CA2245427A1 - Information signal recording/reproducing system, information signal recording device, information signal reproducing device and information signal recording/reproducing process - Google Patents

Abstract

When digital image signals inputted through an inputting terminal are recorded on a disc, a medium-related information (a serial number in an TOC) of the disc, read from the disc, with a medium related information reading section is spectrum-spread in an SS additional information generating section and then digital image signals S2 on which the spectrum-spread medium-related information is superimposed in an SS
additional information superimposing section are recorded on the disc. When the signals attempt to be reproduced, the reproduction can be performed in the case wherein the medium-related information superimposed on the image signals recorded on the disc is consistent with the medium-related information of the disc on which the image signals are recorded. Thus, copying of the information signals can be limited to the copying for private use.

Description

INFORMATION SIGNAL RECORDING/REPRODUCING SYSTEM, INFORMATION SIGNAL RECORDING DEVICE, INFORM~TION
SIGNAL REPRODUCING DEVICE AND INFORMATION SIGNAL
RECORDING/REPRODUCING PROCESS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording/reproducing system and a recording/reproducing process for adding additional information to information signals, such as image signals, and recording the resultant signals on a recording medium, and for, in reproduction, picking up the additional information added to the information signals and then performing control for reproductioni and a recording device and a reproducing device for use in the aforementioned system and process.
Description of Related Art Recently, there have been provided many reproducing devices such as a digital VTR and a reproducing device for a DVD (Digital Video Disc), and softwares which can be reproduced by use of these devices. Digitized image signals and sound signals have been easily reproduced at home so that images with good image quality can be watched and sounds with good CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 i t sound ~uality can be listened to Furthermore, there have been also provided abundant image signals and sound signals, or programs through Internet and recording media such as a C D-ROM
(Compact Disc ROM), and the digitized so~twares provided through Internet and the recording media such as a CD-ROM have been widely usedin apersonalcomputer or the like However, it is ~eared that the so~twares such as digital image signals provided abundantly in such a manner as above are copied without any restriction Hitherto, there~ore, various copy preventing methods have been adopted to prevent illegal copying o~
in~ormation signals such as image signals and sound signals As one o~ the copy preventing methods, there is known a copy limiting system over plural generations called CGMS (copy generation management system) In this system, 3-stage classi~ied copy control in~ormation, i e , in~ormation that copying is ~ree, that copying is allowable ~or the ~irst generation, or that any copying is prohibited is embedded on an in~ormation signal. For example, in the case wherein copying is ~ree, wherein copying is allowable ~or the ~irstgeneration, orwhereinanycopyingisprohibited, CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 -2-bit copy control in~ormation o~ "00". "10" or "11"
is embedded in the in~ormation signal, respectively.
However, in thecase wherein any copying isprohibited, the copy control in~ormation is not embedded in the in~ormation signal.
When the in~ormation signal is copied on a recording medium, the copy control in~ormation embedded in the in~ormation signal according to the CDMSisdetected, andthen thecopycontrolisper~ormed in accordance with the detected copy control in~ormation In this case, i~ any copy controlling signal is not detected, the in~ormation signal cannot be copied This is because in the case wherein any copying is prohibited, any copy control in~ormation is not embedded As describedabove, controlcanbeper~ormednot only~orcopying-prohibitionorcopying-allowance, but also ~or copying-allowance only ~or the ~irst generation Thus, ~lexible copy preventing control has been able to be per~ormed In the case wherein copy preventing control is per~ormed according to the CGMS, however, suppliers o~
in~ormation signals have a desire that copying o~ the in~ormation signals is limited to copying by an individual, ~or example, at home, i e , copying ~or CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ?

private use even if the copy controlling information that copying is free or that copying is allowable ~or the ~irst generation is added to the in~ormation signal Inotherwords, there arenoproblems inthecase wherein an individual copies the information signal on a recording medium at home and then the individual uses the copied in~ormation signal; however, it is not preferredforthesupplierso~in~ormationsignalsthat even information signals the copying of which is allowable are copied many times so that the copied information signals will spread widely to the public In order to prevent such spread of copied information signals, it is considered that the suppliers of information signals, in supplying the signals, more frequently add the copy control information that any copying is prohibited to the information signals for supply, or that the cost for supplying information signals becomes expensive This case is not preferable since copying for private use is also limited SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the light of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an in~ormation signal CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 }

recording/reproducingsystemandanin~ormationsignal recording/reproducing process ~or making it possible to limit even the in~ormation signal the copying o~
which is allowable to be copied ~or private use; and recording and reproducing devices ~or use in this system and this method The present invention is an in~ormation signal recording/reproducingsystem,usingarecordingmedium having thereon an area which is di~erent ~rom an area ~or recording in~ormation signals and which medium-related in~ormation, which is in~ormation on the recording medium, is be~orehand recorded in, or having a section accompanying the recording medium in which themedium-relatedin~ormationisbe~orehandrecorded;
andcomprisingarecordingdevicesection~orrecording the in~ormation signals on the recording medium and a reproducing device section ~or reproducing the in~ormation signals recorded on the recording medium;
the recording device section comprising:
recording-side medium-related in~ormation reading means ~or reading the medium-related in~ormation ~rom the recording medium, or ~rom the section accompanying the recording medium;
in~ormation adding means ~or adding the medium-related in~ormation read by means o~ the CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 recording-side medium-related inLormation reading means to the in~ormation signals; and recording means ~or recording the in~ormation signals to which the medium-related in~ormation is added by means o~ the in~ormation adding means on the recording medium;
the reproducing device section comprising:
reproducing-side medium-related in~ormation readingmeans ~or reading the recording medium, or ~rom the section accompanying the recording medium;
in~ormation signal reading means ~or reading the in~ormation signals ~rom the recording medium;
detecting means ~or detecting the medium-related in~ormation added to the in~ormation signals ~rom the in~ormation signal reading means;
determining means ~or determining whether or not the medium-related in~ormation ~rom the reproducing-side medium-related in~ormation reading means is consistent with the medium-related in~ormation ~rom the detecting means; and reproductioncontrollingmeans ~orcarryingout control ~or reproducing the in~ormation signals only when the medium-related in~ormation ~rom the reproducing-side medium-related in~ormation reading means is consistent with the medium-related CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 in~ormation ~rom the detecting means According to the in~ormation signal recording/reproducingsystemo~thepresentinvention, when in~ormation signals attempt to be recorded, the medium-related information is read ~rom the recording medium on which the in~ormation signals are recorded or ~rom the section accompanying the recording medium by means o~ the recording-side medium-related in~ormation reading means The read medium-related in~ormation is added to the in~ormation signals by means o~ the in~ormation adding means, and then the in~ormation signals to which the medium-related in~ormation is added are recorded on the recording medium The medium-related in~ormation is, ~or example, in~ormation intrinsic to every recording medium, and is, in the case o~ the recording medium is a disc , a serial number recorded in a TOC (Table O~
Content) o~ the disc When the in~ormation signals recorded on the recording medium are reproduced, the medium-related in~ormation o~ the recording medium is read ~rom the recording medium to be reproduced or the section accompanying the recording medium by means o~ the reproducing-side medium-related in~ormation reading means. The medium-related in~ormation added to the in~ormation signals to be reproduced is detected by means o~ the detecting means.
The in~ormation signals are reproduced when the medium-related in~ormation read by means o~ the reproducing-side medium-related in~ormation reading means is consistent with the medium-related in~ormation detected ~rom the in~ormation signals by means o~ the detecting means.
In short, when recording process is per~ormed in an ordinary manner, the medium-related in~ormation added to thein~ormation signals isconsistentwith the medium-related in~ormation o~ the recording medium on which the in~ormation signals are recorded However, whencopyingiscarriedoutinothermanner, ~orexample, when the whole o~ the in~ormation recorded on the recording medium, as it is, is copied on another recording medium, the medium-related in~ormation o~
the recording medium is not consistent with the medium-related in~ormation o~ the in~ormation signals recorded on this.
There~ore, when the medium-related in~ormation added to the in~ormation signals is consistent with the medium-related in~ormation o~ the recording medium on whichthein~ormationsignalsarerecordedasdescribed above, the in~ormation signals are decided to be CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 in~ormation signals copied for private use in an ordinary manner and then are reproduced. On the contrary, when the medium-related in~ormation added to the in~ormation signals is not consistent with the medium-related information o~ the recording medium on which the in~ormation signals are recorded, the in~ormation signals are decided to be in~ormation signals copied inother manner than theordinary manner and then are not reproduced Thus, the information signals copied in the ordinary manner by means o~ the recording device section can be reproduced without any problem.
However, thein~ormationsignalscopiedinothermanner than the ordinary manner cannot be reproduced.
Accordingly, it is possible to prevent copying of the information signals for other purposes than private use BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRl~WINGS
Fig 1 is a block diagram ~or explaining an embodiment o~ the in~ormation signal recording device according to the present invention Fig 2 isablock diagram ~or explaininga timing generator in the recording device shown in Fig. 1.
Fig 3 is a block diagram for explaining an SS

CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 additional in~ormation generator in the recording device shown in Fig Fig 4 is a block diagram ~or explaining an exampleo~apNcodegeneratorinaportionin the device shown in Fig Figs 5A to 5D are diagrams showing relationships between the_SS additional in~ormation and in~ormation signals Fig. 6 is a block diagram ~or explaining an embodiment o~ the in~ormation signal reproducing device according to the present invention Fig 7 is a ~lowchart ~or explaining the ~low o~ the action o~ the recor~ding device shown in Fig Fig 8 is a ~lowchart ~or explaining the ~low o~ the action o~ the reproducing device shown in Fig Fig 9 is a block diagram ~or explaining other embodiment (usingdeviceintrinsicin~ormation) o~the in~ormation signal recording device according to the invention Fig 10 is a block diagram ~or explaining other embodiment (using deviceintrinsicin~ormation) o~the in~ormation signal reproducing device according to the invention Fig 11 is a block diagram ~or explaining other CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 embodiment (using an IC card memory) o~ the in~ormation signal recording device according to the invention Fig 12 is a block diagram ~or explaining other embodiment (using an IC card memory) o~ thein~ormation signal reproducing device according to the invention Fig. 13 is a block diagram ~or explaining other embodiment (using enciphered medium intrinsic in~ormation) o~ the in~ormation signal recording device according to the invention Fig 14 is a block diagram ~or explaining other embodiment (using enciphered medium intrinsic information) of the in~ormation signal reproducing device according to the invention DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EM~ODIMENTS
Pre~erred embodiments o~ the present invention will be described below, re~erring to the attached drawings The ~irst embodiment:
In the ~irst embodiment, an in~ormation signal recording devicel0, whichis re~erredtoasarecording device hereina~ter, shown in Fig. 1 is a device ~or receivingdigitalin~ormationsignalsprovidedthrough a network such as Internet and then recording them on a recording medium CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 An in~ormation signal reproducing device 20, which is re~erred to as a reproducing device hereina~ter, showninFig 6isadevice~orreproducing in~ormation signals recor-ded on the recording medium and, ~or example, displaying reproduced images on a display or transmitting them to other communication devices through a network such as Internet In short, the recording device 10 and the reproducing device 20 are devices such as a personal computer which can transmit and receive in~ormation signals through a network such as Internet, and the recording device 10 corresponds to a recording system in a device such as a personal computer, and the reproducing device 20 corresponds to a reproducing system in the same device.
When in~ormation signals are recorded on a recording medium, in~ormation intrinsic to the individual medium (medium intrinsic in~ormation) is added, as in~ormation related to the recording medium on which the in~ormation signals are to be recorded, to the in~ormation signals and then the resultant in~ormation signals are recorded on the recording medium, which will be in detail described later. In the case wherein the in~ormation signals recorded on the recording medium attempt to be reproduced, the CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 signals are reproduced only when the a~orementioned medium intrinsic in~ormation added to the in~ormation signals to be reproduced is consistent with the medium intrinsic in:l~ormation which the recording medium on which the inf~ormation signals to be reproduced are recorded has.
In other words, when an individual user uses the recording device 10 which will be explained below so as to copy the in~ormation signals in an ordinary manner :~or private use, the medium intrinsic in~ormation added to the copied in~ormation signals will be made consistent with the medium intrinsic in~ormation which the recording medium on which the inf~ormation signals are recorded has.
In the case wherein ~or every recording medium on which the information signals are to be recorded the medium intrinsic in~ormation o~ the medium is not added to the in~ormation signals to be recorded, but in the case wherein the same in~ormation signals are copied on many recording media, for example, by copying the in:Eormation signals recorded on a single recording medium onto other recording media, the medium intrinsic ini~ormation which is added to the in:~ormation signals and which will be consistent in the case o:~ copying in an ordinary manner is not consistent with the medium CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 intrinsic in~ormation which the recording medium on which the in~ormation signals are recorded has In this case, there~ore, reproduction is prohibited, and illegally copying o~ the in~ormation signals in a manner dif~erent from the ordinary manner is prohibited.

