Abstract:
A data encryption system receives data to be encrypted prior to being transmitted to a storage unit. The received data is analyzed to determine a secure storage approach based on a risk level associated with the received data. In response to the risk level satisfying a threshold risk level the data encryption system uses a convergent encryption technique to encrypt the received data, but in response to the risk level failing to satisfy the threshold risk level, the data encryption system encrypts the received data using a key based on a random number. The encrypted data is transmitted to a storage unit.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §120 as a continuation-in-part of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 15/011,807 entitled “RESOLVING WRITE CONFLICTS IN A DISPERSED STORAGE NETWORK” filed Feb. 1, 2016, which claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §120 as a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 14/153,366, entitled “RESOLVING WRITE CONFLICTS IN A DISPERSED STORAGE NETWORK”, filed Jan. 13, 2014, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,274,908, on Mar. 1, 2016, which claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/769,595, entitled “SECURELY STORING DATA WITHOUT DUPLICATION IN A DISPERSED STORAGE NETWORK”, filed Feb. 26, 2013, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and made part of the present U.S. Utility patent application for all purposes. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Field of the Invention 
       [0004]    This invention relates generally to computer networks and more particularly to dispersing error encoded data. 
       Description of Related Art 
       [0005]    Computing devices are known to communicate data, process data, and/or store data. Such computing devices range from wireless smart phones, laptops, tablets, personal computers (PC), work stations, and video game devices, to data centers that support millions of web searches, stock trades, or on-line purchases every day. In general, a computing device includes a central processing unit (CPU), a memory system, user input/output interfaces, peripheral device interfaces, and an interconnecting bus structure. 
         [0006]    As is further known, a computer may effectively extend its CPU by using “cloud computing” to perform one or more computing functions (e.g., a service, an application, an algorithm, an arithmetic logic function, etc.) on behalf of the computer. Further, for large services, applications, and/or functions, cloud computing may be performed by multiple cloud computing resources in a distributed manner to improve the response time for completion of the service, application, and/or function. For example, Hadoop is an open source software framework that supports distributed applications enabling application execution by thousands of computers. 
         [0007]    In addition to cloud computing, a computer may use “cloud storage” as part of its memory system. As is known, cloud storage enables a user, via its computer, to store files, applications, etc. on an Internet storage system. The Internet storage system may include a RAID (redundant array of independent disks) system and/or a dispersed storage system that uses an error correction scheme to encode data for storage. 
         [0008]    It is well known that various Internet and other storage systems encrypt data prior to storage. In some cases, a convergent encryption technique, which derives an encryption key from the data being encrypted can be used, and thus the same plaintexts will have the same cipher texts. When convergent encryption techniques are used, there is a potential increase in storage efficiency compared to using keys unrelated to the data being encrypted, if other users store this same plaintext. But there is a drawback, in terms of security, because if the data can be guessed, it may be possible to determine whether or not a user stores that data. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a dispersed or distributed storage network (DSN) in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a computing core in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of an example of dispersed storage error encoding of data in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram of a generic example of an error encoding function in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a schematic block diagram of a specific example of an error encoding function in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a schematic block diagram of an example of a slice name of an encoded data slice (EDS) in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a schematic block diagram of an example of dispersed storage error decoding of data in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a schematic block diagram of a generic example of an error decoding function in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a schematic block diagram of a data encryption system in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a flowchart illustrating an example of securely storing data in accordance with the present invention; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a dispersed, or distributed, storage network (DSN)  10  that includes a plurality of computing devices  12 - 16 , a managing unit  18 , an integrity processing unit  20 , and a DSN memory  22 . The components of the DSN  10  are coupled to a network  24 , which may include one or more wireless and/or wire lined communication systems; one or more non-public intranet systems and/or public internet systems; and/or one or more local area networks (LAN) and/or wide area networks (WAN). 
         [0020]    The DSN memory  22  includes a plurality of storage units  36  that may be located at geographically different sites (e.g., one in Chicago, one in Milwaukee, etc.), at a common site, or a combination thereof. For example, if the DSN memory  22  includes eight storage units  36 , each storage unit is located at a different site. As another example, if the DSN memory  22  includes eight storage units  36 , all eight storage units are located at the same site. As yet another example, if the DSN memory  22  includes eight storage units  36 , a first pair of storage units are at a first common site, a second pair of storage units are at a second common site, a third pair of storage units are at a third common site, and a fourth pair of storage units are at a fourth common site. Note that a DSN memory  22  may include more or less than eight storage units  36 . Further note that each storage unit  36  includes a computing core (as shown in  FIG. 2 , or components thereof) and a plurality of memory devices for storing dispersed error encoded data. 
