Abstract: Television content is provided upon request. A search request for television content is received from a user on a user device. Listings for television content that meet the search request are determined based on the search request. Text describing the listings is converted to corresponding speech describing the listings. Speech describing the listings is provided audibly.

Abstract: An advertisement storage and filtering system for selectively identifying targeted advertisements to be stored in the memory of the STB. This storing of the selected advertisements can be accomplished in a number of ways. In one embodiment, the advertisements, in real-time and as they are received at the STB, are processed by the STB and only those advertisements with the appropriate characteristics are stored on the hard drive (HD). This may require some buffering of the advertisements in the STB memory as the STB processes and determines whether or not to store the advertisement. The information required to determine whether or not to store the advertisement could also be sent in advance, e.g., as a data service in an advertisement channel. Alternatively, the STB may store incoming advertisements in a memory temporarily and subsequently determine whether or not to retain the stored advertisements.

Abstract: A video playback system includes a video distribution server and at least one information processing device. The video distribution server includes a video distribution portion that performs streaming distribution of a video stream, an alternative video distribution portion that distributes an alternative video, and a control information distribution portion that distributes control information. The information processing device includes a receiving portion that receives the video stream, the alternative video, and the control information, a storage portion that stores the alternative video and the control information, a video stream playback portion that performs streaming playback of the video stream, an alternative video playback portion that plays back the stored alternative video, and a playback switching control portion that, based on the stored control information, controls switching between the streaming playback and the playback of the alternative video.

Abstract: Computer system, method and program for managing a firewall. First program instructions identify a first rule of the firewall. The first rule specifies a permitted message flow through the firewall to or from an IP address of a computer. The computer resides on a network. Second program instructions identify a second rule of the firewall. The second rule specifies a permitted message flow through the firewall to or from an IP address corresponding to the network. Message flows through the firewall to all computers on the network are permitted pursuant to the second rule. Third program instructions delete the first rule from the firewall based on the identification of the second rule and the computer residing on the network. Other program instructions identify and delete stale rules which are not needed. Other program instructions automatically identify rules for a new server added to a cluster.

Abstract: The claimed method and system monitors computer system timer(s) relative to other timers to detect discrepancies and/or may capture an offset to provide a method of more accurately determining a current time. The invention may also provide a method to detect power source tampering using a last known good time and may provide a means to securely initialize system time using an encrypted time stamp.

Abstract: A microprocessor having a processor core includes an information acquisition unit that acquires information encrypted to be used by the processor core, from outside; a decryption unit that decrypts the information with a symmetric key to obtain plain text; and a controller that controls processing on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit based on the symmetric key.

Abstract: A processor and associated local memory are capable of operative connection to a main memory such that data may be read from the main memory for use in the local memory, and the processor is operable to carry out actions, including: entering a secure mode of operation where externally initiated requests to read data from or write data into the processor are not serviced but internally initiated data transfers are serviced; reading a decryption program from a storage medium into the local memory of the processor; reading an encrypted authentication program into the local memory of the processor; decrypting the encrypted authentication program using a decryption program; and transitioning functionality of the processor from the decryption program to the authentication program.

Abstract: A method for defending against MAC table overflow attacks comprises a plurality of operations. An operation is performed for determining whether each one of a plurality of MAC addresses within a MAC table has one-way traffic or two-way traffic corresponding thereto. Thereafter, operations are performed for designating each MAC address having two-way traffic corresponding thereto as a first category of MAC address and for designating each MAC address having one-way traffic corresponding thereto as a second category of MAC address. In response to the number of the MAC addresses designated as the second category of MAC address exceeding a prescribed threshold value, an operation is performed for causing a timeout value of at least a portion of the MAC addresses designated as the second category of MAC address to be less than a timeout value of the MAC addresses designated as the first category of MAC address.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for facilitating access to an electronic device. Password information is stored on the electronic device, and on a portable authenticator. When a user attempts to access the electronic device, the user is prompted to enter a password at the electronic device. The portable authenticator determines the validity of the entered password. The electronic device receives the results of the validity determination from the portable authenticator, and provides access to the electronic device based on the received validity determination.

Abstract: The present invention particularly relates to a digital content providing service method and a content execution device for the same, for maximizing user convenience and maintaining a sufficient level of security using a smart card. The inventive content execution device includes an independent authentication unit for storing a tool necessary for executing content; an authentication support module for providing a data communication channel between the smart card and an external broadcasting server; a tool agent for calling the tool stored in the independent authentication unit; and a content execution unit for executing content data received from the external broadcasting server. The content execution device included in a content authority management system of the present invention employs the smart card for user authentication and/or content playing tool management.

Abstract: A method for performing hash operations including: receiving a hash instruction that prescribes one of the hash operations and one of a plurality of hash algorithms; translating the hash instruction into a first plurality of micro instructions and a second plurality of micro instructions; and via a hash unit, executing the one of the hash operations. The executing includes indicating whether the one of the hash operations has been interrupted by an interrupting event; first executing the first plurality of micro instructions within the hash unit to produce output data; second executing the second plurality of micro instructions within an x86 integer unit in parallel with the first executing to test a bit in a flags register, to update text pointer registers, and to process interrupts during execution of the hash operation; and storing a corresponding intermediate hash value to memory prior to allowing a pending interrupt to proceed.

