Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9177116B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-07-21 20:34:52
Document Index: 719627688

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 05', 'Application No. 09010277', 'Application No. 200580007384', 'art 1', 'Application No. 094103425', 'Application No. 094103425']

US9177116B2 - Protection of digital data content - Google Patents
US9177116B2
US9177116B2 US12/641,076 US64107609A US9177116B2 US 9177116 B2 US9177116 B2 US 9177116B2 US 64107609 A US64107609 A US 64107609A US 9177116 B2 US9177116 B2 US 9177116B2
US12/641,076
US20100095383A1 (en
2002-08-23 Priority to US10/227,155 priority Critical patent/US20040039932A1/en
2004-02-03 Priority to US54127904P priority
2005-02-02 Priority to US11/050,013 priority patent/US20060010500A1/en
2009-12-17 Priority to US12/641,076 priority patent/US9177116B2/en
2010-04-15 Publication of US20100095383A1 publication Critical patent/US20100095383A1/en
2015-11-03 Publication of US9177116B2 publication Critical patent/US9177116B2/en
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/050,013 filed Feb. 2, 2005, and also claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 60/541,279, filed Feb. 3, 2004. This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/227,155, filed Aug. 23, 2002, and published under No. 2004/0039932A1 on Feb. 26, 2004. Both of these applications are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference for all purposes.
The most famous family of compression techniques is collectively known as Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG). One of the subfamilies of MPEG audio compression techniques is called MP3, short for Moving Picture Expert Group Audio Layer 3.
In order to play an MP3 audio file on a computer or MP3 player, a rendering software and/or hardware application that decompresses the file and sends a bit stream to the audio equipment that drives the speakers is utilized. An example of such software is Winamp by Nullsoft. There exist applications that can render both audio and video for example Microsoft Media Player.
Although free content downloading applications abound, pay services for digital content such as music have also appeared recently by vendors such as RealNetworks, Apple, and Microsoft MSN Music Club in Europe. Users pay a fee per song, which is then downloaded to their computer, and which they can then play or copy to CDs or other devices. Alternatively, users subscribe for unlimited access to songs for a given period of time. These services do specify to users what they may do with the files once they are downloaded, but are not successful in enforcing the specified usage policies.
Examples of successful attacks are well known in the art. In 2001 Microsoft's Media Player was cracked by a programmer using the pseudonym “Beale Screamer”.
As a countermeasure, DRM systems can use more sophisticated cryptographic schemes and code obfuscation techniques. Other methods include adding tamper resistant hardware to store the cryptographic keys. Examples of such methods are cryptographic tokens such as iToken by Rainbow Technologies Inc. or using a smart card to store cryptographic keys and optionally cryptographic algorithms. Such solutions either reveal the cryptographic key to the digital appliance in the process of decrypting the information, or internally perform the cryptographic functions but reveal the end result in a raw form that can then be accessed.
Another method that is partially effective in preventing digital content files from being copied and disseminated without control is the streaming of digital content files such as audio and video files to users. In this scenario, files are not downloaded to be stored on a digital appliance but rather “broadcast” much like a radio program. This ensures that only a small block of the content is present on the digital appliance at each given moment. The downside of this is that a user must be connected to the streaming source or online during the entire duration of the music program or movie. Another problem with streaming is that, in contrast to a file that is saved on the digital appliance storage, a user that has paid for content that is streamed cannot access the content at all times. Another shortcoming of streaming is that programs exist today for recording the streamed content and reconstructing a digital copy of the original digital content, without creating a noticeable difference to the human eye or ear.
The interface 115 can connect the DRM device 110 with a digital appliance 120 in both physical and communication aspects. The physical aspect can be, for example directly, through one or more cables, and/or wireless. The communication aspect of the interface 115 allows data exchange between the DRM device and the digital appliance. The interface 115 may be any of several types of interfaces, for example PCI, ISA, Universal Serial Bus (USB), FireWire, IDE, SCSI, RS-232 or other serial interface, parallel interface, Compact Flash (CF) interface, Sony Memory Stick interface, Multimedia Card (MMC), secure digital (SD), mini secure digital, extreme digital (xD), Bluetooth, Infiniband, mobile phone interface, PDA interface, and/or any other type of interface that may be used to connect a DRM device with a digital appliance.
