JPH11213550A - Reproduction limiting device for recording media and reproduction limiting method for recording media - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reproduction limiting device for recording media which can read out contents by a user only for the number of times of desired reproduction by setting previously the number of times of reproduction of desired contents by a user when a supplier of contents such as software supplies contents to recording media of users. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a contents supplying means 10 supplying the reproducible number of times of contents corresponding to a charge paid by a user to recording media M of users u as the number of times of permission of reproduction with contents when a contents supplier 1 supplies contents to the recording media M of the users U, and a recording media device 200 recording the number of times of permission of reproduction of contents and contents corresponding to this number of times of permission of reproduction in the recording media M of the users U and prohibiting reproduction operation of the recording media M by the users U when the number of times of reproduction of contents coincides with the number of times of permission of reproduction of contents.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for limiting the number of times a content is reproduced when a content supplier supplies the content to a recording medium of a user of the content, and a reproduction of the recording medium. It concerns the limiting method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various software information such as music and computer programs are sold on recording media such as optical disks and magnetic disks. A user purchases a recording medium on which such software is recorded for a fixed fee. Normally, when a recording medium is purchased, the user can use the recorded soft media without any restriction on the number of uses, which contributes to satisfying the user's desire for possession.

[0003]

However, for some users, the software recorded on the recording medium can sufficiently fulfill the purpose even if the number of uses is small, but for another user, the software recorded on the recording medium is sufficient. In some cases, the software that is used is used a lot.
In any case, when various users pay the fee specified in the same fee format and purchase the recording medium,
All types of users will pay the same amount, and users who use the software on the recording media a considerable number of times may use the software less frequently, which may result in an unfair price for using the software. is there.

[0004] Even suppliers who supply software may want to limit the number of uses. For example, various software used for a computer. When a supplier sells a recording medium on which software for which the number of uses is to be restricted to a user is usually left to the conscience of the user, in this case, It is also conceivable that a person other than the user who purchased the software other than the right-of-use user uses the software in the recording medium without permission.

[0005] In view of the above, in anticipation of unauthorized use by a person who is not the right user to some extent, the software supplier must set the price of the software recorded on the recording medium higher than an appropriate value. In some cases, it may not be possible to obtain such information, which may adversely affect the user. Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and in the case where a content provider such as software supplies content to a user's recording medium, the user sets in advance the number of times the content is desired to be reproduced, and It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording medium reproduction restriction device and a recording medium reproduction restriction method in which a user can read content only the number of times.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a content reproducing apparatus for reproducing a content corresponding to a fee paid by a user when the content provider supplies the content to a recording medium of the user. The content supply unit for supplying the content to the user's recording medium together with the content, the number of permitted reproductions of the content from the content supply unit, and the content corresponding to the permitted number of reproductions are set as the permitted number of reproductions as the permitted number of reproductions. This is achieved by a recording media device that records on a recording medium of the type described above and prohibits the user from performing the operation of reproducing the recording medium when the number of times that the content is reproduced by the user matches the number of times that the content can be reproduced.

In the present invention, when the content supplier supplies the content to the user's recording medium, the content supply means sets the number of times the content corresponding to the fee paid by the user can be reproduced as the number of permitted reproductions. The content is supplied to the user's recording medium together with the content. On the other hand, the recording media device records the number of permitted reproductions of the content and the content corresponding to the permitted number of reproductions on the recording medium of the user, and the number of reproductions of the content by the user matches the permitted number of reproductions of the content. In such a case, the reproduction operation of the recording medium by the user is prohibited. As a result, with respect to the content recorded on the recording medium of the user, when the number of times of reproduction of the content reaches the permitted number of times of reproduction of the content, the user cannot perform the operation of reproducing the content of the recording medium any more. Therefore, it is possible to surely prohibit the user or a person other than the user from performing the reproduction operation of the content on the recording medium any more.

