Patents Examined by Douglas Meislahn
  • Patent number: 6952774
    Abstract: A watermark encoding system encodes an audio signal with both a strong and a weak watermark. The strong watermark identifies the content producer and is designed to survive all typical kinds of processing and malicious attacks. The weak watermark identifies the content as an original and is designed to be significantly removed as a result of most normal signal processing (other than A/D and D/A). The watermark encoding system has a converter to convert an audio signal into frequency and phase components and a mask processor to determine a hearing threshold for corresponding frequency components. The watermark encoding system also has a pattern generator to generate both the strong and weak watermarks and a watermark insertion unit to selectively insert either the strong or weak watermark into the audio signal. The watermark insertion unit adds the strong watermark to the audio signal when the signal exceeds the hearing threshold by a buffer value (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Darko Kirovski, Henrique Malvar, Mariusz H. Jakubowski
  • Patent number: 6907125
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing information, including an error-correcting coding device for encoding information data into at least one error-correcting code, the error-correcting code containing the information data and a parity check code, and an encryption device for encrypting at least a portion of the information data and at least a portion of the parity check code contained in the error-correcting code. In this manner, unauthorized copying of the digital data is prevented and the copyright on the data is protected. In one embodiment, unauthorized users can partially view image data that is not selected for encryption by an encryption selector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Oishi
  • Patent number: 6829357
    Abstract: A communication system (10) has a portion (28) of a transmitter controller (14) that provides a message package. An encryption portion (36) of the controller (14) encrypts a first fraction of the message package (e.g., a first portion of the message package and a first part of a second portion of the message package) using a second fraction of the message package (e.g., a second part of the second portion of the message package) as an encryption key. Transmitter components (32 and 34) output a signal (18) that conveys the encrypted first fraction of the message package. Receiver components (56 and 58) receive the signal (18). A decryption portion (60) of a receiver/controller unit (16) decrypts the signal using a decryption key, and reassembles the message package using the decryption key as the second fraction of the message package. Preferably, the communication system (10) is a remote convenience system for remotely controlling a convenience function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Ansaf Ibrahem Alrabady, David Leonard Juzswik
  • Patent number: 6820200
    Abstract: An application program that was encrypted by using a predetermined secret key is input to an input section that is a part of a program execution system, and encrypted sentences as the encrypted application program are supplied to a decoding section as they are. The decoding section is supplied not only with the encrypted sentences from the input section but also with a publicized key corresponding to a secret key that was used in generating the encrypted sentences. The decoding section decodes the encrypted sentences by using the publicized key and supplies Java byte codes as a decoding result to a Java virtual machine. The Java virtual machine interprets and executes the Java byte codes that are supplied from the decoding section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akikazu Takeuchi, Shinji Nanba
  • Patent number: 6820201
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for authenticating transactions and records is disclosed. A nonce stamp is a physical article that is relatively difficult to copy illicitly, and that bears a “nonce” number. The “nonce” is a relatively unique identifier, in that it is chosen from a distribution such that any given user/customer is extremely unlikely to obtain two nonce stamps bearing the same nonce. The method includes: presenting a nonce stamp having a nonce number; presenting a numbered digital certificate derived securely from the nonce number; and authenticating the transaction by comparing the number on the digital certificate and the nonce number. The digital certificate is typically obtained by users/customers in exchange for the purchase price of a desired transaction. The apparatus is an information-based indicium including a nonce stamp, and a digital certificate including a number derived securely from the nonce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Patrick D. Lincoln, Natarajan Shankar
  • Patent number: 6775382
    Abstract: A method and apparatus allows a session key for a encrypted message to be recovered even if the recipient loses or forgets his private key. A session key encrypted using the public key of a party other than the intended recipient of the message is transmitted to the third party such as a certificate authority, who uses an identifier to retrieve private information known to the intended recipient of the message. The third party can compare the private information with private information provided by the party claiming to be the intended recipient. If the private information retrieved matches or nearly matches the private information provided, the third party can decrypt the session key using the third party's private key and provide the session key to the intended recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Yahya Y Al-Salqan
  • Patent number: 6735694
    Abstract: A method and system of certifying that a copy of a Web page was made at a particular time by a user of a Web client. A client piece preferably includes a one-way hashing function that, when applied to a Web page copy, generates a unique string. The string is concatenated with a URL for the Web page, a timestamp and other identifying information, to generate a signature. Using a public key cryptosystem, the signature is provided to a certification server. Upon receipt, the server first determines whether the signature represents the Web page copy. If so, a confirmation is sent to the client, and the signature is stored in a database. Preferably, the Web page copy itself is not stored in the database. Signatures from other Web page copies received during a given period (e.g., the same day) are then summed and the sum is published.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Viktors Berstis, Maria Azua Himmel
