Abstract: Recognizing that a variety of different fingerprints may correspond to the same dataset, the search of a database of fingerprints to find a match to a target fingerprint is performed with relaxed criteria for declaring a match between two fingerprints. By matching “similar”, but not “exact”, fingerprints, redundant fingerprints need not be stored for each dataset. When a new fingerprint is found, a first-in first-out (FIFO) strategy is used to allocate space in a limited memory-space to store the new entry.

Abstract: A memory element is provided in the recording medium that is readable but not writeable by external devices, and whose content changes each time select material is recorded onto the medium. The content of this memory element forms a unique encryption key for encrypting the content encryption key. This encrypted content encryption key is further encrypted using a public key that corresponds to a private key of the intended rendering device. Although the unique encryption key is determinable by reading and processing the content of the externally read-only memory element, the decryption of the content encryption key requires both the unique encryption key and the private key of the intended rendering device.

Abstract: A system and method includes timing parameters within a node-verification protocol, such as OCPS, to facilitate a determination of the proximity of a target node to a source node. The node-verification protocol includes a query-response sequence, between the source node and the target node. The source node establishes a lower bound on the distance between the source node and the target node based on a measure of the time required to effect this query-response sequence including the time required to communicate the query and response, as well as the time required to process the query and generate the response. The target node includes a measure of the time required to process the query and generate the response to the source node. The source node subtracts this time from the total query-response time to determine the time consumed for the communication.

Abstract: A method and system effects a search of a large database (190) based on a reordering (130) of the conventional byte-order of multi-byte identifiers that identify elements in a database. The reordering (130) is selected to provide a more uniform distribution of the identifiers in the database. The database is organized and/or sorted (140, 340) based on the reordered bytes forming the identifiers of the elements in the database. By effecting a reordered byte-order search (150, 350) of uniformly distributed identifiers, the likelihood of a mismatch being detected sooner can be expected to increase in most situations, thereby improving the speed of finding a match or exhaustively searching the database.

Abstract: In a limited-copy protection scheme, a check-out/check-in system is configured to a) verify that the receiving device is a certified conforming device, and b) verify that the device that checks-in content material is the same device that checked-out the content material. The verification of the receiving device is effected via a conventional certification process. The verification that the same device is used for check-in and check-out is effected via a secure challenge-response protocol. As contrast to a conventional contemporaneous challenge-response protocol, the system provides a challenge that is specific to the receiving device when the content material is checked-out, and verifies the appropriate response when the content material is checked-in. Because the challenge-response is specific to the receiving device, only the device that receives the challenge when the content material is checked-out can provide the appropriate response when the content material is checked-in.

Abstract: A watermark is encoded redundantly so as to provide effective copy protection. To assure a reliable detection of the watermark in the presence of a potentially faulty watermark detection process, some or all of the watermark is redundantly encoded. The number of redundant encodings of the watermark is selected so that upon modification of the watermarked material, sufficient redundancy exists so that the material can be identified as watermarked material, and the number of detected copies of the watermark is used to detect the modification. Statistical processes are employed to determine the presence or absence of the watermarks in the presence of a potentially faulty watermark detection process.

Abstract: A security system purposely damages at least a portion of content material, using a damaging process that is easily reversible, until a verification of authorization is determined. While the authorization to access the content material is in an unverified state, an undamaged version is provided for immediate rendering, but any stored versions of the content material is stored in the damaged state. When the authorization is verified, the damaging process ceases, and the stored damaged version is repaired, thereby allowing unimpeded subsequent access to the authorized content material. If sufficient evidence is obtained to warrant a determination that the content material is unauthorized, the access to the material is terminated, and any stored content material remains in the damaged state, thereby precluding subsequent access to the unauthorized content material.

Abstract: A multi-layered copy protection scheme distinguishes between security failures due to faulty watermark detection schemes and true security failures. At an initial security level, the fault-tolerance is low. If the security test fails at this initial security level, the process enters a next level of security, wherein the fault-tolerance is increased, but at the expense of additional processing time. If the security test again fails at this increased security level, the process enters a higher level of security, wherein the fault-tolerance is further increased, but at the further expense of additional processing time. Eventually, either the security test is passed, and the protected material is rendered, or a determination is made that the failures are not due to faults in the watermark detection process, indicating that the content material is, in fact, copy protected, but not authorized for rendering.

