Data processing systems and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device comprising:
- a processor configured to employ BIOS code, wherein the BIOS code is configured to perform a power-on self-test sequence of operations, collect hardware configuration information, and provide the hardware configuration information in connection with initiating an operating system; and
a non-volatile memory configured to store at least a portion of the BIOS code, wherein the BIOS code includes code to perform one or more functions of;
watermark decoding, watermark encoding and content fingerprinting, wherein the BIOS code is configured to allow the one or more functions to be invoked by a process that runs after an operating system has been initiated.
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Abstract
Various improvements to data processing systems involve enhancements to BIOS functionality, use of identifiers associated with specific instances of hardware, and data hiding techniques—sometimes alone, sometimes in combination. Many of these improvements can be applied to increase the security of computer systems, and networks of which they form part.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a processor configured to employ BIOS code, wherein the BIOS code is configured to perform a power-on self-test sequence of operations, collect hardware configuration information, and provide the hardware configuration information in connection with initiating an operating system; and a non-volatile memory configured to store at least a portion of the BIOS code, wherein the BIOS code includes code to perform one or more functions of;
watermark decoding, watermark encoding and content fingerprinting, wherein the BIOS code is configured to allow the one or more functions to be invoked by a process that runs after an operating system has been initiated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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executing BIOS code to perform a power-on self-test series of operations in a system, wherein the system comprises a semiconductor device; initiating operating system software; determining an essentially unique identifier associated with the semiconductor device before initiation of the operating system software, and after an initial boot phase of operation, wherein data related to the identifier is made available to application software executing on the computer system, wherein the semiconductor device comprises a memory in which at least a portion of the BIOS code is stored; and generating a session identifier by reference to the data, wherein the session identifier is different each time the computer system is booted. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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digitally watermarking an audio or visual content object with data; and determining from a semiconductor device an identifier associated therewith, the identifier being essentially unique because of random process variations inherent in fabrication of the semiconductor device, and wherein the watermark is determined, at least in part, by reference to the identifier. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method employing a computer system with a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
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executing BIOS code to perform a power-on self-test series of operations during a boot phase of computer system operation; initiating operating system software; determining an essentially unique identifier associated with the semiconductor device, the identifier being essentially unique because of random process variations inherent in fabrication of the semiconductor device; and making data related to the identifier available to a computer system process that follows the initiation of the operating system software. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method employing a computer system with a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
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executing BIOS code to perform a self-test power-on series of operations during a boot phase of computer system operation; initiating operating system software; determining an essentially unique identifier associated with the semiconductor device; generating a session identifier by reference to data related to the identifier, the session identifier being different each time the computer system is booted; and providing the session identifier to a software application or the operating system software.
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Specification