Patent ID: 7853530
Filing Date: 2010-12-14
Classification: G06Q,G11B

Abstract:
1. A digital signal processing method comprising the steps of: receiving identification information and inquiry information from a digital signal processing device over a communication line, said identification information identifying selected digital music data read from a storage medium loaded at the digital signal processing device, wherein the selected music data have undergone a predetermined low bit rate coding process and are subject to an inquiry received from a user at the digital signal processing device, said inquiry information being generated by said digital signal processing device based on said selected digital music data and including a predetermined sound frame extracted from the selected digital music data recorded on the storage medium; retrieving said selected digital music data subject to said inquiry from a digital data storage of an information center based on said identification information for said selected digital music data; generating reference inquiry information based on the retrieved digital music data, wherein the reference inquiry information includes a sound frame of the retrieved digital music data stored in the digital data storage which corresponds to the predetermined sound frame and has a timing of a start of recording consistent with that of the digital signal processing device; comparing the corresponding sound frame included in the generated reference inquiry information with the predetermined sound frame included in the received inquiry information, wherein a match between the corresponding sound frame and the predetermined sound frame is an indication that a timing of the start of recording of the selected music data on the storage medium is consistent with the digital signal processing device and thereby the selected digital music data read from the storage medium at the digital signal processing device are legitimately purchased data; generating an inquiry result based on a result of the step of comparing, wherein the inquiry result indicates whether the selected digital music data read from the storage medium at the digital signal processing device are legitimately purchased data; and transmitting the inquiry result to the digital signal processing device over the communication line.