3-D graphics texturing system using encrypted textures

• US 20070103481A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited (Imagination Technologies Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited (Imagination Technologies Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ashton, Martin, Fenney, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 7,868,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 a decrypted in a decryption unit. The decrypted texture data generates texture image data for a frame buffer from where it can be output for display. There is also provides a method for producing a software application for use in a three-dimensional graphics system which creates instructions for a software application and creates static texture data for use in conjunction with the instructions. 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 then 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 for applying to an 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 object data to generate textured image data; and

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

2. A texturing system according to claim 1, wherein the input is configured to receive encryption key identification data identifying the encryption key used to encrypt the texture data, the texturing system further comprising a key production unit, coupled to 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.

5. A 3-d graphics device for running software applications comprising instructions and encrypted texture data, the device comprising:

a CPU for running a software application;

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

a display for displaying 3-d graphics generated by running a software application; and

a texturing system according to any of claims 1 to 3, the input of the texturing system being coupled to the CPU and the output being coupled to the display.

6. A 3-d graphics device according to claim 5, wherein the texturing system is configured to store a device identifier for use by a distribution device.

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

storing encrypted texture data for applying texture to an object;

receiving object data describing an object to be textured using stored texture data;

accessing and decrypting the encrypted texture data;

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

outputting the textured image data for display.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

receiving encryption key identification data identifying the encryption key used to encrypt the texture data;

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

using the encryption key to decrypt the encrypted texture data.