System and methods for permitting open access to data objects and for securing data within the data objects

• US 20020071556A1
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistaria Trading Inc.
• Original Assignee: Blue Spike, Inc.
• Inventors: Moskowitz, Scott A., Berry, Michael W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,177,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/210
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0071 involving a purchase action
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00818 wherein the usage restriction limits the signal quality, e.g. by low-pass filtering of audio signals or by reducing the resolution of video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00985 the trial version being of lower quality than the original version
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/00014 the compressed signal being an audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/34 Encoding or coding, e.g. Huffman coding or error correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/00 Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/467 characterised by the embedded information being invisible, e.g. watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23476 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2351 involving encryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23892 involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 : involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85406 : involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 : Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

A system and methods for permitting open access to data objects and for securing data within the data objects is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for securing a data object is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for securing a data object is disclosed. The method includes the steps of (1) providing a data object comprising digital data and file format information; (2) embedding independent data into a data object; and (3) scrambling the data object to degrade the data object to a predetermined signal quality level. The steps of embedding and scrambling may be performed until a predetermined condition is met. The method may also include the steps of descrambling the data object to upgrade the data object to a predetermined signal quality level, and decoding the embedded independent data. The additional steps of descrambling and decoding may be performed until a predetermined condition is met. The predetermined condition may include, for example, reaching a desired signal quality of the data object.

Claims

1. A method for securing a data object, comprising:

providing a data object comprising digital data and file format information;

embedding independent data into the data object; and

scrambling the data object to degrade the data object to a predetermined signal quality level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of performing the steps of embedding and scrambling until a predetermined condition is met.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined condition comprises reaching a desired signal quality level of the data object.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

descrambling the data object to upgrade the data object to a predetermined signal quality level; and

decoding the embedded independent data.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of performing the steps of embedding and scrambling until a predetermined condition is met.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined condition comprises reaching a desired signal quality level of the data object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined signal quality level is selected from the group consisting of telephone quality, radio quality, MP3 quality, and CD quality.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined signal quality level is selected from the group consisting of NTSC quality, QuickTime quality, Macrovision quality, satellite quality, high definition quality, and DVD quality.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the independent data comprises authenticatable data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the authenticatable data comprises a robust open watermark.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of decoding the embedded independent data comprises using a public key is used to decode the independent data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data object comprises at least one of digital music, video, and at least one image.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

scrambling the independent data before the embedding step so that the embedding step embeds the scrambled independent data into the data object.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

associating a first payment level with the data signal;

associating a second payment level with the first-level degraded data signal; and

associating a third payment level with the second-level degraded data signal.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

selecting a payment level; and

applying at least one of the descrambling keys to the second-level degraded data signal, resulting the associated data signal.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first scrambling technique and the second scrambling technique comprises manipulation of the file format information.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first scrambling technique and the second scrambling technique comprises a cryptographic cipher.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the signal quality levels are selected from the group consisting of CD quality, MP3 quality, radio quality, and telephone quality.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined signal quality level is selected from the group consisting of NTSC quality, QuickTime quality, Macrovision quality, satellite quality, and DVD quality.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the independent data comprises payment information.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the independent data comprises authentication information.

14. A method for distributing a data signal, comprising:

providing a data signal comprising digital data and file format information;

selecting a first scrambling technique to apply to the data signal;

scrambling the data signal using the first scrambling technique, resulting in a first-level degraded data signal;

creating a first descrambling key for the first-level degraded data signal based on the first scrambling technique;

selecting a second scrambling technique to apply to the first-level degraded data signal;

scrambling the first-level degraded data signal using a second scrambling technique, resulting in a second-level degraded data signal; and

creating a second descrambling key for the second-level degraded data signal based on the second scrambling technique.

21. A method for distributing a data object, comprising:

providing a data object comprising digital data and file format information;

encoding independent authentication data into the data object; and

manipulating the file format information based on at least one signal characteristic of the data object.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the independent authentication data is stegnographically encoded into the data object.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the independent authentication data comprises a robust open watermark.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one signal characteristic of the data object comprises file format information.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

generating at least one cryptographic key based on a result of the manipulation of the file format information.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of generating at least one cryptographic key based on a result of the manipulation of the file format information comprises:

selecting at least one of a plurality of signal characteristics of the data format; and

ciphering the results of the order of steps of signal characteristic selection.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of manipulating the file format information based on at least one signal characteristic of the data object comprises multiple step manipulation, and an order of the multiple step manipulation is ciphered to generate a predetermined key.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the steps of encoding independent authentication data into the data object and manipulating the file format information based on at least one signal characteristic of the data object comprise multiple step encoding and manipulation, and an order of the multiple steps is ciphered to generate a predetermined key.

