Information processing apparatus and method, information recording medium, and computer program

A non-transitory information recording medium on which content whose usage is to be managed is recorded,

• wherein data included in the content is set as content management units,
• data included in each content management unit is stored as data encrypted based on a unit key associated with the content management unit, and
• content usage control information corresponding to each content management unit is stored, the content usage control information including a flag indicating whether the usage of the content is allowed depending on whether a device to use the content is an extended device having an extended function of being able to connect to a network or a basic device without the extended function, the flag being set to a first value when it is necessary to connect to a network to obtain information to decrypt the content,
• wherein the content usage control information includes basic control information and extended control information, and wherein the content usage control information is utilized to determine based on the value of the flag included in the basic control information whether the usage of content corresponding to the content usage control information is allowed.

An information processing method comprising:

• reading content usage control information recorded on an information recording medium;
• identifying a value of a flag included in the content usage control information;
• and
• determining, by a computer processor, whether the usage of content corresponding to the content usage control information is allowed based on (1) the value of the flag, the flag being set to a first value when it is necessary to connect to a network to obtain information to decrypt the content, and (2) device information indicating whether an information processing apparatus to use the content is an extended device having an extended function of being able to connect to a network or a basic device without the extended function,
• wherein the content usage control information includes basic control information and extended control information, and, in the determining, it is determined based on the value of the flag included in the basic control information whether the usage of content corresponding to the content usage control information is allowed.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions allowing a computer to analyze content usage control information, comprising:

• first computer executable instructions identifying a value of a flag included in the content usage control information read from an information recording medium;
• and
• second computer executable instructions determining whether the usage of content corresponding to the content usage control information is allowed based on (1) the value of the flag, the flag being set to a first value when it is necessary to connect to a network to obtain information to decrypt the content, and (2) device information indicating whether an information processing apparatus to use the content is an extended device having an extended function of being able to connect to a network or a basic device without the extended function,
• wherein the content usage control information includes basic control information and extended control information, and the second computer executable instructions utilize the content usage control information to determine based on the value of the flag included in the basic control information whether the usage of content corresponding to the content usage control information is allowed.