Information signal recording/reproducing system, information signal recording device, information signal reproducing device and information signal recording/reproducing process

• US 6,282,654 B1
• Filed: 08/07/1998
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Nozomu, Ogino, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E.
• Application Number:
  US09/131,095
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 705/57, 705/58, 713/200, 713/201, 713/202, 713/193, 713/176, 380/201, 380/202, 380/203, 380/204, 380/205, 340/825.31, 340/825.34
• US Class Current: 726/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• 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 20/00557 wherein further management data is encrypted, e.g. sector headers, TOC or the lead-in or lead-out areas
• 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 20/00913 based on a spread spectrum technique
• 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 2005/91328 the copy protection signal being a copy management signal, e.g. a copy generation management signal [CGMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/9135 by superimposing the spectrally spread copy protection signal onto the video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

When digital image signals fed in through an input terminal to be recorded on a disc, medium-related information, such as a serial number in a table of contents of the disc, is spectrum-spread in a spectrum spreading additional information generating section and the digital image signals on which the spectrum-spread medium-related information has been superimposed in an spectrum spreading additional information superimposing section are recorded on the disc. When the signals are to be reproduced, the reproduction can be performed if 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 copying for private use.

Claims

1. An information signal recording/reproducing system using a recording medium having formed thereon an area different from an area for recording information signals and in which medium-related information is recorded, or having a unit accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is recorded and including a recording device for recording the information signals on the recording medium and a reproducing device for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium,

the recording device comprising:

recording-side medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from one of the recording medium and the unit accompanying the recording medium;

information adding means for adding the medium-related information read by 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 has been added by the information adding means on the recording medium;

the reproducing device comprising;

reproducing-side medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from one of the recording medium and the unit 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 in the information signals read by the information signal reading means;

determining means for determining whether the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading means is consistent with the medium-related information detected by the detecting means; and

control means for prohibiting the reproduction of the information signals if the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading means is not consistent with the medium-related information detected by the detecting means.

2. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein

the information adding means comprises

spreading means for spectrum-spreading the medium related information from the recording-side medium-related information reading means, and

means for superimposing the medium-related information spectrum-spread by the spreading means on the information signals to be recorded, and

the detecting means comprises means for picking up the medium-related information spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals by performing inverse spectrum-spreading.

3. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the information adding means comprises signal level converting means for converting the medium-related information from the recording-side medium-related information reading means into a minute level signal, and

means for adding the medium-related information converted into the minute level signal by the signal level converting means to the information signals to be recorded, and

the detecting means comprises means for picking up the medium-related information added to the information signals as the minute level signal.

4. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein

the information adding means comprises enciphering means for enciphering the medium-related information from the recording-side medium-related information reading means, and

means for adding the medium-related information enciphered by the enciphering means to the information signals to be recorded, and

the detecting means in the reproducing device comprises 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. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the reproducing device comprises information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium 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. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the reproducing device comprises informing means for informing a user 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. An information signal recording/reproducing system using a recording medium having formed thereon an area different from an area for recording information signals and in which recording medium-related information is recorded, or having a unit accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is recorded and including a recording device for recording the information signals on the recording medium and a reproducing device for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium,

the recording device comprising:

recording-side medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from one of the recording medium and the unit accompanying the recording medium;

additional information conversion means for converting 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 converted by the additional information conversion means to the information signals; and

recording means for recording the information signals to which the additional information is added on the recording medium;

the reproducing device comprising;

reproducing-side medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from one of the recording medium and the unit 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 the reproducing-side medium-related information reading means; and

control means for prohibiting the reproduction of the information signals if the additional information added to the information signals is not detected by the additional information detecting means.

8. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 7, wherein

the additional information conversion means comprises

means for enciphering the additional information by using the medium-related information from the recording-side medium-related information reading means, and

the additional information detecting means comprises

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.

9. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 7, wherein the reproducing device further comprises information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by the additional information detecting means.

10. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 7, wherein the reproducing device comprises informing means for informing a user that the information signals are not reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by the additional information detecting means.

11. An information signal recording device for recording information signals on a recording medium having thereon an area different from an area for recording the information signals and in which medium-related information is recorded or having a unit accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is recorded the recording device comprising:

medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from one of the recording medium and the unit accompanying the recording medium;

information adding means for adding the medium-related information read by the medium-related information reading means to the information signals; and

recording means for recording the information signals to which the medium-related information has been added by the information adding means on the recording medium.

12. The information signal recording device according to claim 11, further comprising spreading means for spectrum-spreading the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading means, and

the adding means comprises means for superimposing the medium-related information spectrum-spread by the spreading means on the information signals to be recorded.

13. The information signal recording device according to claim 11, further comprising signal level converting means for converting the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading means into a minute level signal, and

the information adding means comprises means for adding the medium-related information converted into the minute level signal by the signal level converting means to the information signals to be recorded.

14. The information signal recording device according to claim 11, further comprising enciphering means for enciphering the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading means, and

the information adding means comprises means for adding the medium-related information enciphered by the enciphering means to the information signals to be recorded.

15. An information signal recording device for recording information signals on a recording medium having formed thereon an area different from an area for recording the information signals and in which medium-related information is recorded, or having a unit accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is recorded, the recording device comprising:

medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from one of the recording medium and the unit 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 the additional information generating means to the information signals; and

recording means for recording the information signals to which the additional information has been added by the information adding means on the recording medium.

16. The information signal recording device according to claim 15, wherein the additional information generating means comprises 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. An information signal reproducing device for reproducing information signals to which medium-related information has been added and which are recorded on a recording medium having formed thereon an area different from an area for recording the information signals and in which the medium-related information is recorded, or having a unit accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is recorded, the reproducing device comprising:

medium-related information reading means for reading the medium-related information from one of the recording medium and the unit 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 in the information signals read by the information signal reading means;

determining means for determining whether the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading means is consistent with the medium-related information detected by the detecting means; and

control means for prohibiting the reproduction of the information signals if the medium-related information from the reproducing side medium-related information reading means is not consistent with the medium-related information detected by the detecting means.

18. The 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 comprises means for picking up the medium-related information that has been spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals by performing inverse spectrum-spreading.

19. The 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 comprises means for picking up the medium-related information added to the information signals as the minute signals.

20. The information signal reproducing device according to claim 17, wherein the media-related information added to the information signals is enciphered so as to be added to the information signals, and

the detecting means comprises 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. The information signal reproducing device according to claim 17, further comprising information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium 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 detected by the detecting means.

22. The information signal reproducing device according to claim 17, further comprising informing means for informing a user 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 detected by the detecting means.

23. An information signal reproducing device for reproducing information signals to which medium-related information has been added and which are recorded on a recording medium having formed thereon an area different from an area for recording the information signals and in which the medium-related information is recorded, or having a unit accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is recorded, the reproducing device comprising:

information reading means for reading the medium-related information from one of the recording medium and the unit 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 information reading means; and

control means for prohibiting the reproduction of the information signals the additional information added to the information signals is not detected by the additional information detecting means.

24. The information signal reproducing device according to claim 23, wherein the information signals recorded on the recording medium are signals to which the additional information enciphered by using the medium-related information is added, and

the additional information detecting means comprises means for detecting the additional information added to the information signals from the information signal reading means by decoding the enciphered additional information using the medium-related information from the information reading means.

25. The 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 when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by the additional information detecting means.

26. The information signal reproducing device according to claim 23, further comprising informing means for informing a user that the information signals are not reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by the additional information detecting means.

27. An information signal recording/reproducing method for use with a recording medium having formed thereon an area different from an area for recording information signals and which in medium-related information is recorded, or having a unit accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is recorded and including a recording process for recording the information signals on the recording medium and a reproducing process for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium

and the recording process comprises:

a recording-side medium-related information reading step of reading the medium-related information from one of the recording medium and the section accompanying the recording medium,

an information adding step of adding the read out medium-related information to the information signals, and

a recording step of recording the information signals to which the medium-related information has been added on the recording medium; and

the reproducing process comprises;

a reproducing-side medium-related information reading step of reading the medium-related information from one of the recording medium and the section accompanying the recording medium,

an information signal reading step of reading the information signals from the recording medium,

a detecting step of detecting the medium-related information added to the information signals from the information signals read out in the information signal reading step,

a determining step of determining whether the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading step is consistent with the medium-related information detected in the detecting step, and

a control step of prohibiting the reproduction of the information signals if the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading step is not consistent with the medium-related information detected in the detecting step.

28. The information signal recording/reproducing method according to claim 27, wherein the information adding step comprises

a spreading step of spectrum-spreading the medium-related information read out in the recording-side medium-related information reading step, and

a step of superimposing the medium-related information spectrum-spread in the spreading step on the information signals to be recorded, and

the detecting step comprises

a step of picking up the medium-related information spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals by inverse spectrum-spreading.

