Patent ID: 6983281
Filing Date: 2006-01-03
Classification: G06F,G11C,H04N,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A terminal apparatus into which any one of a first and a second memory card is selectively inserted, said first memory card carrying a signal processing circuit for copyright protection, said second memory card not carrying a signal processing circuit for copyright protection, said terminal apparatus comprising: converting means for converting an m-channel audio signal, m being an integer of at least 2, into an n-channel audio signal, n being a positive integer not greater than m; selecting means for selecting either an input m-channel audio signal or the converted n-channel audio signal from said converting means; security means for executing an authorization process by exchanging authorization data with the signal processing circuit of a memory card inserted into said terminal to determine whether said memory card supports copyright protection; judging means for judging whether the memory card inserted into said terminal apparatus is said first memory card or said second memory card on the basis of the authorization process performed by the security means; controlling means for controlling said selecting means in accordance with a judgment made by said judging means; and recording means for recording the audio signal selected by said controlling means to the inserted memory card.