Abstract: An imaging or other sensory reproduction system efficiently converts image or other sensory data between a perceptual color space (e.g., the sRGB color space) and a physical color space (unity gamma) or other perceptual/physical sensory models that are related by an expression involving a computationally expensive exponential function. The imaging system calculates exponential functions that can be composed from computationally inexpensive operations, such as square root, square, reciprocal, as well as multiplications and/or additions and subtractions. These computationally less expensive functions are then combined, such as in a weighted and/or offset mean, summation or difference to approximate the computationally expensive exponential function. The imaging system evaluates the expression using the approximation to efficiently yield the converted image data.

Abstract: Encryption and authentication techniques which can be implemented on inexpensive, e.g., 8-bit, microprocessors and micro-controllers, using very little of the microprocessor's memory, are described. While the described techniques require little system resources to implement they still provide a good degree of security. In accordance with the present invention, in order to avoid having to specifically dedicate a portion of the microprocessor's limited memory for use as a substitution box, a portion of the code stored in the microprocessor's memory, dedicated to performing another function, is selected to serve as an S-box. This memory saving technique is used to implement a block cipher. The block cipher is used in combination with a series of other data manipulation operations, including XOR operations and rotate operations, to provide a good degree of system security.

Abstract: A system and method for modulating a data signal uses a phase shifting transformer function to phase shift the lower and upper sidebands of the data signal so that the sidebands of the data signal have a 180.degree. phase shift with respect to each other (i.e., are complementary). The phase shifted sidebands are added to a standard video signal and then transmitted. A television or other video receiver demodulates the video signal with a simple demodulator circuit, which causes the upper and lower sidebands to be summed together. The data signal, with complementary sidebands, cancels out so that the data signal does not interfere with normal video operation. The upper and lower sidebands of the data signal are processed separately from the video processing circuitry of the television receiver. An inverse phase shifting circuit performs a second phase shift operation on the upper and lower sidebands of the data signal so that the data signal can be demodulated and the data signal recovered.

Abstract: A system and method for inserting a data signal into a preexisting video signal in a transmitter so that the data signal is transmitted along with the video signal. The data signal is inserted into an unused portion of the video signal spectrum. The data signal is separated from the video signal in a receiver and may be used for any purpose, even purposes unrelated to the video signal. The data signal is filtered to create a filtered data signal having spectral characteristics that correspond to the unused portion of the video signal spectrum. The filtered signal modulates a carrier signal whose frequency is selected to permit direct insertion of the modulated filtered data signal into the video signal spectrum. In the receiver, the video signal is processed in a normal manner; and the data signal is undetected by normal television receivers. A signal separator separates the filtered data signal from the combined video signal, and an inverse filter recovers the original data signal.

Abstract: A system and method for modulating a data signal uses a phase shifting transformer function to phase shift the lower and upper sidebands of the data signal so that the sidebands of the data signal have a 180.degree. phase shift with respect to each other (i.e., are complementary). The phase shifted sidebands are added to a standard video signal and then transmitted. A television or other video receiver demodulates the video signal with a simple demodulator circuit, which causes the upper and lower sidebands to be summed together. The data signal, with complementary sidebands, cancels out so that the data signal does not interfere with normal video operation. The upper and lower sidebands of the data signal are processed separately from the video processing circuitry of the television receiver. An inverse phase shifting circuit performs a second phase shift operation on the upper and lower sidebands of the data signal so that the data signal can be demodulated and the data signal recovered.

Abstract: A system for controlling unauthorized access to information distributed to users and, more particularly, for controlling unauthorized access to software distributed to users is provided. One method utilizing the system of the present invention enables the software to be encrypted using a single encryption key and to be decrypted using a multiplicity of "decryption" keys, each of which is unique to a particular user. The "decryption" keys are the products of numeric representations of identifying information relating to users and unique user keys generated using the numeric representations and a "true" decryption key. Since each user receives a unique user key and both the numeric representation and the user key are generated using the identifying information, if the user reveals the numeric representation and the user key (or the product of the numeric representation and the user key), the numeric representation and the user key can be traced to the user who revealed them.

Abstract: A system and method for inserting a data signal into a preexisting video signal in a transmitter so that the data signal is transmitted along with the video signal. The data signal is inserted into an unused portion of the video signal spectrum. The data signal is separated from the video signal in a receiver and may be used for any purpose, even purposes unrelated to the video signal. The data signal is filtered to create a filtered data signal having spectral characteristics that correspond to the unused portion of the video signal spectrum. The filtered signal modulates a carrier signal whose frequency is selected to permit direct insertion of the modulated filtered data signal into the video signal spectrum. In the receiver, the video signal is processed in a normal manner; and the data signal is undetected by normal television receivers. A signal separator separates the filtered data signal from the combined video signal, and an inverse filter recovers the original data signal.

Abstract: A high color resolution image is accurately approximated with a low resolution image through a unique combination of ordered dithering and error diffusion. The true color of each pixel is modified with error from previously rendered pixels and then dithered to an intermediate color of 15 bits. The intermediate color is then mapped to the nearest displayable color in a displayable color palette using a precomputed look-up table. Any error between a displayed color of a pixel and its true color is calculated and spread among neighboring pixels not yet rendered.

Abstract: A high color resolution image is accurately approximated with a low resolution image through ordered dithering to colors of a displayable color palette. The colors of the displayable color palette are located at points of a grid aligned with three orthogonal axes in a three dimensional color model, including a luminance axis between black and white. The grid points are defined by the intersections of three sets of parallel planes, each set being perpendicular to one of the three axes. The set of planes perpendicular to the luminance axis are spaced nonuniformly, preferably according to a cubic model. The ordered dithering maps the true color of a pixel in the image to the color in the displayable palette at one of eight adjacent grid points. When ordered dithering of a pixel's true color would map the true color to a grid point outside the color gamut, the pixel is instead mapped to the nearest color on the color gamut's border to the grid point.

Abstract: A custom palette comprises colors on a plurality of luminance levels consisting of colors of uniform luminance. The spacing in luminance between levels varies in relation to the luminance, the spacing between levels being closer at low luminance and increasing at greater luminance. The palette preferably includes a gray color from each luminance level, highly saturated colors at the vertices of every alternate level, and a selection of lower saturation colors encircling the gray color on each level. The selection of lower saturation colors preferably includes a higher concentration of flesh and sky colors.

Abstract: A high color resolution image is rendered using a palette having a lower color resolution. The color of each pixel in the image is mapped to the nearest of the palette colors located on or between levels of uniform luminance adjacent to the pixel color. The mapping of the pixel color is further constrained to exclude palette colors for which double the error to the pixel color is outside the color gamut. The mapping is performed efficiently by a look-up table, the size of which is reduced by first dithering the pixel color to a color in an intermediate palette and then indexing the table using the intermediate palette color to find the reduced palette color.