The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 03, 2006
Filed:
Aug. 23, 2000
Yoshimasa Utsumi, Tokyo, JP;
Yoshimasa Utsumi, Tokyo, JP;
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A terminal apparatus into which one of a first and a second memory card is selectively inserted. The first memory card is designed to store contents subject to copyright protection whereas the second memory card is arranged to accommodate contents not subject to copyright protection. The two cards are substantially the same in shape. If a user inadvertently inserts the second memory card into the apparatus in order to record contents subject to copyright protection, the contents are allowed to be recorded to the inserted card at a lowered level of data quality. This averts an outright failure to record copyright-protected contents for which the user has properly paid to a copyright-noncompliant memory card.