         [0021]    Each of the computing devices  12 - 16 , the managing unit  18 , and the integrity processing unit  20  include a computing core  26 , which includes network interfaces  30 - 33 . Computing devices  12 - 16  may each be a portable computing device and/or a fixed computing device. A portable computing device may be a social networking device, a gaming device, a cell phone, a smart phone, a digital assistant, a digital music player, a digital video player, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a tablet, a video game controller, and/or any other portable device that includes a computing core. A fixed computing device may be a computer (PC), a computer server, a cable set-top box, a satellite receiver, a television set, a printer, a fax machine, home entertainment equipment, a video game console, and/or any type of home or office computing equipment. Note that each of the managing unit  18  and the integrity processing unit  20  may be separate computing devices, may be a common computing device, and/or may be integrated into one or more of the computing devices  12 - 16  and/or into one or more of the storage units  36 . 
         [0022]    Each interface  30 ,  32 , and  33  includes software and hardware to support one or more communication links via the network  24  indirectly and/or directly. For example, interface  30  supports a communication link (e.g., wired, wireless, direct, via a LAN, via the network  24 , etc.) between computing devices  14  and  16 . As another example, interface  32  supports communication links (e.g., a wired connection, a wireless connection, a LAN connection, and/or any other type of connection to/from the network  24 ) between computing devices  12  and  16  and the DSN memory  22 . As yet another example, interface  33  supports a communication link for each of the managing unit  18  and the integrity processing unit  20  to the network  24 . 
         [0023]    Computing devices  12  and  16  include a dispersed storage (DS) client module  34 , which enables the computing device to dispersed storage error encode and decode data (e.g., data  40 ) as subsequently described with reference to one or more of  FIGS. 3-8 . In this example embodiment, computing device  16  functions as a dispersed storage processing agent for computing device  14 . In this role, computing device  16  dispersed storage error encodes and decodes data on behalf of computing device  14 . With the use of dispersed storage error encoding and decoding, the DSN  10  is tolerant of a significant number of storage unit failures (the number of failures is based on parameters of the dispersed storage error encoding function) without loss of data and without the need for a redundant or backup copies of the data. Further, the DSN  10  stores data for an indefinite period of time without data loss and in a secure manner (e.g., the system is very resistant to unauthorized attempts at accessing the data). 
         [0024]    In operation, the managing unit  18  performs DS management services. For example, the managing unit  18  establishes distributed data storage parameters (e.g., vault creation, distributed storage parameters, security parameters, billing information, user profile information, etc.) for computing devices  12 - 14  individually or as part of a group of user devices. As a specific example, the managing unit  18  coordinates creation of a vault (e.g., a virtual memory block associated with a portion of an overall namespace of the DSN) within the DSN memory  22  for a user device, a group of devices, or for public access and establishes per vault dispersed storage (DS) error encoding parameters for a vault. The managing unit  18  facilitates storage of DS error encoding parameters for each vault by updating registry information of the DSN  10 , where the registry information may be stored in the DSN memory  22 , a computing device  12 - 16 , the managing unit  18 , and/or the integrity processing unit  20 . 
         [0025]    The managing unit  18  creates and stores user profile information (e.g., an access control list (ACL)) in local memory and/or within memory of the DSN memory  22 . The user profile information includes authentication information, permissions, and/or the security parameters. The security parameters may include encryption/decryption scheme, one or more encryption keys, key generation scheme, and/or data encoding/decoding scheme. 
         [0026]    The managing unit  18  creates billing information for a particular user, a user group, a vault access, public vault access, etc. For instance, the managing unit  18  tracks the number of times a user accesses a non-public vault and/or public vaults, which can be used to generate a per-access billing information. In another instance, the managing unit  18  tracks the amount of data stored and/or retrieved by a user device and/or a user group, which can be used to generate a per-data-amount billing information. 
