Reproduction apparatus and reproducing method

• US 7,512,320 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2001
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okaue, Takumi, Yokota, Teppei, Kihara, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chio; Tat Chi
• Application Number:
  US10/203,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20030142960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,671 Days
• Field of Search: 386/94, 386/83, 386/46, 386/121
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0041 in coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/165 Memory card, i.e. removable module or card for storing music data for an electrophonic musical instrument
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/575 Adaptive MDCT-based compression, e.g. using a hybrid subband-MDCT, as in ATRAC non adaptive MDCT G10H2250/225

Abstract

A reproducing apparatus has three reproducing modes that are a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode. In the first mode, when a program that has been reproduction restricted is tried to be reproduced, the reproducing operation is paused and the user is asked whether he or she wants to reproduce the program. Corresponding to the user'"'"'s reply, the reproducing operation is performed or prohibited. In the second mode, a program that has been reproduction restricted is prohibited from being reproduced. In the third mode, a program that has been reproduction restricted is unconditionally reproduced. When the power of the apparatus is turned on at step S31, a prompt that causes the user to select one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode is displayed. At step S33, a process for designating a mode is performed. Information of the designated mode is stored in a nonvolatile memory.

Claims

1. A reproducing apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing a program from a record medium on which a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times and a program that has not been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times have been recorded, the record medium having a management area for managing an identifier that represents whether or not a program has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times;

receiving means for receiving programs on the record medium;

determining means for determining whether or not a program to be reproduced has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times corresponding to the identifier managed in the management area; and

mode designating means for allowing, when the determined result of the determining means represents that the program to be reproduced has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times, a user designation of at least two of;

a first mode, in which the user determines whether or not to reproduce the reproduction restricted program, the reproduction restricted program being prohibited from being reproduced when the number of reproduction times of the reproduction restricted program reaches the number of permitted reproduction times,

a second mode, without asking a user, in which the reproduction restricted program is prohibited from being reproduced regardless of the remaining number of reproduction times, and

a third mode, without asking the user, in which the reproduction restricted program is unconditionally reproduced unless the number of reproduction times reaches the number of permitted reproduction times.

2. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the designation becomes valid when the power of the apparatus is turned on and causes the apparatus to reproduce a program in the designated mode until the designated mode is changed.

3. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein when the reproducing apparatus reproduces a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times, the reproducing apparatus automatically creates a log file and records the log file to the management area of the record medium.

4. A reproducing apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing a program from a record medium on which a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times and a program that has not been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times have been recorded, the record medium having a management area for managing an identifier that represents whether or not a program has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times;

determining means for determining whether or not a program repeat reproducing operation has been selected; and

controlling means for causing the reproducing means to repeatedly reproduce a program that has not been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times and to repeatedly skip, regardless of the remaining number of reproduction times, a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times when the determined result of the determining means represents that the program repeat reproducing operation has been selected.

5. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 4,

wherein the program repeat reproducing operation reproduces programs in the order of which they have been recorded on the record medium.

6. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 4,

wherein the program repeat reproducing operation reproduces programs in a different order of programs recorded on the record medium.

7. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 4,

wherein when the reproducing apparatus reproduces a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times, the reproducing apparatus automatically creates a log file and records the log file in the management area of the record medium.

8. A reproducing apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing a program from a record medium on which a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the duration of reproduction has been recorded;

date and time counting means for counting the date and time;

operating means for allowing the user to input current date and time information;

memory means for storing the current date and time information that is input by the operating means;

determining means for determining whether or not the current date and time information has been stored in the memory means; and

controlling means for prohibiting a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the duration of reproduction from being reproduced when the determined result of the determining means represents that the current date and time information has not been stored in the memory means.

9. A reproducing method for reproducing a program, the method comprising:

reading a program from a record medium, the record medium storing a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times and a program that has not been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times and having a management area for managing an identifier that represents whether or not a program has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times;

determining whether or not the read program has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times corresponding to the identifier managed in the management area; and

executing a mode designating function that allows a user to designate, when the determined result at the determining step represents that the program to be reproduced has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times, at least two of;

a first mode, in which the user determines whether or not to reproduce the reproduction restricted program, the reproduction restricted program being prohibited from being reproduced when the number of reproduction times of the reproduction restricted program reaches the number of permitted reproduction times,

a second mode, without asking the user, in which the reproduction restricted program is prohibited from being reproduced regardless of the remaining number of reproduction times, and

a third mode, without asking the user, in which the reproduction restricted program is unconditionally reproduced unless the number of reproduction times reaches the number of permitted reproduction times.