Examples of co-processor chips used to decode video are EM8485 MPEG-4 Decoder for Set-top Appliances and Media Gateways by Sigma Designs and the like.
In some embodiments the digital content is at least an encoded digital audio file such as MP3, MP3-pro, Ogg-vorbis, AAC, DTS, Dolby, ADPCM, WMA, or the like. The formatter decodes the digital content as part of the rendering process, for example transforms an encoded MP3 file to a decoded raw WAV file which may later be rendered to an audio signal to be presented for an end use to the user. In other embodiments, where the digital content is at least an encoded digital audio file, the formatter only partially decodes the file. In some embodiments, where the digital content is at least one encoded digital audio file, the formatter processes one or more of the files to produce an output that will be used for rendering audio, for example, the file may contain data that describes certain frequencies or amplitudes within the target audio
In some embodiments the digital content is at least an encoded digital video file such MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, WMV, DIVX, XVID, 3IVX, H.263, H.264, Quick time 6, Real, Windows Media or the like. The formatter decodes the digital content as part of the rendering process, for example transforms an encoded MPEG2 file to a decoded YUV file. In other embodiments, where the digital content is at least an encoded digital video file, the formatter only partially decodes the file. In some embodiments, where the content is at least an encoded digital video file, the formatter processes one or more of the files to produce an output that will be used for rendering video, for example, the file may contain data that describes certain frames or colors within the frames that affect the presentation of the target video.
According to some embodiments, transformation f( ) reproduces an exact copy of original file C, such that
In step 407 the DRM device calculates F=f(g(A), h(B)).
In some embodiments, h(B) may transmitted from the DRM device to the host digital appliance for calculation of F=f(g(A), h(B)).
Receiving the file P from the Internet or other network by a digital appliance 220′ is shown in FIG. 6. The digital appliance provides an interface 601 to the network. The received data is then provided directly to the DRM device 210′ and preferably stored in its re-programmable non-volatile memory 114′, at least temporarily and, in some applications, permanently. The received file data are decrypted by a step 603, if the file P was encrypted by the step 503 (FIG. 5), typically using a key, identification of an algorithm or a decryption algorithm provided as part of the license data, Attributes of the file data being decrypted can also be separately supplied in this manner and used for security, such as its size, name, a digest of the file, checksum or other redundancy check parameter, or a fingerprint.
In others of the embodiments described above, the processing 651 includes generating the component C1 by making some modification to the file C, while the component C2 holds information necessary to reverse that modification. The processing 661 then combines data in a manner to reverse the modification. Such modifications include adding dummy data, time shuffling the data or removing data segments.
Another memory storage device very useful for the DRM device is a memory card having two different external connectors on the card that both connect to the internal memory controller, one for insertion into a USB receptacle and another with a standard set of card contacts, such as according to the SD card standards. Such a device is described in two U.S. patent applications filed Apr. 16, 2004, Ser. No. 10/826,801, entitled “Memory Cards Having Two Standard Sets of Contacts,” and Ser. No. 10/826,796, entitled “Memory Card with Two Standard Sets of Contacts and a Contact Covering Mechanism.” Both of these applications are incorporated herein by these references.