         [0027]    As another example, the managing unit  18  performs network operations, network administration, and/or network maintenance. Network operations includes authenticating user data allocation requests (e.g., read and/or write requests), managing creation of vaults, establishing authentication credentials for user devices, adding/deleting components (e.g., user devices, storage units, and/or computing devices with a DS client module  34 ) to/from the DSN  10 , and/or establishing authentication credentials for the storage units  36 . Network administration includes monitoring devices and/or units for failures, maintaining vault information, determining device and/or unit activation status, determining device and/or unit loading, and/or determining any other system level operation that affects the performance level of the DSN  10 . Network maintenance includes facilitating replacing, upgrading, repairing, and/or expanding a device and/or unit of the DSN  10 . 
         [0028]    The integrity processing unit  20  performs rebuilding of ‘bad’ or missing encoded data slices. At a high level, the integrity processing unit  20  performs rebuilding by periodically attempting to retrieve/list encoded data slices, and/or slice names of the encoded data slices, from the DSN memory  22 . For retrieved encoded slices, they are checked for errors due to data corruption, outdated version, etc. If a slice includes an error, it is flagged as a ‘bad’ slice. For encoded data slices that were not received and/or not listed, they are flagged as missing slices. Bad and/or missing slices are subsequently rebuilt using other retrieved encoded data slices that are deemed to be good slices to produce rebuilt slices. The rebuilt slices are stored in the DSN memory  22 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a computing core  26  that includes a processing module  50 , a memory controller  52 , main memory  54 , a video graphics processing unit  55 , an input/output (IO) controller  56 , a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) interface  58 , an IO interface module  60 , at least one IO device interface module  62 , a read only memory (ROM) basic input output system (BIOS)  64 , and one or more memory interface modules. The one or more memory interface module(s) includes one or more of a universal serial bus (USB) interface module  66 , a host bus adapter (HBA) interface module  68 , a network interface module  70 , a flash interface module  72 , a hard drive interface module  74 , and a DSN interface module  76 . 
         [0030]    The DSN interface module  76  functions to mimic a conventional operating system (OS) file system interface (e.g., network file system (NFS), flash file system (FFS), disk file system (DFS), file transfer protocol (FTP), web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV), etc.) and/or a block memory interface (e.g., small computer system interface (SCSI), internet small computer system interface (iSCSI), etc.). The DSN interface module  76  and/or the network interface module  70  may function as one or more of the interface  30 - 33  of  FIG. 1 . Note that the IO device interface module  62  and/or the memory interface modules  66 - 76  may be collectively or individually referred to as IO ports. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of an example of dispersed storage error encoding of data. When a computing device  12  or  16  has data to store it disperse storage error encodes the data in accordance with a dispersed storage error encoding process based on dispersed storage error encoding parameters. The dispersed storage error encoding parameters include an encoding function (e.g., information dispersal algorithm, Reed-Solomon, Cauchy Reed-Solomon, systematic encoding, non-systematic encoding, on-line codes, etc.), a data segmenting protocol (e.g., data segment size, fixed, variable, etc.), and per data segment encoding values. The per data segment encoding values include a total, or pillar width, number (T) of encoded data slices per encoding of a data segment (i.e., in a set of encoded data slices); a decode threshold number (D) of encoded data slices of a set of encoded data slices that are needed to recover the data segment; a read threshold number (R) of encoded data slices to indicate a number of encoded data slices per set to be read from storage for decoding of the data segment; and/or a write threshold number (W) to indicate a number of encoded data slices per set that must be accurately stored before the encoded data segment is deemed to have been properly stored. The dispersed storage error encoding parameters may further include slicing information (e.g., the number of encoded data slices that will be created for each data segment) and/or slice security information (e.g., per encoded data slice encryption, compression, integrity checksum, etc.). 
         [0032]    In the present example, Cauchy Reed-Solomon has been selected as the encoding function (a generic example is shown in  FIG. 4  and a specific example is shown in  FIG. 5 ); the data segmenting protocol is to divide the data object into fixed sized data segments; and the per data segment encoding values include: a pillar width of 5, a decode threshold of 3, a read threshold of 4, and a write threshold of 4. In accordance with the data segmenting protocol, the computing device  12  or  16  divides the data (e.g., a file (e.g., text, video, audio, etc.), a data object, or other data arrangement) into a plurality of fixed sized data segments (e.g., 1 through Y of a fixed size in range of Kilo-bytes to Tera-bytes or more). The number of data segments created is dependent of the size of the data and the data segmenting protocol. 
