US5907656A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for reproducing video signals with varying-magnitude AGC signals
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1997-01-14
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Granted: 1999-05-25
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Expires: 2017-01-14
Abstract
Abstract A signal format and reproducing apparatus compatible with that format protect the copyright of recorded video and audio data against digital and analog dubbing. The reproducing apparatus senses copyright information included in the signal reproduced from a record medium to generate a copyright protection signal which is placed in a vertical blanking interval of the analog output of the reproducing apparatus. If a Serial Copy Management System (SCMS) signal is reproduced, it is supplied to a digital VCR (Video Cassette Recorder). The copyright protection signal disrupts the AGC (Automatic Grain Circuit) of a recording analog VCR and the SCMS signal prevents a digital VCR from digitally dubbing the reproduced video and audio data.
Inventors
- 👤 Masaki Oguro
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 08:26
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B27/00; G11B27/02; H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/91; H04N5/913; G11B27/022; G11B27/028; G11B27/031; G11B27/032; G11B27/10; G11B27/102; G11B27/107; G11B27/11; G11B27/19; G11B27/28; G11B27/30; G11B27/3027; G11B27/3036; G11B27/3054; G11B27/3063; G11B27/32; G11B27/327; G11B27/328; G11B2220/00; G11B2220/60; G11B2220/65; G11B2220/652; G11B2220/655; G11B2220/90; G11B27/024; H04N2005/91307; H04N2005/91314; H04N2005/91328; H04N5/78; H04N5/782; H04N5/7824; H04N5/7826; H04N5/78263; H04N5/78266; H04N5/92; H04N5/9201; H04N5/926; H04N5/9261; H04N5/9264; H04N5/9265; H04N5/9267
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
237 words
A reproducing apparatus having a copy protection system for copy protecting a digitally reproduced digital signal from unauthorized copying by both a digital VCR and an analog VCR, said apparatus comprising: reproducing means for digitally reproducing said digital signal recorded digitally on a recording medium, said digital signal comprising a video signal, an audio signal, and a digital copy protection signal for flagging whether the reproduced digital signal is re-recordable; means for generating a serial copy management system (SCMS) signal in response to reproducing said digital copy protection signal; means for generating an analog signal representing said digital signal in analog form; means for generating automatic gain control pulses as an analog copyright protection signal in response to reproducing said digital copy protection signal; means for generating another analog copyright protection signal for interrupting a servo function in response to reproducing said digital copy protection signal; means for inserting said automatic gain control pulses and said another copyright protection signal in a vertical blanking interval of said analog signal; and output means including a digital output for outputting said digital signal reproduced by said reproducing means with said SCMS signal and an analog output for outputting said analog signal with said analog copy protection signal and said another analog copy protection signal such that said digital signal reproduced by said reproducing means is copy protected from unauthorized copying by both said analog VCR and said digital VCR.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
237 words
A reproducing apparatus having a copy protection system for copy protecting a digitally reproduced digital signal from unauthorized copying by both a digital VCR and an analog VCR, said apparatus comprising: reproducing means for digitally reproducing said digital signal recorded digitally on a recording medium, said digital signal comprising a video signal, an audio signal, and a digital copy protection signal for flagging whether the reproduced digital signal is re-recordable; means for generating a serial copy management system (SCMS) signal in response to reproducing said digital copy protection signal; means for generating an analog signal representing said digital signal in analog form; means for generating automatic gain control pulses as an analog copyright protection signal in response to reproducing said digital copy protection signal; means for generating another analog copyright protection signal for interrupting a servo function in response to reproducing said digital copy protection signal; means for inserting said automatic gain control pulses and said another copyright protection signal in a vertical blanking interval of said analog signal; and output means including a digital output for outputting said digital signal reproduced by said reproducing means with said SCMS signal and an analog output for outputting said analog signal with said analog copy protection signal and said another analog copy protection signal such that said digital signal reproduced by said reproducing means is copy protected from unauthorized copying by both said analog VCR and said digital VCR.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising vertical blanking interval generating means for generating said vertical blanking interval of said video signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A reproducing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said digital copy protection signal represents whether said digital signal recorded on said recording medium is copyrighted and whether said digital signal recorded on said recording medium is an original version.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A reproducing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said means for generating the analog signal further comprises digital-to-analog converting means for converting said digital signal to said analog signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said another analog copyright protection signal further comprises a plurality of pairs of pulses, each of said pairs of pulses comprising a pseudo sync pulse and a positive pulse, said another analog copyright protection signal being placed into a plurality of lines in said vertical blanking interval of said analog signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said digital copy protection signal represents whether said digital signal recorded on said recording medium is copyrighted and whether said digital signal recorded on said recording medium is an original version.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
A reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording medium comprises a first area for recording said video signal, a second area for recording said audio signal, a third area for recording information relating to said video signal, and a fourth area for recording information relating to said audio signal, said third area including said digital copy protection signal relating to said video signal, and said fourth area including said digital copy protection signal relating to said audio signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The reproducing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for generating a video blanking ID signal representing in digital form information in said vertical blanking interval including display information for displaying a video picture from said video signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The reproducing apparatus of claim 8, wherein said means for generating said video blanking ID signal generates aspect ratio information as said display information for displaying said video picture from said video signal with a respective aspect ratio.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The reproducing apparatus of claim 8, wherein-said means for generating said video blanking ID signal generates a mode ID signal as said display information for indicating a copyright format of said digital copy protection signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said SCMS signal indicates whether the recorded digital signal is copy protected and number of copies, if any, which are authorized.