Patent ID: 7188087

Claim:
A method for restricting use of digital data comprising: receiving digital data; determining whether the digital data is being received from a digital data recording medium (DDRM); and if the digital data is being received from a DDRM, determining whether the DDRM is a second generation DDRM, which includes digital data copied from at least one of an original source and an authorized copy of such digital data such that: if the DDRM is a second generation DDRM and the digital data is to be played, enabling the digital data to be played; and if the DDRM is a second generation DDRM and the digital data is to be copied: determining whether an authorized recording medium, for which copying digital data thereto has been approved, is provided for copying the digital data thereon; if an authorized recording medium is not provided, preventing copying of the digital data; and if an authorized recording medium is provided, enabling copying of the digital data onto the authorized recording medium.