Abstract: A method for performing hash operations including: receiving a hash instruction that is part of an application program, where the hash instruction prescribes one of the hash operations and one of a plurality of hash algorithms; translating the hash instruction into a first plurality of micro instructions and a second plurality of micro instructions; and via a hash unit disposed within execution logic, executing the one of the hash operations. The executing includes first executing the first plurality of micro instructions within the hash unit to produce output data; second executing the second plurality of micro instructions within an x86 integer unit in parallel with the first executing to test a bit in a flags register, to update text pointer registers, and to process interrupts during execution of the hash operation; and storing a corresponding intermediate hash value to memory prior to allowing a pending interrupt to proceed.

Abstract: A system and method for securing intellectual property rights in distributed intellectual property. Rights are granted and policed in electronically distributed intellectual property. Use limitations are established by agreement by the content provider and the client. The use limitations are reflected in time-based, usage-based and player based component codes that are used to determine if the client is entitled to use the intellectual property. Intellectual property is protected from unauthorized use by encrypting the intellectual property with a key created from some or all of the component codes. As the component codes are known to both the client and the content provider, no key exchange is required.

Abstract: In order to develop a method for carrying out a protected function of an electrical field device in such a manner that a high degree of security against unauthorized accesses to the electrical field device can be ensured irrespective of the nature of the communication link between a user and the electrical field device, an identification device for the electrical field device and a security device are used to check whether a stated protected function of the electrical field device can be carried out, or should be refused. The invention also relates to an appropriately configured electrical field device.

Abstract: A method of generating a pseudorandom data sequence, wherein said pseudorandom data sequence is generated by a procedure for searching for a search pattern in an initial data sequence of N bits, said search procedure comprising the following steps: (a) detecting in said initial data sequence a particular search pattern of r bits that is one of a set of search patterns; (b) determining an output pattern of k bits by an operation that depends on the progress of the preceding step; and repeating the preceding steps (a) and (b) successively to form the pseudorandom data sequence from a succession of output patterns.

Abstract: The invention is a new protocol for securing the communication link between the Home Agent and the Mobile Node. A cipher key and an integrity key are generated at a home AAA server and are also generated independently at the Mobile Node. The two keys generated at the home AAA server are transmitted to the Home Agent to secure information packets transmitted between the Mobile Node and the Home Agent. The cipher key and integrity key are used to establish a security association used for information packet transmissions. The cipher key is used to encrypt the information packets, and the integrity key is used to ensure that the contents of the encrypted message are not altered.

Abstract: A method of generating or entering a password or passphrase on a computer system 1. The method comprises storing a plurality of sets of values in a memory 5 of the system 1, the values of each set defining respective elements which belong to a common domain, the domains of respective sets being distinct from one another, selecting at least one value from each stored set or from each of a plurality of the stored sets, and combining the selected values or elements thereof to form a password or passphrase.

Abstract: A video playback apparatus includes a data-storage unit storing video data and a first video-time stamp, an information-storage unit storing first-associated information and a first-associated-time stamp, a unit acquiring plural playback-video data and plural second-video-time stamps of the plural playback-video data from the data-storage unit, and acquiring second-associated information of the playback-video data and a second-associated-time stamp of the second-associated information from the information-storage unit, a unit measuring information amounts of the playback-video data of the second-video-time stamps to obtain a smallest information amount of the information amounts, a unit detecting a time-stamp section corresponding to the smallest information amount, a unit changing the second-associated-time stamp to generate a changed time stamp, the second-associated information being presented in the time-stamp section by the changed time stamp, and a unit presenting the second-associated information toget

Abstract: A decryption key unique to each user system is a value obtained by (a)assigning different individual key generation polynomials to a root, a plurality of nodes, and a plurality of leaves of a tree structure, respectively, (b) assigning the different leaves on the tree structure a plurality of subgroups obtained by dividing a group of a plurality of user identification information items which are for individually identifying the user systems, and (c) substituting the user identification information item of the each user system into one of the individual key generation polynomials which corresponds to one of leaves assigned to one of the subgroups to which the user identification information item corresponding to the each user system belongs or an ancestor node of the one of the leaves and a common key generation polynomial common to the root, the nodes, and the leaves.

Abstract: To manage playout of digital media by a media player, a wireless communication device (WCD) will include partitioned data storage including discrete partitions having distributor-modules corresponding with various media distributors, and including a digital rights management (DRM) controller. When the media player seeks to play media, it will request a DRM key from the WCD. The DRM controller may then identify the appropriate distributor-module and request the key from the distributor-module. If the distributor-module possesses the key, it will return it for transmission to the media player. Otherwise, the distributor-module may engage in secure communication with a provisioning system to obtain the DRM key and may then return the key. Upon receipt of the key, the media player may then play the media.