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising means for inserting said SCMS signal into both a video auxiliary (VAUX) area and an audio auxiliary (AAUX) area of the reproduced digital signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising means for generating vertical blanking information data (VBID) representing said vertical blanking interval in digital form, wherein said VAUX and AAUX areas are inserted into said vertical blanking information data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said SCMS signal inserted into said VAUX area indicates copy protection for said video signal and said SCMS signal inserted into said AAUX area indicates copy protection for said audio signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising means for selecting between a first mode of operation wherein said automatic gain control pulses vary in magnitude and a second mode of operation wherein said automatic gain control pulses exhibit the same predetermined magnitude.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
214 words
A method of copy protecting, from unauthorized copying by both a digital VCR and an analog VCR, a digital signal digitally recorded on a recording medium which comprises the steps of: digitally reproducing said digital signal from said recording medium comprising a video signal, an audio signal, and a digital copy protection signal for flagging whether the reproduced digital signal is re-recordable; generating an analog signal representing said digital signal in analog form; generating a serial copy management system (SCMS) signal in response to reproducing said digital copy protection signal; generating automatic gain control pulses as an analog copyright protection signal in response to reproducing said digital copy protection signal; generating another analog copyright protection signal for interrupting a servo function in response to reproducing said digital copy protection signal; inserting said automatic gain control pulses and said another copyright protection signal in a vertical blanking interval of said analog signal; and outputting to a digital output said digital signal reproduced with said SCMS signal and outputting to an analog output said analog signal with said analog copy protection signal and said another analog copy protection signal such that said digital signal reproduced in said step of digitally reproducing is copy protected from unauthorized copying by both said analog VCR and said digital VCR.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
214 words
A method of copy protecting, from unauthorized copying by both a digital VCR and an analog VCR, a digital signal digitally recorded on a recording medium which comprises the steps of: digitally reproducing said digital signal from said recording medium comprising a video signal, an audio signal, and a digital copy protection signal for flagging whether the reproduced digital signal is re-recordable; generating an analog signal representing said digital signal in analog form; generating a serial copy management system (SCMS) signal in response to reproducing said digital copy protection signal; generating automatic gain control pulses as an analog copyright protection signal in response to reproducing said digital copy protection signal; generating another analog copyright protection signal for interrupting a servo function in response to reproducing said digital copy protection signal; inserting said automatic gain control pulses and said another copyright protection signal in a vertical blanking interval of said analog signal; and outputting to a digital output said digital signal reproduced with said SCMS signal and outputting to an analog output said analog signal with said analog copy protection signal and said another analog copy protection signal such that said digital signal reproduced in said step of digitally reproducing is copy protected from unauthorized copying by both said analog VCR and said digital VCR.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
(Amended) A method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of generating said vertical blanking interval of said video signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein said digital copy protection signal represents whether said digital signal recorded on said recording medium is copyrighted and whether said digital signal recorded on said recording medium is an original version.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein the step of generating said analog signal includes digital-to-analog converting said video and audio signals.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein said another analog copyright protection signal further comprises a plurality of pairs of pulses, each of said pairs of pulses comprising a pseudo sync pulse and a positive pulse, said another analog copyright protection signal being placed into a plurality of lines in said vertical blanking interval of said analog signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein said digital copy protection signal represents whether said digital signal recorded on said recording medium is copyrighted and whether said digital signal recorded on said recording medium is an original version.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein said recording medium comprises a first area for recording said video signal, a second area for recording said audio signal, a third area for recording information relating to said video signal, and a fourth area for recording information relating to said audio signal, said third area including said digital copy protection signal relating to said video signal, and said fourth area including said digital copy protection signal relating to said audio signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of generating a video blanking ID signal representing in digital form information in said vertical blanking interval including display information for displaying a video picture from said video signal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said step of generating said video blanking ID signal generates aspect ratio information as said display information for displaying said video picture from said video signal with a respective aspect ratio.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of generating a mode ID signal for indicating a copyright format of said digital copy protection signal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 16, wherein said SCMS signal indicates whether the recorded digital signal is copy protected and number of copies, if any, which are authorized.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of inserting said SCMS signal into both a video auxiliary (VAUX) area and an audio auxiliary (AAUX) area of the reproduced digital signal.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 27, further comprising the steps of: generating vertical blanking information data (VBID) representing said vertical blanking interval in digital form; and inserting said VAUX and AAUX areas into said vertical blanking information data.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 28, wherein said step of inserting said SCMS signal into said VAUX area indicates copy protection for said video signal and said SCMS signal and inserting said SCMS signal into said AAUX area indicates copy protection for said audio signal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method according to claim 29, further comprising the step of selecting between a first mode of operation wherein said automatic gain control pulses vary in magnitude and a second mode of operation wherein said automatic gain control pulses exhibit the same predetermined magnitude.
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