Data Protection Systems and Methods
First Claim
1. A method for protecting electronic media content from unauthorized use, the method including:
- receiving a request to access a piece of electronic media content;
monitoring at least one system interface for electronic data to be transferred to an output device, the monitoring including;
receiving at least a portion of the electronic data to be transferred to the output device;
generating a first identifier associated with the at least a portion of the electronic data;
comparing the first identifier with a second identifier; and
taking at least one predefined defensive action if the first identifier is related to the second identifier in a predefined manner, wherein the predefined defensive action is selected from the group consisting of;
modifying at least a portion of the electronic data, andpreventing the transfer of at least a portion of the electronic data to the output device via the system interface.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for protecting electronic content from the time it is packaged through the time it is experienced by an end user. Protection against content misuse is accomplished using a combination of encryption, watermark screening, detection of invalid content processing software and hardware, and/or detection of invalid content flows. Encryption protects the secrecy of content while it is being transferred or stored. Watermark screening protects against the unauthorized use of content. Watermark screening is provided by invoking a filter module to examine content for the presence of a watermark before the content is delivered to output hardware or software. The filter module is operable to prevent delivery of the content to the output hardware or software if it detects a predefined protection mark. Invalid content processing software is detected by a monitoring mechanism that validates the software involved in processing protected electronic content. Invalid content flows can be detected by scanning the information passed across system interfaces for the attempted transfer of bit patterns that were released from an application and/or a piece of content management software.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for protecting electronic media content from unauthorized use, the method including:
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receiving a request to access a piece of electronic media content; monitoring at least one system interface for electronic data to be transferred to an output device, the monitoring including; receiving at least a portion of the electronic data to be transferred to the output device; generating a first identifier associated with the at least a portion of the electronic data; comparing the first identifier with a second identifier; and taking at least one predefined defensive action if the first identifier is related to the second identifier in a predefined manner, wherein the predefined defensive action is selected from the group consisting of; modifying at least a portion of the electronic data, and preventing the transfer of at least a portion of the electronic data to the output device via the system interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification