Computer-readable medium with microprocessor to control reading and computer arranged to communicate with such a medium

• US 7,080,261 B1
• Filed: 12/07/1999
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: De Jong, Eduard Karel
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arani, Taghi T.
• Application Number:
  US10/148,916
• Time in Patent Office: 2,415 Days
• Field of Search: 380/201, 380/200, 380/202, 380/203, 705/57, 713/193
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/72 in cryptographic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/80 in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/045 the record carrier being of the non-contact type, e.g. RFID, and being specially adapted for attachment to a disc, e.g. a CD or DVD
• 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 20/00137 involving measures which result in a restriction to contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier to authorised users
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00173 wherein the origin of the content is checked, e.g. determining whether the content has originally been retrieved from a legal disc copy or another trusted source
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00746 wherein the usage restriction can be expressed as a specific number
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00876 wherein physical copy protection means are attached to the medium, e.g. holograms, sensors, or additional semiconductor circuitry

Abstract

Computer-readable medium provided with a memory area (2; 26, 28) for storing data and a distinct microprocessor (3) having a communication interface (4), a memory unit (7) and a processor unit (5) connected to both the communication interface (4) and the memory unit (7). The data may include a first data portion which is arranged to be read and decrypted by a computer arrangement (11) provided at least one condition is met, and the microprocessor (3) being arranged to generate at least one cryptographic key once the condition is met that is necessary to decrypt the data. The invention is also directed to a computer arrangement arranged to communicate with such a medium.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium provided with a memory area for storing data and a microprocessor comprising a communication interface for communication with an external device, a memory unit and a processor unit connected to both said communication interface and said memory unit, wherein the data comprises a first data portion which is arranged to be read by a computer arrangement and to be decrypted by the computer arrangement using at least one cryptographic key provided at least one condition is met, and said processor unit which is arranged to communicate with said computer arrangement through said communication interface in order to check whether said condition is met and to calculate said at least one cryptographic key for said computer arrangement once the condition is met, wherein the processor unit calculates the cryptographic key based on key related data and provided to the processor unit by the computer arrangement.

2. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the key related data is necessary for the processor unit to calculate said at least one cryptographic key.

3. The computer-readable medium according to claim 2, wherein said at least one cryptographic key is calculated using one-time pad calculations.

4. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein said computer-readable medium has a circular shape with a center of rotation and said communication interface which is an antenna symmetrically shaped about said center of rotation.

5. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein one of said conditions to be met is user authentication and said processor unit is arranged to receive authentication information through said communication interface and to establish user authentication based on said received authentication information.

6. The computer-readable medium according to claim 5, wherein said authentication information comprises additional authentication data stored on said computer-readable medium, said memory unit storing an authentication key to validate said additional authentication data during said user authentication.

7. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein one of said conditions to be met is period of time said data may be read and decrypted by either said computer arrangement or another computer arrangement, said period of time being part of said data.

8. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein one of said conditions to be met is maximum number of times said data may be read and decrypted from said computer-readable medium, said maximum number of times being monitored by said processor unit.

9. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein said computer-readable medium is provided with a physical structure connected to said processor unit, said processor unit being arranged to check a physical integrity of said physical structure and stop operating as soon as said processor unit establishes that said physical integrity is violated.

10. A computer-readable medium provided with a memory area for storing data and a microprocessor comprising a communication interface for communication with an external device, a memory unit and a processor unit connected to both said communication interface and said memory unit, wherein the data comprises a first data portion which is arranged to be read by a computer arrangement and to be decrypted by the computer arrangement using at least one cryptographic key provided at least one condition is met, and said processor unit which is arranged to communicate with said computer arrangement through said communication interface in order to check whether said condition is met and to calculate said cryptographic key for said computer arrangement once the condition is met, wherein said first data portion comprises a plurality of further data portions, and said processor unit being arranged to calculate at least one further cryptographic key for said computer arrangement to decrypt each of said further data portions, said at least one further cryptographic key being calculated only when the processor unit has checked the validity of at least one further condition.

11. A computer-readable medium provided with a memory area for storing data and a microprocessor comprising a communication interface for communication with an external device, a memory unit and a processor unit connected to both said communication interface and said memory unit, wherein the data comprises a first data portion which is arranged to be read by a computer arrangement and to be decrypted by the computer arrangement using at least one cryptographic key provided at least one condition is met, and said processor unit which is arranged to communicate with said computer arrangement through said communication interface in order to check whether said condition is met and to calculate said cryptographic key for said computer arrangement once the condition is met, wherein the first data portion is arranged for transfer to said processor unit of said computer-readable medium and said processor unit is arranged to decrypt at least part of said first data portion using a decryption key stored in said memory unit to provide decrypted data for said computer arrangement, which further decryption key is not provided to said computer arrangement.

12. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein said processing unit provides said decrypted data with at least part of a digital watermark.

13. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein said processor unit is arranged for carrying out said decrypting based on executable codes received through said communication interface.

14. The computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein said executable code are part of said data.

15. A computer arrangement arranged to communicate with a computer-readable medium, said medium being provided with a memory area for storing data, the data including a first data portion and a second data portion, and a microprocessor comprising a communication interface, a memory unit and a processor unit connected to both said communication interface and said memory unit, said computer arrangement being provided with a processor, a first interface unit connected to said processor for communicating with said memory area of said computer-readable medium and a second interface unit connected to said processor for communicating with said processor unit through said communication interface, and wherein the computer arrangement is arranged to receive key related data included in the second data portion from the memory area of the computer-readable medium and to transmit the second data portion to the microprocessor to allow calculation of the at least one cryptographic key by the microprocessor when at least one condition is met.

