Content data, and its recording medium, recording method, recording apparatus, copying method, reproducing method, reproducing apparatus and output method

• US 20030110132A1
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sako, Yoichiro
• Application Number:
  US10/169,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20030110132A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91321 the copy protection signal being a copy protection control signal, e.g. a record inhibit signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9261 involving data reduction

Abstract

A content data, and a recording medium, recording method, recorder, copying method, playing method, player and outputting method, for the content data, are provided. To a supplied content data, there is added an additional data including data as to limitation of content data copying or playing and data as to a period for which conditions of copying or playing the content data are set. The content data having the additional data added thereto is recorded. When copying or playing the content data, the additional data including the data at to the limitation of content data copying or playing and data as to the period is extracted, and the copying or playing is controlled based on the additional data.

Claims

1. A recording medium having recorded therein a content data and additional data added to the content data and including data about conditions of copying or playing the content data.

2. The recording medium as set forth in claim 1, wherein the additional data includes data which limits the content data copying.

3. The recording medium as set forth in claim 2, wherein the copy-limiting data includes at least data indicating a period for which the content data copying is inhibited.

4. The recording medium as set forth in claim 3, wherein the data as to the no-copy period includes data as to a start day of the no-copy period and data as to an end day of the no-copy period.

5. The recording medium as set forth in claim 3, wherein the copy-limiting data includes data as to further limited copying of the content data after elapse of the no-copy period.

6. The recording medium as set forth in claim 5, wherein the data as to further limited copying includes at least data about conditions of further copying the content data after elapse of the no-copy period.

7. The recording medium as set forth in claim 6, wherein the data as to further limited copying includes data as to an end day of the further copy inhibition.

8. The recording medium as set forth in claim 1, wherein the additional data includes a plurality of copy-limiting data.

9. The recording medium as set forth in claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of copy-limiting data includes data as to the no-copy period and data about copying conditions.

10. The recording medium as set forth in claim 8, wherein the additional data includes data limiting further copying of the content data after elapse of each no-copy period included in each of the plurality of copy-limiting data.

11. The recording medium as set forth in claim 1, wherein the additional data includes data which limits the content data playing.

12. The recording medium as set forth in claim 11, wherein the play-limiting data includes at least data indicating a period for which the content data playing is inhibited.

13. The recording medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein the data as to the no-play period includes data as to a start day of the no-play period and data as to an end day of the no-play period.

14. The recording medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein the play-limiting data includes data as to further limited playing of the content data after elapse of the no-play period.

15. The recording medium as set forth in claim 14, wherein the data as to further limited playing includes at least data about conditions of further playing the content data after elapse of the no-play period.

16. The recording medium as set forth in claim 15, wherein the data as to further limited playing includes data as to an end day of the further copy inhibition.

17. The recording medium as set forth in claim 1, wherein the additional data includes a plurality of data which limits the content data playing.

18. The recording medium as set forth in claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of play-limiting data includes data as to the no-play period and data about playing conditions.

19. The recording medium as set forth in claim 17, wherein the additional data includes data which limits further playing of the content data after elapse of each no-play period included in each of the plurality of play-limiting data.

20. The recording medium as set forth in claim 1, wherein the additional data includes data as to a period for which conditions of copying or playing the content data are set.

21. The recording medium as set forth in claim 20, wherein the period data includes at least data as to a no-pay period for which the content data can be copied or played free of charge.

22. The recording medium as set forth in claim 21, wherein the no-pay period include data as to a start day, and an end day, of the period during which the content data can be copied or played free of charge.

23. The recording medium as set forth in claim 21, wherein the period data includes at least one data as to a period for which the content data can be copied or played on a chargeable basis.

24. The recording medium as set forth in claim 23, wherein the chargeable period includes data as to a start day, and an end day, of the period for which the content data can be copied or played on a chargeable basis.

25. The recording medium as set forth in claim 23, wherein the chargeable period defined based on the chargeable-period data partially overlaps a period defined based on the no-pay period.

26. The recording medium as set forth in claim 20, wherein the additional data further includes data which limits the content data copying or playing.

102. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the controlling means causes the apparatus to terminate the content data playing when having determined that the number of times of playing exceeds the one defined by the play-limiting data.

27. A recording method comprising steps of:

adding, to a supplied content data, an additional data including data as to limited recording of the content data and data as to a period for which conditions of recording the content data are set;

coding the content data having the additional data added thereto; and

recording the coded data to a recording medium.

28. A recorder comprising:

means for adding, to a supplied content data, an additional data including data as to limited recording of the content data and data as to a period for which conditions of recording the content data are set;

means for coding an output data from the adding means; and

means for recording an output data from the encoding means to a recording medium.

29. A content data copying or playing method comprising steps of:

extracting, from a supplied content data, an additional data added to the content data and including data as to limited copying or playing of the content data and data as to a period for which conditions of copying or playing the content data are set;

comparing a period set based on the period data in the extracted additional data with a date at which the content data is going to be copied or played; and

controlling, when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is within a period set based on the period data in the extracted additional data, the content data copying or playing based on the copy- or play-limiting data in the additional data.

30. The method as set forth in claim 29, further comprising a step of terminating the content data copying or playing when the copy- or play-limiting data inhibits the content data copying or playing.

31. The method as set forth in claim 30, further comprising a step of informing the user that the content data copying or playing is inhibited, when the copy-or play-limiting data inhibits the content data copying or playing.

32. The method as set forth in claim 29, further comprising steps of:

determining the copy- or play-limiting data when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is out of a period set based on the period data; and

controlling the content data copying or playing based on the result of copy- or play-limiting data discrimination.

33. The method as set forth in claim 32, further comprising steps of:

copying the content data when the copy- or play-limiting data is determined to allow the content data copying, while rewriting the copy- or play-limiting data to inhibit the content data copying or playing; and

adding the thus rewritten data to the copied content data.

34. The method as set forth in claim 32, further comprising steps of:

determining whether a number of times the content data is allowed to be copied or played is a one defined by the copy- or play-limiting data when the copy- or play-limiting data is determined to allow the content data copying or playing; and

copying or playing the content data when the number of times of copying or playing is within the one defined by the copy-limiting or play-limiting data.

35. The method as set forth in claim 32, further comprising a step of informing the user that the content data copying or playing is inhibited, when the copy- or play-limiting data inhibits the content data copying or playing.

36. A content data copying or playing method comprising steps of:

extracting, from a supplied content data, an additional data added to the content data and including data as to limited copying or playing of the content data, data as to a first period during which the content data can be copied or played free of charge and data as to a second period during which the content data can be copied or played on a chargeable basis;

comparing a date at which the content data is going to be copied or played with data as to the first and second periods, respectively; and

inhibiting the content data copying or playing when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is within a period set based on the data as to the first period, while copying or playing the content data after determining, when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is within a period set based on the data as to the second period, whether billing can be made for the content data copying or playing.

37. The method as set forth in claim 36, further comprising steps of:

copying or playing the content data when the billing is determined to be possible; and

billing the user for the content data copying or playing.

38. The method as set forth in claim 37, further comprising a step of terminating the content data copying or playing when the billing is determined to be impossible.

39. The method as set forth in claim 36, further comprising a step of determining, when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be out of the period set based on the data as to the first period, whether the date is within the period ser based on the data as to the second period.

40. The method as set forth in claim 39, wherein when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be out of the period set based on the data as to the second period, the content data copying or playing is inhibited.

41. The method as set forth in claim 36, further comprising a step of informing the user that the content data can be copied or played only on a chargeable basis, when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be within the period set based on the data as to the second period.

42. A content data copying or playing method comprising steps of:

extracting, from a supplied content data, an additional data added to the content data and including data as to limited copying or playing of the content data, data as to a first period during which copying or playing of the content data is inhibited and data as to a second period during which the content data can be copied or played on a chargeable basis;

comparing a date at which the content data is going to be copied or played with data as to the first and second periods, respectively; and

inhibiting the content data copying or playing when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is within a period set based on the data as to the first period, while copying or playing the content data after determining, when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is within a period set based on the data as to the second period, whether billing can be made for the content data copying or playing.

43. The method as set forth in claim 42, further comprising steps of:

copying or playing the content data when the billing is determined to be possible; and

billing the user for the content data copying or playing.

44. The method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising a step of terminating the content data copying or playing when the billing is determined to be impossible.

45. The method as set forth in claim 42, further comprising a step of determining, when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be out of the period set based on the data as to the first period, whether the date is within the period ser based on the data as to the second period.

46. The method as set forth in claim 45, wherein when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be out of the period set based on the data as to the second period, the content data copying or playing is inhibited.

47. The method as set forth in claim 42, further comprising a step of informing the user that the content data can be copied or played only on a chargeable basis, when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be within the period set based on the data as to the first period and also within the period set based on the data as to the second period.

48. The method as set forth in claim 47, further comprising steps of:

determining, after the information to the user, whether the billing is possible;

copying or playing the content data when the billing is determined to be possible; and

billing the user for the content data copying or playing.

49. The method as set forth in claim 42, further comprising a step of informing the user that the content data can be copied or played only on a chargeable basis, when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be within the period set based on the data as to the second period.

50. A content data copying or playing method including comprising steps of:

extracting, from a supplied content data, an additional data added to the content data and including data as to limited copying or playing of the content data, data as to a first period during which the content data copying or playing is inhibited and data as to a second period during which the content data can be copied or played on a chargeable basis and which partially overlaps the period set based on the data as to the first period;

comparing a date at which the content data is going to be copied or played with data as to the first and second periods, respectively; and

inhibiting copying or playing of the content data when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is within a period set based on the data as to the first period, while copying or playing the content data after determining, when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is within a period set based on the data as to the second period, whether billing can be made for the content data copying or playing.

51. The method as set forth in claim 50, further comprising a step of determining, when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be out of the period set based on the data as to the first period, whether the date is within the period ser based on the data as to the second period.

52. The method as set forth in claim 51, wherein when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be out of the period set based on the data as to the second period, the content data copying or playing is inhibited.

53. The method as set forth in claim 50, further comprising a step of informing the user that the content data can be copied or played only on a chargeable basis, when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be within a part of the period set based on the data as to the second period, overlapping the period set based on the data as to the first period.

54. The method as set forth in claim 53, further comprising steps of:

determining, after the information to the user, whether the billing is possible;

copying or playing the content data when the billing is determined to be possible; and

billing the user for the copying or playing.

55. The method as set forth in claim 50, further comprising a step of informing the user that the content data can be copied or played only on a chargeable basis, when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be within the period set based on the data as to the second period.

56. The method as set forth in claim 50, further comprising steps of:

copying or playing the content data when the billing is determined to be possible; and

billing the user for the copying or playing of the content data.

57. The method as set forth in claim 50, further comprising a step of terminating the content data copying or playing when the billing is determined to be impossible.

58. A content data copying or playing method comprising steps of:

extracting, from a supplied content data, an additional data added to the content data and including data as to limited copying or playing of the content data, data as to a first period during which the content data can be copied or played free of charge, data as to a second period during which the content data can be copied or played on a chargeable basis and data as to a third period during which the content data can be copied or played on a chargeable basis;

comparing a date at which the content data is going to be copied or played with data as to the first, second and third periods, respectively; and

copying or playing the content data when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is within a period set based on the data as to the first period, while copying or playing the content data after determining, when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is within a period set based on the data as to the second or third period, whether billing can be made for the content data copying or playing.

59. The method as set forth in claim 58, further comprising steps of:

determining whether the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is a one set based on the data as to the second period;

copying or playing the content data when that the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be within the period set based on the data as to the second period; and

billing the user for the content data copying or playing under the billing conditions for a period set based on the data as to the second period.

60. The method as set forth in claim 59, further comprising steps of:

determining whether the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is a one set based on the data as to the third period, when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be output the period set based on the data as to the second period;

copying or playing the content data when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be within the period set based on the data as to the second period; and

billing the user for the content data copying or playing under the billing conditions for a period set based on the data as to the second period.