1. A method of processing digital data by a digital rights management (DRM) device in combination with and removably connected to a digital appliance, the data in a form of at least first and second separate units, the method comprising:
in the DRM device:
receiving a request from the digital appliance to use the data,
in response to receiving the request, determining whether to authorize use of the data by the digital appliance,
in response to authorizing use of the data by the digital appliance:
accessing the first unit of data and the second unit of data, wherein the first unit of data and the second unit of data are based on the following:
C≈F=f(g(A),h(B)) or
C=F=f(g(A),h(B))
in which B represents the first unit of data, A represents the second unit of data, and C represents the data, wherein f( ) is a function to provide a copy of a file and g( ) and h( ) are transformation functions;
sending the second unit of data to the digital appliance for processing,
processing the first unit of data by generating h(B),
in response to sending the second unit of data to the digital appliance for processing, receiving processed second unit of data represented as g(A) from the digital appliance, the second unit of data having been processed in the digital appliance by generating the g(A),
in response to receiving the processed second unit of data represented as the g(A) from the digital appliance, combining the processed first and second units of data in the DRM device by generating f(g(A), h(B)), and
sending the combined processed first and second units of data represented as f(g(A), h(B)) to the digital appliance for use in the digital appliance.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data include multimedia data having both video and audio components, and
wherein the second unit of data includes compressed data of the video component without data of the audio component and the first unit of data includes compressed data of the audio component.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises a video signal having a plurality of color components, and
wherein the first unit of data includes data of less than all the plurality of color components and the second unit of data includes data of at least another of the plurality of color components.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data include encoded data frames, and
wherein the first unit of data includes at least key frames thereof and the second unit of data includes remaining inter-frames thereof.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes data of an audio signal, and
wherein the first unit of data includes data of at least certain audio frequency ranges and the second unit of data includes data of remaining audio frequency ranges.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes data of an audio signal, and
wherein the second unit of data includes the audio data plus dummy data and the first unit of data includes data of information necessary to remove the dummy data from the first unit.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises a time oriented signal, and
wherein the second unit of data includes a time shuffled version of the data and the first unit of data includes data of information necessary to un-shuffle data of the first unit.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises a time oriented signal, and
wherein the second unit of data includes the data with segments thereof missing and the first unit of data includes data of the missing segments.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises encoded WAV audio file and divided into frames of data longer than a given length, and
wherein the first unit of data includes data of the given length of the frames and the second unit of data includes remaining data of the frames.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the combined processed first and second units of data to the digital appliance is performed wirelessly.
11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the DRM device, the first unit of data separate from the second unit of data.
12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the DRM device receives the first unit of data after the first unit of data has been transmitted over a communication network in a manner that maintains separate identity of the first unit of data from the second unit of data.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein use in the digital appliance comprises play of the data in the digital appliance.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital appliance comprises a host digital appliance configured to host the DRM device; and
wherein an amount of processing of the first unit of data by generating h(B) is less than an amount of processing of the second unit of data by generating the g(A).
15. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the first unit of data comprises at least one of decryption, decoding, or decompression of the first unit of data; and
wherein receiving processed second unit of data comprises receiving decrypted, decoded or decompressed second unit of data.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first unit of data and the second unit of data comprise divisions of the data based on at least one criteria such as time, frequency, size, key frames or dummy data.
17. A method of processing data received by a digital appliance when the digital appliance is in communication with a digital rights management (DRM) device, wherein the data comprises a first of data and a second unit of data, the DRM device removably connected to the digital appliance, the method comprising:
in the digital appliance:
sending a request to the DRM device to use the data, wherein the first unit of data and the second unit of data are based on the following;
in which B represents the first unit of data, A represents the second unit of data, and C represents the data, wherein f( ) is a function to provide a copy of a file, and g( ) and h( ) are transformation functions;
in response to sending the request, receiving the second unit of data represented as A at the digital appliance for processing;
in response to receiving the second unit of data, processing the second unit of data in the digital appliance by performing a transformation on the second unit of data using g(A);
sending the processed second unit of data represented as g(A) to the DRM device in order for the DRM device to combine the processed first and second units of data by generating f(g(A), h(B));
in response to sending the processed second unit of data to the DRM device, receiving from the DRM device the processed first and second units of data as combined data represented as f(g(A),h(B)); and
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving the data file in a form of at least first and second separate units of data and sending the data file in the form of the at least first and second units of data to the DRM device,
wherein the request to use the data is sent to the DRM device after sending the data file to the DRM device.