[0008] In the present invention, the above object is achieved when a content supplier supplies content to a user.
When the number of times the content corresponding to the fee paid by the user can be reproduced is recorded as the number of permitted reproductions on the recording medium of the user together with the content, the recording medium is reproduced, and when the number of reproductions of the content matches the permitted number of reproductions of the content. The present invention is attained by a recording medium reproduction limiting device for inhibiting a recording medium reproduction operation by a user. In the present invention, the content provider
When the content is supplied to the user, the number of times the content corresponding to the fee paid by the user can be played is set as the permitted number of times of reproduction, and the user's recording medium recorded with the content is reproduced. When the number of times matches, the reproduction operation of the recording medium by the user can be prohibited. As a result, with respect to the content recorded on the recording medium of the user, when the number of times of reproduction of the content reaches the permitted number of times of reproduction of the content, the user cannot perform the operation of reproducing the content of the recording medium any more. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prohibit the user or a person other than the user from further performing the operation of reproducing the content of the recording medium.

According to the present invention, when a content supplier supplies a content to a recording medium of a user of the content, the content supply means includes:
The number of times the content corresponding to the fee paid by the user can be reproduced is recorded on the recording medium of the user together with the content as the number of permitted reproductions, supplied to the recording medium of the user, and supplied to the recording medium of the user. And the content corresponding to the number of permitted reproductions is recorded, and when the number of reproductions of the content matches the permitted number of reproductions of the content, the user is prohibited from reproducing the recording medium. This is achieved by a method for restricting reproduction of a recording medium. As a result, with respect to the content recorded on the recording medium of the user, when the number of times of reproduction of the content reaches the permitted number of times of reproduction of the content, the user cannot perform the operation of reproducing the content of the recording medium any more. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prohibit the user or a person other than the user from further performing the operation of reproducing the content of the recording medium.

[0010]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present invention,
Although various technically preferable limits are given, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these modes unless otherwise specified in the following description. FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a device for restricting reproduction of a recording medium according to the present invention. The device 100 for restricting reproduction of a recording medium comprises a content supply means 10 of a content supplier 1 and a recording device of a user U. Media device 20
Has zero. The content supply unit 10 includes, for example, a computer 12, a content recording unit 14, a reproduction permitted number input unit 16, and the like. Recording media device 20
0 has a computer 202 and a recording / reproducing device 204 for recording media.

Computer 1 of content supply means 10
Numeral 2 denotes a communication means 400 to the computer 202 of the recording media device 200 via, for example, terminal adapters 300 and 302, for example, ISDN (Intenet).
graded Services Digital N
network so as to communicate via a service digital communication network such as a network. Content supplier 1
Means for inputting the number of permitted reproductions connected to the computer 12
6 by inputting information IF on the number of permitted reproductions of the content to be supplied, and by giving content information C from the content recording unit 14 to the computer 12,
The information can be supplied to the computer 202 on the user U side via the terminal adapter 300, the ISDN 400, and the terminal adapter 302. As described above, the content supplier 1 sends the reproduction permission number information IF and the content information C to the user U's computer 202 via the communication unit 400 using the computer 12, the reproduction permission number input unit 16 and the content recording unit 14. Then, the computer 202 of the user U can cause the recording medium M of the recording medium recording / reproducing device 204 to record the permitted reproduction number information IF and the content information C. In this manner, the content provider 1 can cause the user U to record the permitted reproduction count information and the content information on the recording medium M.

FIG. 2 shows the reproduction permitted number information IF created by the content supply means 10 and the content information (C1, C2).
2, C3...),
Received information group 6 received by computer 202 on user U side
00 shows an example. FIG. 2A shows distribution information group 5
00 of the distribution information group 50 shown in FIG.
0, a plurality of pieces of content information C1, C2, C3,...
Is distributed to the user U side. Each of the content information C1, C2, and C3 is a content such as a software program such as music information or ordinary signal information. , IF2
IF3 is arranged. That is, the distribution information section 500
Is configured to sequentially transmit the permitted reproduction count information IF and the content information C1, the next permitted reproduction count information IF2 and the next content information C2, and the next permitted reproduction count information IF3 and the content information C3. .

On the other hand, the reception information group 600 received on the user U side in FIG. 2B includes a permitted reproduction count information IF1 and content information C1, a next permitted reproduction count information IF2 and content information C2, and a next permitted reproduction count information IF2 and content information C2. Permitted reproduction number information I
It is configured by sequentially receiving F3 and content information C3 and the like. The reception information group 600 shown in FIG.
Is recorded by the recording / reproducing recording device 204 on the recording medium M of the recording medium M.
Transmits the content information C1 (for example, music information) to the user U
Is information on the number of times that the recording / reproducing apparatus 204 can reproduce (reproduction is permitted). Similarly, the permitted reproduction number information IF2 is information on the number of times that the user U has been permitted to reproduce the next content information C2 (for example, game software information). Similarly, the reproduction permission number information IF3
Is information indicating the number of times the user has been permitted to reproduce the next content information C3 (for example, music information).

