Information data reproducing system, reproducing apparatus, reproducing method, data forming apparatus, and data record medium

An information data reproducing apparatus for reproducing information data from a data record medium on which information data and medium information are recorded as unerasable data, and copy management information is recorded, the medium information representing the type of the data record medium including at least a read-only type and a write enable type, the copy management information representing whether information data recorded on the data record medium is a copy enable state or a copy prohibition state, the apparatus comprising:

• detecting means for detecting the medium information and the copy management information from the data record medium;
• reproducing means for reading the information data from the data record medium and outputting the information data;
• and
• controlling means for substantially prohibiting said reproducing means from outputting the information data when both the medium information satisfies a first condition representing that the medium information is not at least the read-only type and the copy management information satisfies a second condition representing that the copy management information is the copy prohibition state.

A copy prohibiting method, comprising the steps of:

• unerasably forming medium information representing that a record medium is a write enable state to a writable record medium;
• unerasably forming medium information representing a read-only state and copy management information representing a copy enable state or a copy prohibition state to a read-only record medium;
• detecting the medium information and the copy management information from a record medium;
• and
• substantially prohibiting information data from being output from the record medium when the medium information represents the write enable state and the copy management information represents the copy prohibition state.