Patent ID: 6898578

Claim:
A digital information recording apparatus to record a digital information, comprising: a digital interface circuit to separate first digital information and first copy control information from an inputted digital information signal including at least said first digital information and said first copy control information; a decryptor to decrypt said first digital information outputted from said digital interface circuit to produce decrypted second digital information and to output said decrypted second digital information, or to output said first digital information without decrypting; a recorder to record one of said first digital information and said decrypted second digital information received from said decryptor; and a controller to control said decryptor in response to said first copy control information received from said digital interface circuit; wherein said controller controls said decryptor so as to select to output said first digital information in case that said first copy control information denotes an unlimited copy permission authorizing unlimited copying of said first digital information; and, said controller controls said decryptor so as to select to output said decrypted second digital information in case that said first copy control information denotes a limited copy permission authorizing a predetermined number of times of copying of said first digital information.