Here, reproduction permitted number information IF1 (IF
2, IF3...) Indicate the number of reproductions that the content provider 1 can permit for the user U. The permitted number of times of reproduction corresponds to the price when the user U makes a payment to the content supplier 1 via the financial institution 700, the card company 701, or the like in FIG. 1, in other words, the user's request. Is the number of playbacks to be performed. In this case, when the content provider 1 collects the price,
Since the sales notice is sent to, for example, the card company 701, the card company 701 bills the user U. However, such a system of payment and billing is not limited to this format, and the user U can directly pay the content provider 1 or the computer 202 can directly transmit the computer 12 to the computer 12 by an electronic payment method. You may pay the fee.

Next, the recording medium M of FIG. 1 used by the user U will be described. As the recording medium M, for example, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a magnetic disk can be used.
R (write-once optical disc, Compact Disc R
rewritable). The recording / reproducing apparatus 204 for a recording medium is a recording medium M shown in FIG.
Can be recorded or the received information group 600 can be reproduced.

FIG. 3 shows a CD-R which is an example of such a recording medium M of the user U. This recording medium M has a lead-in area LI, a data area DA, a lead-out area LO and the like. ing. The data area DA includes a recording area RA1 of the permitted reproduction count information IF1 and a recording area R of the content information C1 as shown in FIG.
A10, recording area RA2 of reproduction permitted number information IF2,
The recording area RA11 of the content information C2, the recording area RA3 of the reproduction permitted number information IF3, the content information C3
Recording area RA12. in this way,
In the recording medium M, the number of permitted reproductions and the respective areas for recording contents are determined in advance, and the recording can be arbitrarily performed.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the recording / reproducing apparatus 204 of the recording medium shown in FIG. 1. A disk-shaped recording medium M is attached to and detached from a chucking apparatus 70 attached to a spindle of a spindle motor SM. Mounted as possible. The received information group 600 shown in FIG. 2 transmitted via the communication means 400 shown in FIG. 1 is recorded in the recording unit 550 of the number of permitted reproductions and the content shown in FIG. The servo controller 72 performs servo control of the optical pickup 74 which is generally used by performing various servos such as focus servo and tracking servo of the optical pickup 74. The optical pickup 74 is moved in the D direction (radial direction of the recording medium M) by a feed mechanism 76 of the optical pickup.
The feed amount is commanded from the servo controller 72 to the feed mechanism 76 of the optical pickup as a feed amount servo. The optical pickup 74 converts the information of the reception information group 600 in the recording unit 550 into the recording medium M by the light of the semiconductor laser of the optical pickup 74, for example.
In this case, the servo controller 72 instructs the feed mechanism 76 to move the optical pickup 74 in the D direction.

The received information group 60 recorded on the recording medium M
When reproducing 0, the servo controller 72 controls the servos of the optical pickup feed mechanism 76 and the optical pickup 74, and the optical pickup 74 irradiates the optical medium M with light, and Receiving the return light of the reproduction signal data DT, the reproduction signal processing circuit 7
Send to 8. The reproduction signal processing circuit 78 can output the output data OD to, for example, the monitor 79 or the like.
The user U can enjoy, for example, music information using the monitor 79.

By the way, for example, the content information C shown in FIG.
Since the number of permitted reproductions of No. 1 is included in the permitted reproduction number information IF1, the reproduction number detecting unit 81 for reproducing the content connected to the servo controller 72 monitors the permitted reproduction number information IF1. When the user U has reproduced the content information C1 recorded on the recording medium M, for example, up to the number of times of reproduction based on the reproduction permission number information IF1, for example, five times, the content reproduction number detection unit 81 Sends a reproduction operation prohibition signal 83 to the servo controller 72. The servo controller 72 inhibits the feed of the optical pickup 74 and the reproduction of the reproduction signal data DT based on the reproduction operation prohibition signal 83. As a result, it is possible to prohibit the user or a person other than the user from reproducing the content information C1 by the number of times exceeding the permitted number of times of reproduction.