  • Patent number: 6658113
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for concealing data bursts in an analog scrambler using parts of the audio of a signal in substitution for the data bursts. What otherwise would be periodic data bursts appearing at the audio output are replaced with selected portions from audio portions of the multiplexed signal. Preferably the replaced audio samples come from immediately past and immediately future portions of the audio of the signal. The data bursts are therefore effectively concealed from the audio output which improves on the degradation of audio otherwise caused by the data bursts that are mixed in periodically with the audio portions of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Transcrypt International, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Poulsen, James P. Preston, II
  • Patent number: 6628786
    Abstract: A system and method for generating random numbers utilizing a shared or distributed source of entropy is disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention allows networked computers to generate and share entropy in proportion to the need for random numbers utilized to initialize the internal state of random number generators residing on the computers. A shared session key generated during communications between a first and second computer is appended to the current internal state of the random number generators residing on the computers to create a bit string. The bit string is then mixed or hashed using a one-way “hash” function such as message digest function to produce a mixed bit string. At least a portion of the mixed bit string is then used to reinitialize the internal state of the random number generators residing on the computers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryn Dole
  • Patent number: 6615357
    Abstract: IP security is provided in a virtual private network using network address translation (NAT) by performing one or a combination-of the three types of VPN NAT, including VPN NAT type a outbound source IP NAT, VPN NAT type c inbound source IP NAT, and VPN NAT type d inbound destination IP NAT. This involves dynamically generating NAT rules and associating them with the manual or dynamically generated (IKE) Security Associations, before beginning IP security that uses the Security Associations. Then, as IP Sec is performed on outbound and inbound datagrams, the NAT function is also performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edward B. Boden, Franklin A. Gruber
  • Patent number: 6603857
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling release of time-sensitive information is accomplished by a server that establishes access information for a specific future time which only becomes active once the specific future time has passed. When the specific future time has passed, the server releases the access information such that an end-user or end-users may utilize the access information to obtain time-sensitive information. The access information may be a random number which can be used to calculate a decryption key and an encryption key. The encryption key can be released by the server at any time such that an end-user may encrypt time sensitive information for release at the specific future time, but the random number is not released until the specific future time has passed. When the random number is released, end-users may generate the decryption key and subsequently decrypt the time-sensitive information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Entrust Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Mark Christopher Batten-Carew, Michael James Wiener
  • Patent number: 6587946
    Abstract: A method of forwarding an encrypted message sent to a primary recipient having a secret key to at least one secondary recipient comprising the steps of sharing portions of the secret key among a predetermined threshold number of proxy servers greater than one, upon receipt of an encrypted message by the predetermined threshold number of proxy servers, each of the predetermined threshold number of proxy servers modifying the message by applying the key portion to the encrypted message, the result of the modification comprising a message secret to the predetermined threshold number of proxy servers but decryptable by at least one secondary recipient, and forwarding the resultant message to at least one secondary recipient. This method and system for quorum controlled asymmetric proxy encryption has uses ranging from efficient key distribution for pay-tv, to methods for distributively maintaining databases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Markus Bjorn Jakobsson
  • Patent number: 6584565
    Abstract: The time over which a digital signature can be verified is extended well beyond the expiration of any or all of the certificates upon which that signature depends. A “save state” approach is disclosed, in which an archive facility is used to store public key infrastructure (PKI) state, e.g. cryptographic information, such as certificates and certificate revocation lists (CRLs), in addition to non-cryptographic information, such as trust policy statements or the document itself. This information comprises all that is necessary to re-create the signature verification process at a later time. When a user wants to reverify the signature on a document, possibly years later, a long term signature verification (LTSV) server re-creates the precise state of the PKI at the time the document was originally submitted. The LTSV server restores the state, and the signature verification process executes the exact process it performed (or would have performed) years earlier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Steven Zamek
  • Patent number: 6529603
