3-D graphics texturing system using encrypted textures

• US 7,868,899 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited (Imagination Technologies Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited (Imagination Technologies Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ashton, Martin, Fenney, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Sajous; Wesner
• Application Number:
  US11/644,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20070103481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 345/418, 345/419, 345/422, 345581-583, 345/501, 345/530, 345/538, 345/545, 345/555, 345/552, 345/556, 715/182, 715/187, 715/189, 715/200, 715/193, 380200-201, 380277-278, 380/282, 380/284, 713/161, 713/165, 713/167, 705/51
• US Class Current: 345/582
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/005 General purpose rendering architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/04 Texture mapping

Abstract

A texturing system for use in a three-dimensional graphics system has an input for receiving object data for an object to be textured. Encrypted texture data is obtained from a store and decrypted in a decryption unit. The decrypted texture data generates texture image data for a frame buffer from which the texture image data can be outputted for display. A method for producing a software application for using in a three-dimensional graphics system which creates instructions for a software application and static texture data for using in conjunction with the instructions is also provided. The static texture data is encrypted and provided as encrypted texture data with the software instructions. A protected software application can be distributed to a target device from a distribution device by coupling the distribution device to the target device, transferring target device identifier data from the target device to the distribution device, and using the target device identifier data in the distribution device to generate encryption definition data specific to the target device. The protected software application and encryption definition data are transferred to the target device.

Claims

1. A texturing system for use in a three-dimensional graphics system, the texturing system comprising:

an input for receiving object data describing an object to be textured;

a store for storing encrypted texture data to be applied to the object to be textured;

a decryption unit, coupled to the store, for decrypting only the encrypted texture data;

a framebuffer, coupled to the input and to the decryption unit, for applying decrypted texture data to the object data to generate textured image data; and

an output, coupled to the framebuffer, for outputting the textured image data for display.

6. The texturing system according to claim 1 further comprising a key production unit, coupled to the decryption unit and to the input, for generating an encryption key from an encryption key identification data, whereby the decryption unit uses the encryption key to decrypt the encrypted texture data.

2. A method of applying texturing to three-dimensional graphics data in a three-dimensional computer graphics system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a texturing system;

storing encrypted texture data to be applied to an object to be textured in a store of the texturing system;

receiving object data describing the object to be textured using stored texture data in an input of the texturing system;

accessing and decrypting only the encrypted texture data in a decryption unit;

applying decrypted texture data to the object data to generate textured image data; and

outputting the textured image data to a displaying means for display.

3. A method of applying texturing to three-dimensional graphics data in a three-dimensional computer graphics system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a texturing system;

receiving encryption key identification data identifying an encryption key used to encrypt pre-encrypted texture data in an input of the texturing system;

storing encrypted texture data to be applied to an object to be textured in a store;

receiving object data describing the object to be textured using stored texture data in the input of the texturing system;

accessing and decrypting the encrypted texture data in a decryption unit;

applying decrypted texture data to the object data to generate textured image data; and

outputting the textured image data to a display unit for display.

8. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

generating the encryption key from the encryption key identification data; and

using the encryption key to decrypt the encrypted texture data.

4. A three-dimensional graphics device for running a software application comprising instructions and encrypted texture data, the device comprising:

a CPU for running the software application;

a memory, coupled to the CPU, for storing the software application;

displaying means for displaying three-dimensional graphics generated by running the software application; and

a texturing system including;

an input for receiving object data describing an object to be textured;

a store for storing encrypted texture data to be applied to the object to be textured;

a decryption unit, coupled to the store, for decrypting only the encrypted texture data;

a framebuffer, coupled to the input and to the decryption unit, for applying decrypted texture data to the object data to generate textured image data; and

an output, coupled to the framebuffer, for outputting the textured image data for display,

wherein the input of the texturing system is coupled to the CPU and the output is coupled to the displaying means.

5. The three-dimensional graphics device according to claim 4, wherein the texturing system is configured to store a device identifier to be used in a distribution device.

13. The three-dimensional graphics device according to claim 4 further comprising a key production unit, coupled to the decryption unit and to the input, for generating an encryption key from an encryption key identification data, whereby the decryption unit uses the encryption key to decrypt the encrypted texture data.

7. A texturing system for use in a three-dimensional graphics system, the texturing system comprising:

an input for receiving object data describing an object to be textured, the input being configured to receive encryption key identification data identifying an encryption key used to encrypt pre-encrypted texture data;

a store for storing encrypted texture data to be applied to the object to be textured;

a decryption unit, coupled to the store, for decrypting the encrypted texture data;

a framebuffer, coupled to the input and to the decryption unit, for applying decrypted texture data to the object data to generate textured image data; and

an output, coupled to the framebuffer, for outputting the textured image data for display.

11. The texturing system according to claim 7 further comprising a key production unit, coupled to the decryption unit and to the input, for generating the encryption key from the encryption key identification data, whereby the decryption unit uses the encryption key to decrypt the encrypted texture data.

9. A three-dimensional graphics device for running a software application comprising instructions and encrypted texture data, the device comprising:

a CPU for running the software application;

a memory, coupled to the CPU, for storing the software application;

displaying means for displaying three-dimensional graphics generated by running the software application; and

a texturing system including;

an input for receiving object data describing an object to be textured, the input being configured to receive encryption key identification data identifying an encryption key used to encrypt pre-encrypted texture data;

a store for storing encrypted texture data to be applied to the object to be textured;

a decryption unit, coupled to the store, for decrypting the encrypted texture data;

a framebuffer, coupled to the input and to the decryption unit, for applying decrypted texture data to the object data to generate textured image data; and

an output, coupled to the framebuffer, for outputting the textured image data for display,

wherein the input of the texturing system is coupled to the CPU and the output is coupled to the displaying means.

10. The three-dimensional graphics device according to claim 9, wherein the texturing system is configured to store a device identifier to be used in a distribution device.

12. The three-dimensional graphics device according to claim 9 further comprising a key production unit, coupled to the decryption unit and to the input, for generating the encryption key from the encryption key identification data, whereby the decryption unit uses the encryption key to decrypt the encrypted texture data.