Method and apparatus for variable encryption of data

• US 7,412,605 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Inventors: Wu, Hsi-Cheng, Raley, Michael, Ta, Thanh, Chen, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kim Yen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dada; Beemnet W
• Application Number:
  US10/425,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: 713/165, 713/168, 713/193, 380/28
• US Class Current: 713/189
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1063 Personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1083 Partial license transfers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104

Abstract

A system and method for encrypting content in an adaptive manner. Portions of data to be encrypted are identified and an encryption ratio that specifies the one or more portions of data to encrypt and other portions of data to not encrypt is determined. The data is then encrypted based on the encryption ratio.

Claims

1. A system for encrypting content in a computing environment in an adaptive manner comprising:

means for identifying one or more portions of data to encrypt;

means for determining an encryption ratio that specifies the one or more portions of the data to encrypt and other portions of the data to not encrypt;

means for encrypting the one or more portions of the data based on the encryption ratio;

means for transmitting an instance of the data;

means for monitoring the transmission of the instance of the data for one or more conditions related to data transfer; and

means for modifying the encryption ratio based on the monitored conditions and the one or more portions of data to encrypt.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for dividing the content into the one or more portions based on byte size of the content.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for dividing the content into the one or more portions based on communication time intervals of the content.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for monitoring latency observed during the transmission; and

means for changing the encryption ratio based on changes in the latency.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for monitoring the communication speed of the transmission; and

means for changing the encryption ratio based on changes in the communication speed.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for monitoring the size of the instance of the data; and

means for changing the encryption ratio based on changes in the size of the instance of the data.

4. A method of encrypting content in a computing environment in an adaptive manner, the method comprising:

identifying one or more portions of data to encrypt;

determining, with a computing device, an encryption ratio that specifies the one or more portions of the data to encrypt and other portions of the data to not encrypt;

encrypting the one or more portions of the data based on the encryption ratio;

transmitting an instance of the data;

monitoring the transmission of the instance of the data for one or more conditions related to data transfer; and

modifying the encryption ratio based on the monitored conditions and the one or more portions of data to encrypt.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising dividing the content into the one or more portions based on byte size of the content.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising dividing the content into the one or more portions based on communication time intervals of the content.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

monitoring latency observed during the transmission; and

changing the encryption ratio based on changes in the latency.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

monitoring the communication speed of the transmission; and

changing the encryption ratio based on changes in the communication speed.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

monitoring the size of the instance of the data; and

changing the encryption ratio based on changes in the size of the instance of the data.

13. A system for encrypting and transferring content in a computing environment in an adaptive manner comprising:

means for identifying content to be encrypted and transferred;

means for determining an encryption requirement specifying one or more conditions for an encryption ratio, the encryption ratio specifying how much of each portion of the content is to be encrypted;

means for determining one or more conditions related to data transfer;

means for identifying one or more portions of the content to transfer; and

means for transferring each portion of the content singularly, comprising;

monitoring the one or more conditions related to data transfer;

modifying the encryption ratio based on the encryption requirement and the monitored conditions;

encrypting a percentage of each portion of the content in accordance with the encryption ratio; and

transferring each portion of the content.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for dividing the content into the one or more portions based on byte size of the content.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for dividing the content into the one or more portions based on communication time intervals of the content.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for monitoring latency observed during the transmission; and

means for changing the encryption ratio based on changes in the latency.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for monitoring the communication speed of the transmission; and

means for changing the encryption ratio based on changes in the communication speed.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for monitoring the size of the instance of the data; and

means for changing the encryption ratio based on changes in the size of the instance of the data.

19. A method of encrypting content in a computing environment in an adaptive manner, the method comprising:

identifying content to be encrypted and transferred;

determining an encryption requirement specifying one or more conditions for an encryption ratio, the encryption ratio specifying how much of each portion of the content is to be encrypted;

determining one or more conditions related to data transfer;

identifying one or more portions of the content to transfer; and

transferring each portion of the content singularly, comprising;

monitoring the one or more conditions related to data transfer;

modifying the encryption ratio based on the encryption requirement and the monitored conditions;

encrypting a percentage of each portion of the content in accordance with the encryption ratio; and

transferring each portion of the content.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising dividing the content into the one or more portions based on byte size of the content.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising dividing the content into the one or more portions based on communication time intervals of the content.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

monitoring latency observed during the transmission; and

changing the encryption ratio based on changes in the latency.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

monitoring the communication speed of the transmission; and

changing the encryption ratio based on changes in the communication speed.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

monitoring the size of the instance of the data; and

changing the encryption ratio based on changes in the size of the instance of the data.