29. The information signal recording/reproducing method according to claim 27, wherein the information adding step comprises

a signal level converting step of converting the medium-related information read out in the recording-side medium-related information reading step into a minute level signal, and

a step of adding the medium-related information converted into the minute level signal in the signal level converting step is added to the information signals to be recorded and

the detecting step comprises

a step of picking up the medium-related information added to the information signals as the minute level signal.

30. The information signal recording/reproducing method according to claim 27, the information adding step comprises

an enciphering step of enciphering the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading step in the recording process, wherein and

a step of adding the medium-related information enciphered in the enciphering step is added to the information signals to be recorded, and

the detecting step comprises

a step of 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.

31. The information signal recording/reproducing method according to claim 27, further comprising an 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. The information signal recording/reproducing method according to claim 27, further comprising an informing step of informing a user 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 detected in the detecting step.

33. An information signal recording/reproducing method for use with a recording medium having formed thereon an area different from an area for recording information signals and in which medium-related information is recorded, or having a unit accompanying the recording medium in which the medium-related information is recorded

and including a recording process for recording the information signals on the recording medium and a reproducing process for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium and the recording process comprises:

a recording-side medium-related information reading step of reading the medium-related information from one of the recording medium and the unit accompanying the recording medium,

an additional information conversion step of converting additional information on the basis of the medium-related information read out in the recording medium-related information reading step,

an information adding step of adding the additional information converted in the additional information conversion step to the information signals, and

a recording step of recording the medium-related information from the information signals to which the additional information has been added in the information adding step on the recording medium; and

the reproducing process comprising;

a reproducing-side medium-related information reading step of reading the medium-related information from one of the recording medium and the unit accompanying the recording medium,

an information signal reading step of reading the information signals from the recording medium,

an 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

a control step of prohibiting the reproduction of the information signals if the additional information added to the information signals is not detected in the additional information detecting step.

34. The information signal recording/reproducing method according to claim 33 wherein, the recording medium, in the additional information conversion step comprises

a step of enciphering the additional information using the medium-related information from the medium-related information reading step, and,

the additional information detecting step comprises

a step of detecting the additional information added to the information signals from the information signal reading step by detecting the enciphered additional information using the medium-related information from the reproducing-side medium-related information reading step.

35. The information signal recording/reproducing method according to claim 33, further comprising an information signal erasing step of erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals in the additional information detecting step.

36. The information signal recording/reproducing process according to claim 33, further comprising an informing step of informing a user that the information signals are not reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by the additional information detecting step.

37. An information signal recording/reproducing system having a recording device for recording information signals on a recording medium and a reproducing device for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium

the recording device comprising:

a recording-side device-related information obtaining means for obtaining device-related information related to recording the device for recording the information signals,

information adding means for adding the device-related information obtained by 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 has been added by the information adding means on the recording medium; and

the reproducing device comprising;

reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means for obtaining device-related 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 the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means is consistent with the device-related information detected by the detecting means; and

control means for prohibiting the reproduction of the information signals if the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means is not consistent with the device-related information detected by the detecting means.

38. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 37, wherein the recording device further comprises

recording-side auxiliary recording medium setting means into which an auxiliary recording medium is set, and wherein

the recording-side device-related information obtaining means comprises 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 further comprises reproducing-side auxiliary recording medium setting means into which the auxiliary recording medium is set, wherein

the reproducing-side information obtaining means comprises means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set to the reproducing-side auxiliary recording medium setting means.

39. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 37, wherein the information adding means comprises

spreading means for spectrum-spreading the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining means, and

means for superimposing the device-related information spectrum-spread by the spreading means on the information signals to be recorded, and

the detecting means comprises

means for picking up the device-related information spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals by inverse spectrum-spreading.

40. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 37, wherein the information adding means comprises

signal level converting means for converting the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining means into a minute level signal, and

means for adding the device-related information converted into the minute level signal by the signal level converting means to the information signals to be recorded, and

the detecting means comprises

means for picking up device-related information added to the information signals, as the minute level signal.

41. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 37, wherein the information adding means comprises

enciphering means for enciphering the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining means, and means for adding the device-related information enciphered by the enciphering means to the information signals to be recorded, and

the detecting means comprises

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. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 37, wherein the reproducing device further comprises information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium 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 detected by the detecting means.

43. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 37, wherein the reproducing device further comprises informing means for informing a user 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 detected by the detecting means.

44. An information signal recording/reproducing system having a recording device for recording information signals on a recording medium and a reproducing device for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium,

the recording device comprising:

recording-side device-related information obtaining means for obtaining device-related information related to the recording device for recording the information signals;

additional information conversion means for converting 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 converted by the additional information conversion means to the information signals; and

recording means for recording the information signals to which the additional information is added by the information adding means on the recording medium; and

the reproducing device comprising;

reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means for obtaining device-related information related to the 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 the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means; and

reproducing control means for prohibiting the reproduction of the information signals if the additional information added to the information signals is not detected by the additional information detecting means.

45. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 44, wherein the recording device further comprises

recording-side auxiliary recording medium setting means into which an auxiliary recording medium is set, wherein

the recording-side device-related information obtaining means comprises means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set to the recording-side auxiliary recording medium setting means,

the reproducing device comprises reproducing-side auxiliary recording medium setting means to which the auxiliary recording medium is set, and

the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means comprises means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set to the reproducing-side auxiliary recording medium setting means.

46. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 44, wherein

the additional information conversion means comprises

means for enciphering the additional information by using the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining means, and

the additional information detecting means comprises

means for detecting the additional information added to the information signals from the information signal reading means by decoding the enciphered additional information using the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means.

47. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 44, wherein the reproducing device further comprises information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by the additional information detecting means.

48. The information signal recording/reproducing system according to claim 44, wherein the reproducing device further comprises informing means for informing a user that the information signals are not reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by the additional information detecting means.

49. An information signal recording device for adding device-related information related to the recording device to information signals to be recorded on a recording medium and for recording resultant signals on the recording medium, the recording device comprising:

device-related information obtaining means for obtaining the device-related information;

information adding means for adding the device-related information obtained by the device-related information obtaining means to the information signals; and

recording means for recording the information signals to which the device-related information has been added by the information adding means on the recording medium.

50. The information signal recording device according to claim 49, further comprising auxiliary recording medium setting means into which an auxiliary recording medium is set, wherein

the medium-related information obtaining means comprises means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set into the auxiliary recording medium setting means.

51. The information signal recording device according to claim 49, further comprising spreading means for spectrum-spreading the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means, wherein

the information adding means comprises means for superimposing the device-related information spectrum-spread by the spreading means on the information signals to be recorded.

52. The information signal recording device according to claim 49, further comprising signal level converting means for converting the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means into a minute level signal, wherein

the information adding means comprises means for adding the device-related information converted into the minute level signal by the signal level converting means to the information signals to be recorded.

53. The information signal recording/reproducing device according to claim 49, further comprising enciphering means for enciphering the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means, wherein

the information adding mean comprises means for adding the device-related information enciphered by the enciphering means to the information signals to be recorded.

54. An information signal recording device for adding additional information generated on the basis of device-related information related to the recording device to information signals to be recorded on a recording medium and for recording resultant signals on the recording medium, comprising:

device-related information obtaining means for obtaining device-related 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 the additional information generating means to the information signals; and

recording means for recording the information signals to which the additional information has been added by the information adding means on the recording medium.

55. The information signal recording device according to claim 54, further comprising auxiliary recording medium setting means into which an auxiliary recording medium is set, and wherein

the device-related information obtaining means comprises means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set into the auxiliary recording medium setting means.

56. The information signal recording device according to claim 54, wherein the additional information generating means comprises 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. An information signal reproducing device for reproducing information signals to which device-related information related to a recording device has been added and which are recorded on a recording medium, the reproducing device comprising:

device-related information obtaining means for obtaining device-related 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 the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means is consistent with the device-related information detected by the detecting means; and

control means for controlling prohibiting the reproduction of the information signals if the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining means is not consistent with the device-related information detected by the detecting means.

58. The information signal reproducing device according to claim 57 further comprising auxiliary medium setting means to which an auxiliary recording medium is set, wherein

the device-related information obtaining means comprises means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set to the auxiliary recording medium setting means.

59. The 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 wherein

the detecting means comprises means for picking up the device-related information spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals by inverse spectrum-spreading.

60. The 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 comprises means for picking up device-related information added to the information signals as the minute level signal.