         [0033]    The computing device  12  or  16  then disperse storage error encodes a data segment using the selected encoding function (e.g., Cauchy Reed-Solomon) to produce a set of encoded data slices.  FIG. 4  illustrates a generic Cauchy Reed-Solomon encoding function, which includes an encoding matrix (EM), a data matrix (DM), and a coded matrix (CM). The size of the encoding matrix (EM) is dependent on the pillar width number (T) and the decode threshold number (D) of selected per data segment encoding values. To produce the data matrix (DM), the data segment is divided into a plurality of data blocks and the data blocks are arranged into D number of rows with Z data blocks per row. Note that Z is a function of the number of data blocks created from the data segment and the decode threshold number (D). The coded matrix is produced by matrix multiplying the data matrix by the encoding matrix. 
         [0034]      FIG. 5  illustrates a specific example of Cauchy Reed-Solomon encoding with a pillar number (T) of five and decode threshold number of three. In this example, a first data segment is divided into twelve data blocks (D 1 -D 12 ). The coded matrix includes five rows of coded data blocks, where the first row of X 11 -X 14  corresponds to a first encoded data slice (EDS  1 _ 1 ), the second row of X 21 -X 24  corresponds to a second encoded data slice (EDS  2 _ 1 ), the third row of X 31 -X 34  corresponds to a third encoded data slice (EDS  3 _ 1 ), the fourth row of X 41 -X 44  corresponds to a fourth encoded data slice (EDS  4 _ 1 ), and the fifth row of X 51 -X 54  corresponds to a fifth encoded data slice (EDS  5 _ 1 ). Note that the second number of the EDS designation corresponds to the data segment number. 
         [0035]    Returning to the discussion of  FIG. 3 , the computing device also creates a slice name (SN) for each encoded data slice (EDS) in the set of encoded data slices. A typical format for a slice name  80  is shown in  FIG. 6 . As shown, the slice name (SN)  80  includes a pillar number of the encoded data slice (e.g., one of 1-T), a data segment number (e.g., one of 1-Y), a vault identifier (ID), a data object identifier (ID), and may further include revision level information of the encoded data slices. The slice name functions as, at least part of, a DSN address for the encoded data slice for storage and retrieval from the DSN memory  22 . 
         [0036]    As a result of encoding, the computing device  12  or  16  produces a plurality of sets of encoded data slices, which are provided with their respective slice names to the storage units for storage. As shown, the first set of encoded data slices includes EDS  1 _ 1  through EDS  5 _ 1  and the first set of slice names includes SN  1 _ 1  through SN  5 _ 1  and the last set of encoded data slices includes EDS  1 _Y through EDS  5 _Y and the last set of slice names includes SN  1 _Y through SN  5 _Y. 
         [0037]      FIG. 7  is a schematic block diagram of an example of dispersed storage error decoding of a data object that was dispersed storage error encoded and stored in the example of  FIG. 4 . In this example, the computing device  12  or  16  retrieves from the storage units at least the decode threshold number of encoded data slices per data segment. As a specific example, the computing device retrieves a read threshold number of encoded data slices. 
         [0038]    To recover a data segment from a decode threshold number of encoded data slices, the computing device uses a decoding function as shown in  FIG. 8 . As shown, the decoding function is essentially an inverse of the encoding function of  FIG. 4 . The coded matrix includes a decode threshold number of rows (e.g., three in this example) and the decoding matrix in an inversion of the encoding matrix that includes the corresponding rows of the coded matrix. For example, if the coded matrix includes rows  1 ,  2 , and  4 , the encoding matrix is reduced to rows  1 ,  2 , and  4 , and then inverted to produce the decoding matrix. 
         [0039]    Various techniques and devices that allow selective use of convergent encryption techniques are discussed below with respect to  FIGS. 9 and 10 . Convergent encryption techniques use a key derived from the data being encrypted, but can make data less secure in some circumstances. Two techniques can be applied to augment the security of the data, by giving up some storage efficiency. 
