Protection against sound piracy by microphones

• US 20070192091A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Amof Advance LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Truelight Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: DeCegama, Angel
• Application Number:
  US11/479,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20070192091A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/225
• 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 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence

Abstract

Aspects of this invention include devices and methods for protecting acoustic signals from being pirated by a microphone. Such devices include a signal generator adapted to produce acoustic signals (“aliasing signals”) having frequencies greater than about ½ of the sampling frequency of the microphone Methods for protecting against piracy include providing an acoustical signal within the range of frequencies of normal human hearing to be protected, and a second signal having frequencies above about ½ the sampling frequency of the microphone. Additional aspects include amplifiers for aliasing frequencies and housings for both acoustical signal and aliasing signals.

Claims

1. A method for protecting against microphone audio piracy, comprising:

(a) providing a first audio signal to be protected, having a range of audio frequencies within the range of human hearing;

(b) providing a second acoustical signal having a second frequency above the range of human hearing, wherein the frequency above the range of human hearing is greater than about ½

of the sampling rate of said microphone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said range of frequencies in step (a) has:

a lower limit of;

about 20 Hz; and

an upper limit of about 20 kHz.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second frequency is above about 20 kHz.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps (a) and (b), when captured by said microphone, produce an aliasing signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (b) said second frequency is randomly varied.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said second frequency has a sinusoidal wave form.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said second frequency has a waveform having a sharp corner.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said waveform is a square wave.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein said signal generator is adapted to produce a signal greater than about 20 kHz.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein said signal generator is adapted to produce a randomly varying frequency.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein said signal generator is adapted to produce a wave form having a corner.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said waveform is a square wave.

9. A device for protecting against microphone audio piracy, comprising:

a signal generator adapted to produce a signal having a frequency above the range of human hearing;

an air transducer; and

a speaker for producing an audio signal to be protected.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said device and said speaker are within a housing.

15. A method for protecting against music piracy, comprising:

(a) providing a music file containing a signal having a frequency above that of the range of human hearing; and

(b) providing a music player having a filter to remove from said file, said signal having a frequency above that of the range of human hearing.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said signal has a frequency above about 20 kHz.

17. A music player for playing an audio file containing a signal having a frequency above the range of human hearing, comprising:

a music player; and

a processor having a program that subtracts from said audio file, said signal that has a frequency above the range of human hearing.

18. A system for transmission of audio files across a network, comprising:

a device for producing a digitized file containing an audio signal;

a digitized file containing a sample of digitized audio signal;

a sample containing a frequency above the range of human hearing;

a communication device to transmit said digitized file to a user; and

a player to play back said file, said player having a filter to remove from said file, said sample containing said frequency above the range of human hearing.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said device for producing a digitized file includes an encrypter said file and said player includes a decrypter said file.