Recording device 10 The recording device 10 in the ~irst embodiment will be ~irstly described Fig. 1 is a block diagram ~or explaining the recording device 10 in the ~irst embodiment As shown in Fig. 1, therecording device 10 has an input terminal ll~orinputtingin~ormationsignals, acopypreventing control in~ormation-detecting section 12, a timing generator 13, an SS additional in~ormation generator 14 (The SS is an abbreviation o~ spread spectrum, which isthesamehereina~ter ), anSSadditionalin~ormation superimposing section 15, a writing section 16, a medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 17, and a system controller 200 ~or controlling the respective sections in the recording device 10 A recording medium 100 is a medium on which various digital in~ormation signals such as digital image signals, digital sound signals and programs are CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 recorded by this recording device 10, including discs such as a CD-ROM and a DVD. In the ~ollowing, ~or simpli~ying explanation in~ormation signals which are supplied to the recording device 10 through the input terminal 11 ~or inputting in~ormation signals and are recorded on the disc 100 are digital image signals The digital image signals S1 supplied to the recording device 10 are signals to which copy preventing control in~ormation called CGMS (copy generation management system) is inserted and added ThecopypreventingcontrolinformationcalledtheCGMS
is, ~or example, 2-bit in~ormation representing the content o~ copy control ~or the digital image signals S1, such as allowance o~ copying, prohibition o~
copying, or copying generation restriction.
When the disc 100 ~or recording in~ormation signals is set into the recording device 10 and a user gives an instruction ~or starting record o~ image signals through an operation key section 201 connected to the system controller 200, the controller 200 controls the respective sections in the recording device 100 so as to start the recording process ~or recording the supplied in~ormation signals onto the disc 10 Digital image signals S1 transmitted ~rom a CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 network such as Internet and received by the recording device 10 are supplied to the copy preventing control in~ormation detecting section 12, the timing generator 13 and the SS additional information superimposing section 1~ in the recording device 100 The copy preventi~ control information detecting section 12 detects the copy preventing control information acco-rding to the CGMS which is addedto thesupplieddigitalimagesignalsS1, andthen communicates the detected copy ~reventing control information to the system controller 200 When the information from the copy preventing controlinformationdetectingsectionl2 shows thatany copying is prohibited, the system controller 200 controls the respective sections not to record the digital image signals S1 When the information from the copy preventing control information detecting section 12 shows that copying is allowable, the system controller 200 controls the respective sections in the device 10 to record the digital image signals S1 on the recording medium 100 When the digital image signals S1 can be copied, the medium intrinsic information reading section 17 reads a serial number intrinsic to every disc recorded in, for example, a TOC (Table Of Contents) of the disc 100, and supplies this as medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 to the SS additional information generator 14.
The re~erence timing gerlerator 13 detects re~erence timing signals ~rom the supplied digital image signals S1 and then generates timing signals TM
and clock signals CLK used in the respective sections in the recording device 100 on the basis oE the detected re~erence timing signals.
Fig. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the timing generator 13 in the recording device 10 As shown in Fig. 2, the timing generator 13 has a re~erence timing detecting section 131, a PLL circuit 132 and a timing signal generator 133 The timing detecting section 131 extracts synchronous signals DK as the re~erence timing signals ~rom the digital image signals S1 supplied to the section 131, and then supplies the signals to the PLL
circuit 132 and the timing signal generator 133 The PLL circuit 132 generates clock signals CLK
synchronized with the digital image signals S1 on the basis of~ the synchronous signals DK from the re~erence timing detecting section 131 The clock signals CLK
are supplied not only to the timing signal generator 133 but also to the respective sections using the clock signals CLK such as the SS additional in~ormation CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 generator 14 which will be in detail described later.
The timing signal generator 133 generates timing signals TM ~or use in the SS additional in~ormation generator 14 and other various timing signals on the basis o~ the synchronous signals DK ~rom the re~erence timing detecting section 131 and the clock signals CLK ~rom the PLL circuit 131 The timing signals TM generated in~the timing signal generator 133 are synchronized with the synchronous DS ~rom the re~erence timing detecting section 131, and are used as reset (initializing) signals ~or taking timing ~or generating a PN code series having a predetermined code pattern used ~or spectrum-spreading ~rom the head o~ the code series, in the SS additional i~ormation generator 14 When, ~or example, vertical synchronizing signals are extracted as re~erence timing signals in the re~erence timing detecting section 131 in the timinggenerator13, theclocksignalsCLKsynchronized with the vertical synchronizing signals ~rom the re~erence timing detecting section 131 are generated in the PLL circuit 132 In the timing signal generator 133, on thebasis o~ the vertical synchronizing signals ~rom the re~erence timing detecting section 131 and the clock CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 signals CLK ~rom the PLL circuit 132, timing signals TM synchronized with the vertical synchronizing signalsusedasre~erencetimingsignalsaregenerated, so as to make one ~ield correspond to one cycle As shown in Fig. 1, the timing signals TM and the clock signals CLK thus generated in the timing generator 13 are supplied to the SS additional in~ormation generator 14.
The SS additional in~ormation generator 14 receives thesupplyo~themediumintrinsicin~ormation B1, the timing signals TM and the clock signals CLK and then generates SS medium intrinsic in~ormation (SS
additionalin~ormation) SB1, whichisaspreadspectrum signal o~ the medium intrinsic in~ormation B1.
Fig. 3 is a block diagram ~or explaining the SS
additional in~ormation generator 14 As shown in Fig.

3, theSSadditionalin~ormationgenerator14comprises a PN (Pseudorandam Noise) code generator 141 and a multiplier 142.
The PN code generator 141 generates a PN code series PS, on the basis o~ the timing signals TM and theclocksignalasCLK Speci~ically, ateverytiming that the timing signal TM is supplied, the PN code generator 141 generates the PN code series PS ~rom its head, in synchronization with the clock signals CLK, -and then supplies this to the multi~ier 142.
Into the multi~ier 142, supplied are medium intrinsic in~ormation rows B1~ which are generated by outputting medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 ~rom the mediumintrinsicin~ormationreadingSeCtiOnl2insuch a manner that bits corresponding to the predetermined number o~ clocks are outputted in synchronization with the clock signals CLK at every timing given by the timing signal TM
In the multi~ier 142, the PN code series PS are multipliedbythemediumintrinsicin~ormationrowsBlR, so as to generate spread spectrum signals (SS medium intrinsic in~ormation), which are spectrum-spread medium intrinsic in~ormation.
As described above, the SS additional in~ormation generator 14 has a ~unction as a spreading means~ormakingmediumintrinsicin~ormationBlhaving a narrow band and a high level into SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1 having a wide and a low lever by using the PN code series PS to spectrum-spread the medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 This will be in detail described later Fig. 4 is a view illustrating a structural example o~ the PN code generator 141 shown in Fig. 3.
The PN code generator 141 o~ this example comprises D

CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ~lip-~lop circuits REG1 - REG12 constituting 12 steps of si~t resistors, and Exclusive-OR circuits EX-OR1 -EX-OR3 ~orcalculatingappropriatetapoutputs ~romthe si~tresistors. ThePNcodegenerator141showninFig 4 generates PN code series PS in the M (Maximum) length sequence on the basis o~ the timing signals TM and the clock signals GLK, as described above.
Enable signals EN in Fig 4 are signals ~or ~alling the PN cord generator 141 into an operating state Inthe~irstembodiment~ theenablesignalsare generated, ~or example, by switching on the recording device 10 shown in Fig 1, and then supplied to the PN
cord generator 141 The SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1 thus obtained ~rom the SS additional in~ormation generator 14 is supplied to the SS additional in~ormation superimposing section 15 The signal superimposing section 15 receives the supply o~ the digital image signals S1 and the digital SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1, and then generates digital image signals S2 on which the SS
medium intrinsic information SB1 as a digital signal is superimposed When the digital image signals S1 are composed o~, ~or example, a 10 bit-source, in which an image o~

CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 J

1 pixel is represented by 10-bit signals, the SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SBl is superimposed on the least signi~icant bit (LSD) in the 10-bit digital image signals, or the ninth bit adjacent to the LSD in the SS additional in~ormation superimposing section 15.
In this manner, the SS additional in~ormation superimposingsection15causestheSSmediumintrinsic in~ormationSBl to besuperimposed on the digital image signal Sl within the same time and the same ~re~uency.
In this case, the SS additional in~ormation superimposingsection15 causestheSSmediumintrinsic in~ormation SBl to besuperimposed on the digital image signals Sl at a lower signal electric power than the dynamic range o~ the digital image signals Sl, so that the digital image signals Sl will not be deteriorated by the SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SBl The digital image signals S2 thus ~ormed by superimposing the SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SBl on the digital image signals Sl in the SS additional in~ormation superimposing section 15 are supplied to the writing section 16 The writing section 16 receives the supply o~
the digital image signals S2 on which the digital SS
medium intrinsic in~ormation SBl is superimposed, converts this into digital image signals suitable ~or CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 writing, and thenpermits the digitalimage signals ~or writing to be recorded on the recording medium 100 As will be in detail described below, the SS
medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1 superimposed on the digital image signals recorded on the recording medium 100 is spectrum-spread, and consequently reproduction images based on the digital image signals are not deteriorated, and not altered nor erased Figs 5A to 5D are diagrams o~ spectrums showing the relationship between in~ormation signals, in particular image signals in the present example, and additional in~ormation, such as medium intrinsic in~ormation, added to the in~ormation signals The additional in~ormation includes a small deal o~
in~ormation, and is low-bit in~ormation and narrow band-in~ormation as shown in Fig 5A This is subjected to spectrum-spreading, resulting in wide band- in~ormation as shown in Fig 5B At this time, the spectrum-spread signal level becomes lower in inverse proportion to the expansion rate o~ the band These spread spectrum signals, that is, pieces o~ the SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1, are superimposed on the in~ormation signals on the SS
additional in~ormation superimposing section 15. In this case, as shown in Fig. 5C, the SS medium intrinsic CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 .. ~

in~ormation SB1 is superimposed at a level lower than the dynamic range o~ the image signals as the in~ormation signals. By such superimposing, the in~ormation signals are hardly deteriorated Thus, when the image signals on which the SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1 is superimposed are supplied to a monitoring device, good images are reproduced without substantial in~luence o~ the SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1.
However, when inverse spectrum-spreading is per~ormed in such a manner as will be in detail described later so as to detect the SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1 as additional in~ormation at a recordingside, theSSmediumintrinsicin~ormationSB1 is again restored to a narrow band signal (additional in~ormation) as shown in Fig 5D. By giving a su~icient band spreading rate, the electric power o~
the copy control in~ormation a~ter being inverse-spread-spreadbecomesmorethanthato~thein~ormation signals, so that the SB1 can be detected In this case, the SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1 superimposed on the image signals cannot be erased nor altered by any ~requency ~ilter or simple replacement o~ in~ormation, since the in~ormation SB1 is superimposed within the same time CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 and ~requency as those o~ the image signals As described above, the SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1 superimposed on the digital image signals is spectrum-spread and superimposed as wide band and low level signals, and consequently the in~ormationSBldoesnOtcauseimagesisnalsreproduced from the digital image signals to be deteriorated Since the SS medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1 is superimposedon the digital image signals within the same time and ~requency, the newly additional image signals cannot be erased nor altered by any ~requency ~ilter or replacement o~ in~ormation signals.
As described above, the spectrum-spread medium intrinsic in~ormation is superimposed on the digital image signals within the same time and ~requency;
there~ore, even i~ the digital image signals on which the spectrum-spread additional in~ormation is superimposed are D/A-converted into analog signals, they are never erased.
When the supplied digital signals are recorded on the disc in the recording device 10, a serial number which is recorded on the TOC and which is in~ormation intrinsic ~or every disc is spectrum-spread as medium intrinsic in~ormation and then this is superimposed on the digital image signals S1 to be recorded, as CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 describedabove The digitalimagesignals~2 onwhich the spectrum-spread medium intrinsic in~ormation is superimposed are recorded on the disc 100 In short, the recording device 10 in ~hepresent embodiment makes it possible to spectrum-spread the medium intrinsic in~ormation, superimpose it on the digital image signals to be recorded on the disc 100, and then record it on the recording medium, without the digital image signals recorded on the disc 100 being deteriorated nor the medium intrinsic in~ormation superimposed on the digital image signals being altered When this recording device 10 is used to record the in~ormation signals in an ordinar~ manner, the spectrum-spread medium intrinsic in~ormation ~or superimpositionontheimagesignalsismadeconsistent with the medium intrinsic in~ormation o~ the recording medium on which the image signals are to be recorded.

Reproducing device 20 The ~ollowing will describe the reproducing device 20 Fig. 6 is a block diagram ~or explaining the reproducing device 20. As shown in Fig. 6, the reproducingdevice20hasareadingsection21, amedium CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 intrinsic in~ormation reading section 22, an SS
additional in~ormation detecting section 23, a timing generator 24, a reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25, a reproduction processing section 26, an indicative in~ormation generator 27, an LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) driver 28, an LCD 29, an in~ormation signal erasing section 31, and a system controller ~or controlling the respective sections in the producing device 20 The reproducing device 20 is a device ~or reproducing and outputting the digital image signals recorded on the disc 100 by the a~orementioned recording device 10 Namely, the reproducing device 20isadevice~orreproducingthedigitalimagesignals on which the spectrum-spread medium intrinsic in~ormation is superimposed.
When an instruction is given ~or starting reproducing the image signals recorded on the disc 100 set by a user through an operation they section 201 connected to the system controller 200 in the reproducing device 20, the system controller 200 controls the respective sections in the reproducing device 20 so as to start reproducing process Thereadingsection21inthereproducing device 20 generates digital regenerative image signals S12 CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ~rom signals S11 obtaine~by reproducing the information signals recorded on the disc 100, and then supplies them to the SS =additional in:Eormation detecting section 23, the timing generator 24 and the reproduction processing section 26 The timing generator 24 has the same structure as the a:~orementioned timing genera~or 13, re~erring to Fig. 2, and generates timing signals TM and clock signals CLK ~or use in the respective sections in the reproducing device 20 T~here:~ore, the timing generator 24 will be described, as the structure shown in Fig. 2 The re~erence timing detecting section 131 in the timing generator 24 extracts synchronous signals DK as re:Eerence timing signals i~rom the digital image signals S12 supplied to the section 131 The synchronous signals DK are supplied to the PLL circuit 132 and the timing signal generator 133 The PLL circuit 132 generates clock signals CLK
synchronized with the digital image signals S12, on the basis o~ the synchronous signals DK :Erom the re:Eerence timing detecting section 131, and supplies them to the respective sections, ~or example, the timing signal generator 133 and the SS additional ini~ormation detecting section 23 which will be in detail described CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 later The timing signal generator 133 generates and outputs timing signals TM and other various timing signals~oruseintherespectivesections, ~orexample, the SS additional in~ormation reading section 22 and the SS additional in~ormation generator 25, on the basis of the synchronous signals DK ~rom the re~erence timing detecting section 131 and the clock signals CLK
~rom the PLL circuit 132 Inthereproducing device20, thetimingsignals TM and the clock signals CLK give the same timing as the timing signals TM and the clock signals CLK used in the a~orementioned recording device 10 As shown in Fig. 6, the timing signals TM and the clock signals CLK thus generated in the timing generator 24 are supplied to the SS additional in~ormation detecting section 23 TheSSadditionalin~ormationdetectingsection 23 carries out inverse spectrum-spreading to extract the medium intrinsic in~ormation Bl which is spectrum-spread and superimposed on the digital regenerative image signals S12, and then supplies this to the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 Speci~ically, the SS additional in~ormation CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ' detecting section 23 has a PN code generator and a multiplier not illustrated, and generates a PN code series ~or inverse-spreading having the same code patter as thePN code series ~or spectrum-spreading the medium intrinsic-in~ormation Bl which is spectrum-spread and superimposed on the digital image signals S12, with their generating timing being consistent, on thebasis o~ thetiming signals TM and the clocksignals CLK ~rom the a~orementioned timing generator 24 The section 23 carries out the inverse spectrum-spreading by using the PN code series ~or inverse-spreading so that the medium intrinsic in~ormation Bl superimposed on the digital regenerative signal component S12 will be extracted ~rom the signal component S12.
On the contrary, the medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 22 reads the serial number o~ the disc 100 recorded in the TOC o~ the disc 100 as medium intrinsic in~ormation, in thesame manner as the medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 17 in the recording device 10, and then supplies this to the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 as the medium intrinsic in~ormation B2 o~
the recording medium on which the digital imagesignals to be reproduced are recorded.
The reproduction allowance/prohibition CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 determining section 25 determines whether or not the medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 superimposed on the digital image signals which are read ~rom the disc 100 and supplied ~rom the SS additional in~ormation detecting section 23 is consistent with the medium intrinsic in~ormation B2 o~ the disc lOQ which is read bythemedium intrinsicin~ormationreadingsection22, andthengeneratesacontrolsignalCTlorCT2 according to the determination to supply it to the reproduction processing section 25 and the indicative in~ormation generator 27 In other words, when the medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 ~rom the SS additional in~ormation detecting section 23 is consistent with the medium intrinsic in~ormation B2 ~rom the medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 22, the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 concludes that the image signals recorded on the disc 100 are signals properly copied in an ordinary manner, andthen generates thecontrolsignalCT1 ~or allowance o~reproductionsoastosupply thisto thereproduction processing section 26.
When the control signal CT1 ~rom the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 is a signal ~or allowance o~ reproduction, CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 the reproduction processing section 26 per~orms a process ~or encoding the digital image signals and the like processes to generate and output regenerative image signals When the reproduction allowanceJprohibition determining section 25 determines that the medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 ~rom the SS additional in~ormationdetectingsection23 isnotconsistentwith the medium intrinsic in~ormation B2 ~rom the medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 22, the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 concludes that the image signals recorded on the disc 100 are not signals properly copied, and then generates the control signal CT1 ~or prohibiting reproduction and supplies this to reproduction processing section 26 At the same time, the section 25 generates a control signal CT2 ~or displaying the ~act that the digital signals recordedon the recording medium 100 cannot be reproduced on the LCD 29 and then supplies this to the indicative in~ormation generator 27.
In this case, the reproduction processing section 26 does not permit the digital image signals S12 to be reproduced The indicative in~ormation generator 27 receiving the supply o~ the control CT2 CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 generates message in~ormation that the image signals recorded on the recording medium 100 may not be signals copied in an ordinary manner a~d they cannot be reproduced, so as to display this on the LCD 29 through the LCD driver 28 Furthermore, in this case, the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 in~orms the system controller 200 that the medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 ~rom the SS additional in~ormation detecting section 23 is not consistent with the medium intrinsic in~ormation B2 ~rom the medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 22 A~ter receiving this in~ormation, the system controller 200 controls the in~ormation signal erasing section 31 to erase the in~ormation signals recorded on the recording medium The in~ormation erasing section 31 makes it impossible toreadtheimagesignalsonwhich themedium intrinsic in~ormation di~erent ~rom the medium intrinsic in~ormation o~ the disc 100 is superimposed That is, this section 31 is a section for carrying out a so-called logically erasing O~ course, it is possible to initialize the disc 100 so as to erase the whole o~ the in~ormation signals recorded on the disc 100, or to physically erase the CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 imagesignalsonwhichthemediumintrinsicin~ormation di~erent ~rom the medium intrinsic in~ormation o~ the disc lQ0 is superimposed.
Action o~ the recording device 10 and the reproducing device 20:
The ~ollowing will describe the ~low o~ action o~ the a~orementioned recording device 10 and the reproducing device 20, re~erring to ~lowcharts shown in Figs. 7 and 8 Fig. 7 is a ~lowchart ~or explaining the ~low o~ the action o~ the recording device 10. The process shown in Fig. 7 is started when, ~or example, a user o~ the recording device 10 carries out the operation ~or recording the digital image signals inputted ~rom the inputting terminal ~or inputting in~ormation signals.
The recording device 10 ~irstly extracts, ~rom the image signals supplied through the inputting terminal 11, the copy preventing control in~ormation which is added to the image signals (step S1), and determines whether or not the supplied image signals can be copied (step S2). When in the determining step S2 the copy preventing control in~ormation indicates that copying is prohibited, this process is ~inished without any copying being carried out CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 When in the determining step S2 the extracted copy preventing control in~ormation indicates that copying o~ the supplied in~ormation signals is allowable, or allowable ~or only ~irst generation, the serial number recorded in=the TOC o~ the disc 100 on which the image signals are to be recorded is read as the medium intrinsic in~ormation (step S3), and the read medium intrinsic in~ormation is spectrum-spread (step S4) The spectrum-spread medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1 is then superimposed on the image signals recorded on the disc 100 (step S5), and the image signals on which the spectrum-spread medium intrinsic in~ormation SB1 is superimposedare recorded on the disc 100.
Fig. 8 is a ~lowchart ~or explaining the ~low o~ the action o~ the reproducing device 20. The process shown in Fig. 8 is started when, ~or example, a user o~ the reproducing device 20 carries out the operation ~or instructing reproduction o~ the image signals recorded on the disc 100 set into the reproducing device 20.
The reproducing device 20 ~irstly reads the serial number recorded in the TOC o~ the disc 100 on which the image signals to be reproduced are recorded, CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 as the medium intrinsic in~ormation B2, from this disc 100 (step S11). The device 20 then detects the medium intrinsic information B1 spectrum-spread and superimposed on the image signals read from the disc by inverse spectrum-spreading (step S12), and determines whether or not the read medium intrinsic information B2 is consistent with the medium intrinsic information B1 superimposed on the image signals (step S13) When in the determining step S13 it is determined that the medium intrinsic information B1 is consistent with the medium intrinsic in~ormation B2, the reproducing device 20 per~orms reproduction of the image signals and reproduces the image signals recorded on the disc 100 (step S14) When in the determining step S13 it is determined that the medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 is not consistent with the medium intrinsic information B2, the reproducing device 20 concludes that the image signals copied on the disc 100 are not signals copied in an ordinary manner so that the device 20 does not perform reproduction of the image signals and further displays a message that the image signals recorded on the disc cannot be reproduced on the LCD. The device 20 then erases the image signals on which the medium CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ,, intrinsic in~ormation B1 di~Lerent ~rom the medium intrinsic in~ormationB2 recordedon the disc 100 (step S15) is superimposed As described above, when the individual user uses the recording device 10 tD record in~ormation signals, such as imagesignals, which are allowable ~or copying in an ordinary manner ~or private use, the medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 superimposed on the in~ormation signals recorded on the disc is consistent with the medium intrinsic in~ormation which the disc on which the in~ormation signals are recorded has However, when the in~ormation signals recorded on the disc are not signals copied in an ordinary manner in the recording device 10, the medium intrinsic in~ormation superimposed on the in~ormation signals recorded on the disc is not consistent with the medium intrinsicin~ormationwhich therecording disconwhich thein~ormationsignalsarerecordedhas Thus, in the reproducing device 20 reproduction is not carried out Thus, even i~ the in~ormation signals are allawable ~or copying, normal reproduction can be carried out when the signals are copied in an ordinary manner ~or private use o~ a user, and ~urther illegal copying in a manner di~erent ~rom the ordinary manner can be prevented CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 The medium intrinsic in~ormation superimposed on in~o~mation signals when they are recorded is spectrum-spread and superimposed on the in~ormation signals; there~ore, the i~ormation signals are not deteriorated and ~urther it is also possible to surely pick up the medium intrinsic in~ormation properly superimposed and spectrum-spread, without this medium intrinsic in~ormation being altered nor taken o~, and carry out collation o~ the two pieces o~ the medium intrinsicin~ormationinthemannerasdescribedabove When the medium intrinsic in~ormation superimposedonthein~ormationsignalsrecordedonthe disc is not consistent with the medium intrinsic in~ormation o~ the disc on which these in~ormation signals are recorded, the LCD 29 displays the message that the signals cannot be reproduced However, the invention is not limited to such an embodiment For example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) and an LED driver are disposed to in~orm that image signals cannot be reproduced, and the LED may be turned on, or turned on and o~ when image signals as in~ormation signals cannot be reproduced because o~ inconsistency with the aforementioned two pieces o~ medium intrinsic in~ormation An OSD (On Screen Display) may be used to CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ' generate a signal ~or displaying a message that image signals to be reproduced cannot be reproduced, instead o~ the image signals to be reproduced, and output it Of course, superimposing may be used to display a message that normal reproduction cannot be carried out because o~ inconsistency with the aforementioned two pieces o~ medium intrinsic in~ormation in images based on the image signals to be reproduced. In this case, the message may be displayed to conceal a hal~
ormoreo~theareao~theimagebasedontheimagesignal to be reproduced, so that what the image to be watched is can be understood and at the same time the image si~nal cannot be normally reproduced because o~
concealment o~ the image caused by displaying the message.
When the medium intrinsic in~ormation superimposedonthein~ormationsignalsrecordedonthe disc is not consistent with the medium intrinsic information o~ the disc on which these in~ormation signals are recorded, a sound warning may be given In the ~irst embodiment, the image signals on which the medium intrinsic in~ormation di~erent ~rom themedium intrinsic in~ormation o~ the disc 100, which isrecordedonthedisclOO, issuperimposedareerased.
In this case, however, it is not necessarily erased CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 . ~

because the image signals are not reproduced.

