Based on the detailed reproduction control information defining the
reproduction control state of data to be transmitted, the CPU 12 of the
data transmission apparatus creates a simplified reproduction control
information roughly defining the reproduction control state of the data,
stores the simplified reproduction control information of the data in the
packet header of a data packet carrying the data, stores the detailed
reproduction control information in the data, and transmits the
simplified reproduction control information and the detailed reproduction
control information as well as the data to the data receiving apparatus
20 through the transmission channel 30 from the input-output interface
16. The CPU 22 of the data receiving apparatus 20 analyses the
reproduction control state of the data contained in the data packet based
on the simplified reproduction information and the detailed reproduction
information contained in the data packet, and controls the reproduction
of the data by the action of the media access part 26 according to the
analysis result.