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

generating at least one cryptographic key having a logical relationship with the manipulation of the file format information and the steganographic encoding method.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

generating an authorization key that is dependent on the a public key and a private key;

wherein the authorization key is further dependent on at least one of a time, a channel, and an object.

31. A method for distributing data signals, comprising:

embedding independent data into a data object;

scrambling the data object;

distributing the scrambled data object;

distributing at least one predetermined key that enables access to the data object; and

descrambling the scrambled data object with the predetermined key.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the independent data comprises a one-way hash.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the independent data comprises a digital signature.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the independent data comprises a time stamp.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the steps of embedding independent data into a data object and scrambling the data object each has a logical relationship with the generation of the predetermined key.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the steps of embedding independent data into a data object and scrambling the data object each has a logical relationship with the generation of the predetermined key and a communications channel for which the data signal is being prepared.

39. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of descrambling the scrambled data object comprises:

initiating the transmission of a recipient public key from an intended recipient of the data object to a sender of the data object; and

initiating the transmission of a sender session key from the sender to the recipient to initiate descrambling of the embedded independent data.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of descrambling the scrambled data object comprises:

initiating a session key-based exchange between a sender and receiver;

wherein the session key is dependent on at least one of a channel, a time, and a data object.

41. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of descrambling the scrambled data object comprises:

initiating a session key-based exchange between a sender and a receiver that is a timing based timing mechanism.

42. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of descrambling the scrambled data object comprises:

initiating a pooling of similar session keys .

43. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of descrambling the scrambled data object comprises:

logically associating a signal quality with a predetermined estimation of a bandwidth requirement for the session.

44. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of descrambling the scrambled data object comprises:

logically associating a signal quality with a bandwidth allocation model.

45. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of descrambling the scrambled data object comprises:

logically associating a signal quality with a signal quality parameter.

46. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of descrambling the scrambled data object comprises:

updating a signal quality of the data object based on an approval of the session keys by the originating data signal server.

47. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of scrambling the data object comprises:

manipulating file format information of the data object.

48. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of scrambling the data object comprises:

scrambling the data object with a cryptographic cipher.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the file format manipulation scrambling technique has a relationship with at least one signal characteristic of the data signal.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the partial encryption scrambling technique is unrelated to any characteristic of the data signal.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein the partial encryption scrambling technique degrades a signal quality of the data signal.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein the predetermined key enables descrambling of the signal.

54. The method of claim 49, wherein the predetermined key is based on unique identifying information for a receiver.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein the predetermined key is based on a signal quality threshold that is adjustable in at least one of a time, a frequency, and a bit depth.

56. The method of claim 49, wherein the predetermined key is based on a signal quality threshold that is adjustable in at least of one of a time, a frequency, a bit depth, and a measure of payment that may be adjusted for at least one of a time, a frequency, and a bit depth.

57. The method of claim 49, wherein the predetermined key is pregenerated based on at least one expected characteristic of the data signal.

58. The method of claim 49, wherein the predetermined key is divisible into a plurality of discrete partial keys, each discrete partial key representing less than an entire payment for the data signal.

59. The method of claim 49, wherein the predetermined key can be broken into a plurality of discrete partial keys, each discrete partial key representing less than an entire descrambled state for the data signal.

49. A method for data signal distribution comprising:

applying a steganographic technique for embedding independent data into the data signal;

applying a scrambling technique selected from the group consisting of file format manipulation and partial encryption; and

generating a predetermined key.

60. A method for bandwidth allocation, comprising:

presenting a plurality of data objects to a user, each data object having a security application;

linking at least a first data object to at least one second data object;

wherein a characteristic of the first data object causes a change in the second data object.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the first data object comprises advertising.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein an increased quantity of the first data object causes a signal quality level of the second data object to increase.

63. The method of claim 60, wherein a signal quality level of the second data object is increased with a predetermined key.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the predetermined key comprises at least one session key.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the at least one session key adjusts a payment for the second data object.

66. A system for securing data within a data object, comprising:

an embedder that embeds independent data into a data object; and

a scrambler that scrambles the data object to degrade the data object to a predetermined signal quality level.

67. The system of claim 66, further comprising:

a descrambler that descrambles the data object to upgrade the data object to a predetermined signal quality level; and

a decoder that decodes the embedded independent data.

68. A system for distributing a data signal, comprising:

a first selector that selects a first scrambling technique to apply to the data signal;

a first scrambler that scrambles the data signal using the first scrambling technique, resulting in a first-level degraded data signal;

a first key creator that creates a first descrambling key for the first-level degraded data signal based on the first scrambling technique;

a second selector that selects a second scrambling technique to apply to the first-level degraded data signal;

a second scrambler that scrambles the first-level degraded data signal using a second scrambling technique, resulting in a second-level degraded data signal; and

a second key creator that creates a second descrambling key for the second-level degraded data signal based on the second scrambling technique.