         [0040]    The first technique, makes it more difficult to correctly guess a file by virtue of its length. This method examines the current file size, and adds some padding to the end until the size is that of the next highest rounded value. The rounded values might be calculated to never expand the data by more than 1%. This can be done by calculating (log(file size)/log(1+1%)), rounding that value up to the next highest integer to get N, then calculating (1+1%)̂N. The file can then be rounded up to that size by adding the appropriate amount of padding to mask its true size. 
         [0041]    The second approach to trade efficiency for increased security is to make a determination as to how easy it is to guess the content. This can be done by estimating the entropy of the files content (for example, determining the size of the file if it were compressed). If this compressed size (a rough estimate of the file&#39;s entropy) is less than a certain threshold, then instead of generating deriving the key from the data, the key can be generated randomly. A unique file tag (or one based on the content of the encrypted data) will be generated. Thus for certain files, convergent encryption is not used, e.g. when the files are small, and/or overly predictable, but convergent encryption is used for other files. 
         [0042]      FIG. 9  is a schematic block diagram of a data encryption system  451 , which includes an analyzer  442 , a manipulator  446 , a key generator  444 , an encryptor  448 , and a storage module  450 . The data encryption system functions to securely store received data  452 , e.g., in a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory and/or a local memory. The analyzer  442  analyzes the received data  452  to determine a secure storage approach  454 . The analyzing includes determining a predictability level of the received data  452 . For example, the analyzer compresses the received data  452  and indicates that the predictability level of the data is high when a size of compressed data is less than a compression threshold value. As another example, the analyzer  442  indicates that the predictability level of the data is high when a size of the data is less than a size threshold value. 
         [0043]    The determining the secure storage approach includes producing the approach  454  to indicate whether to generate a key  458  based on the received data  452  or a random number. For example, the analyzer  442  produces the approach  454  to indicate to generate the key  458  based on the random number when the predictability level of the data is high. As another example, the analyzer  442  that produces the approach  454  indicates to generate the key  458  based on the data when the predictability level of the data is low. When indicating to generate the key  458  based on the received data  452 , the determining the secure storage approach may further include producing the approach  454  to indicate whether to manipulate the received data  452  prior to encrypting the data. For example, the analyzer  442  produces the approach  454  to indicate to manipulate the data when the predictability of the data is low and the size of the data is greater than the size threshold value. 
         [0044]    The manipulator  446  manipulates the received data  452  in accordance with the approach  454  to produce manipulated data  456 . For example, the manipulator  446  produces the manipulated data  456  to be substantially the same as the received data  452  when the approach indicates not to manipulate the data. As another example, the manipulator  446  pads up the received data  452  to produce the manipulated data  456  when the approach indicates to manipulate the data. When padding the received data  452 , the manipulator  446  examines the current file size and adds padding bytes to the end of the received data  452  until a new data size is that of a next highest rounded value. The rounded values may be calculated to never expand the data by more than some fixed percentage, for example 1%. This can be done by calculating (log(file size)/log(1+1%)), rounding that value up to the next highest integer to get N, then calculating (1+1%)̂N. The data is padded to round up by adding the appropriate amount of padding bytes to mask its true size. 
         [0045]    The key generator  444  generates the key  458  in accordance with the approach  454 . The key generator  444  generates the key  458  based on the random number when the approach  454  indicates to utilize the random number. The key generator  444  generates the key  458  based on one or more of the received data  452  and the manipulated data  456  in accordance with the approach  454 . The key generator  444  generates the key  458  based on one or more of the received data  452  and the manipulated data  456  by performing a deterministic function on one or more of the received data  452  and the manipulated data  456  to produce the key  458 . For example, key generator  444  performs a hashing function on the data  452  to produce a data digest, performs the hashing function on the manipulated data  456  to produce a manipulated data digest, and performs a mask generating function on the data digest and the manipulated data digest to produce the key  458 . 
         [0046]    The encryptor  448  encrypts the manipulated data  456  using the key  458  to produce encrypted data  460 . The storage module  450  facilitates storage of the encrypted data  460  and the key  458  in one or more of the local memory and the DSN memory. For example, the storage module  450  sends the encrypted data  460  and the key  458  to a dispersed storage processing module associated with the DSN memory. As another example, the storage module  450  encodes the encrypted data  460  and the key  458  to produce a plurality of sets of slices, generates a plurality of sets of write slice requests that includes the plurality of sets of slices, and outputs the plurality of sets of write slice requests to the DSN memory. 
