Information service method, information service unit, recording or reproducing controlling method, and recording and/or reproducing unit

Abstract

Unique identification information is prerecorded on a disc. The identification information is registered to a server along with user's license when he or she buys the disc. When an terminal unit reproduces data from the disc, identification information is read and transmitted to the server through the Internet. The server creates a key that controls to reproduce data from the disc in accordance with the license identified by the identification information and transmits the key to the terminal unit along with the user's license information for the disc. The terminal unit controls to reproduce contents of the disc in accordance with key and license information transmitted from the server. The license for each disc is managed in accordance with the identification information. Thus, different services can be provided for individual discs.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A reproducing apparatus comprising:
 circuitry configured to:
 control transmission of identification information unique to a recording medium to a server; 
 control reception of digital rights management (DRM) information related to content data stored in the recording medium, the DRM information and the identification information being correlatively stored in the server; and 
 control whether to reproduce the content data or to record the content data based on the received DRM information. 
   
     
     
         3 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the recording medium is an optical disc. 
     
     
         4 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
 control a display of the reproducing apparatus to display the content data based on the received DRM information.   
     
     
         5 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the DRM information includes at least one of a number of times that the content data can be reproduced, expiration date and expiration time for the reproduction, and a number of times that the content data can be recorded. 
     
     
         6 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the DRM information includes a number of times that the content data can be reproduced, expiration date and time for the reproduction, and a number of times that the content data can be recorded. 
     
     
         7 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the number of times that the content data can be reproduced is unlimited. 
     
     
         8 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the expiration date and expiration time for the reproduction is unlimited. 
     
     
         9 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the number of times that the content data can be recorded is one. 
     
     
         10 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
 read the identification information unique to the recording medium from the recording medium.   
     
     
         11 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the recording medium is an optical disc of which a reproduction signal is obtained in accordance with reflected light of radiated light. 
     
     
         12 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
 control a display of the received DRM information on a display of the reproducing apparatus.   
     
     
         13 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
 receive key data that has been issued by the server in accordance with the DRM information and the identification information, the key data controlling whether to reproduce the content data or to record the content data to another recording medium.   
     
     
         14 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to store a part of the DRM information. 
     
     
         15 . A server comprising:
 circuitry configured to:
 correlatively store identification information unique to a recording medium and DRM information related to content data stored in the recording medium; 
 control reception of the identification information from a client device; and 
 control transmission of the DRM information based on the received identification information to the client device, the client device controlling whether to reproduce the content data or to record the content data based on the DRM information. 
   
     
     
         16 . The server according to  claim 15 , wherein the recording medium is an optical disc. 
     
     
         17 . A method for controlling a reproducing apparatus, the method comprising:
 controlling transmission of identification information unique to a recording medium to a server;   controlling reception of DRM information related to content data stored in the recording medium, the DRM information and the identification information being correlatively stored in the server; and   controlling whether to reproduce the content data or to record the content data based on the received DRM information.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the recording medium is an optical disc. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 controlling a display of the reproducing apparatus to display the content data based on the received DRM information.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 reading the identification information unique to the recording medium from the recording medium.   
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon, the computer program configured to perform a method when executed on a reproducing apparatus, the method comprising:
 controlling transmission of identification information unique to a recording medium to a server;   controlling reception of DRM information related to content data stored in the recording medium, the DRM information and the identification information being correlatively stored in the server; and   controlling whether to reproduce the content data or to record the content data based on the received DRM information.