Write once system and method for facilitating digital encrypted transmissions
First Claim
1. A digital interface device for facilitating key encryption of a digital signal which is communicated from a computer system to an associated peripheral device, where the associated peripheral device decrypts the communicated digital signal for use, the interface device comprising:
- a digital output;
digital output formatting circuitry associated with said output;
a non-volatile RAM for containing a BIOS for controlling digital output formatting having a specific write-protectable area allocated for storing an encryption key flag at a flag address and encryption key data; and
said specific write-protectable area being rendered read-only only when a predetermined flag value is stored at said flag address whereby encryption key data may be stored in said specific area of said non-volatile RAM in connection with storing said predetermined flag value at said flag address such that stored encryption key data cannot be altered by a subsequent write operation to said non-volatile RAM.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A digital interface device is provided for facilitating key encryption of a digital signal which is communicated from a computer system to an associated peripheral device, such as a digital display device. The digital interface device has a digital output, digital output formatting circuitry associated with the output and a non-volatile RAM for storing a basic input/output system (BIOS) for, inter alia, controlling digital output formatting. The interface device is configured such that the non-volatile RAM has a specific addressable write-protectable area allocated for storing an encryption key flag at a flag address along with encryption key data. The write-protectable area is rendered read-only when a predetermined flag value is stored at the flag address. Thus, encryption key data may be stored in the specific write-protectable area of the non-volatile RAM in connection with storing the predetermined flag at that flag address such that encryption data cannot be altered when the flash RAM is subsequently written to, such as when a BIOS stored in the non-volatile RAM is updated.
23 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A digital interface device for facilitating key encryption of a digital signal which is communicated from a computer system to an associated peripheral device, where the associated peripheral device decrypts the communicated digital signal for use, the interface device comprising:
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a digital output; digital output formatting circuitry associated with said output; a non-volatile RAM for containing a BIOS for controlling digital output formatting having a specific write-protectable area allocated for storing an encryption key flag at a flag address and encryption key data; and said specific write-protectable area being rendered read-only only when a predetermined flag value is stored at said flag address whereby encryption key data may be stored in said specific area of said non-volatile RAM in connection with storing said predetermined flag value at said flag address such that stored encryption key data cannot be altered by a subsequent write operation to said non-volatile RAM. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for producing digital interface devices comprising:
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providing a digital interface device having a digital output, digital output formatting circuitry associated with said output, and a non-volatile RAM for containing a BIOS for controlling digital output formatting; allocating a specific addressable area on said non-volatile RAM for storing an encryption key flag and encryption key data; and rendering said specific area read-only only when a predetermined key flag value is written in said specific addressable area at a key flag address. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A digital video interface device for facilitating key encryption of a digital video signal which is communicated from a computer system to an associated peripheral device, where the associated peripheral device decrypts the communicated digital video signal for use, the interface device comprising:
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a digital video output; digital video output formatting circuitry associated with said output; a non-volatile RAM for containing a BIOS for controlling digital video output formatting having a specific write-protectable area allocated for storing an encryption key flag at a flag address and encryption key data; and said specific write-protectable area being rendered read-only only when a predetermined flag value is stored at said flag address whereby encryption key data may be stored in said specific area of said non-volatile RAM in connection with storing said predetermined flag value at said flag address such that stored encryption key data cannot be altered by a subsequent write operation to said non-volatile RAM. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A digital video interface device for facilitating key encryption of a digital video signal which is communicated from a computer system to an associated peripheral device, where the associated peripheral device decrypts the communicated digital video signal for use, the interface device comprising:
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a digital video output; digital video output formatting circuitry associated with said output; a non-volatile RAM for containing a BIOS for controlling digital video output formatting having a specific write-protectable area allocated for storing an encryption key flag at a flag address and encryption key data; said specific write-protectable area being rendered read-only when a predetermined flag value is stored at said flag address whereby encryption key data may be stored in said specific area of said non-volatile RAM in connection with storing said predetermined flag value at said flag address such that stored encryption key data cannot be altered by a subsequent write operation to said non-volatile RAM; and said digital video interface device configured to receive as said predetermined value any value other than a specific value which specific value enables writing into said write-protectable area.
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21. A method for producing digital video interface devices comprising:
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providing a digital interface device having a digital output, digital video formatting circuitry associated with said output, and a non-volatile RAM for containing a BIOS for controlling digital video output formatting; allocating a specific addressable area on said non-volatile RAM for storing an encryption key flag and encryption key data; and rendering said specific area read-only only when a predetermined key flag value is written in said specific addressable area at a key flag address. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A digital device for facilitating key encryption of a digital signal which is communicated to an associated device, where the associated device decrypts the communicated digital signal for use, the digital device comprising:
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a digital output; digital output formatting circuitry associated with said output; a non-volatile RAM configured to control digital output formatting having a specific write-protectable area allocated; said specific write-protectable area configured to store an encryption key flag at a flag address and encryption key data; and said specific write-protectable area configured to be rendered read-only only when a predetermined flag value is stored at said flag address whereby encryption key data may be stored in said specific area of said non-volatile RAM in connection with storing said predetermined flag value at said flag address such that stored encryption key data cannot be altered by a subsequent write operation to said non-volatile RAM. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A method for producing digital devices comprising:
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providing a digital device having a digital output, digital output formatting circuitry associated with said output, and a non-volatile RAM configured to control digital output formatting; allocating a specific addressable area on said non-volatile RAM configured to store an encryption key flag and encryption key data; and rendering said specific area read-only only when a predetermined key flag value is written in said specific addressable area at a key flag address. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification