Signal reproducing method and apparatus, signal recording method and apparatus and signal recording system

A signal reproducing method comprising:

• receiving or reproducing digital data transmitted via a transmission medium or recorded on a recording medium, said digital data containing a main stream and a sub-stream, said main stream being original digital signals having the copyright control information for copying limitation superimposed thereon by watermark processing and said sub-stream being the generation limitation information specifying the number of times of possible copying or reproduction;
• detecting the generation limitation information and superimposing the detected generation limitation information on said original digital signals to form combined original digital signals;
• converting the combined original digital signals into analog baseband signals;
• and
• outputting the analog baseband signals.

A signal recording apparatus comprising:

• input means supplied with analog video signals and analog audio signals being original signals, one of said analog video signals and said analog audio signals having copyright control information for copying limitation superimposed thereon by watermark processing and the other of said analog video signals and said analog audio signals having generation limitation information superimposed thereon which specifies the number of times of possible copying or reproduction;
• recording means for recording said analog signals on the recording medium;
• detection means having (i) audio detection means for receiving said analog audio signals and for detecting therefrom the appropriate one of the copyright control information and the generation limitation information, and (ii) and video detection means for receiving said analog video signals and for detecting therefrom the other one of the copyright control information and the generation limitation information;
• generation limitation information superimposition means for superimposing updated generation limitation information on one of said analog video signals and said analog audio signals for recording;
• and
• recording limiting means for verifying, based on the copyright control information and the generation limitation information detected from said analog audio signals and said analog video signals, whether or not the original signals are recordable, said recording limiting means terminating the recording operation by said recording means if the original signals are verified to be unrecordable on the recording medium, said recording limiting means permitting the recording operation to be performed by said recording means with the generation limitation information updated by one generation by said generation limitation information superimposing means being superimposed on the analog signals if the original signals are verified to be recordable.

A signal recording method comprising:

• receiving analog video signals and analog audio signals being original signals, one of said analog video signals and said analog audio signals having copyright limitation information for copying limitation superimposed thereon by watermark processing and the other of said analog video signals and said analog audio signals having generation limitation information specifying the number of times of possible copying or reproduction superimposed thereon;
• receiving said analog audio signals and detecting therefrom the appropriate one of the copyright control information and the generation limitation information by use of audio detection means, and receiving said analog video signals and detecting therefrom the other one of the copyright control information and the generation limitation information by use of video detection means;
• and
• verifying, based on the copyright control information and the generation limitation information detected from said analog audio signals and said analog video signals, whether or not the original signals are recordable on a recording medium, the recording operation being terminated if the original signals are verified to be unrecordable, the recording operation being permitted to be performed with the generation limitation information updated by one generation being superimposed on the analog signals if the original signals are verified to be recordable.

A system comprising:

• a signal reproducing apparatus including receiving/reproducing means for receiving or reproducing digital data transmitted via a transmission medium or recorded on a recording medium, said digital data containing a main stream and a substream, said main stream being original digital signals having copyright control information for copying limitation superimposed thereon by watermark processing and said sub-stream being generation limitation information specifying the number of times of possible copying or reproduction, generation limitation information superimposition means for detecting the generation limitation information and superimposing the detected generation limitation information on said original digital signals to form combined original digital signals, conversion means for converting the combined original digital signals into analog baseband signals, and outputting means for outputting the analog baseband signals, and
• a signal recording apparatus including input means supplied with analog baseband signals from output means of said reproducing apparatus, recording means for recording said analog baseband signals on the recording medium, copyright control information detection means for detecting the copyright control information, generation limitation information detection means for detecting the generation limitation information, second generation limitation information superimposition means for superimposing the generation limitation information on analog baseband signals for recording, and recording limiting means for verifying whether or not the original signals are recordable, said recording limiting means terminating the recording operation by said recording means if the original signals are verified to be unrecordable on the recording medium, said recording limiting means permitting the recording operation to be performed by said recording means with the generation limitation information updated by one generation by said second generation limitation information superimposing means being superimposed on the analog baseband signals if the original signals are verified to be recordable.

A method comprising the steps of:

• receiving or reproducing digital data transmitted via a transmission medium or recorded on a recording medium, said digital data containing a main stream and a substream, said main stream being digital original signals having copyright control information for copying limitation superimposed thereon by watermark processing and said sub-stream being generation limitation information specifying the number of times of possible copying or reproduction;
• detecting the generation limitation information and superimposing the detected generation limitation information on said original digital signals to form combined original digital signals;
• converting said combined original signals into analog baseband signals;
• transmitting the analog baseband signals;
• receiving the analog baseband signals;
• detecting the copyright control information from the received analog baseband signals;
• detecting the generation limitation information from said analog baseband signals;
• and
• verifying whether or not the original digital signals are recordable on a recording medium, the recording operation by said recording means being terminated if the original digital signals are verified to be unrecordable, the recording operation being permitted to be performed with the generation limitation information updated by one generation being superimposed on the analog baseband signals if the original signals are verified to be recordable.