19. A digital rights management (DRM) device configured to process data in combination with a digital appliance, the data in a form of at least first and second separate units of data, the DRM device comprising:
an interface configured to removably connect the DRM device to the digital appliance and to communicate data into and out of the DRM device, and
a controller in communication with the interface and the memory, the controller configured to:
receive a request from the digital appliance to use the data,
in response to receiving the request, determine whether to authorize use of the data by the digital appliance,
access the first unit of data and the second unit of data, wherein the first unit of data and the second unit of data are based on the following:
send the second unit of data to the digital appliance for processing,
process the first unit of the data to form a processed first unit by generating h(B),
in response to sending the second unit of data to the digital appliance for processing, receive, via the interface, processed second unit of the data represented as g(A) from the digital appliance, the second unit of data having been processed in the digital appliance by generating the g(A),
in response to receiving the processed second unit of data represented as the g(A) from the digital appliance, combine the first and second units of the data by generating f(g(A), h(B)), and
send, via the interface, the combined processed first and second units of the data represented as f(g(A), h(B)) back though the interface to the digital appliance for use in the digital appliance.
20. The DRM device of claim 19, wherein the processor comprises a microprocessor;
wherein the memory comprises a semiconductor memory; and
wherein at least the microprocessor and the semiconductor are encapsulated.
21. The DRM device of claim 19, wherein the interface includes a mechanical connector having electrical contacts accessible from outside of the DRM device in order for removable connection with the digital appliance.
22. The DRM device of claim 21, wherein the connector includes an USB connector.
23. The DRM device of claim 21, wherein the connector includes electrical contacts according to an SD memory card standard.
24. The DRM device of claim 21, wherein the connector includes electrical contacts according to a TransFlash memory card standard.
25. The DRM device of claim 21, wherein the connector includes electrical contacts according to a Memory Stick memory card standard.
26. The DRM device of claim 19, wherein the interface includes two mechanical connectors accessible from outside of the module.
27. The DRM device of claim 26, wherein the two mechanical connectors include an USB connector and a set of electrical contacts according to an existing memory card standard.
28. The DRM device of claim 19, wherein the data comprises a data file;
wherein the controller is further configured to extract from the data file the first and second units of data, the first and second units of data comprising simultaneously occurring data components of the data file.
29. The DRM device of claim 19, wherein the digital appliance comprises a host digital appliance configured to host the DRM device; and
wherein the interface is configured to mechanically and electrically mate with a connector on the host digital appliance.
30. The DRM device of claim 29, wherein an amount of processing of the first unit of data by generating h(B) is less than an amount of processing of the second unit of data by generating the g(A).
31. The DRM device of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to process the first unit of data by at least one of decrypting, decoding, or decompressing the first unit of data; and
wherein the controller is configured to receive the processed second unit of data by receiving decrypted, decoded or decompressed second unit of data.
32. A digital rights management (DRM) device for processing data in combination with a digital appliance, the data in a form of at least first and second separate units of data, the DRM device comprising:
an interface configured to removably connect the DRM device to the digital appliance and to communicate data into and out of the DRM device,
determining whether to authorize use of the data by the digital appliance in response to receiving the request,
processing the first unit of the data to form a processed first unit by generating h(B),
in response to sending the second unit of data to the digital appliance for processing, receiving, via the interface, processed second unit of the data represented as g(A) from the digital appliance, the second unit of data having been processed in the digital appliance by generating the g(A),
in response to receiving the processed second unit of data represented as the g(A) from the digital appliance, combining the first and second units of the data by generating f(g(A), h(B)), and
sending, via the interface, the combined processed first and second units of the data represented as f(g(A), h(B)) back though the interface to the digital appliance for use in the digital appliance.
US12/641,076 2002-08-23 2009-12-17 Protection of digital data content Active 2025-04-30 US9177116B2 (en)
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