61. The method as set forth in claim 60, wherein when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be out of the period set based on the data as to the third period, the content data copying or playing is inhibited.

62. The method as set forth in claim 58, further comprising a step of terminating the content data copying or playing when the billing is determined to be impossible.

63. The method as set forth in claim 58, further comprising a step of informing the user that the content data can be copied or played only on a chargeable basis when the date at which the content data is going to be copied or played is determined to be within the period set based on the data as to the second or third period.

64. A content data copying method comprising steps of:

extracting, from a supplied content data, an additional data added to the content data and including data as to limited copying of the content data and data as to a period for which conditions of copying the content data are set;

comparing a date at which the content data is going to be copied with a period set based on the period data in the extracted additional data; and

inhibiting the content data copying when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be copied is within a period set based on the data as to the period.

65. The method as set forth in claim 64, wherein when the date at which the content data is going to be copied is determined to be out of the period set based on the data as to the period, the content data copying is controlled based on the data as to the copy limitation.

66. The method as set forth in claim 65, further comprising a step of copying the content data when the copy-limiting data allows the content data copying.

67. The method as set forth in claim 66, further comprising a step of rewriting the copy-limiting data included in the additional data added to the content data to be copied.

68. The method as set forth in claim 65, further comprising steps of:

determining, when the copy-limiting data allows the content data copying, whether the number of times the content data is allowed to be copied is smaller than a one defined by the copy-limiting data; and

copying the content data when the number of times of copying is smaller than the one defined by the data as to the limited copying.

69. The method as set forth in claim 68, further comprising a step of terminating the content data copying when the number of times of copying exceeds the one defined by the data as to the limited copying.

70. The method as set forth in claim 64, wherein:

the data as to the period includes a first and second period data; and

the data as to the limited copying includes a first copy-limiting data as to limited copying of the content data in a period set based on the first period data and a second copy-limiting data as to limited copying of the content data in a period set based on the second period data;

the method further comprising steps of;

determining whether the date at which the content data is going to be copied is within the period set based on the first period data; and

controlling the copying of the content data based on the first copy-limiting data when the date at which the content data is going to be copied is determined to be within the period set based on the first period data.

71. The method as set forth in claim 70, further comprising steps of:

determining, when the date at which the content data is going to be copied is determined to be out of the period set based on the first period data, whether the date at which the content data is going to be copied is within the period set based on the second period data; and

controlling the copying of the content data based on the second copy-limiting data when the date at which the content data is going to be copied is determined to be within the period set based on the second period data.

72. The method as set forth in claim 70, wherein:

the content data copying is inhibited for the period set based on the first period data; and

the content data copying is allowed only on a chargeable basis for the period set based on the second period data;

the method further comprising a step of informing the user that the content data can be copied on a chargeable basis when the date at which the content data is going to be copied is determined to be within the period set based on the first period data and also within the period set based on the second period data.

73. The method as set forth in claim 72, further comprising steps of:

determining, after the information to the user, whether the billing for the content data copying is possible;

copying the content data when the billing is determined to be possible; and

billing the user for the content data copying.

74. The method as set forth in claim 64, wherein the data as to the period includes a first period data as to a period for which the content data can be copied free of charge, and a second period data as to a period for which the content data can be copied only on a chargeable basis;

the method further comprising steps of;

determining whether the date at which the content data is going to be copied is within a period set based on the first period data; and

copying the content data free of charge when the date at which the content data is going to be copied is determined to be within the period set based on the first period data.

75. The method as set forth in claim 74, further comprising steps of:

determining, when the date at which the content data is going to be copied is determined to be out of the period set based on the first period data, whether the date at which the content data is going to be copied is within the period set based on the second period data; and

copying the content data on a chargeable basis when the date at which the content data is going to be copied is determined to be within the period set based on the second period data.

76. The method as set forth in claim 75, further comprising a step of informing the user that the content data can only be copied with payment of an appropriate data.

77. The method as set forth in claim 75, further comprising steps of:

determining whether the billing for the content data copying is possible;

copying the content data when the billing is determined to be possible; and

billing the user for the content data copying.

