System and methods for permitting open access to data objects and for securing data within the data objects

• US 8,767,962 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2012
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wistaria Trading Inc.
• Original Assignee: Blue Spike, Inc.
• Inventors: Moskowitz, Scott, Berry, Mike W.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFFMAN, BRANDON S
• Application Number:
  US13/572,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20120300928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 689 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 380/252
• 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 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0071 involving a purchase action
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00818 wherein the usage restriction limits the signal quality, e.g. by low-pass filtering of audio signals or by reducing the resolution of video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00985 the trial version being of lower quality than the original version
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/00014 the compressed signal being an audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/34 Encoding or coding, e.g. Huffman coding or error correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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 9/00 Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/467 characterised by the embedded information being invisible, e.g. watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23476 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2351 involving encryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23892 involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 : involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85406 : involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 : Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

A system and methods for permitting open access to data objects and for securing data within the data objects is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for securing a data object is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for securing a data object is disclosed. The method includes the steps of (1) providing a data object comprising digital data and file format information; (2) embedding independent data into a data object; and (3) scrambling the data object to degrade the data object to a predetermined signal quality level. The steps of embedding and scrambling may be performed until a predetermined condition is met. The method may also include the steps of descrambling the data object to upgrade the data object to a predetermined signal quality level, and decoding the embedded independent data.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an embedder designed to embed independent data into a data object, wherein said data object comprises digital data and file format information, to thereby define an independent data embedded data object;

a scrambler designed to scramble said independent data embedded data object to generate a scrambled independent data embedded data object.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a distributor for distributing said scrambled independent data embedded data object.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a network connection for distributing said scrambled independent data embedded data object over a network.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said scrambler is designed to scramble said independent data embedded data object by manipulating file format information of said independent data embedded data object.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said scrambler is designed to scramble said independent data embedded data object by partially encrypting said independent data embedded data object.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a decoding key generator for generating at least one scrambled independent data embedded data object decoding key corresponding to said scrambled independent data embedded data object, such that said at least one scrambled independent data embedded data object decoding key can be used to decode said independent data from said scrambled independent data embedded data object.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said decoding key generator is designed to generate individualized keys such that each key is a function of data corresponding to a particular user or device.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a de-scrambling key generator for generating at least one scrambled independent data embedded data object de-scrambling key corresponding to said scrambled independent data embedded data object, such that said at least one scrambled independent data embedded data object de-scrambling key can be used to de-scramble said scrambled independent data embedded data object.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said de-scrambling key generator is designed to generate individualized keys such that each key is a function of data corresponding to a particular user or device.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said embedder is designed to steganographically embed said independent data.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said system is designed to employ said embedder and said scrambler a plurality of times on said data object to result in a plurality of applications of embedding and scrambling to said data object to result in a scrambled independent data embedded data object that has been embedded with independent data a plurality of times and scrambled a plurality of times.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said system is designed to employ different scrambling techniques in different ones of said plurality of times.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a de-scrambling key generator for generating at least one scrambled independent data embedded data object de-scrambling key corresponding to each one of said different scrambling techniques applied to said data object.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said system comprises a digital computer comprising a central processing unit for assisting in embedding said independent data, and memory for storing said data object.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein a signal stream received by said embedder comprises said data object.

16. A method for processing a data object, comprising:

embedding independent data into a data object, using an embedder designed to embed said independent data into said data object, wherein said data object comprises digital data and file format information, to thereby define an independent data embedded data object, said embedder comprising a processor;

scrambling said independent data embedded data object, using a scrambler designed to scramble said independent data embedded data object to generate a scrambled independent data embedded data object.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising generating at least one scrambled independent data embedded data object decoding key corresponding to said scrambled independent data embedded data object, such that said at least one scrambled independent data embedded data object decoding key can be used to decode said independent data from said scrambled independent data embedded data object.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the generating generates said at least one scrambled independent data embedded data object decoding key as a function of data corresponding to a particular user or device.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising generating at least one scrambled independent data embedded data object de-scrambling key corresponding to said scrambled independent data embedded data object, such that said at least one scrambled independent data embedded data object de-scrambling key can be used to de-scramble said scrambled independent data embedded data object.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the generating generates said at least one scrambled independent data embedded data object de-scrambling key as a function of data corresponding to a particular user or device.