The second embodiment:
As will be in detail described later, when in~ormation signals are recorded on a recording medium according to the second embodiment, device intrinsic in~ormation which is intrinsic to a recording device ~or recording is added, as in~ormation related to the recording device, to the in~ormation signals, and then the resultant signals are recorded on a recording medium As the device intrinsic in~ormation, for example, manu~acturer's serial numbermay be used. In the case wherein the in~ormation signals recorded on the recording medium are reproduced, the in~ormation signals recorded on the recording medium may be reproduced when the device intrinsic in~ormation added to the in~ormation signals to be reproduced is consistent with the device intrinsic in~ormation which a reproducing device ~or reproducing these in~ormation signals has In other words, the second embodiment makes it possible to reproduce in~ormation signals only in a recording/reproducing device by which the in~ormation signals were recorded, and to copy the in~ormation signalsonly ~orprivateuse, which is more restrictive CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ~or copying than the ~irst embodiment using medium intrinsic in~ormation In the second embodiment/ a recording device 30 or a reproducing device which will be in detail described below is a device such as a personal computer which can receive and transmit in~ormation signals through a network such as Internet, in the same manner as in the ~irst embodiment The recording device 30 and the reproducing device 40 correspond to a recording system in a device, such as a personal computer, and a reproducing system in the same device, respectively.
There~ore, in the recording and reproducing devices 30 and 40 according to the second embodiment, the same re~erence numbers are attached to the same structures/elements as in the recording and reproducing devices 10 and 20 according to the ~irst embodiment, and the explanation thereo~ will be made simple In thesame manner as in the ~irst embodiment, a recording disc 100 is a disc such as a CD~ROM or a DVD, and in~ormation signals to be recorded and reproduced will be described as digital image signals.

Recording device 30:
Fig. 9 is a block diagram ~or explaining the recordingdevice30inthesecondembodiment. Asshown CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 in Fig 9, the recording device 30 has an inputting terminal 11 ~or inputting in~ormation signals, a copy preventing control in~ormation detecting section 12, a timing generator 13, an SS additional generator 14, an SS additional in~ormationsuperimposingsection 15, a writing section 16 and a system controller 200 ~or controlling the respective sections in the recording device 30 As described above, the recording device 30 has a structure that does notcomprise the medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 17 which the recording device 10 in the ~irst embodiment has.
When a user gives an instruction ~or starting recording image signals through an operation key section201 connected to thesystem controller200, the system controller 200 controls the respectivesections in the recording device 30 to. start recording the supplied in~ormation signals on the disc 100 In the same manner as in the recording device 10, signal image signals S1 transmitted through a network such as Internet and received by the recording device 30 are supplied to the copy preventing control in~ormation detecting section 12, the timing generator 13 and the SS additional in~ormation superimposing section 15 in the recording device 30 CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 As described above, the copy preventingcontrol information detecting section 12 detects the copy preventing control in~ormation according to the CGMS
added to the supplied digital image signals Sl and informs the system control 200 of the detected copy preventing control in~ormation.
When the copy preventing control information from thecopypreventing control information detecting section 12 indicates that any copying is prohibited, the system controller 200 controls the respective sections not to record the digital image signals Sl When the information ~rom the copy preventing control information detecting section 12 indicates that copying is allowable, the system controller 200 controls the respective sections in the recording device 30 to record the digital image signals Sl on the recording medium 100 To the system controller 200, a ROM 202 and a RAM 203, as well as the operation key section 201, are connected In the ROM 202, programs which are carried out in the system controller 200, data for various processes, and information such as manufacturer's serial number of the recording device 30 are recorded The RAM 203 is used as a working area, for example, for storing results obtained in the middle o~ processing CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 The manu~acturer's serial number o~ the recording device 30, recorded on the ROM 202 which the system controller 200 has is a number intrinsic to the recording device 30 and is not the same as that o~ any otherrecordingdevice Aswillbeindetaildescribed later, there~ore, in the second embodiment the manu~acturer's number stored in the ROM 202 is used as device intrinsic in~ormation, which is in~ormation related to the device Inthesecondembodiment, when thedigitalimage signals S1 supplied to the recording device 30 are signals which can be copied, t~e system controller 200 reads device intrinsic in~ormation D1 intrinsic to the recording device30 ~rom the ROM202, and then supplies the device intrinsic ~ormation D1 to the SS additional in~ormation generator 14 As described above with re~erence to Fig. 2, the timing generator 13 detects re~erence timing signals ~rom the supplied digital image signals S1, and generates timing signals TM and clock signals CLK ~or use in the respective sections in the recording device 10 according to the ~irst embodiment, on the basis o~
the detected re~erence timing signals.
Namely, on the basis o~ the synchronous signals DK extracted ~rom the digital image signals S1 the CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 timing generator 13 generates timing signals TM and clock signals CLK in synchronization with the synchronous signals DK in the same manner as in the ~irst embodiment In the SS additional in~ormation generator 14, the timing signals TM are used as reset (initializing) signals ~or giving timing ~or generating a PN code series ~rom the head o~ the series, the PN code series having a predetermined code pattern which is used ~or spectrum-spreading. The clock signals CLKare used as signals ~or giving PN code-generating timing As shown in Fig 9, the timing signals TM and the clock signals CLK generated in the timing generator 13 are suppliedto theSSadditionalin~ormationgenerator14 The SS additional in~ormation generator 14 receives thesupplyo~thedeviceintrinsicin~ormation D1, the timing signals TM and the clock signals CLK, andthengeneratesSSdeviceintrinsicin~ormationSD1, which is spectrum-spread device intrinsic in~ormation As described above with re~erence to Fig 3, the SS additional in~ormation generator 14 has the PN code generator 14 1 and the multi~ier 142 The spread spectrumsignals (SSdeviceintrinsicin~ormation) SD1, whicharespectrum-spreaddeviceintrinsicin~ormation, CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ' are generated by multiplying a PN code series PS
generated, at every timing that the timing signal TM
is supplied, ~rom its head in synchronization with the clock signals CLK, and a device intrinsic in~ormation row DlR generated, at every timing that the timing signal TM is supplied, by outputting the device intrinsic in~ormation D1 in such a manner that bits thereo~ corresponding to the predetermined number o~
clocks are outputted in synchronization with the clock signals CLK. The SD1 is supplied to the SS additional in~ormation superimposing section 15 The SS additional in~ormation superimposing section 15 receives the supply o~ the digital image signals S1 and the digital SS device intrinsic in~ormation SD1, and then generates digital image signals S2 on which the digital SS device intrinsic in~ormation SD1 is superimposed to supply it to the writing section 16 The writing section 16 receives the supply of the digital image signals S2 on which the digital SS additional in~ormation SD1 is superimposed and then converts this into recording digital image signals suitable ~or recording to write the recording digital image signals on the recording medium 100 Thus, on the recording medium 100, recorded are the digital image signals on which the SS device intrinsic CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 information SD1, which is spectrum-spread device intrinsic information, is superimposed As described above, when information signals that are allowable ~or copying are copied for private use, in the recording device 30 according to the second embodiment, the device intrinsic information is spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals to be copied and subsequently the resultant signals are recorded on the recording medium Reproduci~g device 40:
The following will describe the reproducing device 40 according to the second embodiment Fig. 10 is a block diagram ~or explaining the reproducing device 40 As shown in Fiy. 10, the reproducing device 40 has a reading section 21, an SS
additional in~ormation detecting section 23, a timing generator 24, a reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25, a reproduction processing section 26, an indicative in~ormation generator 27, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) driver 28, an LCD 29, and a system controller 200 ~or controlling the respective sections in the reproducing device 40 In short, the reproducing device 40 according to the second embodiment does not have the medium CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 intrinsic in~ormation reading means 2~ which the reproducing device according to the ~irst embodiment has The reproducing device 40 can reproduce and output digital image signals recorded on the disc 100 by, ~orexamplethea~orementionedrecording device30 Namely, thereproducing device4ocanreproducedigital image signals on which spectrum-spread device intrinsic in~ormation is superimposed In the same manner as the reproducing device 20 according to the ~irst embodiment, the reproducing device 40 detects the device intrinsic in~ormation superimposedon the digitalimage signals S12 read from the disclOObycarryingoutinversespectrum-spreading in the SS additional in~ormation detecting section 23 In other words, the SS additional in~ormation detecting section 23 receives the supply o~ clock signals CLK and timing signals TM which are generated in the timing generator 24 and synchronized with synchronous signals DS detected ~rom the digital image signals 12, and then generates a PN code series ~or inverse-spreading having the same code pattern as the PN code series ~or spectrum-spreading the device intrinsic in~ormation Dl spectrum-spread and superimposed on the digital image signals S12, with their generating timing being consistent ~ CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 _ .....

TheSSadditionalin~ormationdetectingsection 23carriesourinversespectrum-spreadingbyusingthis PN code series ~or inverse-spreading, so as to detect the intrinsic in~ormation D1 superimposed on the digital image signals S12 ~rom the signals S12. The device intrinsic in~ormation D1 detected ~rom the SS
additional in~ormation detecting section 23 is supplied to the reproduction allowance/inhibition determining section 25 The system controller 200 reads the manu~acturer's serial number o~ the reproducing device 40 ~rom the ROM202 which thesystem controller200 has, as the device intrinsic in~ormation D2, and then suppliesthistothereproductionallowance/inhibition determining section 25 The reproduction allowance/inhibition determining section 25 determines whether or not the device intrinsic in~ormation D1 superimposed on the digital image signals S12 read ~rom the disc 100 and supplied ~rom the SS additional in~ormation detecting section 23 is consistent with the device intrinsic in~ormation D2 read ~rom the ROM 202 by the system controller 200 and then generates a control signal CT1 or CT2 according to the determined result, to supply it to the reproduction processing section 26 and the CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 indicative in~ormation generator 27 In other words, when the device intrinsic in~ormation D1 ~rom the SS additional in~ormation detecting section 23 is consistent with the device intrinsicin~ormationD2 ~romthesystemcontroller200, the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 concludes that the image signals recorded ~ on the disc 100 are signals copied in the in~ormation signal recording/reproducing device having the recording device 30 and the reproducing device 40 according to the second embodiment, and then generates the control signal CT1 that reproduction is allowable to supply this to the reproduction processing section When the control signal CT1 ~rom the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section25 isthesignalthatreproductionisallowable, the reproduction processing section 26 per~orms a process ~or encoding the digital image signals S12 and the like processes to generate and output regenerative image signals When the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 determines that the device intrinsic in~ormation D1 ~rom the SS additional in~ormationdetectingsection23 isnotconsistentwith CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ' the device intrinsic infor~mation D2 from the system controller 200, the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 concludes that the image signals recorded on the disc 100 are not signals reproduced in the recording/reproducing device having the recording device 30 and the reproducing device 40, and then generates the control signal CT1 that reproduction is prohibited and supplies this to reproduction processing section 26 At the same time, the section 25 generates a control signal CT2 ~or displaying the fact that the digital signals recordedon therecording medium 100 cannot be reproduced on the LCD 29 and then supplies this to the indicative in~ormation generator 27.
In this case, the reproduction processing section 26 does not permit the digital image signals ~12 to be reproduced The indicative information generator 27 receiving the supply of the control CT2 generates message in~ormation that the image signals recorded on the recording medium 100 may be signals copied in any other recording device and they cannot be reproduced, so as to display this on the LCD 29 through the LCD driver 28.
As described above, when image signals are CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 recordedinthesecondembodiment, thedeviceintrinsic in~ormationo~ therecordin~ device is spectrum-spread and superimposed on the recorded image signals When the image signals are re~~roduced, the in~ormation signals cannot be reproduced in the case wherein the deviceintrinsic in~ormat=ion o~ thereproducing device ~or reproduction is not co~sistent with the device intrinsic in~ormation spectrum-spread and superimposed on the image~signals There~ore, the image signals can be reproduced only in the recording/reproducingdevicebymeanso~whichthesame image signals were recorded Thus, the in~ormation signals recorded on the recordingmediumbyusinguser'srecording/reproducing device having the recording device 30 and the reproducing device40canbereproducedonly inthesame recording/reproducing device, there~ore, thepersonal user can copy and use the in~ormation signals ~or private use, but the in~ormation signals un~airly copiedon recording media by any other recording device cannot be reproduced Accordingly, it is possible to e~ectively prevent un~air copying o~ the in~ormation signals ~or purpose o~ rent to the general public In the same manner as in the ~irst embodiment, CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 in the second embodiment an LED (Light ~mitting Diode) and an LED driver may be disposed ~or in~orming that image signals cannot be reproduced, and an OSD (On Screen Display) or superimposing may beusedto display in~ormation outputted ~rom the reproducing device 40 on a display and in~orm that image signals cannot be reproduced Alternatively, a sound warning may be given The third embodiment:
In the third embodiment, ~or example, the recording device and the reproducing device are equipped with, ~or example, IC card readers, and in~ormationrecordedonanICcardmemorysuchas device ID, user ID, or recording medium ID is used as in~ormation related to the device, ~or example, the recording or reproducing device, instead o~ the a~orementioneddeviceintrinsicin~ormation Namely, the in~ormation in the IC card memory set into the card reader disposed at the recording device or the reproducing device is used in the same manner as the device intrinsic information read ~rom the ROM 202 in the second embodiment In the same manner as in the ~irst and second embodiments, inthethirdembodimentarecordingdevice CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 -50 or a reproducing device 60 which will be in detail described later is a device such as a personal computer which can receive and transmit in~ormation signals through a network such as Internet The recording device 50 and the reproducing device 60 correspond to a recording system in the device such as a personal computer and a reproducing system in the same device, respectively In the recording device 50 and the reproducing device60according to the thirdembodiment, there~ore, the same re~erence numbers are attached to the same structures/members in the recording devices 10 and 30, and the reproducing device 20 and 40 according to the ~irst and second embodiments, and the explanation thereo~ will be made simple In the same manner as in the ~irst embodiment, a recording disc 100 is a disc such as a CD-ROM or a DVD, and information signals to be recorded andreproducedwill be describedas digital image signals Recording device 50:
Fig 11 is a block diagram ~or explaining the recording device 50 in the third embodiment As shown in Fig 11, the recording device 50 according to the third embodiment has an inputting terminal 11 ~or CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 inputting information signals, a copy preventing control information detecting section 12, a timing generator 13, an SS additional generator 14, an SS
additional information superimposing section 15, a writing section 16 and a system controller 200 ~or controlling the respective sections in the recording device30 To the system controller200, a card reader 204 is connected As described above, the recording device 50 is a device wherein the card reader 204 is disposed at the recordingdevice30accordingto thesecondembodiment An IC card memory 300 is set to the card reader 204, and used The IC card memory 300 is sold, ~or example, together with the recording device 50 and used, for example, as identifying data on a user who is a buyer o~ the recording device 50 WhentheusersetstheICcardmemory300inwhich the information is recorded to the card reader 204 and then gives an instruction for starti~g recording image signals through an operation key section 201 connected to thesystem controller200, thesystemcontroller200 controls the respective sections in the recording device 50 to start recording supplied digital image information signals S1 on a disc 100 In the same manner as in the recording devices CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ,~

