reproduction in response to a predetermined value for the remaining reproduction duration information. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein remaining reproduction duration information corresponds to a time period in which the digital content data is available for reproduction. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the determination processing unit is further configured to determine that the digital content data stored by the storage unit is not eligible for reproduction in response to an expiration of the reproduction duration information. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reproduction duration information is attached to the digital content data. 
     
     
         7 . A method for controlling usage of digital content, comprising:
 storing digital content data in a storage unit;   determining, at a determination processing unit, whether the digital content data stored by the storing is eligible for reproduction based on reproduction duration information; and   controlling, using a control processing unit, reproduction of the digital content data based on the determination by the determining.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the determining further comprises determining whether the digital content data stored by the storage unit is eligible for reproduction based on remaining reproduction duration information. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the determining further comprises determining that the digital content data stored by the storage unit is not eligible for reproduction in response to a predetermined value for the remaining reproduction duration information. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein remaining reproduction duration information corresponds to a time period in which the digital content data is available for reproduction. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the determining further comprises determining that the digital content data stored by the storage unit is not eligible for reproduction in response to an expiration of the reproduction duration information. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the reproduction duration information is attached to the digital content data. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer readable medium claim having stored thereon a program that when executed by a computer causes the computer to implement a method for controlling usage of digital content, comprising:
 storing digital content data in a storage unit;   determining, at a determination processing unit, whether the digital content data stored by the storing is eligible for reproduction based on reproduction duration information; and   controlling, using a control processing unit, reproduction of the digital content data based on the determination by the determining.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 13 , wherein the determining further comprises determining whether the digital content data stored by the storage unit is eligible for reproduction based on remaining reproduction duration information. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 14 , wherein the determining further comprises determining that the digital content data stored by the storage unit is not eligible for reproduction in response to a predetermined value for the remaining reproduction duration information. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 14 , wherein remaining reproduction duration information corresponds to a time period in which the digital content data is available for reproduction. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 14 , wherein the determining further comprises determining that the digital content data stored by the storage unit is not eligible for reproduction in response to an expiration of the reproduction duration information. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 13 , wherein the reproduction duration information is attached to the digital content data.