Abstract: A system, method and client user interface for a copy protection service employs software agents masquerading as nodes in decentralized networks for monitoring and interdicting file sharing activities of protected files in the networks. A control center communicates with the software agents and subscriber client computers through user interfaces, so as to provide monitoring information to users of the client computers and control the monitoring and interdiction of protected files according to instructions received from the client computers. A one-click method for requesting protection of a file, providing the terms of such protection, and updating billing information for the user is implemented through the user interface to simplify user interaction with the copy protection service.

Abstract: Subversive DSV (SDSV) sequences of data symbols having a large absolute value of DSV are extremely valuable in the copy protection of optical discs as they can induce uncorrectable read errors. However, very few SDSV sequences of data symbols can be found in multimodal codes such as Eight-to-Sixteen Modulation (ESM) utilised in DVDs. It is required to select data symbols, for encoding using a multimodal code, which are capable of forcing an encoder to produce at least one subversive sequence of code words. A possible code word for a data symbol is selected if the code word has a large absolute value of DSV and there are no alternative code words, or all alternative code words are equivalent, or all alternatives except one are ruled out by RLL rules.

Abstract: The invention provides a device driver for monitoring and controlling access to data on a computer readable medium. The device driver comprises an interface for access to a device-driver stack for a media drive, a detector for detecting the insertion of a computer readable medium in said media drive, and a monitor for monitoring data transfer from said computer readable medium. The monitor evaluates a behavior characteristic of an application accessing data on said computer readable medium, and indicates when said behavior characteristic fulfills predetermined criteria. A control system is responsive to said monitor for issuing at least one control output when said behavior characteristic fulfills said predetermined criteria. The invention also provides a method of monitoring and controlling access to data on a computer readable medium by means of the device driver.

Abstract: A connector has data signal conductors for communicating data signals and voltage reference (power and ground) conductors for the signals' return currents. Voltage reference conductors carrying the same voltage level are coupled together at one or more points between the ends of the connector to shift the connector's resonant frequency beyond an operating frequency range of the data signals. Decoupling capacitors may alternatively or additionally be inserted between pairs of voltage reference conductors carrying high and low voltage levels at one or more points between the ends of the connector to shift the connector's resonant frequency beyond an operating frequency range of the data signals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device driver and a method for controlling access to data on a computer readable medium. According to the invention, there is provided an interface for access to a device-driver stack for a media drive, a detector for detecting insertion of a computer readable medium in said media drive, and a monitor for monitoring accessing of data on said computer readable medium. A control device establishes a location of at least one demonstration zone on said computer readable medium and determines whether a data region currently being accessed is in said demonstration zone. Said control device modifies playback of data in dependence upon the outcome of said determination.

Abstract: An input profile is generated from an input audio file using a measurable attribute that was also used to generate reference profiles from reference audio files. The input profile is then subjected to a process that was also used to generate a reference profiles tree, which is structured as a sparse binary tree, from the reference profiles. As a result of the process, information of reference profiles having similar characteristics as the input profile, with respect to the measurable attribute, are retrieved from resulting nodes of the reference profiles tree. The input profile is then compared with this subset of the reference profiles, representing potential matches, to determine that either it matches one of the reference profiles, or that it is a spoof, or that it does not match any of the reference profiles.

Abstract: Special CD-keys are generated so as to have special patterns recognizable by compliant installer programs, which require special actions to be taken by the compliant installer programs when recognized. Since the special patterns are different than those used for valid CD-keys, non-compliant installer programs will treat them as invalid CD-keys and refuse to install any computer programs for which the invalid CD-keys are provided. The special CD-keys are included in text files that have associated metadata indicating that they are for installing copies of computer programs to be protected. The text files are then offered by agent computers for downloading on file sharing networks.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for securely providing material to a licensee of the material are described. In each, at least one license key is provided, preferably along with a license including usage rights for requested content or material to the licensee. The material requested and licensed by the licensee is provided to the licensee encrypted with at least one content key. To achieve a second-level of security, the at least one content key is provided to the licensee encrypted with the at least one license key so that both the at least one content key and the at least one license key are necessary for the licensee to decrypt and use the encrypted material.

Abstract: An RLGC library is generated so as to include fringe RLCG functions for 2-D canonical interconnect structures. During parameter extraction for selected interconnect structures of an integrated circuit, printed circuit board, or integrated circuit package design, the RLGC library is used to generate fringe RLGC coefficients which in addition to area RLGC coefficients calculated on-the-fly, are used to generate equivalent RLGC circuits or S-parameters for simulating the interconnect structures.

