Visual copyright protection

• US 20050254683A1
• Filed: 07/20/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cinea, Inc. (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Grossman, David G., Schumann, Robert Wilhelm, DeGroote, David Glenn
• Granted Patent: US 7,218,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/26 Projecting separately subsidiary matter simultaneously with main image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91392 using means for preventing making copies of projected video images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/312 Driving therefor driving of electronic spatial light modulators in displays other than projection devices G09G3/34, G09G3/36; control of liquid crystal elements G02F1/133; control of micromechanical modulators G02B26/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3179 Video signal processing therefor

Abstract

A visual copyright protection system is disclosed, including input content, a disruption processor, and output content. The disruption processor inserts disruptive content to the input content creating output content that impedes the ability of optical recording devices to make useful copies of output content.

Claims

1-46. -46. (canceled)

47. A method for visual copyright protection comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting content;

(b) inputting light from a light source;

(c) selecting a disruptive light modulating pattern based upon a criterion, said disruptive light modulating pattern configured to redistribute light temporally within a frame, said criterion being how said pattern is perceived by an IRD and a human differently;

(d) modulating a light array, having at least one element, using said inputted content and said disruptive light modulating pattern;

(e) projecting said light onto said light array producing a modulated light beam; and

(f) outputting said modulated light beam.

48. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 47, wherein said light array comprises a multitude of light arrays.

49. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 47, wherein said criterion further includes selecting said pattern for the purpose of one of the following:

(a) inserting a watermark;

(b) inserting a human perceivable image;

(c) inserting a non-human perceivable image;

(d) creating a disruption effect; and

(e) creating disruption effects containing motion.

50. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 47, further including the step of projecting said modulated light beam onto a surface.

51. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 47, wherein said disruptive light modulating patterns can modulate each element differently.

52. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 47, further including the step of splitting said light.

53. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 47, further including the step of inputting at least one of the following from an external source:

(a) said criterion; and

(b) said disruptive light modulating pattern.

54. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 47, wherein said disruptive light modulating pattern interlaces disruptive content with nondisruptive content, said disruptive content being interlaced at a rate too fast for a human to perceive.

55. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 47, wherein said disruptive light modulating pattern is a multitude of disruptive light modulating patterns, each of said multitude of disruptive light modulating patterns modulating at least one of said elements.

56. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 47, wherein said disruptive light modulating pattern is a multitude of sequenced disruptive light modulating patterns.

57. An apparatus for visual copyright protection comprising:

(a) a light source capable of producing light;

(b) a light array, having at least one element, capable of acting on said light to produce a modulated light beam; and

(c) a disruption processor configured to modulate said light array using at least one disruptive light modulating pattern and inputted content, said at least one disruptive light modulating pattern selected using a criterion, said disruptive light modulating pattern configured to redistribute light temporally within a frame, said criterion being how said pattern is perceived by an IRD and a human differently.

58. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said content is one of the following:

(a) analog data;

(b) digital data; and

(c) a combination of digital and analog data.

59. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said disruption processor further uses disruption data.

60. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said disruption processor is a primary disruption processor and said primary disruption processor further includes a multitude of supporting disruption processors.

61. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said light array has at least one of the following characteristics:

(a) a reflective characteristic; and

(b) a translucent characteristic.

62. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said light array is one of the following:

(a) a liquid crystal display;

(b) MEMS DMD;

(c) I-DLA;

(d) a cathode ray tube; and

(e) a retinal display.

63. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said disruption processor introduces at least one of the following into said content:

(a) a disruption watermark component;

(b) a disruption frequency component; and

(c) a multitude of disruption frequency components.

64. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said at least one disruptive light modulating pattern is a multitude of disruptive light modulating patterns that are varied temporally.

65. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said at least one disruptive light modulating pattern is a multitude of disruptive light modulating patterns that are varied spatially.

66. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said criterion is based upon a dynamic analysis of said content.

67. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said criterion is preassociated with said content.

68. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said disruption processor is configured to modulate said light array to generate at least one of the following:

(a) a dark color;

(b) a random pattern;

(c) a logo;

(d) a copyright notice;

(e) a spot;

(f) geometric shape; and

(g) characters.