Audio and video signal recording apparatus and method having a function of informing user when the signal is protected from recording

• US 6,879,772 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Original Assignee: Victor Company of Japan Limited (JVC Kenwood Corporation)
• Inventors: Higurashi, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US09/573,813
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N00.5/76, H04/N00.5/781, H04/N00.7/167, H04/N00.5/91, 386/1, 386/94, 360/60, 380201-203
• US Class Current: 386/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91328 the copy protection signal being a copy management signal, e.g. a copy generation management signal [CGMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Auxiliary data carried by a video signal which is now being broadcast is detected to decide whether or not the video signal is protected from recording by copyright. The video signal is recorded on a storage medium when it is not protected from recording. On the other hand, a predetermined information is recorded on the storage medium when the video signal is protected from recording. The information suggests that the video signal has not been recorded due to copyright protection. Either the video signal or the predetermined information is retrieved from the storage medium and displayed on a monitor screen when retrieved from the storage medium.

Claims

1. A recording apparatus comprising:

a first detector to detect auxiliary data carried by at least a first video signal which is now being broadcast to decide whether or not the first video signal is protected from recording;

a recorder to record either the first video signal or a first predetermined information on a storage medium, the first predetermined information suggesting that the first video signal has not been recorded because it is protected from recording;

a first memory to store the first predetermined information; and

controlling means for controlling at least the recorder so that the first video signal is recorded on the storage medium when the first video signal is not protected from recording, and for retrieving the first predetermined information from the first memory and controlling the recorder so that the first predetermined information, instead of the first video signal, is recorded on the storage medium when the first video signal is protected from recording.

2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means retrieves either the first video signal or the first predetermined information from the storage medium and outputs the retrieved signal or predetermined information to a monitor screen for displaying either the signal or predetermined information, or supplies the retrieved predetermined information to a speaker for giving off the predetermined information.

3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first memory stores character data or still picture data as the first predetermined information.

4. The recording apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising presetting means for presetting and storing preset data of TV program which will be broadcast later.

5. The recording apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising:

presetting means for presetting recording of at least a second video signal which will be broadcast later, according to a pre-stored reference; and

a second detector to detect the pre-stored reference to decide whether or not the second video is protected from recording;

wherein, when the second video signal is protected from recording, the controlling means outputs a second predetermined information to the monitor screen or speaker to display or give off the second predetermined information suggesting that the second video signal will not be recorded because it is protected from recording.

6. The recording apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising a second memory that has stored the second predetermined information, the controlling means retrieving the second predetermined information from the second memory and outputting the retrieved predetermined information to the monitor screen or speaker when the second video signal is protected from recording.

7. A recording method comprising the steps of:

detecting auxiliary data carried by at least a first video signal which is now being broadcast to decide whether or not the first video signal is protected from recording;

recording either the first video signal or a first predetermined information on a storage medium, the first predetermined information suggesting that the first video signal has not been recorded because it is protected from recording; and

controlling at least the recording so that the first video signal is recorded on the storage medium when the first video signal is not protected from recording, on the other hand, the first predetermined information, instead of the first video signal, is recorded on the storage medium when the first video signal is protected from recording.

8. The recording method according to claim 7 further comprising the step of retrieving either the first video signal or the first predetermined information from the storage medium and outputting the retrieved signal or predetermined information to a monitor screen for displaying either the signal or predetermined information, or supplying the retrieved predetermined information to a speaker for giving off the information.

9. The recording method according to claim 7 further comprising:

presetting recording of at least a second video signal which will be broadcast later, according to a pre-stored reference;

detecting the pre-stored reference to decide whether or not the second video signal is protected from recording; and

outputting a second predetermined information to the monitor screen or speaker when the second video signal is protected from recording to display or give off the second information suggesting that the second video signal will not be recorded because it is protected from recording.