10 and30according to the~irstandsecondembodiments, the digital image signals S1 transmitted~rom anetwork such as Internet and received in the recording device 50 are supplied to the copy preventing control in~ormation detecting section 12, the timinggenerator 13, and the SS additional in~ormation superimposing section 15 in the recording device 50 In the copy preventing control in~ormation detecting section 12, the copy preventing control in~ormation added to the digital image signals S1 is detected and then the result is given to the system controller 200 When the copy preventing control in~ormation detected by means o~ the copy preventing control in~ormation detecting section 12 indicates that any copying is prohibited, the system controller 200 controls the respective sections in the recording device 50 not to record the digital image signals S1 When the copy preventing control in~ormation ~rom the copy preventing control in~ormation detecting section 12 indicates that copying is allowable, the system controller 200 controls the respective sections in the recording device 50 to record the digital imagesignals S1 on the recording medium 100.
When the digital signals S1 supplied to the -CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 recording device 50 are signals allowable ~or copying, the system controller 200 controls the card reader 204 to read ID in~ormation U1 ~rom the IC card memory 300 set to thecardreader204 andsupply the IDin~ormation U1 to the SS additional in~ormation generator 14.
As described above with re~erence to Eig 2, the timing generator 13 detects re~erence timing signals ~rom the supplied digital image signals S1, and generates timing signals TM and clock signals CLK ~or use in the respective sections in the recording device 50 according to the third embodiment, on the basis o~
the detected re~erence timing signals DK
Namely, on the basis o~ the synchronous signals DK extracted ~rom the digital image signals S1 the timing generator 13 generates timing signals TM and clock signals CLK in synchronization with the synchronous signals.
As described above with re~erence to Fig 3, the SS additional in~ormation generator 14 has the PN code generator 14 1 and the multi~ier 142 The spread spectrum signals (SSID in~ormation) SU1, which are spectrum-spread ID in~ormation, are generated by multiplying a PN code series PS generated, at every timing that the timing signal TM is supplied, ~rom its head in synchronization with theclocksignals CLK, and CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 an ID in~ormation row UlR generated, at every timing that the timing signal TM is supplied, by outputting the ID in:~ormation Ulin such amanner thatbits thereo~
correspondingto thepredeterminednumbero~clocksare outputtedinsynchronizationwiththeclocksignalsCLK
The SU1 is supplied to the SS additional in~ormation superimposing section 15 The SS additional in~ormation superimposing section 15 generates digital image signals S2 by superimposing the digital SS ID in~ormation SU1 on the digital image signals S1, and thensupplies thesignals S2 to the writing section 16. The writing section 16 receives the supply o~ the digital image signals S2 on which thedigital SS ID in:Eormation is superimposedand thenconverts this intorecordingdigitalimagesignals suitable ~or recording to write the recording digital image signals on the recording medium 100 Thus, on the recording medium 100, recorded are the digital image signals on which the SS ID in~ormation SU1, which is spectrum-spread ID in:Eormation, is superimposed As describe above, when the supplied digital image signals are recorded on the disc 100, the recording device according to the third embodiment reads the ID in~ormation ~rom the IC card memory 300 set to the card reader 204, spectrum-spreads and CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 superimposes this ID in~ormation on the digital image signals Sl to be recorded, and then records the digital image signals S2 on which the spectrum-spread user-identi~ying data are superimposed on the disc 100.

Reproducing device 60:
The ~ollowing will describe the reproducing device 60 according to the third embodiment.
Fig. 12 is a block diagram ~or explaining the reproducing device 60 in the third embodiment. As shown in-Fig. 12, the reproducing device 60 has a reading section21, an SS additional detecting section 23, a timing generator 24, a reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25, a reproduction processing section 25, an indicative in~ormation generator 27, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) driver 28, an LCD 29 and a system controller 200 ~or controlling the respective sections in the reproducing device 60. To the system controller 200, a card reader 204 is connected.
As described above, the reproducing device 60 according to the third embodiment is a device wherein the card reader 204 is disposed at the reproducing device 40 according to the second embodiment. An IC
card memory 300 is set to the card reader 204, and used CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 t in the same manner as in the aforementioned recording device 50 In the same manner as in the reproducing devices 20and40accordingto thefirstandsecondembodiments, in the reproducing device 60 according to the third embodiment the SS additional information detecting section 23 detects ID information U1 spectrum-spread and superimposed on the digital image signals S12 by carrying out inverse spectrum-spreading. The ID
in~ormation U1 detected by the SS additional information detecting section 23 is supplied to the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 The system control 200 controls the card reader 204 which the system controller200 has, and then reads the ID information U2 from the IC card memory 300 set to the card reader 204 to supply this information U2 to the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 The reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 determines whether or not the ID information U1 superimposed on the digital image signals read ~rom the disc 100 and supplied from the SS additional in~ormation detecting section 23 is consistent with the ID information U2 read from the IC

CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 card memory 300 set to the card reader 204 by control o~ the system controller 200, and then generates a control signal CT1 or CT2 according to the determined result to supply this signal to the reproduction processing section 26 and the indicative in~ormation generator 27.
In short, when the ID in~ormation U1 ~rom the SS additional in~ormation detecting section 23 is consistent with the ID in~ormation U2 ~rom the system controller 200, the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 concludes that the instruction ~or reproduction is given by a possessor o~ the IC card memory used in recording, and then generates the control signal CT1 that reproduction is allowable to supply this signal to the reproduction processing section 26 When the control signal CT1 ~rom the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 is a signal that reproduction is allowable, the reproduction processing section 26 generates regenerative image signals by carrying out processes such as encoding process o~ the digital image signals S12, and then outputs these signals When the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 determines that the ID

CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 in~ormation U1 ~rom the SS~ additional in~ormation detecting section 23 is not consistent with the ID
in~ormation U2 ~rom the system controller 200, the section 25 concludes that the instruction ~or reproduction is given by_a person who is not the possessor o~ the IC card used in recording, and then generates the control si~nal CT1 that reproduction is prohibited to supply this signal to the reproduction processing section 26 At this time, the section 25 generates a control signal CT2 ~or displaying the ~act that the digital signals recorded on the recording medium 100 cannot be reproduced on the LCD 29 and then supplies this to the indicative in~ormation generator 27.
In this case, the reproduction processing section 26 does not permit the digital image signals S12 to be reproduced The indicative in~ormation generator 27 receiving the supply o~ the control CT2 generates message in~ormation that the image signals recorded on the recording medium 100 may be signals copiedbyanyotherusers andtheycannotbereproduced, soastodisplaythisontheLCD29throughtheLCDdriver As described above, in the third embodiment the ID in~ormation U1 recorded on the IC card memory 300 CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 .

when the image signals are recorded is read, spectxum-spread and then superimposed on the recorded image signals When the image signals arereproduced, reproduction cannot be carried out i~ the ID
in~ormation U1 read ~rom the I~ card memory 300 set to the card reader 204 o~ the reproducing device is not consistent with the ID in~ormation U2 spectrum-spread and superimposed on the image signals There~ore, reproduction can be carried out only in the case o~
using the same IC card memory 300 in recording and reproducing processes Thus, in~ormation signals recorded on the medium by using the IC card memory 300 in the recording device 50 which the user has can be reproduced in any other reproducing device by setting the IC card memory to the device and reproducing the signals There~ore, when the recording device 50 according to the third embodiment is used to record the in~ormation signals, reproduction can be carried out by setting the IC card memory 300 used in recording to the reproducing device 60 according to the third embodiment The recording medium on which the in~ormation signals are recorded by means o~ the recording device 50 and the IC card memory 300 are used as a pair, so that any reproducing device having the CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 card reader 204 can reproduce the in~ormation signals recorded on the recording medium Accrdingly, information signals recorded on a recording medium at home can be reproduced in any other place Thus, a recording/reproducing system having appropriate flexibility can be constructed In this case an individual user can copy and use information signals ~or personla use However, the IC
card memory is necessary in reproducing, and consequently it is possible to ef~ectively prevent unfair copying of the in~ormation signals and rent o~
the copied signals to the public In the same manner as in the first and second embodiments, in the thied embodiment an LED (Light Emitting Diode) and an LED driver may be disposed for informing that image signals cannot be reproduced, and an OSD (On Screen Display) or superimposing may be used to display information outputted ~rom the reproducing device 40 on a display and inform that image signals cannot be reproduced Alternatively, a sound warning may be given In the ~irst, second and third embodiments, additional in~ormation, such as medium intrinsic information, device intrinsic in~ormation and ID
information, added to image signals, which are CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ?

in~ormation signals, is spectrum-spread and superimposed.
However, the invention is not limited to such embodiments. Electrical watermark in~ormation correspondingtoadditonalin~ormationsuperimposedon in~ormation signals may be generated in any other manner, so as to superimpose the watermark in~ormation on the in~ormation signals.

The ~ourth embodiment:
In the ~ourth embodiment, medium intrinsic in~ormation is enciphered and then it is added to in~ormationsignals. Thein~ormationsignalstowhich the enciphered medium intrinsic in~ormation is added are recorded on a recording medium. When the in~ormation signals recorded on the recording medium are reproduced, the medium intrinsic in~ormation enciphered and added to the in~ormation signals to be reproduced is decoded When the decoded medium intrinsic in~ormation is consistent with the medium intrinsic in~ormation o~ the recording medium on which the in~ormation signals are recorded, reproduction is carried out.
In the ~ourth embodiment, a recording device 70 or a reproducing device 80 which will be in detail CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 described below is a device such as a personal computer which can receive and transmit in~ormation signals through a network such as Internet, in the same manner as in the ~irst embodiment There~ore, in the recording and reproducing devices 70 and 80, the same re~erence numbers are attached to the same structures/elements as in the recording and reproducing devices according to the a~orementioned embodiments, and the explanation thereo~ will be made simple In the same manner as in the ~irst embodiment, a recording disc 100 is a disc such as a CD-ROM or a DVD, and in~ormation signals to be recorded and reproduced will be described as digital image signals in the same manner in the a~orementioned embodiments Recording device 70:
Fig. 13 is a block diagram for explaining the recordingdevice70inthe~ourthembodiment. Asshown in Fig 13, the recording device 70 has an inputting terminal 11 ~or inputting in~ormation signals, a copy preventing control in~ormation detecting section 12, a writing section 16, a medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 17, an enciphering section 18 and a system controller 200 ~or controlling the respective CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 sections in the recording device 70 When theusergives ~orstartingreproducing the image signals through an operation key section 201 connected to the system controller 200, the system controller 200 controls the respective sections in the recording device 70 to start recording the supplied information signals on the disc 100.
In the same manner as in the recording device according to the a~orementioned embodiments, signal image signals S1 transmitted through a network such as Internet and received by the recording device 70 are supplied to the copy preventing control in~ormation detecting section 12 and the writing section 16 in the recording device 70 The copy preventing control in~ormation detecting section 12 detects the copy preventing control in~ormation according to the CGMS added to the digital image signals S1 and in~orms the systemcontrol 200 o~ the detected copy preventing control in~ormation When the copy preventing control in~ormation ~rom the copypreventingcontrol in~ormation detecting section 12 indicates that any copying is prohibited, the system controller 200 controls the respective sections in the recording section 70 not to record the CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 digital image signals S1 When the in~ormation ~rom the copy preventing control in~ormation detecting section 12 indicates that copying is allowable, the systemcontroller200 controls the respectivesections in the recording device 70 to record the digital image signals S1 on the recording medium 100 When the digital image signals S1 are signals that are allowable ~or copying, the medium intrinsic reading17 reads a serial number recorded, for example, in the TOC o~ the disc 100, as medium intrinsic in~ormation B1, and then supplies this to the enciphering section 18 The enciphering section l~ enciphers the medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 in a predetermined way, and then supplies the enciphered medium intrinsic in~ormation to the writing section 16 In the present embodiment, the writing section 16 adds the enciphered medium intrinsic in~ormation to the digital image signals to be recorded on the disc 100. Thus, the digital image signals to which the enciphered medium intrinsic in~ormation is added are recorded on the recording disc 100 As described above, when supplied digital image signals are recorded on the disc 100 in the recording device 70 according to the ~ourth embodiment, the CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ~. '' J

