Apparatus and method for transcopying data

A content data structure stored on a recordable medium, the content data comprising:

• content data comprising one of original and copied content data;
• data file information unique to said content data so that said content data is distinguishable from other content data, said data file information comprising information on the corresponding original content data where the content data is copied content data;
• and
• a rights management information area to indicate whether said content data is the original content data or the copied content data transcopied from the original content data, and to indicate rights information related to data transcopying,
• wherein said rights management information for the original content data and the copied content data changes according to transcopying situations.

A method for transcopying data, the method comprising:

• confirming an original coding method applied to original content data;
• setting a different coding method than the original coding method;
• and
• converting the original content data to generate copied content data to be decoded by the different coding method.

A computer-readable medium encoded with a method for transcopying executable by a computer, the transcopying method comprising:

• confirming an original coding method applied to original content data;
• setting a different coding method than the original coding method;
• and
• converting the original content data to generate copied content data that is decoded by the different coding method.

An apparatus to distribute content data, comprising:

• a copying unit to create copied content data from original content data, where the original and copied content data are decoded using different decoding methods;
• a confirming unit to confirm that the copied content data corresponds to the original content data using identification information in the copied and original content data;
• and
• a control unit to
• after said copying unit creates the copied content data, to insert identification information in the copied content data relating the copied contents data and the original content data, and to insert information in the original and copied content data indicating that the original content data was copied by said copying unit, and
• revert the copied content data into the original content data by changing rights information in the copied and original content data so that the copied content data cannot be reproduced in a content player, and the original content data reflects that the copied content data cannot be reproduced.

A computer-readable medium encoded with data that is readable by a computer, the medium comprising:

• content data;
• identification information that indicates whether said content data is original content data, or is copied from the original content data;
• and
• rights information that indicates a right of a user to make copies of said content data.