78. The method as set forth in claim 77, further comprising a step of terminating the copying of the content data when the billing is determined to be impossible.

79. A content data recorder comprising:

means for extracting, from a supplied content data, an additional data added to the content data and including data as to limited recording of the content data and data as to a period for which conditions of recording the content data are set;

means for coding the supplied content data;

means for recording an output from the encoding means; and

means including a time-keeping circuit and destined for comparing a period set based on the period data in the additional data extracted by the extracting means with a date supplied from the time-keeping circuit and at which the content data is going to be recorded, and controlling, when the result of comparison shows that the data at which the content data is going to be recorded is within a period set based on the period data in the additional data, the content data recording based on the limited-recording data in the additional data.

80. The apparatus as set forth in claim 79, wherein when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be recorded is within the period set based on the period data in the additional data, the controlling means inhibits the apparatus from recording the content data.

81. The apparatus as set forth in claim 80, wherein when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be recorded is out of the period set based on the period data, the controlling means controls the content data recording based on the limited-recording data in the additional data.

82. The apparatus as set forth in claim 81, wherein when the limited-recording data allows the content data recording, the controlling means causes the apparatus to record the content data.

83. The apparatus as set forth in claim 82, further comprising means for generating data as to the limited recording;

the controlling means adding new additional data generated by the generating means to the content data to be recorded.

84. The apparatus as set forth in claim 81, wherein:

the controlling means further includes a memory for storing a number of times the content data is allowed to be recorded;

the controlling means determines, when the limited-recording data allows the content data recording, whether the number of times the content data is allowed to be recorded is smaller than a one defined by the limited-recording data, based on data read from the memory, and causes the apparatus to record the content data when the number of times of recording is smaller than the one defined by the limited-recording data.

85. The apparatus as set forth in claim 84, wherein the controlling means causes the apparatus to terminate the content data recording when having determined that the number of times of recording exceeds the one defined by the limited-recording data.

86. The apparatus as set forth in claim 79, wherein:

the period data includes a first and second period data;

the limited-recording data includes a first limited-recording data as to limited recording of the content data in a period set based on the first period data and a second limited-recording data as to limited recording of the content data in a period set based on the second period data;

the controlling means operates to;

determine whether the date at which the content data is going to be recorded is within the period set based on the first period data; and

control the content data recording based on the first limited-recording data having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be recorded is within the period set based on the first period data.

87. The apparatus as set forth in claim 86, wherein the controlling means operates to:

determine, when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be copied is out of the period set based on the first period data, whether the date at which the content data is going to be copied is within the period set based on the second period data; and

control the content data recording based on the second limited-recording data when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be copied is within the period set based on the second period data.

88. The apparatus as set forth in claim 86, wherein:

the content data recording is inhibited for the period set based on the first period data;

the content data recording is allowed only on a chargeable basis for the period set based on the second period data; and

the controlling means informs the user that the content data can be recorded on a chargeable basis when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be copied is within the period set based on the first period data and also within the period set based on the second period data.

89. The apparatus as set forth in claim 88, further comprising means for displaying that the content data can be recorded only on a chargeable basis.

90. The apparatus as set forth in claim 88, wherein the controlling means operates to:

determine, after the information to the user, whether the billing for the content data recording is possible;

cause the apparatus to record the content data when having determined that the billing is possible; and

bill the user for the content data recording.

91. The apparatus as set forth in claim 79, wherein:

the period data includes a first period data as to a period for which the content data can be recorded free of charge, and a second period data as to a period for which the content data can be recorded only on a chargeable basis; and

the controlling means operates to;

determine whether the date at which the content data is going to be recorded is within a period set based on the first period data; and

cause the apparatus to record the content data free of charge when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be recorded is be within the period set based on the first period data.

92. The apparatus as set forth in claim 91, wherein the controlling means operates to:

determine, when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be recorded is out of the period set based on the first period data, whether the date at which the content data is going to be recorded is within the period set based on the second period data; and

cause the apparatus to record the content data on a chargeable basis when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be recorded is within the period set based on the second period data.

93. The apparatus as set forth in claim 92, wherein the controlling means informs the user that the content data can be recorded only on a chargeable basis.