         [0047]      FIG. 10  is a flowchart illustrating an example of securely storing data. The method begins at step  462  where a processing module, e.g., a computing core of a computing device of a dispersed storage (DS) processing module such as computing device  12 , computing device  16 , computing device  14 , managing unit  18 , integrity processing unit  20 , or DSN memory  22 , analyzes received data for storage to produce a data access risk level. The analyzing includes determining one or more of a predictability level, a size, a data type, a source, an owner, a required data security level, a data access risk level, and a data sensitivity level. The method continues at step  464  where the processing module determines a secure storage approach based on the data access risk level. The secure storage approach includes one of a high risk approach, a medium risk approach, and a low risk approach. For example, the processing module selects the high risk approach when the data access risk level is greater than a high risk threshold. As another example, the processing module selects the medium risk approach when the data access risk level is greater than a medium risk threshold and less than the high risk threshold. As yet another example, the processing module selects the low risk approach when the data access risk level is less than the medium risk threshold. 
         [0048]    When the secure storage approach includes the high risk approach, the method continues at step  466  where the processing module generates a key based on a random number. The method branches to step  470  where the processing module encrypts the data using the key to produce encrypted data. Next, the method branches to step  478  where the processing module facilitates storage of the key and encrypted data. The facilitating includes at least one of storing the key and encrypted data in a local memory and storing the key and encrypted data in a dispersed storage network memory. 
         [0049]    When the secure storage approach includes the medium risk approach, the method continues at step  468  where the processing module generates the key based on the data. The generating includes performing a deterministic function on the data to produce the key. The method branches to step  470 . 
         [0050]    When the secure storage approach includes the low risk approach, the method continues to step  472  where the processing module manipulates the data in accordance with the secure storage approach to produce manipulated data. The manipulating of the data includes at least one of padding the data at the end of the data, padding the data at the beginning of the data, interleaving portions of the data, and compressing a portion of the data. The method continues at step  474  where the processing module generates the key based on the manipulated data. The generating includes performing a deterministic function on the manipulated data to produce the key. Alternatively, the processing module performs a deterministic function on the data and the manipulated data to produce the key. The method continues at step  476  where the processing module encrypts the manipulated data using the key to produce the encrypted data. The method branches to step  478 . 
         [0051]    It is noted that terminologies as may be used herein such as bit stream, stream, signal sequence, etc. (or their equivalents) have been used interchangeably to describe digital information whose content corresponds to any of a number of desired types (e.g., data, video, speech, audio, etc. any of which may generally be referred to as ‘data’). 
         [0052]    As may be used herein, the terms “substantially” and “approximately” provides an industry-accepted tolerance for its corresponding term and/or relativity between items. Such an industry-accepted tolerance ranges from less than one percent to fifty percent and corresponds to, but is not limited to, component values, integrated circuit process variations, temperature variations, rise and fall times, and/or thermal noise. Such relativity between items ranges from a difference of a few percent to magnitude differences. As may also be used herein, the term(s) “configured to”, “operably coupled to”, “coupled to”, and/or “coupling” includes direct coupling between items and/or indirect coupling between items via an intervening item (e.g., an item includes, but is not limited to, a component, an element, a circuit, and/or a module) where, for an example of indirect coupling, the intervening item does not modify the information of a signal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/or power level. As may further be used herein, inferred coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another element by inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between two items in the same manner as “coupled to”. As may even further be used herein, the term “configured to”, “operable to”, “coupled to”, or “operably coupled to” indicates that an item includes one or more of power connections, input(s), output(s), etc., to perform, when activated, one or more its corresponding functions and may further include inferred coupling to one or more other items. As may still further be used herein, the term “associated with”, includes direct and/or indirect coupling of separate items and/or one item being embedded within another item. 
         [0053]    As may be used herein, the term “compares favorably”, indicates that a comparison between two or more items, signals, etc., provides a desired relationship. For example, when the desired relationship is that signal  1  has a greater magnitude than signal  2 , a favorable comparison may be achieved when the magnitude of signal  1  is greater than that of signal  2  or when the magnitude of signal  2  is less than that of signal  1 . As may be used herein, the term “compares unfavorably”, indicates that a comparison between two or more items, signals, etc., fails to provide the desired relationship. 
