Patent ID: 7343012

Claim:
A streaming data playback apparatus comprising: a playback circuit which reproduces streaming data from a recording medium; an interface circuit which performs a scramble process on the streaming data reproduced by the playback circuit and adds copy control information to the scrambled streaming data for transmission to a destination apparatus; wherein the interface circuit exchanges key information used for the scramble process and a descramble process with the destination apparatus for the streaming data by performing an authentication process with the destination apparatus; and during transmission of the streaming data from the recording medium to the destination apparatus, the interface circuit changes the copy control information, refuses to perform an authentication process with any apparatus other than the destination apparatus, and after the transmission of the streaming data, deletes the streaming data on the recording medium, wherein the copy control information is changed to copy-prohibited status when the streaming data is retained on the recording medium for playback after transmission and the copy control information is changed to copy-permitted status when the streaming data is deleted from the recording medium after transmission.