Method for protecting of data, reproduction according to both transmitted protection data and apparatus protection data

Abstract

In a reproduction apparatus, for reproducing an original signal conveyed as main data by a data medium such as a recording disk or broadcasting system, with medium protection data which are specific to the data medium being conveyed together with the main data, the apparatus includes a section for generating apparatus protection data which are specific to the reproduction apparatus, a section for combining the apparatus protection data with the medium protection data to define a protection level, and a section for applying the protection level to restrict reproduction of the original signal, with stepwise variations in restriction occurring in accordance with changes in protection level. The medium protection data may include information for specifying restricted reproduction of portions of the original signal, such as by producing degraded resolution within specified regions of specified frames of a video signal.

1. A decoding apparatus providing decoding protection with a video data encoding method using a DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform) method of an MPEG algorithm, for operating on information which is transferred through a medium and comprises main data which are to be decoded, the apparatus comprising:
 means for detecting medium protection data which are also transferred through said medium;   means for limiting decoding based upon at least a film classification system;   means for generating apparatus protection data which comprise at least first apparatus protection data and second apparatus protection data,   wherein said first apparatus protection data are specific to a region or a country in which said decoding apparatus is to be used, said first apparatus protection data being fixed and unmodifiable by a user of said decoding apparatus and said second apparatus protection data being modifiable by the user to selectively define a plurality of protection levels including at least two levels which are respectively specific to adults and to children;   means for defining a protection level based on said medium protection data and on said apparatus protection data, in combination; and   means for executing decoding of said main data in accordance with said protection level,   wherein the combination of said medium protection data and said first apparatus protection data specifies that said main data are decoded either in their entirety or not at all, and the combination of said medium protection data and said second apparatus protection data specifies that said main data are decoded in their entirety, partially, or not at all,   wherein said data medium transfers both said medium protection data and said main data in an identical form.   
     
     
       2. A decoding apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said means for executing operates in response to said combination of said medium protection data with said first apparatus protection data to cause said decoding apparatus to decode said main data either in their entirety or not at all,
 said means for executing operating in response to said combination of said medium protection data and said second apparatus protection data to cause said decoding apparatus to decode said main data in their entirety, partially, or not at all.   
     
     
       3. A receiving method providing reproduction protection, for operating on main data which are conveyed by a broadcasting system, said method comprising steps of:
 detecting transmitted protection data conveyed by said broadcasting system, wherein said transmitted protection data is constituting one of a first data group,   determining first protect information as a first plurality of protection levels in response to said transmitted protection data and first apparatus protection data which are specific to a region or a country and, the first apparatus protection data constituting one of a second data group,   specifying second apparatus protection data by user selection from a second plurality of protection levels,   generating second protect information by referring to at least said first protect information and said second apparatus protection data, and   executing reproduction of said main data in accordance with said second protect information,   
       wherein
 (a) use of said transmitted protection data constituting one of said first data group and said first apparatus protection data constituting one of said second data group results in the determination of said first protect information having said first plurality of protection levels, 
 (b) each member of said first plurality of protection levels of said first protect information corresponds with a respective member of said second plurality of protection levels of said second apparatus protection data, 
 (c) said first plurality of protection levels and said second plurality of protection levels represent successive increase of protection levels, and 
 (d) selection of said second apparatus protection data by a user manually restrict protection level among all of the protection levels defined in said first protect information.  
 
     
     
       4. The receiving method as recited in claim 3, wherein said transmitted protection data comprise at least protection position information, and wherein said second protect information is generated by referring to said protection position information in addition to said first protect information and said second apparatus protection data.  
     
     
       5. The receiving method as recited in claim 3, wherein said main data are reproduced either in their entirety or not at all in accordance with said second protect information.  
     
     
       6. The receiving method as recited in claim 3, wherein said main data comprise at least a video signal conveyed by said broadcasting system, and only unprotected scene of said video signal is reproduced among whole video signal.  
     
     
       7. The receiving method as recited in claim 5, wherein said second apparatus protection data can be designated for at least five protection levels.  
     
     
       8. The receiving method as recited in claim 7, wherein said transmitted protection data comprise rating information based upon a film classification system.  
     
     
       9. The receiving method as recited in claim 3, wherein said main data comprise at least a video signal conveyed by said broadcasting system, and less than all of protected scene of the video signal is reproduced by the apparatus among whole video signal.  
     
     
       10. The receiving method as recited in claim 3, wherein the first plurality of protection levels and the second plurality of protection levels are numerically equal.  
     
     
       11. The receiving method as recited in claim 3, wherein said executing comprises blocking of frames that are reproduced in time succession, so that said main data are reproduced over the period when said second protect information indicates non-blocking of said main data, and said main data are not reproduced over the period when said second protect information indicates blocking of said main data.