16. The computer arrangement according to claim 15, arranged to carry out the following steps:

(a) receiving at least one cryptographic key from said processor unit;

(b) reading a first data portion from said memory area in said computer-readable medium; and

(c) decrypting said first data portion using said at least one cryptographic key.

17. The computer arrangement according to claim 15, wherein one of said conditions to be met is user authentication and said computer arrangement is arranged to transmit authentication information to said processor unit through said communication interface to allow said processor unit to establish user authentication based on said information received.

18. The computer arrangement according to claim 15, wherein one of said conditions to be met is a period of time during which said data may be read and decrypted by said computer arrangement, data relating to said period of time being readable from said computer-readable medium by said computer arrangement and transferable to said processor unit.

19. The computer arrangement according to claim 15, wherein one of said conditions to be met is maximum number of times said data may be read from said computer-readable medium, said computer arrangement being arranged to retrieve additional data from said computer-readable medium to allow said processor unit to monitor said maximum number of times.

20. A method of reading and decrypting data from a computer-readable medium, said medium being provided with a memory area for storing data and a distinct microprocessor comprising a communication interface, a memory unit and a processor unit connected to both said communication interface and said memory unit, said method comprising the following steps:

(a) receiving from an external computer system, key related data stored in the memory area,

(b) calculating by the processor unit, at least one cryptographic key based on the key related data when at least one condition is met,

(c) receiving the at least one cryptographic key from said processor unit,

(d) reading a first data portion from said memory area in said computer-readable medium, and

(e) decrypting said first data portion using said at least one cryptographic key.

21. A data carrier provided with a computer program for performing, when executed by a processor, a method of reading and decrypting data from a computer-readable medium, said medium being provided with a memory area for storing data and a distinct microprocessor comprising a communication interface, a memory unit and a

processor unit connected to both said communication interface and said memory unit, said method comprising the following steps:

(a) receiving from an external computer system, key related data stored in the memory area,

(b) calculating by the processor unit, at least one cryptographic key based on the key related data when at least one condition is met,

(c) receiving the at least one cryptographic key from said processor unit,

(d) reading a first data portion from said memory area in said computer-readable medium, and

(e) decrypting said first data portion using said at least one cryptographic key.

22. A computer program product for performing, when executed by a processor, a method of reading and decrypting a first data portion from a computer-readable medium, said medium being provided with a memory area for storing data and a microprocessor comprising a communication interface, a memory unit and a processor unit connected to both said communication interface and said memory unit, said memory area storing a second data portion including key related data, said method comprising the following steps:

(a) reading, by a computer arrangement, said second data portion from said memory area,

(b) sending, by the computer arrangement, said second data portion to said processor unit for calculating at least one cryptographic key when at least one condition is met,

(c) receiving, by the computer arrangement, at least one cryptographic key from said processor unit,

(d) reading, by the computer arrangement, a first data portion from said memory area in said computer-readable medium, and

(e) decrypting by the computer arrangement, said first data portion using said at least one cryptographic key.

23. A method of providing access to data stored on a computer-readable medium, said medium being provided with a memory area storing said data and a microprocessor comprising a communication interface, a memory unit and a processor unit connected to both said communication interface and said memory unit, wherein said data comprises a first data portion which is arranged to be read by a computer arrangement and to be decrypted by said computer arrangement using at least one cryptographic key provided at least one condition is met, said method performed by the microprocessor including the steps of:

(a) communicating with said computer arrangement through said communication interface,

(b) checking whether said condition is met, and

(c) calculating said at least one cryptographic key for said computer arrangement once the condition is met and based on key related data included in the data and provided to the processor unit by the computer arrangement.

24. A data carrier provided with a computer program for a method of providing access to data stored on a computer-readable medium, said medium being provided with a memory area storing said data and a distinct microprocessor comprising a communication interface, a memory unit and a processor unit connected to both said communication interface and said memory unit, wherein said data comprises a first data portion which is arranged to be read by a computer arrangement and to be decrypted by said computer arrangement using at least one cryptographic key provided at least one condition is met, said method performed by the microprocessor including the steps of:

(a) communicating with said computer arrangement through said communication interface,

(b) checking whether said condition is met, and

(c) calculating said cryptographic key for said computer arrangement once the condition is met and based on a second data portion included in the data provided to the processor unit by the computer arrangement.

25. A computer program product for a method of providing access to data stored on a computer-readable medium, said medium being provided with a memory area storing said data and a microprocessor comprising a communication interface, a memory unit and a processor unit connected to both said communication interface and said memory unit, wherein said data comprises a first data portion which is arranged to be read by a computer arrangement and to be decrypted by said computer arrangement using at least one cryptographic key provided at least one condition is met, said method performed by the microprocessor including the steps of:

(a) communicating with said computer arrangement through said communication interface,

(b) checking whether said condition is met, and

(c) calculating said cryptographic key for said computer arrangement once the condition is met and based on a second data portion included in the data provided to the processor unit by the computer arrangement.

26. A system for providing secure access to data, comprising:

a computer-readable medium including a data portion storing at least one set of data and a first processing system embedded on the computer-readable medium, the first processing system including;

an interface unit,

a memory unit, and

a processor unit configured to calculate a cryptographic key based on key related data stored on the computer-readable medium when at least one condition is met; and

a second processing system configured to request access to the data portion, wherein the second processing system retrieves the key related data from the computer-readable medium and provides the key related data to the first processing system through the interface unit, and wherein the second processing system receives the cryptographic key from the first processing system and decrypts the data portion using the cryptographic key.