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

• US 9,258,116 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2014
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wistaria Trading Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wistaria Trading Inc.
• Inventors: Moskowitz, Scott A., Berry, Mike W.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFFMAN, BRANDON S
• Application Number:
  US14/271,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20140241524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 method for streaming media over a network, comprising:

receiving in a first device an openly accessible data object comprising digital data and file format information;

said first device embedding independent data into the openly accessible data object and then scrambling the openly accessible data object to perceptibly degrade the openly accessible data object to a predetermined signal quality level where at least a portion of the independent data can be decoded from the scrambled openly accessible data object;

said first device repeatedly performing the steps of embedding and scrambling until a predetermined condition is met wherein the predetermined condition comprises reaching a desired signal quality level of the openly accessible data object, the repeated steps resulting in generation of an openly accessible data object having the desired signal quality;

said first device transmitting said openly accessible data object having the desired signal quality over a network;

a second device receiving over the network a signal stream comprising the said openly accessible data object having the desired signal quality;

said second device receiving a first key;

said second device applying a key based descrambling algorithm which takes as inputs at least one key and a signal stream and produces as output a descrambling algorithm output signal, to said first key and said signal stream, to produce a signal stream descrambling algorithm output signal; and

said second device generating at least one of an audible and a visual signal, based upon said signal stream descrambling algorithm output signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first key is parameterized to be signal specific to said signal stream such that application of said first key by said key based descrambling algorithm to said signal stream results in at least partial descrambling.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving in said second device a second key;

wherein said second device applying comprises said key based descrambling algorithm taking as input said second key.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first key provides a mapping to independent data, which independent data is distinct from said content, and which independent data is embedded in said signal stream, and said key based descrambling algorithm uses said first key to locate said independent data.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said independent data comprises payment data indicating authorization to charge an account.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

said second device decoding independent data, which is data independent of said content and contained in said signal stream, from said signal stream.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said independent data comprises payment data indicating authorization to charge an account.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said first device generates a plurality of openly accessible data objects each having said desired signal quality by repeatedly performing the steps of embedding and scrambling on each of this plurality of openly accessible data object, and transmitting the results of this processing over the network, in said signal stream.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said signal stream comprises a plurality of channels and said second device receiving comprises said second device receiving different ones of said plurality of objects from different ones of said plurality of channels.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said scrambling comprises manipulating file format information and said descrambling comprises descrambling the scrambled file format information.

11. A system for streaming media over a network, comprising:

first device designed to receive an openly accessible data object comprising digital data and file format information;

said first device designed to embed independent data into the openly accessible data object and then scramble the openly accessible data object to perceptibly degrade the openly accessible data object to a predetermined signal quality level where at least a portion of the independent data can be decoded from the scrambled openly accessible data object;

said first device designed to repeatedly perform steps of embedding and scrambling until a predetermined condition is met wherein the predetermined condition comprises reaching a desired signal quality level of the openly accessible data object, the repeated steps resulting in generation of an openly accessible data object having the desired signal quality;

said first device designed to transmit said openly accessible data object having the desired signal quality over a network;

a second device designed to receive over the network a signal stream comprising the said openly accessible data object having the desired signal quality;

said second device storing in memory a first key;

said second device designed to apply a key based descrambling algorithm which takes as inputs at least one key and a signal stream and produces as output a descrambling algorithm output signal, to said first key and said signal stream, to produce a signal stream descrambling algorithm output signal; and

said second device designed to generate at least one of an audible and a visual signal, based upon the signal stream descrambling algorithm output signal.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said first key is parameterized to be signal specific to said signal stream such that application of said first key by said key based descrambling algorithm to said signal stream results in at least partial descrambling.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

said second device storing a second key;

wherein said second device designed to apply said key based descrambling algorithm taking as input said second key.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein said first key provides a mapping to independent data, which independent data is distinct from said content, and which independent data is embedded in said signal stream, and said key based descrambling algorithm uses said first key to locate said independent data.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said independent data comprises payment data indicating authorization to charge an account.

16. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

said second device decoding independent data, which is data independent of said content and contained in said signal stream, from said signal stream.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said independent data comprises payment data indicating authorization to charge an account.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein said first device generates a plurality of openly accessible data objects each having said desired signal quality by repeatedly performing the steps of embedding and scrambling on each of this plurality of openly accessible data object, and transmitting the results of this processing over the network, in said signal stream.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said signal stream comprises a plurality of channels and said second device receiving comprises said second device receiving different ones of said plurality of objects from different ones of said plurality of channels.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein said scrambling comprises manipulating file format information and said descrambling comprises descrambling the scrambled file format information.