Patent ID: 7340613

Claim:
A digital information recording apparatus provided with a recording medium drive mounting a recording medium therein, and a device for recording the digital information thereon, comprising: a first encryption key generator circuit for generating a first encryption key that is unique either to said device or to a user of said device; a second encryption key generator circuit for generating a second encryption key that is unique to said recording medium drive; an encryption circuit for encrypting the digital information inputted to said device by using either one of said first and said second encryption keys and then using the remaining encryption key; and a recording circuit for recording an output of said encryption circuit onto said recording medium wherein a copy control information, being indicative of whether said information is allowed or not to be recorded onto said recording medium, is added to the digital information inputted to said device, and the digital information is recorded through encryption thereof by means of said encryption circuit, when said copy control information indicates “Copy One Generation” and when the digital information is recorded with re-writing said copy control information of “Copy One Generation” to “No More Copies”.