medium intrinsic in~ormation o~ the disc 100 is enciphered, and then this enciphered in~ormation is added to the digital image signals to be recorded on the disc 100 The signals thus obtained are recorded on the disc 100 Reproducing device 80:
The ~ollowing will describe the reproducing device 80 according to the ~ourth embodiment Fig 14 is a block diagram ~or explaining the reproducing device 80 in the ~ourth embodiment As shown in Fig. 14, the reproducing device 80 has a reading section 21, a medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 22, a reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25, a reproduction processing section 25, an indicative in~ormation generator 27, an LCD (Li~uid Crystal Display) driver 28, an LCD 29, a medium intrinsic in~ormation decoder32, anda system controller200 ~or controlling therespectivesections in thereproducing device 80.
Thus, thereproducing device80according to the ~ourth embodiment has themedium intrinsic in~ormation decoder 32 so that the image in~ormation to which the encipheredmediumintrinsicin~ormationisaddedinthe CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 r recording device 70 can be reproduced The reproducing device 40 according to the ~ourth embodiment supplies the digital image signals Sl2 from the reading secti-on 21 to the reproduction processing section 26 and the medium intrinsic in~ormation decoder 32 _--The medium intrinsic in~ormation decoder 32decodes the encipheredmediu~ intrinsic in~ormation B1 added to the digital image signals S12 in accordance with the encipherin~ way used in the recording device 70, and then supplies the decoded medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 to the repr~o-duction allowance/prohibition determining section 25.
The medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 22 reads the serial number o~ the disc 100, as medium intrinsic in~ormatio~ B2, ~rom the disc 100, and then supplies the medium lntrinsic information B2 to the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 The reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 determines whether or not the medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 ~rom the decoder 52 is consistent with the medium intrinsic in~ormation B2 from the medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 22. ~

In the same manner as ln the first embodiment, when the medium intrinsic in~ormation B1 from the decoder 32 is consistent with the medium intrinsic in~ormation B2 ~rom the medium intrinsic information reading section 22, the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 determines that the image signals recorded on the disc 100 are signalsproperly copied, and then generates the control signal ~T1 that reproduction is allowable to supply this to the reproduction processing section 26.
When the control signal CT1 from the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 is a signal that reproduction is allowable, the reproduction processing section 26 carries out processes such as a process of decoding the digital image signals S12, and then generates and outputs regenerative image signals.
When the medium intrinsic information B1 from the decoder 32 is not consistent with the medium intrinsic information B2 from the medium intrinsic information reading section 22, the reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 concludes that the image signals recorded on the disc 100 are not signals properly copied and then generates the control signal CT1 that reproduction is prohibited CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 to supply this signal to the reproduction processing section26 At thesame time, the section25 generates a control signal CT2 ~or displaying the ~act that the digital signals recorded on the recording medium 100 cannot be reproduced on the LCD 29 and then supplies this to the indicative in~ormation generator 27 In this case, the reproduction processing section 26 does not permit the digital image signals S12 to be reproduced. The indicative information generator27 receiving thesupply o~ thecontrolsignal CT2 generates message in~ormation that the image signals recorded on the recording medium 100 cannot be reproduced, so as to display this on the LCD 29 through the LCD driver 28.
As described above, in recording process in the fourth embodiment, the medium intrinsic in~ormation o~
the disc 100 on which the image signals are to be recorded is enciphered, and then the enciphered medium intrinsic in~ormation is added to the image signals to berecorded Theresultantsignalsarerecordedonthe disc 100.
In reproducing process, only when the enciphered medium intrinsic in~ormation added to the image signals to be reproduced is decoded and then the decoded medium intrinsic in~ormation is consistent CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 -with the medium intrinsic in~ormation o~ the disc on which the image signals to be reproduced are recorded, reproduction is carried out In this case, the medium intrinsic in~ormation added to the recorded image signals is enciphered;
there~ore, it cannot be altered easily In the same manner in the ~irst embodiment, when in the ~ourth embodiment ~or copying for private use an individual user uses the recording device 70 to record image signals that are allowable ~or copying, the medium intrinsic in~ormation superimposed on the in~ormation signals to be recorded on the disc is consistentwiththemediumintrinsicin~ormationo~the disc on which the in~ormation signals are recorded When the image signals are not signals copied in an ordinary manner in the recording device 70, the medium intrinsic in~ormation superimposed on the in~ormation signals recorded on the disc is not consistent with the medium lntrinsic in~ormation o~ the disc on which the in~ormation signals are recorded Thus, it is impossible to reproduce other signals than the image signals copied in an ordinary manner by using the recording device 70, in the reproducing device 80, thereby preventing un~air copying.

CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 ~, , In the fourth embodiment, the medium-related information is used. However, in the same manner as in the second and third embodiments, the device intrinsic information and the ID information recorded in the IC card memory may be enciphered and then the enciphered in~ormation may be added to the image signals to be recorded on the disc In the case, the enciphered device intrinsic in~ormation or user-identifying data may be decoded in the reproducing device When the user-identifying data stored in the IC cad memory are-used, card readers may be disposed at the recording device 70 and the reproducing device 80 In the same manner as in the aforementioned embodiment, in the fourth embodiment an LED (Light Emitting Diode) and an LED driver are disposed for in~orming that image signals cannot be reproduced, and an OSD (On Screen Display) or superimposing is used to display information outputted from the reproducing device 40 on a display and inform that image signals cannot be reproduced Alternatively, a sound warning may be given Variations:
In the first, second and third embodiments, the CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 medium intrinsic in~ormation, the device intrinsic in~ormation, the ID in~ormation and the like are spectrum-spread or enciphered to be superimposed or added to in~ormation signals However, the present invention is not limited to such manners In the case, ~or example, wherein image signals are recorded on a recording medium, additional in~ormation ~or being added to the image signals to be recorded is generated on the basis o~, ~or example, the medium intrinsic in~ormation and then the generated additional in~ormation is added to the image regenerative signals The resultant signals are recorded in therecording medium such a disc. When the image signals recorded on the recording medium in this manner are reproduced, the additional in~ormation added to the image signals are detected, on the basis o~ the medium intrinsic in~ormation obtained when the image signals are reproduced When the medium intrinsic in~ormation obtained in recording is di~erent ~rom the medium intrinsic in~ormation obtained in reproduction, a variation o~
the present invention may be constructed so that the additionalin~ormationgeneratedandaddedonthebasis o~themediumintrinsicin~ormationinrecordingcannot be detected ~rom the in~ormation signals to be CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 reproduced Thus, the in~ormation signals can be reproduced only when the additional in~ormation is detectedfromthein~ormationsignalstobereproduced In such a manner as above, when image signals are recorded, the medium intrinsic in~ormation obtainedatthattimemaybeusedasakey forgenerating additionalin~ormationtobeaddedtotheimagesignals Ontheotherhand,whentheimagesignalsarereproduced, the medium intrinsic in~ormation obtained at that time may be used as a key ~or detecting the additional in~ormation added to the image signals to be reproduced In, for example, the ~ourth embodiment, the medium intrinsic in~ormation is enciphered; however, additional in~ormation may be generated on the medium intrinsic in~ormation to add the generated additional in~ormation to image signals to be recorded Namely, in the enciphering section 18 in the enciphering device 70 shown in Fig 13, the medium intrinsic in~ormation Bl ~rom the medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 17 is used as an enciphering key to encipher it Thus, additional in~ormation is generated The generated additional in~ormation is then supplied to the writing section 16 and added to image signals to be recorded on the disc CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 100. The image signals to which the additional in~ormation is added are recorded on the disc 100 On the other hand, in thereproducing device 80, shown in ~ig 14, ~or reproducing the image signals recorded on the disc 100 in the recording device 70, the medium intrinsic in~ormation B2 ~rom the medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section is supplied to the medium intrinsic in~ormation decoder 32 In this medium intrinsic in~ormation decoder 32, the medium intrinsic in~ormation B2 is used as a decoding key to decode it By this decoding process, a process is per~ormed ~or detecting the additional in~ormation added to the image signals S12, and then the result obtained~rom the detectingprocess is given ~or notice to thereproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25.
The reproduction allowance/prohibition determining section 25 controls the reproduction processing section 26 to reproduce the image signals when the additional in~ormation is detected with re~erence to the result supplied ~rom the medium intrinsic in~ormation decoder 32, while the section 25 controls the reproduction processing section 25 not to reproduce the image signals when the additional in~ormation is not detected CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 -When the additional in~ormation is not detected so as not to reproduce the image signals in the a~orementioned case, a message that the image signals are not reproduced may be displayed or a sound warning maybegiven O~course, at this time theimagesignals recorded on the disc may be erased.
In this context, the case o~ using the medium intrinsic in~ormation was explained as an example however, the device intrinsic inLormation, the ID
in~ormation can be used as a key ~or generating additional in~ormation added to image signals, or a key ~or detecting additional in~ormation added to image signals.
In such a manner as above, a variation o~ the invention can be constructed so that in recording process additional in~ormation is generated on the basis o~ in~ormation on the recording medium, such as the medium intrinsic in~ormation~ in~ormation on the device, such as the device intrinsic in~ormation, or ID in~ormation recorded on the IC card memory, and then the additional in~ormation is added to image signals and recorded on the recording medium, while in reproducing process the additional in~ormation added to the image signals is detected on the basis o~ the in~ormationon the recordingmedium, such as themedium CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 '?

-intrinsic in~ormation, the in~ormation on the device,such as the device intrinsic in~ormation, or the ID
in~ormation recorded on the IC card memory.
The same in~ormation signal erasing section as in the reproducing device 20 according to the ~irst embodiment may be added to the reproducing section 40, 60 or ~0 according to the second, third or ~ourth embodiment, so that in~ormation signals un~airly copied will be erased When the a~orementioned recording/reproducing device comprising the recording device 10 and the reproducing device 20 is ~ormed, the medium intrinsic in~ormation reading section 17 and 22 can be composed o~ a single circuit so that the circuit will be used commonly in the recording and reproducing devices. In the same manner, when the a~orementioned recording/reproducing device comprising therecording device 50 and the reproducing device 60 is ~ormed, the single card reader 204 may be used commonly in the recording and reproducing devices In the respective embodiments, the in~ormation signals to berecordedand reproducedare imagesignals but are not limited to the image signals In the present invention, there can be used sound signals, program data and other various in~ormation signals CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 Furthermore, the in~ormation signals are not limited to digital signals, and may be analog signals.
In the a~orementioned embodiments, the recording and reproducing devices are personal computers, but are not limited to the computers The invention can be applied to various recording devices, reproducing devices and recording/reproducing devices such as DVDs, VTRs, and tape recorders The recording medium is not limited to discs such as CD-ROMs or DVDs, but may be any one o~ various recording media such as small-sized magnetic optical discs called MDs, optical discs, magnetic tapes or magnetic discs In the ~irst embodiment, the serial number recordedin theTOC o~ the disc 100 is used as the medium intrinsic in~ormation However, in recording media which are used in the situation that they are put in cases, ~or example, MDs, video tapes or ~loppy discs, the cases in which the recording media are put may be equipped with memories ~or memorizing in~ormation on the recording media, or in~ormation on data recorded on the recording media.
O~ course, in the case wherein the case in which the recording medium is put is equipped with the memory ~ormemorizingthein~ormationontherecordingmedium, CA 0224~427 1998-08-24 o the in~ormation memorized in the memory may be used as the in~ormation on the recording medium As described above, thepresent invention makes it possible to reproduce in~ormation signals copied in an ordinary manner without any problem, and not to reproduce in~ormation signals copied in other manner than the ordinary manner, thereby preventing unfair copying o~ the in~ormation signals other than copying ~or private use The invention also makes it impossible to deteriorate in~ormation signals by the medium intrinsic in~ormation nor easily alter the medium intrinsic in~ormation since the medium intrinsic in~ormation, as additional in~ormation, added to the in~ormation signals is spectrum-spread and superimposed on the in~ormation signals The invention also makes it possible to add the medium intrinsic in~ormation as a so-calledelectrical watermark to in~ormation signals in various manners, and detect the electrical watermark added to the in~ormation signals to be used Since the medium intrinsic in~ormation is a very low level signal, the medium intrinsic in~ormation does not deteriorate the in~ormation signals and ~urther the medium intrinsic in~ormation cannot be easily altered Theinvention also makes itimpossibleto easily carry out un~air alteration o~ medium intrinsic in~ormation superimposed on in~ormation signals with ease because the medium intrinsic in~ormation can be enciphered and superimposed on the in~ormation signals The invention also makes it possible to prevent un~air copying o~ in~ormation signals, as well as not to use in~ormation signals un~airly copied The invention also makes it possible to know thatin~ormationsignals arenotreproducedbecausethe medium intrinsic in~ormation superimposed or added to the in~ormation signals is dif~erent ~rom the medium intrinsic in~ormation o~ the recording medium on which the in~ormation signals are recorded. Thus, the inventions makes it possible that when the in~ormation signals are not reproduced, any user does not mistake the reason that the signals are not reproduced ~or troubleo~ the reproducing device, or the like trouble.