Abstract: A method for modeling a triangle meshed interconnect structure using an electrically equivalent three rectangle combination for each triangle in the triangle mesh is described. In the method, a surface of an interconnect structure is meshed with triangles. Three rectangles are then defined for each triangle so that each rectangle shares a different side of the triangle. Rectangle circuit models are determined so that the three rectangles are approximately equivalent electrically to the triangle when coupled together. The interconnect circuit model is then formed by connecting together the rectangle circuit models for all triangles defined on the surface of the interconnect structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for color quantization of an image employs a dynamic color map. Pixels of a first image are mapped into corresponding color space regions while incrementing counts in records of those color space regions. Associated colors of color space regions having largest non-zero counts are included in a color map. If the number of such associated colors is less than a maximum number of color indexes of the color map, the unassigned color indexes are reserved for later assignment. Pixels of subsequent images are also mapped into corresponding color space regions while incrementing counts in records of those color space regions. If unassigned color indexes are available in the color map, associated colors of these color space regions are added to the color map until all color indexes have been assigned.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling static and dynamic traffic through a switch fabric are described. The method comprises for each switch slice in a distributed switch fabric, scheduling static traffic by reserving time slots for transmission of the static traffic to at least one destination, and scheduling dynamic traffic so as not to be transmitting the dynamic traffic to the at least one destination during the reserved time slots. The apparatus implements the method and comprises a memory storing a schedule of static traffic, shifters storing dynamic traffic scheduling requests, and a grant scheduler.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reordering sequence indicated information units into proper sequence are described. The apparatus includes a double-back shifter receiving sequence indicated information units, and at least one circuit coupled to the double-back shifter to repetitively compare, reorder and shift the sequence indicated information units so as to be in proper sequence when shifted out of the double-back shifter. The method includes repetitively comparing, reordering and shifting sequence indicated information units in a double-back shifter so as to be in proper sequence when shifted out of the double-back shifter.

Abstract: An apparatus and method determine byte gain and loss adjustments that compensate for frequency differences between ingress and egress data rate signals in a SONET/SDH NE. The count of ingress data rate signal pulses at the time that data is requested by a switch fabric is compared to the count of egress data rate signal pulses at the time the requested data is passed through the switch fabric. If a delta phase equal to the difference in counts less a reference phase, is continuously greater than a positive value threshold for at least a time threshold period, then a byte gain adjustment is determined. On the other hand, if the delta phase is continuously less than a negative value threshold for at least the time threshold period, then a byte loss adjustment is determined.

Abstract: A computer system includes a web client having a client based program residing on it, a firewall having a protocol proxy residing on it, and a host server having an application program and a special window manager residing on it. All communications between the protocol proxy and the application program go through the special window manager. The web client communicates with the firewall through the Internet, and the firewall communicates with the host server through a LAN. The client based program employs HTTP, and the special window manager employs a persistent connection, socket-based protocol. The protocol proxy establishes and maintains a persistent connection with the special window manager, and communicates information back and forth between the client based program and the application program through the special window manager by first protocol translating the information between HTTP and the special window manager's persistent connection, socket-based protocol.

Abstract: Clock processing logic and method for determining clock signal characteristics in reference voltage and temperature varying environments are described. A sample vector is characterized by bit locations corresponding to sequentially increasing delay values so that values stored in such bit locations indicate clock signal edges where value transitions occur. In one embodiment, edge detection logic and sensitivity adjustment logic are used in determining the clock period from such a sample vector. In another embodiment, an edge filter, sample accumulation logic, and clock period and jitter processing logic are used in determining an average clock period and clock jitter from a predefined number of such sample vectors.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transferring multi-byte words having arbitrary start and end byte addresses are described. Data transfers between a memory and a PCI-bus pass through a PCI-side aligner unit, PCI FIFO, Endian swap logic, and PCI-bus interface unit under the control of a PCI FIFO controller. The PCI-side aligner unit properly aligns the data while communicating data with the memory's bus on a word-at-a-time basis, and communicating data with the PCI FIFO managed on a byte-at-a-time basis synchronous with a clock signal provided by the memory's bus. The Endian swap logic properly orients the data in big or little Endian orientation. The PCI-bus interface unit communicates data with the PCI-bus on a word-at-a-time basis, and communicates data with the PCI FIFO managed on a byte-at-a-time basis synchronous with a clock signal provided by the PCI-bus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting image updates employing high compression encoding are described. New and old image pixel values are compared at corresponding coordinate positions. For coordinate positions where the values are significantly different, the new image pixel values are assigned to those coordinates unless the new image pixel value is equal to a predefined transparent pixel value. In that case, a pixel value resulting in a color imperceptibly different than the new image pixel value is assigned. On the other hand, for coordinate positions where the values are not significantly different, then the predefined transparent pixel is assigned to those coordinates. Because of the high occurrence of the transparent pixel value in many applications, the pixel values assigned in such a manner are suitable for high compression encoding and consequently, high speed transmission.

Abstract: A method of conducting an interactive design conference over the Internet, comprises: selectively admitting clients communicating through web browsers over the Internet to an interactive design conference; receiving a graphics file indicative of a design from one of the clients; and transmitting the graphics file to the other clients so as to be viewable as a graphics image through graphics file readers in the client web browsers. The graphics file is generated by a snapshot program previously transmitted to a client initiating the design conference and controlling the design database. Java applets are transmitted to each of the design conference participants to facilitate communicating annotations of the graphics image and messages between clients through their web browsers.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a MOSFET structure is disclosed. A coating is provided on the upper surface of a gate. Thereafter doped regions are implanted into the substrate. A layer is provided over the MOSFET structure and etched to form spacers. The MOSFET structure is reacted with salicide-forming reactant to produce a salicide MOSFET.