Video information outputting apparatus, video information receiving apparatus, video information outputting method and video information transmitting method

• US 20030086695A1
• Filed: 03/14/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kabuto, Nobuaki, Okamoto, Hiroo, Yoshioka, Atsushi, Owashi, Hitaoki
• Granted Patent: US 7,587,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/94
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/122 involving the detection of an identification or authentication mark record carriers indicating unauthorised or prior use G11B23/28
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00768 wherein copy control information is used, e.g. for indicating whether a content may be copied freely, no more, once, or never, by setting CGMS, SCMS, or CCI flags
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/28 Indicating or preventing prior or unauthorised use, e.g. cassettes with sealing or locking means, write-protect devices for discs write-protect devices for tapes G11B23/042, G11B23/08714; dummy cassettes for locking in the drive G11B33/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91328 the copy protection signal being a copy management signal, e.g. a copy generation management signal [CGMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440254 by altering signal-to-noise parameters, e.g. requantization
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

According to a video information outputting apparatus, a video information receiving apparatus, a video information outputting method and a video information transmitting method, for receiving and outputting digital video information. The digital information is outputted in the same quality as it is, when it is certificated that an external apparatus operates according to a copy control information, while no information limited on copying thereof is outputted when it is not. It thereby prevents the information, which is outputted from the video information outputting apparatus to an external apparatus, from being used in other purposes than the original object thereof, thereby giving disadvantages onto the producer and/or copyright owner of the information.

Claims

1. A video information outputting apparatus, for outputting either one of digital video information inputted and digital video information reproduced from a storage medium, comprising:

a control information detector which detects a control information, including at least a copy control information therein, which is added to said digital video information;

a first output portion which outputs said digital video information to an external apparatus;

a second output portion which converts said digital video information into analogue video signals and outputs said analogue signals to an external apparatus; and

a controller which controls outputs at said first output portion and said second output portion depending upon the control information, being detected in said control information detect portion.

2. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 1, wherein said controller selects either one of said first output portion and said second output portion depending upon said control information, and selects said digital video information or said analogue video information, thereby outputting them.

3. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 2, wherein said controller selects said second output portion, so as to output said analogue video information therefrom, if either one of limitation on copying and protection of video information is indicated by said control information, while selects said first output portion to output said digital video information therefrom if not.

4. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 2, wherein after stopping an output at one of said first output portion and said second output portion depending upon said control information, said controller starts an output at the other after elapsing a predetermined time period.

5. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 1, wherein said controller prohibits an output of said digital video information from said first output portion depending upon said control information.

6. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 5, wherein said controller prohibits the output of said digital video information from said first output portion if either one of limitation on copying and protection of video information is indicated by said control information.

7. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 1, wherein said controller reduces resolution of said analogue video information provided from said second output portion depending upon said copy control information.

8. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 7, wherein said controller reduces resolution of said analogue video information provided from said second output portion if either one of limitation on copying and protection of video information is indicated by said control information.

9. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 1, further comprising an information protector which protects the digital video information outputted from said first output portion, wherein

the digital video information is outputted irrespective of contents of said control information if the digital video information outputted from said first output portion is protected.

10. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 9, wherein said information protector protects the digital video information outputted from said first output portion by means of scrambling.

11. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 1, wherein said digital video information outputted from said first output portion and said analogue video information outputted from said second output portion are a RGB format signal.

12. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 11, wherein said digital video information outputted from said first output portion and said analogue video information outputted from said second output portion are outputted from a same connector.

13. An information receiving apparatus for receiving digital video information and outputting it to an external apparatus, comprising:

a receiver which receives said digital video information;

a control information detector which detects control information, including at least a copy control information therein, which is added to said digital video information;

a first output portion which outputs said digital video information to an external apparatus;

a second output portion which converts said digital video information into analogue video signals and outputs said analogue signals to an external apparatus; and

a controller which controls outputs at said first output portion and said second output portion depending upon the control information, being detected in said control information detector.

14. An information receiving apparatus, as described in the claim 13, further comprising a display, which displays the digital video information, received in said receiver.

15. A video information transmitting method for transmitting digital video information toward an information receiving apparatus, comprising the following steps:

adding control information, including at least a copy control information, to said digital video information to be transmitted;

wherein

said control information is used for controlling an output signal when said information receiving apparatus converts said digital video information into analogue video information and outputting said analogue video signal to an external apparatus.

16. A video information transmitting method as described in the claim 15, wherein said control information is for reducing resolution of the analogue video information to be outputted to the external apparatus.

17. A video information outputting apparatus for outputting to an external apparatus either one of digital video information inputted and digital video information reproduced from a storage medium, comprising:

a control information detector which detects control information added to said digital video information;

an output portion which outputs said digital video information to said external apparatus;

a condition certification portion which certificates a condition of either one of said output portion and said external apparatus; and

an output controller which controls an output of said output portion, wherein

said output controller controls said output depending upon the control information detected in said control information detector and the condition of either one of the external apparatus and the output portion certified in said condition certification portion.

18. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 17, wherein said control information includes at least an information relating to either one of copy limitation of said digital video information and protection of said video information.

19. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 18, wherein said output controller prohibits an output from said output portion, when the condition of either one of said external apparatus and said output portion cannot be certificated, and if either one of limitation on copying and protection of video information is indicated by said control information.

20. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 17, wherein certification of the condition of either one of said external apparatus and said output portion in said condition certification portion contains a certificate with using a key signal between said external apparatus and said output portion.

21. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 17, wherein said output portion has:

a first output portion which outputs said digital video information;

a second output portion which converts said digital video information into analogue video signals and outputs said analogue video signals, and the condition of said output portion includes from which output portion the output is provided.

22. A video information outputting apparatus, as described in the claim 17, wherein said output portion has a function of outputting said digital video information with protection thereon, and the condition of said output portion includes whether the output is provided with the protection or not.

23. A video information outputting method for outputting either on of digital video information inputted and digital video information reproduced from a storage medium, to an external apparatus, comprising the following steps:

a step for detecting control information added to said digital video information;

a step for certificating a condition of either one of output and said external apparatus; and

controlling output, upon basis of said control information detected and the condition certificated.

24. A video information outputting method as described in the claim 23, wherein said control information is that relating to either one of copy limitation of said digital video information and protection of said video information.

25. A video information outputting method as described in the claim 24, wherein an output is prohibited, when the condition of either one of output and said extrnal apparatus cannot be certificated, and if either one of limitation on copying and protection of video information is indicated by said control information.

26. A video information outputting method as described in the claim 23, wherein said step for certificating the condition contains a certification with using a key.

27. A video information outputting method as described in the claim 23, wherein said output contains therein a function of outputting said digital video information and a function of converting said digital video information into analogue video signals and outputting said analogue video signals, and the condition of said apparatus includes the information of which one is outputted therefrom.

28. A video information outputting method as described in the claim 23, wherein the output contains therein a function of outputting said digital video information with protection thereon, and the condition of said output contains a condition whether the output is provided with protection thereon or not.

29. A video information transmitting method for transmitting digital video information toward an information outputting apparatus for inputting information and outputting it to an external apparatus, comprising the following steps:

adding control information in relation with either one of copy limitation of said digital video information and protection of video information to said digital video information to be transmitted; and

wherein said control information is used for controlling an output of said digital video information, being combined with a result of certification of either one of said information outputting apparatus and said external apparatus, when said digital video information is outputted from said information outputting apparatus to said external apparatus.