Claims (75)

1. WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
   l An information signal recording/reproducing system, using a recording medium having thereon an area which is different from an area for recording information signals and which medium-related information, which is information on the recording medium, is beforehand recorded in, or having a section accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is beforehand recorded;
   and comprising a recording device section for recording the information signals of the recording medium and a reproducing device section for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium;
   the recording device section comprising:
   recording-side medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from the recording medium, or from the section accompanying the recording medium;
   information adding means for adding the medium-related information read by means of the recording-side medium-related information reading means to the information signals; and recording means for recording the information signals to which the medium-related information is added by means of the information adding means on the recording medium;
   the reproducing device section comprising:
   reproducing-side medium-related information reading means for reading the recording medium, or from the section accompanying the recording medium;
   information signal reading means for reading the information signals from the recording medium;
   detecting means for detecting the medium-related information added to the information signals from the information signal reading means;
   determining means for determining whether or not the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading means is consistent with the medium-related information from the detecting means; and reproduction controlling means for carrying out control for reproducing the information signals only when the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading means is consistent with the medium-related information from the detecting means.
2. 2. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the recording device section comprises a spreading means for spectrum-spreading the medium-related information from the recording-side medium-related information reading means, the information adding means in the recording device section is a means for superimposing the medium-related information spectrum-spread by means of the spreading means on the information signals to be recorded, and the detecting means in the reproducing device section is a means for picking up the medium-related information spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals by inverse spectrum-spreading.
3. 3. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the recording device section comprises a signal level converting means for converting the medium-related information from the recording-side medium-related information reading means into a minute level signal, the information adding means is a means for adding the medium-related information converted into the minute level signal by means of the signal level converting means to the information signals to be recorded, and the detecting means in the reproducing device section is a means for picking up the medium-related information added to the information signals, as the minute level signal.
4. 4. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the recording device section comprises an enciphering means for enciphering the medium-related information from the recording-side medium-related information reading means, the information adding means in the recording device section is a means for adding the medium-related information enciphered by means of the enciphering means to the information signals to be recorded, and the detecting means in the reproducing device section is a means for extracting and decoding the medium-related information enciphered and added to the information signals, so as to pick up the medium-related information added to the information signals
5. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the reproducing device section comprises an information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium to be reproduced when the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading means is not consistent with the medium-related information from the detecting means.
6. 6. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the reproducing device section comprises an informing means for informing that the information signals are not reproduced when the determined result from the determining means indicates that the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading means is not consistent with the medium-related information from the detecting means.
7. 7. An information signal recording/reproducing system, using a recording medium having thereon an area which is different from an area for recording information signals and which medium-related information, which is information on the recording medium, is beforehand recorded in, or having a section accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is beforehand recorded;
   and comprising a recording device section for recording the information signals on the recording medium and a reproducing device section for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium;
   the recording device section comprising:
   recording-side medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from the recording medium, or from the section accompanying the recording medium;
   additional information generating means for generating additional information on the basis of the medium-related information from the recording-side medium-related information reading means;
   information adding means for adding the additional information generated by means of the additional information generating means to the information signals; and recording means for recording the information signals to which the additional information is added by means of the information adding means on the recording medium;
   the reproducing device section comprising:
   reproducing-side medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from the recording medium, or from the section accompanying the recording medium;
   information signal reading means for reading the information signals from the recording medium;
   additional information detecting means for detecting the additional information added to the information signals on the basis of the medium-related information read by means of the reproducing-side medium-related information reading means; and reproduction controlling means for carrying out control for reproducing the information signals only when the additional information added to the information signals is detected by means of the additional information detecting means
8. 8. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 7, wherein the recording-side additional information generating means in the recording device section is a means for generating the additional information by using the medium-related information from the recording-side medium-related information reading means as an enciphering key to carry out enciphering, and the additional information detecting means in the reproducing device section is a means for detecting the additional information added to the information signals from the information signal reading means by using the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading means as a decoding key to carrying out decoding.
9. 9. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 7, wherein the reproducing device section comprises an information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium to be reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by means of the additional information detecting means
10. 10. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 7, wherein the reproducing device section comprises an informing means for informing that the information signals are not reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by means of the additional information detecting means.
11. 11. An information signal recording device for recording information signals on a recording medium having thereon an area which is different from an area for recording the information signals and which medium-related information, which is information on the recording medium, is beforehand recorded in, or having a section accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is beforehand recorded; comprising:
    medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from the recording medium, or from the section accompanying the recording medium;
    information adding means for adding the medium-related information read by means of the medium-related information reading means to the information signals; and recording means for recording the information signals to which the medium-related information is added by means of the information adding means on the recording medium.
12. 12. An information signal recording device according to claim 11, which comprises a spreading means for spectrum-spreading the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading means, the adding means being a means for superimposing the medium-related information spectrum-spread by means of the spreading means on the information signals to be recorded.
13. 13. An information signal recording device according to claim 11, which comprises a signal level converting means for converting the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading means into a minute level signal, the information adding means being a means for adding the medium-related information converted into the minute level signal by means of the signal level converting means to the information signals to be recorded.
14. 14. An information signal recording device according to claim 11, which comprises an enciphering means for enciphering the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading means, the information adding means being a means for adding the medium-related information enciphered by means of the enciphering means to the information signals to be recorded.
15. 15. An information signal recording device for recording information signals on a recording medium having thereon an area which is different from an area for recording the information signals and which medium-related information, which is information on the recording medium, is beforehand recorded in, or having a section accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is beforehand recorded; comprising:
    medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from the recording medium, or from the section accompanying the recording medium;
    
    additional information generating means for generating additional information on the basis of the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading means;
    information adding means for adding the additional information generated by means of the additional information generating means to the information signals; and recording means for recording the information signals to which the additional information is added by means of the information adding means on the recording medium
16. 16. An information signal recording device according to claim 15, wherein the additional information generating means is a means for generating the additional information by using the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading means as an enciphering key to carry out enciphering.
17. 17. An information signal reproducing device for reproducing information signals which medium-related information, which is information on a recording medium, is added to and which are recorded on the recording medium having thereon an area which is different from an area for recording the information signals and which the medium-related information is beforehand recorded in, or having a section accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is beforehand recorded;
    comprising:
    medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from the recording medium, or from the section accompanying the recording medium;
    information signal reading means for reading the information signals from the recording medium;
    detecting means for detecting the medium-related information added to the information signals from the information signal reading means;
    determining means for determining whether or not the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading means is consistent with the medium-related information from the detecting means; and reproduction controlling means for carrying out control for reproducing the information signals only when the determined result from the determining means indicates that the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading means is consistent with the medium-related information from the detecting means
18. 18. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 17, wherein the medium-related information added to the information signals is spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals, and the detecting means is a means for picking up the medium-related information spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals by inverse spectrum-spreading.
19. 19. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 17, wherein the medium-related information added to the information signals is added as a minute level signal, and the detecting means is a means for picking up the medium-related information added to the information signals, as the minute signals.
20. 20. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 17, wherein the additional information added to the information signals is enciphered so as to be added to the information signals, and the detecting means is a means for picking up the medium-related information added to the information signals by extracting and decoding the medium-related information enciphered and added to the information signals.
21. 21. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 17, which comprises an information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium to be reproduced when the determined result from the determining means indicates that the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading means is not consistent with the medium-related information from the detecting means.
22. 22. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 17, which comprises an informing means for informing that the information signals are not reproduced when the determined result from the determining means indicates that the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading means is not consistent with the medium-related information from the detecting means.
23. 23. An information signal reproducing device for reproducing information signals which medium-related information, which is information on a recording medium, is added to and which are recorded on the recording medium having thereon an area which is different from an area for recording the information signals and which the medium-related information is beforehand recorded in, or having a section accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is beforehand recorded, comprising:
    information reading means for reading the medium-related information from the recording medium, or from the section accompanying the recording medium;
    information signal reading means for reading the information signals from the recording medium;
    additional information detecting means for detecting the additional information added to the information signals on the basis of the medium-related information read by means of the reproducing-side medium-related information reading means; and reproduction controlling means for carrying out control for reproducing the information signals only when the additional information added to the information signals is detected by means of the additional information detecting means
24. 24 An information signal reproducing device according to claim 23, wherein the information signals recorded on the recording medium are signals to which the additional information generated by using the medium-related information as an enciphering key in recording process to carry out enciphering is added, and the additional information detecting means is a means for detecting the additional information added to the information signals from the information signal reading means by using the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading means as a decoding key to carry out decoding.
25. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 23, which comprises an information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium to be reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by means of the additional information detecting means
26. 26 An information signal reproducing device according to claim 23, which comprises an informing means for informing that the information signals are not reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by means of the additional information detecting means
27. 27 An information signal recording/reproducing process, using a recording medium having thereon an area which is different from an area for recording information signals and which medium-related information, which is information on the recording medium, is beforehand recorded in, or having a section accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is beforehand recorded; and comprising a recording device section for recording the information signals on the recording medium and a reproducing device section for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium;
    comprising, when the information signals are recorded on the recording medium, the recording-side medium-related information reading step of reading the medium-related information from the recording medium, or from the section accompanying the recording medium, the information adding step of adding the read medium-related information to the information signals, and the recording step of recording the information signals to which the medium-related information is added on the recording medium; and comprising, when the information signals recorded on the recording medium are reproduced, the reproducing-side medium-related information reading step of reading medium-related information from the recording medium, or from the section accompanying the recording medium, the information signal reading step of reading the information signals from the recording medium, the detecting step of detecting the medium-related information added to the information signals from the information signal reading step, the determining step of determining whether or not the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading step is consistent with the medium-related information from the detecting step, and the reproduction step of reproducing the information signals only when the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading step is consistent with the medium-related information from the detecting step
28. 28. An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 27, which comprises, when the information signals are recorded on the recording medium, the spreading step of spectrum-spreading the medium-related information read in the recording-side medium-related information reading step, the medium-related information spectrum-spread in the spreading step being superimposed on the information signals to be recorded, in the information adding step, and wherein when the information signals recorded on the recording medium are reproduced, the medium-related information spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals is picked up by inverse spectrum-spreading, in the detecting step
29. 29. An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 27, which comprises, when the information signals are recorded on the recording medium, the signal level converting step of converting the medium-related information read in the recording-side medium-related information reading step into a minute level signal, the medium-related information converted into the minute level signal in the signal level converting step being added to the information signals to be recorded, in the information adding step, and wherein, when the information signals recorded on the recording medium are reproduced, the medium-related information added to the information signals as the minute level signal is picked up, in the detecting step.
30. 30. An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 27, which comprises, when the information signals are recorded on the recording medium, the enciphering step of enciphering the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading step in the recording process, the medium-related information enciphered in the enciphering step being added to the information signals to be recorded, in the information adding step, and wherein when the information signals recorded on the recording medium are reproduced, the medium-related information enciphered and added to the information signals is extracted and decoded so as to pick up the medium-related information added to the information signals, in the detecting step
31. 31. An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 27, which comprises the information signal erasing step for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium to be reproduced when the determined result from the determining step indicates that the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading step is not consistent with the medium-related information from the detecting step.
32. 32. An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 27, which comprises the informing step of informing that the information signals are not reproduced when the determined result from the determining step indicates that the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading step is not consistent with the medium-related information from the detecting step.
33. 33. An information signal recording/reproducing process, using a recording medium having thereon an area which is different from an area for recording information signals and which medium-related information, which is information on the recording medium, is beforehand recorded in, or having a section accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is beforehand recorded;
    which comprises, when the information signals are recorded on the recording medium, the recording-side medium-related information reading step of reading the medium-related information from the recording medium, or from the section accompanying the recording medium, the additional information generating step of generating additional information on the basis of the medium-related information from the recording-medium-related information reading step, the information adding step of adding the additional information generated in the additional information generating step to the information signals, and comprises the recording step of recording the medium-related information from the information signals to which the additional information is added in the information adding step on the recording medium;
    and the reproducing-side medium-related information reading step of reading the recording medium, or from the section accompanying the recording medium, the information signal reading step of reading the information signals from the recording medium, the additional information detecting step of detecting the additional information added to the information signals on the basis of the medium-related information read in the reproducing-side medium-related information reading step, and the reproduction controlling step of carrying out control for reproducing the, information signals only when the additional information added to the information signals is detected in the additional information detecting step.
34. 34. An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 33, wherein when the information signals are recorded on the recording medium, in the recording-side additional information generating step the additional information is generated by using the medium-related information from the recording-side medium-related information reading step as an enciphering key to carry out enciphering, and when the information signals recorded on the recording medium are reproduced, in the additional information detecting step the additional information added to the information signals from the information signal reading step is detected by using the medium related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading step as a decoding key to carry out decoding
35. 35. An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 33, which comprises the information signal erasing step of erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium to be reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals in the additional information detecting step
36. 36 An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 33, which comprises the informing step of informing that the information signals are not reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by means of the additional information detecting step.
37. 37. An information signal recording/reproducing system comprising a recording device section for recording information signals on a recording medium, and a reproducing device section for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium;
    the recording device section comprising:
    a recording-side device-related information obtaining means for obtaining a device-related information, which is information related to a recording device for recording the information signals, information adding means for adding the device-related information obtained by means of the recording-side device-related information obtaining means to the information signals;
    