Next, with reference to FIG. 6, an example of use of the apparatus 100 for restricting reproduction of the recording media shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 will be described. In step S1 in FIG. 6, the user U in FIG. 1 requests the content provider 1 to supply a desired content and notifies the desired number of reproductions (the number of permitted reproductions). The request for the supply and the notification of the number of times may be sent from the computer 202 of FIG. 1 to the computer 12 by using the communication unit 400 or another communication unit. The user U sets the recording medium M in the recording / reproducing device 204 and prepares it.

In step S2 of FIG. 6, it is checked whether or not the content provider 1 of FIG. 1 has received the payment from the user U. If the payment has not been received, the service supply is stopped. If the payment has been received, the process proceeds to step S3. In step S3, the content supplier 1 inputs the number of times the user desires to reproduce, that is, the number of permitted reproductions, to the computer 12 from the permitted reproduction number input means 16 as the permitted reproduction number information IF1. Then, the content supplier 1 inputs content information C1 relating to the type of content desired by the user U from the content recording unit 14 to the computer 12. The content supplier 1 sends the content to the user U's computer 202 from the computer 12 via the terminal adapter 300, the communication means 400, and the terminal adapter 302.

FIG. 2A shows an example of a distribution information group 500 sent from the content supply means 10 in FIG.
As shown in (B), the received information group 600 is recorded on the recording medium M via the computer 202 on the user U side as in step S4 in FIG.

Next, in step S5 of FIG. 6, the user U of FIG. 1 operates the computer 202 to cause the recording / reproducing device 204 to execute the reproduction permitted frequency information IF1 shown in FIG. The information C1 is reproduced sequentially or randomly. In this case, for example, the content information C1 can be reproduced by the number of permitted reproduction times of the permitted reproduction number information IF1. For example, when the number of permitted reproductions included in the permitted reproduction number information IF1 is five, the content information C1 can be reproduced only five times on the monitor 79 of FIG. The number-of-reproductions detecting unit 81 of FIG. 5 detects such a permitted number of reproductions. When the number of reproductions of the user U reaches the permitted number of reproductions, the number-of-reproductions detecting unit 81 of the content In response, a reproduction operation prohibition signal 83 is provided.
Accordingly, the servo controller 72 inhibits the optical pickup 74 from reproducing the content information C1 of the recording medium M, and preferably also stops the supply of the rotary servo to the spindle motor SM. For this reason, the user U cannot reproduce the content information C1 more than six times using the monitor 79 of FIG.

The content information C2, C3,.
.. Similarly for the permitted reproduction count information IF2 and IF3
Thus, the number of times of reproduction is limited. In this case, every time the user reproduces the content information, the number of times of reproduction permission information is five, four, three, two, one.
One time, such as 0 times. Such subtraction of the number of permitted reproductions is performed by the content reproduction number detecting unit 81 in FIG. 5, and such a situation is shown in steps S6 and S7 in FIG.

Next, another embodiment of the apparatus for restricting reproduction of a recording medium according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 7 shows an example of a recording medium supplied to the user U. This recording medium M is
3 is the same as the recording medium M shown in FIG. 3 except that the user U purchases the recording medium M from the content provider 1 without using communication means. . In other words, on the purchased recording media M,
As shown in FIG. 8, the recording area RA1 of the reproduction permitted number information IF1, the recording area RA10 of the content information C1, the recording area RA2 of the reproduction permitted number information IF2, the recording area RA11 of the content information C2, and the reproduction permitted number information IF.
3 and a recording area RA12 for content information C3. The structure itself of the recording medium M is the same as that of the recording medium M in FIG.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a content provider 1 sends a user U
The user U does not record the reception information group 600, and the user U does not record the reception information group 600. The recording medium M shown in FIG. Permitted reproduction count information IF1 shown in FIG.
Is recorded, and a recording area R of the content information C1 is recorded.
The number of permitted reproductions and the content are recorded on the recording medium M in advance such as the content information C1 is recorded in A10. Such a recorded recording medium M is sold from the content supplier 1 to the user U. Such a content supply method is as follows.
It can be used particularly when supplying content whose number of reproductions is relatively small (we want to reduce it). FIG.
An example of a playback device 404 (playback recording limitation device for recording media) is shown. The playback device 404 in FIG. 9 is different from the recording / playback device 204 in FIG. 5 in that the playback device 404 only plays the permitted reproduction count information and the content information as shown in FIG. is there. For each element of the reproducing apparatus 404 in FIG. 9, the recording / reproducing apparatus 204 in FIG.
The same reference numerals are given to portions that are substantially the same as the corresponding elements of the above, and the description of the recording / reproducing apparatus 204 in FIG. 2 is diverted.