         [0054]    As may also be used herein, the terms “processing module”, “processing circuit”, “processor”, and/or “processing unit” may be a single processing device or a plurality of processing devices. Such a processing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller, digital signal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, field programmable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logic circuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device that manipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of the circuitry and/or operational instructions. The processing module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit may be, or further include, memory and/or an integrated memory element, which may be a single memory device, a plurality of memory devices, and/or embedded circuitry of another processing module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, random access memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any device that stores digital information. Note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit includes more than one processing device, the processing devices may be centrally located (e.g., directly coupled together via a wired and/or wireless bus structure) or may be distributedly located (e.g., cloud computing via indirect coupling via a local area network and/or a wide area network). Further note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit implements one or more of its functions via a state machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry, the memory and/or memory element storing the corresponding operational instructions may be embedded within, or external to, the circuitry comprising the state machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry. Still further note that, the memory element may store, and the processing module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit executes, hard coded and/or operational instructions corresponding to at least some of the steps and/or functions illustrated in one or more of the Figures. Such a memory device or memory element can be included in an article of manufacture. 
         [0055]    One or more embodiments have been described above with the aid of method steps illustrating the performance of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functional building blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined herein for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships are appropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claims. Further, the boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as the certain significant functions are appropriately performed. Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate certain significant functionality. 
         [0056]    To the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence could have been defined otherwise and still perform the certain significant functionality. Such alternate definitions of both functional building blocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claims. One of average skill in the art will also recognize that the functional building blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules and components herein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discrete components, application specific integrated circuits, processors executing appropriate software and the like or any combination thereof. 
         [0057]    In addition, a flow diagram may include a “start” and/or “continue” indication. The “start” and “continue” indications reflect that the steps presented can optionally be incorporated in or otherwise used in conjunction with other routines. In this context, “start” indicates the beginning of the first step presented and may be preceded by other activities not specifically shown. Further, the “continue” indication reflects that the steps presented may be performed multiple times and/or may be succeeded by other activities not specifically shown. Further, while a flow diagram indicates a particular ordering of steps, other orderings are likewise possible provided that the principles of causality are maintained. 
         [0058]    The one or more embodiments are used herein to illustrate one or more aspects, one or more features, one or more concepts, and/or one or more examples. A physical embodiment of an apparatus, an article of manufacture, a machine, and/or of a process may include one or more of the aspects, features, concepts, examples, etc. described with reference to one or more of the embodiments discussed herein. Further, from figure to figure, the embodiments may incorporate the same or similarly named functions, steps, modules, etc. that may use the same or different reference numbers and, as such, the functions, steps, modules, etc. may be the same or similar functions, steps, modules, etc. or different ones. 
         [0059]    Unless specifically stated to the contra, signals to, from, and/or between elements in a figure of any of the figures presented herein may be analog or digital, continuous time or discrete time, and single-ended or differential. For instance, if a signal path is shown as a single-ended path, it also represents a differential signal path. Similarly, if a signal path is shown as a differential path, it also represents a single-ended signal path. While one or more particular architectures are described herein, other architectures can likewise be implemented that use one or more data buses not expressly shown, direct connectivity between elements, and/or indirect coupling between other elements as recognized by one of average skill in the art. 
         [0060]    The term “module” is used in the description of one or more of the embodiments. A module implements one or more functions via a device such as a processor or other processing device or other hardware that may include or operate in association with a memory that stores operational instructions. A module may operate independently and/or in conjunction with software and/or firmware. As also used herein, a module may contain one or more sub-modules, each of which may be one or more modules. 
         [0061]    As may further be used herein, a computer readable memory includes one or more memory elements. A memory element may be a separate memory device, multiple memory devices, or a set of memory locations within a memory device. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, random access memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any device that stores digital information. The memory device may be in a form a solid state memory, a hard drive memory, cloud memory, thumb drive, server memory, computing device memory, and/or other physical medium for storing digital information. 
         [0062]    While particular combinations of various functions and features of the one or more embodiments have been expressly described herein, other combinations of these features and functions are likewise possible. The present disclosure is not limited by the particular examples disclosed herein and expressly incorporates these other combinations.