    recording means for recording the information signals to which the device-related information is added by means of the information adding means on the recording medium; and the reproducing device section comprising:
    reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means for obtaining a device-related information, which is information related to a reproducing device for reproducing the information signals;
    information signal reading means for reading the information signals from the recording medium;
    detecting means for detecting the device-related information added to the information signals from the information signal reading means;
    determining means for determining whether or not the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means is consistent with the device-related information from the detecting means; and reproducing control means for carrying out control for reproduction of the information signals only when the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means is consistent with the device-related information from the detecting means.
38. 38. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 37, wherein the recording device section comprises a recording-side auxiliary recording medium setting means into which an auxiliary recording medium is set, the recording-side medium-related information obtaining means is a means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set into the recording-side auxiliary recording medium setting means, and the reproducing device section comprises a reproducing-side auxiliary recording medium setting means into which the auxiliary recording medium is set, the reproducing-side medium-related information obtaining means is a means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set into the reproducing-side auxiliary recording medium setting means.
39. 39. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 37, wherein the recording device section comprises a spreading means for spectrum-spreading the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining means, the information adding means in the recording device section is a means for superimposing the device-related information spectrum-spread by means of the spreading means on the information signals to be recorded, and the detecting means in the reproducing device section is a means for picking up the device-related information spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals by inverse spectrum-spreading.
40. 40. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 37, wherein the recording device section comprises a signal level converting means for converting the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining means into a minute level signal, the information adding means is a means for adding the device-related information converted into the minute level signal by means of the signal level converting means to the information signals to be recorded, and the detecting means in the reproducing device section is a means for picking up device-related information added to the information signals, as the minute level signal.
41. 41. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 37, wherein the recording device section comprises an enciphering means for enciphering the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining means, the information adding means in the recording device section is a means for adding the device-related information enciphered by means of the enciphering means to the information signals to be recorded, and the detecting means in the reproducing device section is a means for extracting and decoding the device-related information enciphered and added to the information signals, so as to pick up the device-related information added to the information signals
42. 42. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 37, wherein the reproducing device section comprises an information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium to be reproduced when the determined result from the determining means indicates that the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means is not consistent with the device-related information from the detecting means.
43. 43. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 37, wherein the reproducing device section comprises an informing means for informing that the information signals are not reproduced when the determined result from the determining means indicates that the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means is not consistent with the device-related information from the detecting means.
44. 44. An information signal recording/reproducing system comprising a recording device section for recording information signals on a recording medium, and a reproducing device section for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium;
    the recording device section comprising:
    recording-side device-related information obtaining means for obtaining device-related information, which is information related to a recording device for recording the information signals;
    additional information generating means for generating additional information on the basis of the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining means;
    information adding means for adding the additional information generated by means of the additional information generating means to the information signals; and recording means for recording the information signals to which the additional information is added by means of the information adding means on the recording medium; and the reproducing device section comprising:
    reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means for obtaining a device-related information, which is information related to a reproducing device for reproducing the information signals;
    information signal reading means for reading the information signals from the recording medium;
    additional information detecting means for detecting the additional information added to the information signals from the information signal reading means, on the basis of the device-related information obtained by means of the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means; and reproducing control means for carrying out control for reproduction of the information signals only when the additional information added to the information signals is detected by means of the additional information detecting means.
45. 45. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 44, wherein the recording device section comprises a recording-side auxiliary recording medium setting means into which an auxiliary recording medium is set, the recording-side medium-related information obtaining means is a means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set into the recording-side auxiliary recording medium setting means, the reproducing device section comprises a reproducing-side auxiliary recording medium setting means into which the auxiliary recording medium is set, and the reproducing-side medium-related information obtaining means is a means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set into the reproducing-side auxiliary recording medium setting means.
46. 46. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 44, wherein the recording-side additional information generating means in the recording device section is a means for using the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining means as an enciphering key so as to generate the additional information, and the additional information detecting means in the reproducing device section is a means for detecting the additional information added to the information signals from the information signal reading means by using the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means as a decoding key to carry out decoding.
47. 47. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 44, wherein the reproducing device section comprises an information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium to be reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by means of the additional information detecting means.
48. 48. An information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 44, wherein the reproducing device section comprises an informing means for informing that the information signals are not reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by means of the additional information detecting means.
49. 49. An information signal recording device for adding device-related information, which is information related to the recording device, to information signals to be recorded on a recording medium, and recording the resultant signals on the recording medium, comprising:
    device-related information obtaining means for obtaining the device-related information;
    information adding means for adding the device-related information obtained by means of the device-related information obtaining means to the information signals; and recording means for recording the information signals to which the device-related information is added by means of the information adding means on the recording medium.
50. 50. An information signal recording device according to claim 49, which comprises an auxiliary recording medium setting means into which an auxiliary recording medium is set, the medium-related information obtaining means being a means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set into the auxiliary recording medium setting means.
51. 51. An information signal recording device according to claim 49, which comprises a spreading means for spectrum-spreading the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means, the information adding means being a means for superimposing the device-related information spectrum-spread by means of the spreading means on the information signals to be recorded.
52. 52. An information signal recording device according to claim 49, which comprises a signal level converting means for converting the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means into a minute level signal, the information adding means being a means for adding the device-related information converted into the minute level signal by means of the signal level converting means to the information signals to be recorded.
53. 53. An information signal recording/reproducing device according to claim 49, which comprises an enciphering means for enciphering the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means, the information adding mean being a means for adding the device-related information enciphered by means of the enciphering means to the information signals to be recorded.
54. 54. An information signal recording device for adding additional information generated on the basis of device-related information, which is information related to the recording device, to information signals to be recorded on a recording medium, and recording the resultant signals on the recording medium, comprising:
    device-related information obtaining means for obtaining device-related information, which is information related to the recording device for recording the information signals;
    additional information generating means for generating additional information on the basis of the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means;
    information adding means for adding the additional information generated by means of the additional information generating means to the information signals; and recording means for recording the information signals to which the additional information is added by means of the information adding means on the recording medium.
55. 55. An information signal recording device according to claim 54, which comprises an auxiliary recording medium setting means into which an auxiliary recording medium is set, and the device-related information obtaining means being a means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set into the auxiliary recording medium setting means.
56. 56. An information signal recording device according to claim 54, wherein the additional information generating means is a means for using the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means as an enciphering key so as to generate the additional information.
57. 57. An information signal reproducing device for reproducing information signals which device-related information related to a recording device is added to and which are recorded on a recording medium, comprising:
    reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means for obtaining device-related information, which is information related to the reproducing device for reproducing the information signals;
    information signal reading means for reading the information signals from the recording medium;
    detecting means for detecting the device-related information added to the information signals from the information signal reading means;
    determining means for determining whether or not the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means is consistent with the device-related information from the detecting means; and reproducing control means for carrying out control for reproduction of the information signals only when the determining means indicates that the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means is consistent with the device-related information from the detecting means.
58. 58. An information signal reproducing device accordlng to claim 57, which comprises an auxiliary medium setting means into which an auxiliary recording medium is set, the device-related information obtaining means being a means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set into the auxiliary recording medium setting means.
59. 59. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 57, wherein the device-related information added to the information signals is spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals, and the detecting means is a means for picking up the device-related information spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals by inverse spectrum-spreading.
60. 60. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 57, wherein the device-related information added to the information signals is added, as a minute level signal, and the detecting means is a means for picking up device-related information added to the information signals, as the minute level signal.
61. 61. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 57, wherein the additional information added to the information signals is enciphered and added to the information signals, and the detecting means is a means for extracting and decoding the device-related information enciphered and added to the information signals, so as to pick up the device-related information added to the information signals.
62. 62. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 57, which comprises an information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium to be reproduced when the determined result from the determining means indicates that the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means is not consistent with the device-related information from the detecting means.
63. 63. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 57, which comprises an informing means for informing that the information signals are not reproduced when the determined result from the determining means indicates that the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means is not consistent with the device-related information from the detecting means.
64. 64. An information signal reproducing device for reproducing information signals which device-related information related to a recording device is added to and which are recorded on a recording medium, comprising:
    device-related information obtaining means for obtaining the device-related information, which is information related to the reproducing device for recording the information signals;
    information signal reading means for reading the information signals from the recording medium;
    additional information detecting means for detecting the additional information added to the information signals from the information signal reading means on the basis of the device-related information obtained by means of the device-related information obtaining means; and reproducing control means for carrying out control for reproduction of the information signals only when the additional information added to the information signals is detected by means of the additional information detecting means.
65. 65. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 64, which comprises an auxiliary recording medium setting means into which an auxiliary recording medium is set, the device-related information obtaining means being a means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set into the recording-side auxiliary recording medium setting means.
66. 66. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 64, wherein the additional information added to the information signals is generated by using the device-related information as an enciphering key to carry out enciphering, the additional information detecting means is a means for detecting the additional information added to the information signals from the information signals reading means by using the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means as a decoding key to carry out decoding.
67. 67. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 64, which comprises an information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium to be reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by means of the additional information detecting means.
68. 68. An information signal reproducing device according to claim 64, which comprises an informing means for informing that the information signals are not reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by means of the additional information detecting means.
69. 69. An information signal recording/reproducing process for recording information signals on a recording medium, and reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium comprising, when the information signals are recorded on the recording medium, the recording-side device-related information obtaining step of obtaining device-related information, which is information related to a recording device for recording the information signals, the information adding step of adding the device-related information obtained by means of the recording-side device-related information obtaining means to the information signals, and the recording step of recording the information signals to which the medium-related information is added in the information adding step on the recording medium; and comprising, when the information signals recorded on the recording medium are reproduced, the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining step of obtaining device-related information, which is information related to a reproducing device for reproducing the information signals, the information signal reading step of reading the information signals from the recording medium, the detecting step of detecting the device-related information added to the information signals from the information signal reading step, the determining step of determining whether or not the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining step is consistent with the device-related information from the detecting step, and the reproduction controlling step of carrying out control for reproducing the information signals only when the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining step is consistent with the device-related information from the detecting step.
70. 70. An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 69, which comprises, when the information signals are recorded on the recording medium, the spreading step of spectrum-spreading the device-related information from the recording-side medium-related information obtaining step, the device-related information spectrum-spread in the spreading step being superimposed on the information signals to be recorded, in the information adding step, and wherein when the information signals recorded on the recording medium are reproduced, the device-related information spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals by inverse spectrum-spreading is picked up, in the detecting step.
71. 71. An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 69, which comprises, when the information signals are recorded on the recording medium, the signal level converting step of converting the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining step into a minute level signal, the device-related information converted into the minute level signal in the signal level converting step being added to the information signals to be recorded, in the information adding step, and wherein when the information signals recorded on the recording device are reproduced, the device-related information added to the information signals, as the minute level signal, is picked up, in the detecting step.
72. 72. An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 69, which comprises, when the information signals are recorded on the recording device, the enciphering step of enciphering the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining step, the device-related information enciphered in the enciphering step being added to the information signals to be recorded, in the information adding step, and wherein when the information signals recorded on the recording device are reproduced, the device-related information enciphered and added to the information signals is extracted and decoded so as to pick up the device-related information added to the information signals, in the detecting step.
73. 73. An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 69, which comprises the information signal erasing step for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording device to be reproduced when the determined result from the determining step indicates that the device-related information obtained in the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining step is not consistent with the device-related information from the detecting step.
74. 74. An information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 69, which comprises the informing step of informing that the information signals are not reproduced when the determined result from the determining step is that the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information reading step is not consistent with the device-related information from the detecting step.
75. 75. An information signal recording/reproducing process for recording information signals on a recording medium, and reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium which comprises, when the information signals are recorded on the recording medium, the recording-side device-related information obtaining step of obtaining device-related information, which is information related to a recording device for recording the information signals, the additional information generating step of generating additional information on the basis of the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining step, the information adding step of adding the additional information generated in the additional information generating step to the information signals, and the recording step of recording the information signals to which the additional information is added by means of the information adding means on the recording medium; and comprises, when the information signals recorded on the recording medium are reproduced, the reproducing-side medium-related information obtaining step of obtaining device-related information, which is information related to a reproducing device for reproducing the information signals, the information signal reading step of reading the information signals from the recording medium, the additional information detecting step of detecting the additional information added to the information signals from the information signal reading step on the basis of the device-related information obtained in the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining step, and the reproduction controlling step of carrying out control for reproducing the information signals only when the additional information added to the information signals is detected in the additional information detecting step.