Next, with reference to FIG. 10, a description will be given of an example of use of the apparatus for limiting reproduction of a recording medium shown in FIGS.
In step S11 of FIG. 10, the user U pays the content provider 1 of FIG. 7, and in step S12, the user U purchases the recording medium of FIG.

In step S13, the user sets the recording medium M in the reproducing device 404 in FIG. 9, and the user reproduces the content information C1 in FIG. 2B, for example. In steps S14 and S15, the number of times that the content information C1 has been reproduced by the user is determined by the number-of-times-of-reproduction detecting section 81 shown in FIG. 9 by one each time the content information is reproduced. Go. Then, when the number of times that the user reproduces the content information reaches the permitted number of reproductions, the number-of-reproductions detecting unit 81 of FIG. 9 sends a reproduction operation prohibition signal 83 to the servo controller 72. Thereby, the servo controller 72
Prohibits the optical pickup 74 from reproducing the reproduction signal data DT. By doing so, it becomes impossible for the user or a person other than the user to reproduce the content information beyond the number of permitted reproductions set in advance on the recording medium.

The recording medium described above can be configured as follows. An area in which the number of permitted reproductions, which is the desired number of reproductions, can be recorded on a recording medium so that the recording can be arbitrarily performed. The content is recorded in a recording medium in advance. The content provider shown in FIG. 1 can record an arbitrary number of permitted reproductions in the area of the number of permitted reproductions corresponding to each content. An area in which the number of permitted reproductions can be recorded is determined on a recording medium, and the content provider can record the permitted reproduction number information in this area. At this time, an area in which contents can be arbitrarily recorded is also provided so that the contents supplier can arbitrarily record contents. That is, an arbitrary number of permitted reproductions and an arbitrary content are sequentially recorded. The content provider records the permitted number of reproductions and the content together on a recording medium in advance. The number of permitted reproductions to be recorded on the recording medium can be set only by the content provider. In the case where the number of permitted reproductions is set in this way, if recording is performed using, for example, an encryption technique, it becomes difficult for a person other than the content provider to rewrite the number of permitted reproductions so as to increase or decrease the number of permitted reproductions. It is desirable that the number of permitted reproduction times and the content be recorded as a pair, but it is most realistic to read out the content after the number of permitted reproduction times is first read. The content can be read only when the permitted number of reproductions is set, but the content cannot be read when the permitted number of reproductions is not set. After reading the content, it is desirable to decrement the number of permitted reproductions one by one as described above.

On the other hand, in the recording medium reproducing apparatus (also referred to as a drive or a player) shown in FIG. 9, it is desirable to first read an area in which the number of permitted reproductions is recorded at the time of reproduction, and then read the content. The content can be read only when the permitted number of reproductions is recorded, and the content cannot be read when the permitted number of reproductions is not recorded. After reading the content, it is desirable to reduce the number of permitted reproductions by one each time.

In the embodiment of the present invention, a content provider (also referred to as a software supplier) can set the price of content or software according to the number of permitted reproductions (the number of reproductions desired by the user). Can easily understand the pricing of the software or content. Content or software providers can earn revenue based on the value of the content or software. Then, unauthorized use of content such as computer software or software by a person other than the rightful user can be prevented by setting the number of permitted reproductions.