61. The 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 wherein

the detecting means comprises means for extracting and decoding the device-related information enciphered and added to the information signals, so as to pickup the device-related information added to the information signals.

62. The information signal reproducing device according to claim 57, further comprising information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium 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 detected by the detecting means.

63. The information signal reproducing device according to claim 57, further comprising informing means for informing a user 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 detected by the detecting means.

64. An information signal reproducing device for reproducing information signals to which device-related information related to a recording device has been added and which are recorded on a recording medium, the reproducing device comprising:

device-related information obtaining means for obtaining the device-related 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 the device-related information obtaining means; and

control means for prohibiting the reproduction of the information signals if the additional information added to the information signals is not detected by the additional information detecting means.

65. The information signal reproducing device according to claim 64, further comprising auxiliary recording medium setting means to which an auxiliary recording medium is set, wherein

the device-related information obtaining means comprises means for obtaining the device-related information from the auxiliary recording medium set to the recording-side auxiliary recording medium setting means.

66. The information signal reproducing device according to claim 64, wherein the additional information added to the information signals is enciphered by using the device-related information, and wherein

the additional information detecting means comprises means for detecting the additional information added to the information signals from the information signals reading means by decoding the enciphered additional information using the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining means.

67. The information signal reproducing device according to claim 64, further comprising information signal erasing means for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording medium when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by the additional information detecting means.

68. The information signal reproducing device according to claim 64, further comprising informing means for informing a user that the information signals are not reproduced when the additional information cannot be detected from the information signals by the additional information detecting means.

69. An information signal recording/reproducing method comprising a recording process for recording information signals on a recording medium and a reproducing process for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium

wherein the recording process comprises

a recording-side device-related information obtaining step of obtaining device-related information related to a recording device used for recording the information signals,

a information adding step of adding the device-related information obtained by the recording-side device-related information obtaining step to the information signals, and

a recording step of recording the information signals to which the device-related information has been added in the information adding step on the recording medium;

and

the reproducing process comprising

a reproducing-side device-related information obtaining step of obtaining device-related information related to a reproducing device used for reproducing the information signals,

an information signal reading step of reading the information signals from the recording medium,

a detecting step of detecting the device-related information added to the information signals from the information signal reading step,

a determining step of determining whether 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

control step for prohibiting the reproduction of the information signals if the device-related information from the reproducing-side device-related information obtaining step is not consistent with the device-related information from the detecting step.

70. The information signal recording/reproducing method according to claim 69, wherein the information adding step comprises

a spreading step of spectrum-spreading the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining step, and

a step of superimposing

the device-related information spectrum-spread in the spreading step is on the information signals to be recorded in the information adding step, and

the detecting step comprises

a step of picking up the device-related information spectrum-spread and superimposed on the information signals by inverse spectrum-spreading.

71. The information signal recording/reproducing method according to claim 69, wherein the information adding step comprises

a signal level converting step of converting the device-related information from the device-related information obtaining step into a minute level signal, and

a step of adding the device-related information converted into the minute level signal in the signal level converting step to the information signals and

a step of picking up the device-related information added to the information signals as the minute level signal.

72. The information signal recording/reproducing method according to claim 69, the information adding step comprises

an enciphering step of enciphering the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining step, and

a step of adding the device-related information enciphered in the enciphering step to the information signals to be recorded, and

the detecting step comprises

a step of 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.

73. The information signal recording/reproducing method according to claim 69, further comprising an information signal erasing step for erasing the information signals recorded on the recording device 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 detected in the detecting step.

74. The information signal recording/reproducing method according to claim 69, further comprising an informing step of informing a user 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 detected in the detecting step.

75. An information signal recording/reproducing method comprising a recording process for recording information signals on a recording medium and for reproducing the information signals recorded on the recording medium

the recording process comprises

a recording-side device-related information obtaining step of obtaining device-related information related to a recording device used for recording the information signals,

an additional information conversion step of converting additional information on the basis of the device-related information from the recording-side device-related information obtaining step,

an information adding step of adding the additional information converted in the additional information conversion step to the information signals, and

a recording step of recording the information signals to which the additional information has been added by the information adding step on the recording medium;

and the method reproducing process comprises

a reproducing-side medium-related information obtaining step of obtaining device-related information related to a reproducing device used for reproducing the information signals,

an information signal reading step of reading the information signals from the recording medium,

an 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

a control step for prohibiting the reproduction of the information signals if the additional information added to the information signals is not detected by the additional information detecting step.