    Abstract: A method includes determining a recovery value for a portion of a secret value by measuring a first time value to execute an instruction sequence. The recovery value is determined as a function of the first time value and the portion of the secret value. An instruction sequence is adapted to measure a second time value to execute the instruction sequence and to determine the portion of a secret value as a function of the second time value and the recovery value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Convera Corporation
    Inventor: David W. Palmer
  • Patent number: 6496583
    Abstract: A converting processing block (4B/5B CONVERTER & ARB. SIGNAL CONVERTER) functions as a 4 bit/5 bit converting unit for performing 4 bit/5 bit conversion of data and as an arbitration signal converting unit for allocating 5-bit symbols other than 5-bit symbols allocated to data to arbitration signals to enable the sending/reception of the arbitration signals and packet data as 5-bit code data. There are also provided scrambling blocks (SCRAMBLE 1, SCRAMBLE 2) 4A, 4B and descramble blocks (DESCRAMBLE 1, DESCRAMBLE 2) 5A, 5B between the 4 bit/5 bit converting unit and the arbitration signal converting unit on one hand and the input/output port on the other hand to inhibit unneeded radiations in a transmission channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nakamura, Sumihiro Ohkawa, Hiroshi Takiduka
  • Patent number: 6442276
    Abstract: A method of verifying the authenticity of goods includes generating one or more random codes and storing the one or more random codes in a database. The goods are then marked with one of the generated random codes such that each of the goods contain their own unique random code. Upon field checking and inventory of marked goods and comparing the codes on the marked goods to codes within the database, the authenticity of goods may be verified. Also, a system for verifying the authenticity of goods includes a database containing a plurality of unique random codes and an indication whether each of the unique random codes has been read, and a code reader or scanner for reading the code affixed to a good.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Assure Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank A. Doljack
  • Patent number: 6401206
    Abstract: This invention creates a portable digital identity of the individual that includes personal information, and may also include data representing the person's handwritten signature and one or more passwords. The digital identity optionally includes data representing seals, fingerprints and biometric information. The digital identity can be used to bind a verifiable electronic impression with an electronic document using electronic watermarks so that any modification in the document or the electronic impression bound to the document can be detected. The personal information included in the digital identifiers can include, in addition to a password, answers to questions that are composed by the user. The digital identity of a user can be created once and stored after encryption for protection. This digital identity can then be used by the signer to bind a unique instance of an impression of the digital identity to any document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Skylight Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Shabbir A. Khan, Saeed A. Rajput, Basit Hussain
  • Patent number: 6389137
    Abstract: A playback device generates a Pseudo-random noise (PN) code sequence repeatedly with a predetermined period in synchronism with a video sync signal. An anti-duplication control signal is spectrally spread using this generated PN code sequence, is superimposed on the video signal, and is output. A PN code sequence having the same timing and code pattern as the PN code sequence used in the playback device is similarly generated based on the video sync signal on the receiving side which receives the output video signal. Using this PN code sequence, reverse spectral spread is performed, the anti-duplication control signal superimposed on the video signal is extracted, and anti-duplication control is performed according to the extracted anti-duplication control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Sugita, Akira Ogino, Takashi Usui
  • Patent number: 6373951
    Abstract: To transmit encoded information such as for example voice messages between remote transceivers, a transmitter digitizes and encodes an audio signal and then transmits the resulting digital coded signal to the receiver. The receiver decodes the signal and converts it back to an audio signal. The received encoded digital signal is used to reset the timing clock in the receiver so that the timing is synchronized in the receiver and transmitter by the transmitted encoded information. The encoder transmits digital information to a shift register. Encoding switches select certain stages of the shift register and the transmitter transmits the exclusive-OR of the digitized message and the output of the selected stages. This signal is also the input to the shift register. The information transmitted to the receiver is a scrambled digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Telex Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith E. Jenkins, Robert B. Basine, LaRhue G. Friesen
  • Patent number: 6373948
    Abstract: A system for restricting access to transmitted programming content is disclosed, which transmits a program identifier with the encrypted programming content. A set-top terminal or similar mechanism restricts access to the transmitted multimedia information using stored decryption keys. The set-top terminal preferably receives entitlement information periodically from the head-end, corresponding to one or more packages of programs that the customer is entitled to for a given period. Each program is preferably encrypted by the head-end server prior to transmission, using a program key, Kp, which may be unique to the program. The set-top terminal uses the received program identifier, p, together with the stored entitlement information, to derive the decryption key necessary to decrypt the program. Each of the k-bit program keys, Kp, used to encrypt transmitted programs is a linear combination of a defined set of k-bit master keys, m1 . . . m1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Avishai Wool