The user can obtain the desired number of times of reproduction (permitted number of times of reproduction from the viewpoint of the content provider), and the purchase price can be determined according to the number of times of reproduction set by the user himself. However, there is also an advantage that the same content can be reproduced and used again if an additional usage fee is paid.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the above-described embodiment, a CD-R is used as a recording medium. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a magnetic recording medium such as a floppy disk (FD) or a high-density recording medium (DVD, digital versatile disk, or digital video disk) -It is of course possible to use other types of recording media, such as RAM, or other types of recording media. Further, the content sent from the content provider to the user side in FIG. 1 is shown as an example of a plurality of contents as shown in FIG. 2, but the present invention is not limited to this, and one type of content and the corresponding reproduction permission Of course, only the number of times may be sent. As a communication means, a communication means using another type of communication system such as the Internet or a communication means such as satellite communication may be used.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the recording medium is provided with an area in which the number of permitted signal reproductions can be recorded, and when the user purchases the content, the desired number of permitted reproductions of the user is recorded in the area. Is recorded in the content recording area (or recorded in advance). Then, each time the user reproduces, the number of permitted reproductions is reduced, and when the number of permitted reproductions becomes 0, the medium and the recording / reproducing apparatus which cannot reproduce the content are combined.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the software content supplier supplies the content to the recording medium of the user of the content, the number of times the content desired by the user is set in advance, and the user can read out only the desired number of times of reproduction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a recording-only playback device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a distribution information group and a reception information group in the reproduction-only medium for the reproduction recording medium of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a recording medium on the user side in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a recording area of reproduction permitted number information and a recording area of content information formed on the recording medium of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a recording / reproducing apparatus for a recording medium on the user side in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of use of the apparatus for restricting reproduction of the recording medium of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of a recording medium used in another embodiment of the recording medium reproduction limiting apparatus according to the present invention.

8 is a diagram showing an example of a recording area of the number of permitted reproductions and a recording area of content data in the recording medium of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a recording / reproduction limiting device (recording media reproducing device).
The figure which shows another embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of use of the recording-only playback device of FIG. 9;

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference numeral 100 denotes a recording medium reproduction limiting device, 1 denotes a content supplier, U denotes a user, M denotes a recording medium, 204 denotes a recording / reproducing device, and 10 denotes a content supply unit. ... Recording media devices, 500
..Distribution information group, 600 ... Reception information group, IF ...
Reproduction permitted number information, C... Content information.

Claims (13)

[Claims] When a content provider supplies a content to a user's recording medium, the number of times that the content corresponding to the fee paid by the user can be reproduced is set as a permitted number of reproductions, and the content is recorded together with the user's recording medium. A content supply unit for supplying the content to the user, a permitted number of reproductions of the content from the content supply unit, and a content corresponding to the permitted number of reproductions are recorded on a recording medium of the user. And a recording media device for prohibiting a user from performing a recording medium reproducing operation when the number of times of reproduction is permitted. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium includes a first area for recording a permitted number of reproductions and a second area for recording contents. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium is a disc-shaped information recording medium. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording media device decrements the number of permitted reproductions of the content each time the number of reproductions of the content increases. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the permitted number of times of reproduction is a number of times of reproduction desired by the user. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium device first reads out the number of permitted reproductions of the content of the recording medium, and thereafter reads out the content of the recording medium. 7. When the content provider supplies the content to the user, the number of times that the content corresponding to the fee paid by the user can be reproduced is set as the number of permitted reproductions.
Recording on the recording medium of the user together with the content, reproducing the recording medium, and prohibiting the user from performing the reproducing operation of the recording medium when the number of times of reproduction of the content matches the permitted number of times of reproduction of the content. Limited device. 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the recording medium includes a first area for recording the permitted number of reproductions and a second area for recording the content. 9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the recording medium is a disc-shaped information recording medium. 10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the recording media device decrements the permitted number of reproductions of the content each time the number of reproductions of the content increases. 11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the permitted number of reproductions is a number of reproductions desired by the user. 12. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the recording medium device first reads out the number of permitted reproductions of the content of the recording medium, and then reads out the content of the recording medium. 13. When a content provider supplies a content to a recording medium of a user of the content, the content supply means determines the number of times that the content corresponding to the fee paid by the user can be reproduced, by the number of permitted reproductions. The content is recorded on the recording medium of the user together with the content, supplied to the recording medium of the user, and the number of permitted reproductions of the content and the content corresponding to the permitted number of reproductions are recorded on the recording medium of the user. When the number of times that the content has been reproduced matches the number of times that the content can be reproduced, the reproduction operation of the recording medium by the user is prohibited.