Information recording medium with information restriction

CLAIMS 1. An information recording medium for recording of information and copyright information representing copyright regarding the information, wherein the copyright information includes reproduction restriction information for restricting reproduction of the information.

2. An information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the information is at least one of audio information, still picture information, moving picture information, and text information.

3. An information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction restriction information represents one of a time period in which the information is permitted to be reproduced, a time limit until which the information is permitted to be reproduced, a number of times that the information is permitted to be reproduced, a time period in which the information is permitted to be reproduced after an initial reproduction of the information, a password for reproducing the information, a reproduction quality of the information, and an area of the information recording medium which is permitted to be reproduced.

4. An information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction restriction information indicates that reproduction of the information is restricted by a combination of a plurality of types of restriction.

5. An information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein:

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the information includes first information and second information linked to the first information; and the reproduction restriction information includes permission information indicating that the second information is permitted to be reproduced when the first Information is permitted to be reproduced.

6. An information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein: the information includes first information and second information linked to the first information ; and the reproduction restriction information includes permission information indicating that the second information is permitted to be reproduced regardless of whether or not the first information is permitted to be reproduced.

7. An information recording medium for recording of information, management information for managing reproduction of the information, and copyright information representing copyright regarding the information, wherein the copyright information is recorded in a different area of the information recording medium from an area in which the information and the management information are recorded.

8. An information recording medium according to claim 7, wherein the information is at least one of audio information, still picture information, moving picture information, and text information.

9. An information recording medium according to claim 7, wherein the information, the management information, and

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the copyright information are included in different files from each other.

10. An information recording medium according to claim 7, wherein: the information includes a plurality of pieces of partial information ; the management information includes a plurality of pieces of partial management information ; the copyright information includes a plurality of pieces of partial copyright information; each of the plurality of pieces of partial management information represents a management content regarding reproduction of a respective one of the plurality of pieces of partial information ; each of the plurality of pieces of partial copyright information represents copyright regarding a respective one of the plurality of pieces of partial information;STDC0451 the plurality of pieces of partial management information, and the plurality of pieces of partial copyright information, are each provided with inherent information for identifying each piece of partial information ; and each of the pieces of partial management information and each of the pieces of partial copyright information which correspond to common partial information are provided with the same inherent information.

11. An information recording medium according to claim 10, wherein the inherent information is positive serial numbers.

12. An information recording medium for recording of

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information including a plurality of pieces of partial information, and copyright information representing copyright regarding a specific piece of partial information among the plurality of pieces of partial information.

13. An information recording medium according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of pieces of information are at least one of audio information, still picture information, moving picture information, and text information.

14. An information recording and reproduction apparatus, comprising: a reading section for reading first information from an information recording medium including the first information and second information linked to the first information ; an output section for outputting the first information ; a writing section for deleting the first information from the information recording medium ; and a control section for controlling the reading section and the writing section, wherein the control section controls the writing section so as to delete the second information from the information recording medium when transferring the first information to another information recording medium.

15. A recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 14, wherein: the first information is at least one of audio information and moving picture information ; and the second information is at least one of still picture information and text information.

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16. A recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a display section for displaying that the second information is deleted from the information recording medium when transferring the first information to the another information recording medium.

17. An information recording and reproduction apparatus, comprising: a reading section for reading second information from a first information recording medium including the first information and second information linked to the first information ; an output section for outputting the second information ; a writing section for deleting the second information from the first information recording medium ; and a control section for controlling the reading section and the writing section, wherein the control section controls the reading section and the writing section so as to transfer the first information from the first information recording medium to a second information recording medium when transferring the second information from the first information recording medium to the second information recording medium.

18. A recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 17, wherein: the first information is at least one of audio information and moving picture information ; and the second information is at least one of still picture information and text information.

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19. A recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 17, wherein: the first information recording medium further includes transfer information which represents whether the first information is permitted to be transferred or prohibited from being transferred ; the reading section further reads the transfer information from the first information recording medium ; the control section transfers the first information and the second information to the second information recording medium when the transfer information represents the first information is permitted to be transferred ; and the control section does not transfer the first information or the second information to the second information recording medium when the transfer information represents the first information is prohibited from being transferred.

