Recording apparatus, transmitting apparatus, and computer-readable recording medium

• US 6,802,074 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2000
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishihara, Hideshi, Nagai, Takahiro, Mitsui, Yoshitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Boccio, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fletcher, James A
• Application Number:
  US09/584,145
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.716, 386/94, 386/95, 386/46, 380/102, 380/103, 725/25, 725/27, 725/31
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 the copy protection signal being a watermark
• 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 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A recording apparatus includes a disc recording unit for recording each video section composing a broadcast program onto a rewritable optical disc; an electronic watermark reading unit for reading electronic watermarks embedded into the video section; and a recording flag storing unit for storing a recording flag. If the read electronic watermarks show that recording is permitted, the recording flag is set as “0” to record the next video section. If the read electronic watermarks show that recording is prohibited, the recording flag is set as “1” not to record the next video section. If a broadcast program is newly selected under a condition where the recording of the currently received broadcast program is prohibited, the recording flag is reset to “0” and the first received video section of the newly selected broadcast program is recorded onto the rewritable optical disc.

Claims

1. A recording apparatus for selecting one of a plurality of broadcast programs and recording the selected broadcast program onto a recording medium, each broadcast program being composed of a plurality of video sections into each of which is embedded an electronic watermark showing whether recording of the broadcast program is permitted or prohibited,

the recording apparatus comprising:

a receiving means for receiving video sections composing the selected broadcast program one at a time;

a recording means for performing a recording operation according to instructions;

a reading means for reading an electronic watermark from each video section received by the receiving means;

an instructing means for issuing (a) a first instruction to have the recording means record a video section next to the video section from which the electronic watermark has been read if the read electronic watermark shows that recording of the selected broadcast program is permitted and (b) a second instruction to have the recording means not record the next video section if the read electronic watermark shows that the recording is prohibited,

wherein the instructing means includes an instruction changing unit for canceling, when an other broadcast program is selected after the second instruction has been issued, the second instruction and issuing a third instruction to have the recording means record a video section, out of video sections of the other broadcast program, that is first received;

a selection receiving means for receiving a selection of the other broadcast program from an operator,

wherein the instruction changing unit issues the third instruction when the selection receiving means receives the selection;

a time information generating means for, when the selection receiving means receives the selection after the second instruction has been issued, generating first time information that shows when the selection receiving means receives the selection;

a time information storing means for storing the time information,

wherein when the selection receiving means receives a further selection of a broadcast program different to the other broadcast program, the time information generating means generates second time information showing when the selection receiving means receives the further selection;

a difference calculating means for calculating a difference between the first time information and the second time information; and

a judging means for judging whether the difference exceeds a predetermined time period,

wherein if the difference exceeds the predetermined time period, the instruction changing unit issues a fourth instruction to have the recording means record a video section, out of video sections of the different broadcast program, that is first received.

2. A recording apparatus for selecting one of a plurality of broadcast programs and recording the selected broadcast program onto a recording medium, each broadcast program being composed of a plurality of video sections into each of which is embedded an electronic watermark showing whether recording of the broadcast program is permitted or prohibited,

the recording apparatus comprising:

a receiving means for receiving video sections composing the selected broadcast program one at a time;

a recording means for performing a recording operation according to instructions;

a reading means for reading an electronic watermark from each video section received by the receiving means;

an instructing means for issuing (a) a first instruction to have the recording means record a video section next to the video section from which the electronic watermark has been read if the read electronic watermark shows that recording of the selected broadcast program is permitted and (b) a second instruction to have the recording means not record the next video section if the read electronic watermark shows that the recording is prohibited,

wherein the instructing means includes an instruction changing unit for canceling, when an other broadcast program is selected after the second instruction has been issued, the second instruction and issuing a third instruction to have the recording means record a video section, out of video sections of the other broadcast program, that is first received;

a broadcast start time prestoring means for prestoring a broadcast start time of a specific broadcast program;

a time measuring means for measuring a current time; and

a selection means for selecting the specific broadcast program, when the current time measured by the time measuring means matches the broadcast start time prestored in the broadcast start time prestoring means,

wherein when the selection means selects the specific broadcast program, the instruction changing unit issues a fifth instruction to have the recording means record a video section, out of video sections of the specific broadcast program, that is first received.

