Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for performing digital rights management. The idea of the invention is that a master right associated with a content is stored at a first authorised device (211). An authorised device is a device which can be considered trusted and performs actions with contents according to the associated rights. These devices enforce rights that are bound to contents, and perform the security tasks of the DRM system employed. A subright is derived from the master right, which subright controls what type of access a second authorised device (261) is given to the associated content. Finally, the subright is distributed to the second authorised device, given that the second device complies with predetermined distribution criteria associated with the master right. The device distributing the subright authenticates the device which is to receive the subright, ensuring that the second device can be trusted.

Abstract: Reproduction accuracy of a digital signal, representing, for example, stereo audio signals, is improved by transmitting sample data which have been encoded to form transmission signals. The stereo audio signals are coded into sub(band) signals. Corresponding sub(band) signals of the stereo audio signals may be processed to obtain composite sub(band) signals, which are recorded on a record carrier. To identify whether corresponding sub(band) signals have been processed or not, a mode indicator control signal, indicating whether a corresponding sub signal of the at least two signal components have or have not been processed into a composite sub-signal, is also being recorded on the record carrier.

Abstract: A method of and device for controlling import of content into a domain comprising a number of devices. The method comprises checking for the presence of a domain watermark in the content, and if the domain watermark is found in the content, refusing import of the content into the domain, and if the domain watermark is not found in the content, allowing import of the content into the domain and causing the domain watermark to be embedded into the content. Optionally, re-importing into the “original” domain might be allowed. In this embodiment the method further comprises refusing import of the content into the domain if the domain watermark is found in the content unless the identifier matches an identifier for the domain. Other payloads in the domain watermark can be used to e.g. implement location- or time-based restrictions on import.

Abstract: The present invention relates to adding watermark information to film prints. This performed when duplicating an original film print (405) to an undeveloped copy film (407), where a surface of the original film print is positioned close to a surface of the undeveloped film. The surface of the undeveloped film is exposed with light transferred through the surface of the original film print. The watermark is obtained from a number of individually controllable light sources (411), such that the light transferred through the surface of the original film print (405) has a predefined pattern depending on how the light from the light source (409) is controlled. The invention further relates to a storage medium comprising instructions for performing the method of adding watermark information, a system for adding watermark information and a system for determining the legality of a film print copy.

Abstract: A system (100) comprising a plurality of interconnected devices (101-105) and being arranged to provide the devices (101-105) conditional access to protected content items, characterized in that the system (100) is arranged to restrict the number of simultaneous sessions involving said protected content items to a predetermined total limit. Preferably the system (100) restricts the number of content items that can be accessed simultaneously to the predetermined limit. Security modules (300) such as smart cards can be used for this purpose. Each security module (300) may be arranged to restrict the number of content items to which it provides access simultaneously to an individual limit which can change over time. The system restricts the sum of the individual limits to the predetermined total limit. If the limit is reached, further sessions may he refused or allowed at reduced quality level.

Abstract: Items of media information are stored in separately reusable blocks of memory. Items are split into a plurality of layers, so that the item can be represented at reduced quality by a subset of the layers without using a remainder of the layers. Each layer is stored in a respective one of the blocks. When information of a subsequent item is stored, a block for storing the information of the second item dependent on a number of blocks that is in use for storing information. An unused block is selected when the number of blocks that is in use is below a threshold number. When the number is above the threshold number a block is re-used that was previously used for storing a layer from said remainder. Preferably, when the layers are encrypted, different layers of the first item are encrypted independently of one another, so that each layer can be decrypted even if the remainder has been overwritten.

Abstract: Transmission system, and transmitter and receiver for use in the transmission system for transmitting and receiving digital signals containing modulated bit allocation information. The transmitter encodes a wide-band digital signal into subband signals which are each made up of successive signal blocks having a predetermined number of samples of that subband signal. The samples in the signal blocks of the subband signals are quantized to produce quantized samples in the signal blocks, and bit allocation information denoting how many bits the samples in the signal blocks are to be quantized by is generated. The bit allocation information (or a portion thereof) is modulated to obtain modulated bit allocation information. The quantized samples in the signal blocks and the modulated bit allocation information are included in a digital signal applied by the transmitter to a transmission medium. The receiver receives a replica of the digital signal applied to the transmission medium.

Abstract: An arrangement (60) for recording an analog signal in a track on a record carrier (82) is provided with an overload detection circuit (78) for detection an overload situation for the analog signal applied to the arrangement. Upon detection of an overload situation, the recording mode is terminated and the record carrier is rewound to the start location of the current recording. Further, the arrangement is provided with a variable attenuator (66). The variable attenuation factor in the attenuator is increased upon detection of the overload situation.

Abstract: Digital information recorded in a track (T.sub.a.i) on a tape-like magnetic record carrier (20) can be read out again when the record carrier is transported in a specific direction. The transport direction of the record carrier when the information is recorded may be similar or opposite to the direction in which the information is reproduced. This implies that as a function thereof a first or second equalization filter (F.sub.1, F.sub.2) is to be used during reproduction so as to realise a first or second filtering of the information that is read out. For this purpose, markers (M.sub.1, M.sub.2) are introduced on the record carrier (20) or the cassette (61). From these markers there may be derived whether the side being read out at a specific moment has been recorded in a transport direction similar or opposite to the transport direction during reproduction.

Abstract: When recording n pieces of music on a magnetic record carrier (3), two groups of pieces of music are formed. A first group of g.sub.1 pieces of music is recorded on the A-side of the record carrier and a second group of g.sub.2 (=n-g.sub.1) pieces of music is recorded on the B-side. The groups are selected such that the total time duration of each of the two groups T.sub.tot (g.sub.1), T.sub.tot (g.sub.2) is nearest to half the total time duration of all the n pieces of music (T.sub.tot /2).

Abstract: Low-frequency components of the left and right channels of the audio signal to be recorded are derived by means of filters (3, 4). First and second auxiliary signals are added to such low-frequency components in such a way that during reproduction of the audio signal so recorded, including the first and the second auxiliary signals added thereto, by means of two loudspeaker units arranged in a stereo configuration, the two auxiliary signals are not audible. However, they will inhibit re-recording by apparatus for recording audio signals which are not copy-protected in the form of the aforesaid two auxiliary signals, or will cause such apparatus to indicate that the audio signal to be re-recorded is protected.