20. A recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 17, wherein: the first information recording medium further includes transfer information which represents that transfer of the second information is permitted or prohibited in conformance with whether the first information is permitted to be transferred or prohibited from being transferred ; the reading section further reads the transfer information from the first information recording medium ; the control section transfers the first information and the second information to the second information recording medium when the first information is permitted to be transferred ; and

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the control section does not transfer the first information or the second information to the second information recording medium when the first information is prohibited from being transferred.

21. A recording and reproduction apparatus for transferring first information from a first information recording medium including the first information to a second information recording medium, the recording and reproduction apparatus comprising: a reading section for reading the first information from the first information recording medium ; an output section for outputting the first information ; a writing section for deleting the first information from the first information recording medium ; and a control section for controlling the reading section and the writing section ;STDC0769 wherein the control section determines whether or not second information which can be linked to the first information has been recorded on the second information recording medium ; when the second information has been recorded on the second information recording medium, the control section controls the reading section and the writing section so as to transfer the first information to the second information recording medium ; and when the second information has not been recorded on the second information recording medium, the control section controls the reading section and the writing section so as not to transfer the first information to the second information recording medium.

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22. A recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 21, wherein: the first information is at least one of still picture information and text information ; and the second information is at least one of audio information and moving picture information.

23. A reproduction apparatus, comprising : a reading section for reading information and copyright information representing copyright regarding the information from an information recording medium having the information and the copyright information ; and an output section for outputting the information, wherein: the copyright information includes reproduction restriction information for restricting reproduction of the information ; and the reproduction apparatus further includes a control section for controlling at least one of the reading section and the output section based on a restriction represented by the reproduction restriction information.

24. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the information is at least one of audio information, still picture information, moving picture information, and text information.

25. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a memory section, wherein the control section updates the reproduction restriction information as the information is reproduced, and stores the updated reproduction restriction information in the memory section.

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26. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the control section determines whether or not to permit reproduction of the information based on a restriction represented by the reproduction restriction information.

27. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, wherein: the reproduction restriction information includes permission information representing a time period in which reproduction of the information is permitted, and the control section calculates a remaining time period in which reproduction of the information is permitted based on a time period in which the information has been reproduced and the time period represented by the permission information, and controls the reading section based on the calculated remaining time period.

28. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the control section controls the reading section so as to reproduce the information until the calculated remaining time period becomes zero, and so as not to reproduce the information when the calculated remaining time period reaches zero.

29. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a memory section, wherein: the reproduction restriction information includes permission information representing a time period in which reproduction of the information is permitted, the control section calculates a remaining time period in which reproduction of the information is permitted based on a time period in which the information

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has been reproduced and the time period represented by the permission information, generates remaining time period information representing the calculated remaining time period, and stores the generated remaining time period information in the memory section, and the control section controls the reading section based on the remaining time period represented by the remaining time period information stored in the memory section.

30. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, wherein: the reproduction restriction information includes permission information representing a time period in which reproduction of the information is permitted, and the control section compares a time period in which the information has been reproduced with the time period represented by the permission information, and controls the reading section based on the comparison result.

31. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 30, wherein when the time period in which the information has been reproduced is shorter than the time period represented by the permission information, the control section controls the reading section so as to reproduce the information ; and when the time period in which the information has been reproduced reaches the time period represented by the permission information, the control section controls the reading section so as not to reproduce the information.

32. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a memory section, wherein: the reproduction restriction information includes

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permission information representing a time period in which reproduction of the information is permitted, the control section generates past reproduction time information which represents the time period in which the information has been reproduced, and stores the generated past reproduction time period information in the memory section, and the control section compares the time period represented by the past reproduction time information stored in the memory section with the time period represented by the permission information, and controls the reading section based on the result of the comparison.

33. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a clock section representing a date/time, wherein: the reproduction restriction information includes permission information representing a time limit until which reproduction of the information is permitted, and the control section compares a date/time represented by the clock section with the time limit represented by the permission information, and controls the reading section based on the result of the comparison.

34. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 33, wherein when the date/time represented by the clock section is before the time limit represented by the permission information, the control section controls the reading section so as to reproduce the information, and when the date/time represented by the clock section is not before the time limit represented by the permission information, the control section controls the reading section so as not to reproduce the information.

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35. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, wherein: the reproduction restriction information includes permission information representing an area of the information recording medium which is permitted to be reproduced, the area has a part of the information recorded therein, and the control section controls the reading section so as to reproduce the part of the information recorded in the area.

36. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, wherein: the reproduction restriction information includes permission information representing a number of times that the information is permitted to be reproduced, and the control section calculates a remaining reproduction number of times that the information is permitted to be reproduced based on the number of times that the information has been reproduced and the number of times represented by the permission information, and controls the reading section based on the calculated remaining reproduction number of times.

37. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the control section controls the reading section so as to reproduce the information until the calculated remaining reproduction number of times becomes zero, and controls the reading section so as not to reproduce the information when the calculated remaining reproduction number of times becomes zero.

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38.STDC0720 A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a memory section, wherein: the reproduction restriction information includes permission information representing a number of times that the information is permitted to be reproduced, the control section calculates a remaining reproduction number of times that the information is permitted to be reproduced based on the number of times that the information has been reproduced and the number of times represented by the permission information, generates remaining reproduction number information representing the calculated remaining reproduction number of times, and stores the generated remaining reproduction number information in the memory section,STDC0199 and the control section controls the reading section based on the remaining reproduction number of times represented by the remaining reproduction number information stored in the memory section.

39. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the reproduction restriction information includes permission information representing a number of times that the information is permitted to be reproduced, and the control section compares the number of times that the information has been reproduced with the number of times represented by the permission information, and controls the reading section based on the result of the comparison.

40. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 39, wherein when the number of times that the information has been reproduced is smaller than the number of times represented

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by the permission information, the control section controls the reading section so as to reproduce the information ; and when the number of times that the information has been reproduced reaches the number of times represented by the permission information, the control section controls the reading section so as not to reproduce the information.

41. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a memory section, wherein: the reproduction restriction information includes permission information representing a number of times that the information is permitted to be reproduced, the control section generates past reproduction number information representing a number of times that the information has been reproduced, and stores the generated past reproduction number information in the memory section, and the control section compares the number of times represented by the past reproduction number information stored in the memory section with the number of times represented by the permission information stored in the memory section, and controls the reading section based on the result of the comparison.

42. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a clock section representing a date/time, wherein: the reproduction restriction information includes permission information representing a time period, from an initial reproduction of the information, in which reproduction of the information is permitted, the control section specifies a date/time when the information was first reproduced from a date/time

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represented by the clock section, and calculates the time limit until which the reproduction of the information is permitted based on a date/time when the information was first reproduced and the time period represented by the permission information, and the control section compares a date/time represented by the clock section with the calculated time limit,STDC0075 and controls the reading section based on the result of the comparison.

43. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 42, wherein when a date/time represented by the clock section is before the calculated time limit, the control section controls the reading section so as to reproduce the information, and when a date/time represented by the clock section is not before the calculated time limit, the control section controls the reading section so as not to reproduce the information.

44. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising : a clock section representing a date/time ; and a memory section ; wherein: the reproduction restriction information includes permission information representing a time period, from an initial reproduction of the information, in which reproduction of the information is permitted, the control section specifies a date/time when the information was first reproduced from a date/time represented by the clock section, calculates the time limit until which the reproduction of the information is permitted based on a date/time when the information was first reproduced and the time period represented by the

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permission information, generates time limit information representing the calculated time limit,STDC0308 and stores the generated time limit information in the memory section, and the control section compares the time limit represented by the time limit information stored in the memory section with a date/time represented by the clock, and controls the reading section based on the result of the comparison.

45. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 44, wherein: the control section generates initial reproduction date/time information representing a date/time when the information was first reproduced, and stores the generated initial reproduction date/time information in the memory section, the control section compares the date/time represented by the initial reproduction date/time information stored in the memory section with a time/date represented by the clock section, and controls the reading section based on the result of the comparison between the time limit represented by the time limit information stored in the memory section and the date/time represented by the clock section, and the result of the comparison between the date/time represented by the initial reproduction date/time information stored in the memory section and the date/time represented by the clock section.STDC0003

46. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, wherein: the reproduction restriction information includes reproduction quality information representing a quality of the information at the time of reproduction, and

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the control section controls the output section so as to reproduce the information with the quality represented by the reproduction quality information.

47. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, wherein: the information includes first information and second information linked to the first information, the reproduction restriction information includes first reproduction restriction information for restricting reproduction of the first information, and second reproduction restriction information for restricting reproduction of the second information, the second reproduction restriction information includes permission information representing that when reproduction of the first information is permitted, reproduction of the second information is permitted, and the control section determines whether or not to permit reproduction of the first information based on the first reproduction restriction information, permits reproduction of the second information when reproduction of the first information is permitted,STDC0123 and does not permit reproduction of the second information when reproduction of the first information is not permitted.

48. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 23, wherein: the information includes first information and second information linked to the first information, the reproduction restriction information includes permission information which represents that reproduction of the second information is permitted regardless of whether or not reproduction of the first information is

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permitted, and the control section permits reproduction of the second information regardless of whether or not the reproduction of the first information is permitted.

49. A recording and reproduction apparatus, comprising: an obtaining section for obtaining information and copyright information representing copyright regarding the information ; a writing section for writing the information on an information recording medium; and a control section for controlling the writing section ; wherein the control section determines whether or not the copyright information includes reproduction restriction information for restricting reproduction of the information, and when the copyright information includes the reproduction restriction information, the control section controls the writing section so as not to write the information on the information recording medium.

50. A recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the information is at least one of audio information, still picture information, moving picture information, and text information.

51. A recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 49, wherein when the copyright information does not include the reproduction restriction information, the control section controls the writing section so as to write the information on the information recording medium.

52. A recording and reproduction apparatus according to

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claim 49, further comprising a display section for displaying that the information cannot be written on the information recording medium when the copyright information includes the reproduction restriction information.

53. A reproduction apparatus, comprising: a reading section for reading information and copyright information regarding the information from an information recording medium including the information and the copyright information; an output section for outputting the information ; and a control section for controlling the reading section ; wherein the control section determines whether or not the copyright information includes reproduction restriction information for restricting reproduction of the information, and when the copyright information includes the reproduction restriction information, the control section controls the reading section so as not to reproduce the information.

54. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 53, wherein the information is at least one of audio information, still picture information, moving picture information, and text information.

55. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 53, wherein when the copyright information does not include the reproduction restriction information, the control section controls the reading section so as to reproduce the information.

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56. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 53, further comprising a display section for displaying that the information cannot be reproduced when the copyright information includes the reproduction restriction information.

57. A recording and reproduction apparatus, comprising: a writing section for deleting first information recorded on an information recording medium from the information recording medium; and a control section for controlling the writing section; wherein the control section determines whether or not second information which is linked to the first information is recorded on the information recording medium ; when the second information is recorded on the information recording medium, the control section controls the writing section so as to delete the first information and the second information from the information recording medium as the first information is deleted;STDC0214 and when the second information is not recorded on the information recording medium, the control section controls the writing section so as to delete the first information from the information recording medium.

58. A recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 57, wherein : the first information is at least one of audio information and moving picture information, and the second information is at least one of still picture information and text information.

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59. An information recording medium for recording of first information and second information linked to the first information, wherein the second information includes inherent information for specifying the first information.

60. An information recording medium according to claim 59, wherein: the first information is at least one of audio information and moving picture information, and the second information is at least one of still picture information and text information.

61. An information recording medium according to claim 59, further comprising copyright information representing copyright regarding the first information, wherein the copyright information includes inherent information, which is the same as the inherent information included in the second information.

62. An information recording medium according to claim 59, wherein: the second information includes a plurality of pieces of partial information obtained as a result of division by a prescribed information unit, and a prescribed piece of partial information among the plurality of pieces of partial information includes the inherent information.

63. A reproduction apparatus, comprising: a reading section for reading first information and second information from an information recording medium including the first information and the second information ; an output section for outputting the first

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information ; and a control section for controlling the output section ;STDC0583 wherein the control section determines whether or not the second information includes inherent information for specifying the first information ; when the second information includes the inherent information, the control section controls the output section so as to reproduce the first information and the second information ; and when the second information does not include the inherent information, the control section controls the output section so as to reproduce the first information but not to reproduce the second information.

64. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 63, wherein. the first information is at least one of audio information and moving picture information, and the second information is at least one of still picture information and text information.

65. A reproduction apparatus according to claim 63, wherein: the information recording medium further includes copyright information representing copyright regarding the first information recorded therein, the copyright information includes inherent information which is the same as the inherent information included in the second information, and the control section compares the copyright information with the second information, to determine whether or not the second information includes the inherent information.