Patent ID: 7512320

Claim:
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.