94. The apparatus as set forth in claim 93, further comprising means for displaying that the content data can be recorded only on a chargeable basis.

95. The apparatus as set forth in claim 92, wherein the controlling means operates to:

determine whether the billing for the content data recording is possible;

cause the apparatus to record the content data when having determined that the billing is possible; and

bill the user for the content data recording.

96. The apparatus as set forth in claim 93, wherein the controlling means causes the apparatus to terminate the content data recording when having determined that the billing is impossible.

97. A content data player comprising:

means for extracting, from a supplied content data, an additional data added to the content data and including data as to limited playing of the content data and data as to a period for which conditions of playing the content data are set;

means for decoding the supplied content data;

means for playing an output from the decoding means; and

means including a time-keeping circuit and destined for comparing a period set based on the period data in the additional data extracted by the extracting means with a date supplied from the time-keeping circuit and at which the content data is going to be played, and controlling, when the result of comparison shows that the data at which the content data is going to be played is within a period set based on the period data in the additional data, the content data playing based on the play-limiting data in the additional data.

98. The apparatus as set forth in claim 97, wherein when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be played is within the period set based on the period data in the additional data, the controlling means inhibits the apparatus from playing the content data.

99. The apparatus as set forth in claim 98, wherein when the result of comparison shows that the date at which the content data is going to be played is out of the period set based on the period data, the controlling means controls the content data playing based on the play-limiting data in the additional data.

100. The apparatus as set forth in claim 99, wherein when the play-limiting data allows the content data playing, the controlling means causes the apparatus to play the content data.

101. The apparatus as set forth in claim 99, wherein:

the controlling means further includes a memory for storing a number of times the content data has been played;

the controlling means determines, when the play-limiting data allows the content data playing, whether the number of times the content data is allowed to be played is smaller than a one defined by the play-limiting data, based on data read from the memory, and causes the apparatus to play the content data when the number of times of playing is smaller than the one defined by the play-limiting data.

103. The apparatus as set forth in claim 97, wherein:

the period data includes a first and second period data;

the play-limiting data includes a first play-limiting data as to limited playing of the content data in a period set based on the first period data and a second play-limiting data as to limited playing of the content data in a period set based on the second period data;

the controlling means operates to;

determine whether the date at which the content data is going to be played is within the period set based on the first period data; and

control the content data playing based on the first play-limiting data when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be played is within the period set based on the first period data.

104. The apparatus as set forth in claim 103, wherein the controlling means operates to:

determine, when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be copied is out of the period set based on the first period data, whether the date at which the content data is going to be copied is within the period set based on the second period data; and

control the content data playing based on the second play-limiting data when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be played is within the period set based on the second period data.

105. The apparatus as set forth in claim 103, wherein:

the content data recording is inhibited for the period set based on the first period data;

the content data recording is allowed only on a chargeable basis for the period set based on the second period data; and

the controlling means informs the user that the content data can be played on a chargeable basis when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be copied is within the period set based on the first period data and also within the period set based on the second period data.

106. The apparatus as set forth in claim 97, further comprising means for displaying that the content data can be played only on a chargeable basis.

107. The apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein the controlling means operates to:

determine, after the information to the user, whether the billing for the content data playing is possible;

cause the apparatus to play the content data when having determined that the billing is possible; and

bill the user for the content data playing.

108. The apparatus as set forth in claim 97, wherein:

the period data includes a first period data as to a period for which the content data can be played free of charge, and a second period data as to a period for which the content data can be played only on a chargeable basis; and

the controlling means operates to;

determine whether the date at which the content data is going to be played is within a period set based on the first period data; and

cause the apparatus to play the content data free of charge when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be played is within the period set based on the first period data.

109. The apparatus as set forth in claim 108, wherein the controlling means operates to:

determine, when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be played is out of the period set based on the first period data, whether the date at which the content data is going to be played is within the period set based on the second period data; and

cause the apparatus to play the content data on a chargeable basis when having determined that the date at which the content data is going to be played is within the period set based on the second period data.