3. A recording apparatus for receiving a broadcast program and recording the broadcast program onto a recording medium, the broadcast program being composed of a plurality of pieces of picture data, an electronic watermark being embedded into each of at least two pieces of picture data at a start of the broadcast program, and the electronic watermarks being divided parts produced by dividing copy control information showing whether recording of the broadcast program is permitted or prohibited,

the recording apparatus comprising:

a receiving means for receiving pieces of picture data of the broadcast program one at a time;

a reading means for reading an electronic watermark from each piece of picture data received by the receiving means and accumulating the read electronic watermark as a divided part;

a reconstructing means for reconstructing the copy control information by combining divided parts that have already been read from pieces of picture data with a divided part that is read from a next piece of picture data; and

a recording means for recording, onto the recording medium, (a) each piece of picture data received by the receiving means until the copy control information is reconstructed and (b) each piece of picture data following the at least two pieces of picture data if the reconstructed copy control information shows that the recording of the broadcast program is permitted.

4. A transmitting apparatus that transmits a broadcast program for a predetermined time period, comprising:

a storing means for storing video sections composing the broadcast program;

a reading means for reading a video section from the storing means;

an embedding means for embedding, into the read video section, an electronic watermark showing that recording of the broadcast program is prohibited;

a transmitting means for transmitting the video section into which the electronic watermark has been embedded;

a repeating means for having the reading means, embedding means, and transmitting means repeatedly operate through the predetermined time period; and

a multiplexing means for multiplexing reset information, which specifies a resetting of a prohibition against recording of the broadcast program, into a last video section of the broadcast program read by the reading means and having the transmitting means transmit the last video section.

5. A transmitting apparatus that transmits a broadcast program for a predetermined time period, comprising:

a storing means for storing video sections composing the broadcast program;

a reading means for reading a video section from the storing means;

an embedding means for embedding, into the read video section, an electronic watermark showing that recording of the broadcast program is prohibited;

a transmitting means for transmitting the video section into which the electronic watermark has been embedded;

a repeating means for having the reading means, embedding means, and transmitting means repeatedly operate through the predetermined time period; and

a multiplexing means for multiplexing reset information, which specifies a resetting of a prohibition against recording of the broadcast program and a time to reset the prohibition, into a video section read by the reading means and having the transmitting means transmit the video section into which the reset information has been multiplexed.

6. A transmitting apparatus that transmits a broadcast program for a predetermined time period, comprising

a storing means for storing video sections composing the broadcast program;

a reading means for reading a video section from the storing means;

an embedding means for embedding, into the read video section, an electronic watermark showing that recording of the broadcast program is prohibited;

a transmitting means for transmitting the video section into which the electronic watermark has been embedded;

a repeating means for having the reading means, embedding means, and transmitting means repeatedly operate through the predetermined time period; and

a controlling means for controlling the embedding means to embed a set of electronic watermarks, which shows that the recording of the broadcast program is permitted, into a last video section of the broadcast program read by the reading means.

7. A computer-readable recording medium which records a program that has a computer execute a procedure for selecting one of a plurality of broadcast programs and recording the selected broadcast program onto a recording medium, each broadcast program being composed of a plurality of video sections into each of which is embedded an electronic watermark showing whether recording of the broadcast program is permitted or prohibited,

the program comprising:

a receiving step for receiving video sections composing the selected broadcast program one at a time;

a recording step for performing a recording operation according to instructions;

a reading step for reading an electronic watermark from each video section received in the receiving step;

an instructing step for issuing (a) a first instruction to have the recording step record a video section next to the video section from which the electronic watermark shows that recording of the selected broadcast program is permitted and (b) a second instruction to have the recording step not record the next video section if the read electronic watermark shows that the recording is prohibited,

wherein the instructing step includes an instruction changing substep for canceling, when an other broadcast program is selected after the second instruction has been issued, the second instruction and issuing a third instruction to have the recording step record a video section, out of video sections of the other broadcast program, that is first received;

a selection receiving step for receiving a selection of the other broadcast program from an operator, wherein the instruction changing substep issues the third instruction when the selection is received in the selection receiving step;

a time information generating step for, when the selection is received in the selection receiving step after the second instruction has been issued, generating first time information that shows when the selection is received in the selection receiving step,

wherein the computer includes a time information recording medium for recording the time information,

wherein when a further selection of a broadcast program different to the other broadcast program is received in the selection receiving step, second time information showing when the further selection is received in the selection receiving step is generated in the time information generating step;

a difference calculating step for calculating a difference between the first time information and the second time information; and

a judging step for judging whether the difference exceeds a predetermined time period,

wherein if the difference exceeds the predetermined time period, a fourth instruction to have the recording step record a video section, out of video sections of the different broadcast program, that is first received is issued in the instruction changing substep.

