Patent ID: 6889323

Claim:
A method of recording contents information, comprising the steps of: generating a signal representative of a key from authenticator-value information and key base information, the authenticator-value information representing a specified authenticator value, the key base information containing identification information which is set to reproduce the specified authenticator value according to a predetermined degeneration function; encrypting at least the identification information in the key base information to convert the key base information into encryption-resultant key base information; encrypting contents information into encryption-resultant contents information in response to the key signal; and recording the encryption-resultant key base information and the encryption-resultant contents information; wherein the identification information in the key base information contains at least one of 1) information about a region or regions corresponding to one or more countries, one or more zones, or one or more spaces, 2) information about identification of an individual, 3) information about identification of a group of persons, 4) information about a rating, 5) information about identification of an apparatus maker or a device maker, 6) information about identification of a contents provider, 7) information about time, 8) information about contents authors, 9) information about identification of a reproducing apparatus or a reproducing device, 10) information about identification of a connection apparatus or a connection device, 11) information about identification of a medium on which contents information is recorded, 12) information about identification of contents information, and 13) information about accounting.