110. The apparatus as set forth in claim 109, wherein the controlling means informs the user that the content data can be played only on a chargeable basis.

111. The apparatus as set forth in claim 110, further comprising means for displaying that the content data can be played only on a chargeable basis.

112. The apparatus as set forth in claim 109, wherein the controlling means operates to:

determine whether the billing for the content data playing is possible;

cause the apparatus to play the content data when having determined that the billing is possible; and

bill the user for the content data playing.

113. The apparatus as set forth in claim 110, wherein the controlling means causes the apparatus to terminate the content data playing when having determined that the billing is impossible.

114. A content data including:

a content data proper; and

additional data added to the content data and including data about conditions of copying or playing the content data.

115. The content data as set forth in claim 114, wherein the additional data includes data which limits the content data copying.

116. The content data as set forth in claim 115, wherein the copy-limiting data includes at least data indicating a period for which the content data copying is inhibited.

117. The content data as set forth in claim 116, wherein the data as to the no-copy period includes data as to a start day of the no-copy period and data as to an end day of the no-copy period.

118. The content data as set forth in claim 116, wherein the copy-limiting data includes data as to further limited copying of the content data after elapse of the no-copy period.

119. The content data as set forth in claim 118, wherein the data as to further limited copying includes at least data about conditions of further copying the content data after elapse of the no-copy period.

120. The content data as set forth in claim 119, wherein the data as to further limited copying includes data as to an end day of the further copy inhibition.

121. The content data as set forth in claim 114, wherein the additional data includes a plurality of copy-limiting data.

122. The content data as set forth in claim 121, wherein each of the plurality of copy-limiting data includes data as to the no-copy period and data about copying conditions.

123. The content data as set forth in claim 121, wherein the additional data includes data limiting further copying of the content data after elapse of each no-copy period included in each of the plurality of copy-limiting data.

124. The content data as set forth in claim 114, wherein the additional data includes data which limits the content data playing.

125. The content data as set forth in claim 124, wherein the play-limiting data includes at least data indicating a period for which the content data playing is inhibited.

126. The content data as set forth in claim 125, wherein the data as to the no-play period includes data as to a start day of the no-play period and data as to an end day of the no-play period.

127. The content data as set forth in claim 125, wherein the play-limiting data includes data as to further limited playing of the content data after elapse of the no-play period.

128. The content data as set forth in claim 127, wherein the data as to further limited playing includes at least data about conditions of further playing the content data after elapse of the no-play period.

129. The content data as set forth in claim 128, wherein the data as to further limited playing includes data as to an end day of the further copy inhibition.

130. The content data as set forth in claim 114, wherein the additional data includes a plurality of data which limits the content data playing.

131. The content data as set forth in claim 130, wherein each of the plurality of play-limiting data includes data as to the no-play period and data about playing conditions.

132. The content data as set forth in claim 130, wherein the additional data includes data which limits further playing of the content data after elapse of each no-play period included in each of the plurality of play-limiting data.

133. The content data as set forth in claim 114, wherein the additional data includes data as to a period for which conditions of copying or playing the content data are set.

134. The content data as set forth in claim 133, wherein the period data includes at least data as to a no-pay period for which the content data can be copied or played free of charge.

135. The content data as set forth in claim 134, wherein the no-pay period include data as to a start day, and an end day, of the period during which the content data can be copied or played free of charge.

136. The content data as set forth in claim 134, wherein the period data includes at least one data as to a period for which the content data can be copied or played on a chargeable basis.

137. The content data as set forth in claim 136, wherein the chargeable period includes data as to a start day, and an end day, of the period for which the content data can be copied or played on a chargeable basis.

138. The content data as set forth in claim 136, wherein the chargeable period defined based on the chargeable-period data partially overlaps a period defined based on the no-pay period.

139. The content data as set forth in claim 133, wherein the additional data further includes data which limits the content data copying or playing.

140. A content data outputting method comprising steps of:

adding, to a supplied content data, an additional data added to the content data and including data as to limited copying or playing of the content data and data as to a period for which conditions of copying or playing the content data are set; and

outputting the content data having the additional data added thereto.