Patent ID: 7805617

Claim:
A digital data recording apparatus for recording digital data on a recording medium, the digital data recorded on the recording medium being reproducible by a playback apparatus and the recording medium being either removable or non-removable from the playback apparatus, said digital data recording apparatus comprising: a communication unit to receive encrypted digital data via a digital network; a decryption unit to decrypt the encrypted digital data received by said communication unit; an encryption unit including a plurality of encryption sub-units each of which is to encrypt digital data obtained by said decryption unit, by using a selected one of a plurality of encryption methods having different security levels; a recording unit to record, on the recording medium, encrypted digital data that is obtained by said encryption unit; and a judging unit to judge whether the recording medium is removable or non-removable from the playback apparatus, wherein said plurality of encryption sub-units include first and second encryption sub-units, the first encryption sub-unit is to perform the encryption when the recording medium is judged to be removable from the playback apparatus, and the second encryption sub-unit is to perform the encryption when the recording medium is judged to be non-removable.