10. The reproducing method as set forth in claim 9,

wherein the designation becomes valid in a power-on state and causes a program to be reproduced in the designated mode until the designated mode is changed.

11. The reproducing method as set forth in claim 9,

wherein when a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times is reproduced, a log file is automatically created and recorded in the management area of the record medium.

12. A reproducing method for reproducing a program, the method comprising:

reading a program from a record medium, the record medium storing a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times and a program that has not been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times and having a management area for managing an identifier that represents whether or not a program has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times;

determining whether or not a program repeat reproducing operation has been selected; and

causing a program that has not been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times to be repeatedly reproduced and to repeatedly skip, regardless of the remaining number of reproduction times, a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times when the determined result at the determining step represents that the program repeat reproducing operation has been selected.

13. The reproducing method as set forth in claim 12,

wherein the program repeat reproducing operation reproduces programs in the order of which they have been recorded on the record medium.

14. The reproducing method as set forth in claim 12,

wherein the program repeat reproducing operation reproduces programs in a different order of programs recorded on the record medium.

15. The reproducing method as set forth in claim 12,

wherein when a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times is reproduced, a log file is automatically created and recorded in the management area of the record medium.

16. A reproducing method for reproducing a program, the method comprising:

reading a program from a record medium on which a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the duration of reproduction has been recorded;

allowing a user to input current date and time information;

storing date and time information in a memory means;

determining whether or not the current date and time information has been stored in the memory means; and

prohibiting a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the duration of reproduction from being reproduced when the determined result at the determining step represents that the current date and time information has not been stored in the memory means.

17. A reproducing apparatus comprising:

a digital signal processor for reproducing a program from a record medium on which a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times and a program that has not been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times have been recorded, the record medium having a management area for managing an identifier that represents whether or not a program has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times;

a controller for determining whether or not a program to be reproduced has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times corresponding to the identifier managed in the management area; and

a mode designating switch for allowing, when the determined result of the controller represents that the program to be reproduced has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number or reproduction times, a user designation of at least two of;

a first mode, in which the user determines whether or not to reproduce the reproduction restricted program, the reproduction restricted program being prohibited from being reproduced when the number of reproduction times of the reproduction restricted program reaches the number of permitted reproduction times,

a second mode, without asking the user, in which the reproduction restricted program is prohibited from being reproduced regardless of the remaining number of reproduction times, and

a third mode, without asking the user, in which the reproduction restricted program is unconditionally reproduced unless the number of reproduction times reaches the number of permitted reproduction times.

18. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein the designation becomes valid when the power of the apparatus is turned on and causes the apparatus to reproduce a program in the designated mode until the designated mode is changed.

19. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein when the reproducing apparatus reproduces a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times, the reproducing apparatus automatically creates a log file and records the log file to the management area of the record medium.

20. A reproducing apparatus comprising:

a digital signal processor for reproducing a program from a record medium on which a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times and a program that has not been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times have been recorded, the record medium having a management area for managing an identifier that represents whether or not a program has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times; and

a controller for determining whether or not a program repeat reproducing operation has been designated and for causing the digital signal processor to repeatedly reproduce a program that has not been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times and to repeatedly skip, regardless of the remaining number of reproduction times, a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times when the determined result represents that the program repeat reproducing operation has been designated.

21. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein the program repeat reproducing operation reproduces programs in the order of which they have been recorded on the record medium.

22. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein the program repeat reproducing operation reproduces programs in a different order of programs recorded on the record medium.

23. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein when the digital signal processor reproduces a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the number of reproduction times, the reproducing apparatus automatically creates a log file and records the log file in the management area of the record medium.

24. A reproducing apparatus for reproducing a program from a record medium on which a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the duration of reproduction has been recorded, the reproducing apparatus comprising:

a clock for tracking the current date and time;

an input device for allowing a user to input current date and time information;

a memory for storing current date and time information that is input by the input device;

a controller for determining whether or not the current date and time information has been stored in the memory and for prohibiting a program that has been reproduction restricted with respect to the duration of reproduction from being reproduced when it is determined that the current date and time information has not been stored in the memory.