8. A computer-readable recording medium which records a program that has a computer execute a procedure for selecting one of a plurality of broadcast programs and recording the selected broadcast program onto a recording medium, each broadcast program being composed of a plurality of video sections into each of which is embedded an electronic watermark showing whether recording of the broadcast program is permitted or prohibited,

the program comprising:

a receiving step for receiving video sections composing the selected broadcast program one at a time;

a recording step for performing a recording operation according to instructions;

a reading step for reading an electronic watermark from each video section received in the receiving step;

an instructing step for issuing (a) a first instruction to have the recording step record a video section next to the video section from which the electronic watermark shows that recording of the selected broadcast program is permitted and (b) a second instruction to have the recording step not record the next video section if the read electronic watermark shows that the recording is prohibited,

wherein the instructing step includes an instruction changing substep for canceling, when an other broadcast program is selected after the second instruction has been issued, the second instruction and issuing a third instruction to have the recording step record a video section, out of video sections of the other broadcast program, that is first received,

wherein the computer further includes a broadcast start time recording medium for recording a broadcast start time of a specific broadcast program, and

the program further comprises;

a time measuring step for measuring a current time; and

a selection step for selecting the specific broadcast program when the current time measured in the time measuring step matches the broadcast start time recorded on the broadcast start time recording medium,

wherein when the specific broadcast program is selected in the selection step, a fifth instruction to have the recording step record a video section, out of video sections of the specific broadcast program, that is first received is issued in the instruction changing substep.

9. A computer-readable recording medium which records a program that has a computer execute a procedure for receiving a broadcast program and recording the broadcast program onto a recording medium, the broadcast program being composed of a plurality of pieces of picture data, an electronic watermark being embedded into each of at least two pieces of picture data at a start of the broadcast program, and the electronic watermarks being divided parts produced by dividing copy control information showing whether recording of the broadcast program is permitted or prohibited,

the program comprising:

a receiving step for receiving pieces of picture data of the broadcast program one at a time;

a reading step for reading an electronic watermark from each piece of picture data received in the receiving step and accumulating the read electronic watermark as a divided part;

a reconstructing step for reconstructing the copy control information by combining divided parts that have already been read from pieces of picture data with a divided part that is read from a next piece of picture data; and

a recording step for recording, onto the recording medium, (a) each piece of picture data received in the receiving step until the copy control information is reconstructed and (b) each piece of picture data following the at least two pieces of picture data if the reconstructed copy control information shows that the recording of the broadcast program is permitted.

10. A computer-readable recording medium that records a program for transmitting a broadcast program for a predetermined time period,

the program comprising:

a reading step for reading a video section from a recording medium that records video sections composing the broadcast program;

an embedding step for embedding, into the read video section, an electronic watermark showing that recording of the broadcast program is prohibited;

a transmitting step for transmitting the video section into which the electronic watermark has been embedded;

a repeating step for repeating the reading step, embedding step, and transmitting step through the predetermined time period; and

a multiplexing step for multiplexing reset information, which specifies a resetting of a prohibition against recording of the broadcast program, into a last video section of the broadcast program read in the reading step and having the transmitting step transmit the last video section.

11. A computer-readable recording medium that records a program for transmitting a broadcast program for a predetermined time period,

the program comprising:

a reading step for reading a video section from a recording medium that records video sections composing the broadcast program;

an embedding step for embedding, into the read video section, an electronic watermark showing that recording of the broadcast program is prohibited;

a transmitting step for transmitting the video section into which the electronic watermark has been embedded;

a repeating step for repeating the reading step, embedding step, and transmitting step through the predetermined time period; and

a multiplexing step for multiplexing reset information, which specifies a resetting of a prohibition against recording of the broadcast program and a time to reset the prohibition, into a video section read in the reading step and having the transmitting step transmit the video section into which the reset information has been multiplexed.

12. A computer-readable recording medium that records a program for transmitting a broadcast program for a predetermined time period,

the program comprising:

a reading step for reading a video section from a recording medium that records video sections composing the broadcast program;

an embedding step for embedding, into the read video section, an electronic watermark showing that recording of the broadcast program is prohibited;

a transmitting step for transmitting the video section into which the electronic watermark has been embedded;

a repeating step for repeating the reading step, embedding step, and transmitting step through the predetermined time period; and

a controlling step for controlling the embedding step to embed a set of electronic watermarks, which shows that the recording of the broadcast program is permitted, into a last video section of the broadcast program read in the reading step.