Abstract: A device and method for detecting the presence of living organisms in a structure or behind a wall or partition utilizes a microwave or radio-frequency one or more transceivers which generate separate and distinct interrogating signals and receives separate and distinct signals reflected from a structure and living organisms within it. The reflected signals received by each of the transceivers are processed, for instance by a microprocessor, so as to provide output signals that indicate the presence or absence of a living organism in the structure or behind wall or partition. The microprocessor distinguishes and differentiate signals from different living organisms and from false indication of the presence of living organisms, thereby enabling the detection of living organisms despite the existence of motion signals caused by non-living organism motion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for generating random numbers using the meta-stable behavior of flip-flops. A flip-flop is clocked with an input that deliberately violates the setup or hold times (or both) of the flip-flop to ensure meta-stable behavior. When a meta-stable event is detected, an output bit is provided as a random bit. An even random number distribution is obtained by “marking” half of the zeroes input to the flip-flop as “ones” and the other half of the zeroes as “zeroes.” In addition, half of the ones are marked as “ones” and the other half of the ones are marked as “zeroes.” The marking signal is uncorrelated to any noise to a high probability using a linear feedback shift register.

Abstract: A method and system (200) marks (170) a copy of copy-protected material (202) with a geographic marker based on a geographic region of the source of the copy. Conforming rendering devices are configured to prevent (140) the rendering of copy protected material (201) that have geographic markers that differ (120) from the geographic region associated with the rendering device. Any of a variety of techniques are used to determine the geographic location of the rendering device (200), including the geographic location of the rendering device that produces the original copy. Preferably, each copy (202) of the copy-protected material also includes an identifier of the rendering device (200) that produced the copy, and subsequent renderings of copies by the same rendering device are permitted (130) regardless of geographic locale, thereby allowing for the relocation of a consumer's rendering devices and libraries of material.

Abstract: A transmitter (110) which transmits a signal (120) for reception by a receiving device (130). The transmitter is arranged to insert into the signal an indication of a geographical region where the signal physically can be received. Preferably the geographical region is indicated in the signal using geometrical shapes. The receiving device receives one or more signals, each of the signals carrying an indication of a respective geographical region where the respective signal physically can be received, and is arranged to determine its locale from said indications. The receiver can compute the intersection of the sets of geometrical shapes carried in the various signals it received as the geographical region it is in. Based on its determined locale the receiver can restrict access to content, if such content is restricted to certain regions.

Abstract: A vouching system and method provides an alternative means for authorizing access to protected content material. When a copy of content material (201) is deemed to be unauthorized by a rendering device (200), authorization can be obtained by contacting the source (100) of the copied material. If the copy (201) had been authorized, the source (100) re-certifies, or vouches for, the copy (201) to the rendering device (200). Upon receipt of this vouching, the rendering device (200) withdraws its rejection, and proceeds accordingly. Optionally, limits and security measures can be applied to this vouching process to minimize the potential for abuse.

Abstract: A method enables a gas turbine engine to be assembled. The method comprises coupling a rotor assembly including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced rotor blades downstream from, and in flow communication with, a compressor, coupling a casing assembly circumferentially around the rotor assembly such that a clearance is defined between an inner shroud surface of the casing assembly and the rotor blade tips, and coupling a clearance control system to the casing assembly to facilitate maintaining the clearance between the casing assembly and the rotor blade tips, wherein at least a portion of an external surface of the clearance control system is formed with a textured pattern that facilitates increasing the clearance control closure capability during engine operation.

Abstract: A device and method for detecting the presence of living organisms in a structure or behind a wall or partition utilizes a microwave or radio-frequency one or more transceivers which generate separate and distinct interrogating signals and receives separate and distinct signals reflected from a structure and living organisms within it. The reflected signals received by each of the transceivers are processed, for instance by a microprocessor, so as to provide output signals that indicate the presence or absence of a living organism in the structure or behind wall or partition. The microprocessor distinguishes and differentiate signals from different living organisms and from false indication of the presence of living organisms, thereby enabling the detection of living organisms despite the existence of motion signals caused by non-living organism motion.

Abstract: A truly random sequence of bits is transmitted from a transmitter, such that a receiver can receive and store a portion of the transmission for the duration of time that the receiver is within range of the transmitter. Thereafter, the stored sequence in the receiver is compared to a stored copy of the continuous transmission to determine the time that the stored sequence was transmitted. If the sequence of bits is truly random, the security of the system is assured.

Abstract: A fastener shield for use in a fluid flow path within a gas turbine engine for reducing fluid drag and heating generated by fluid flow over a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolts. The fastener shield has a radially-extending, downstream-facing mounting flange with a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolt holes positioned to receive respective engine mounting bolts therethrough and to attach the mounting flange to elements of the turbine engine. A curved, upstream-facing fastener shield cover is positioned in spaced-apart relation to the mounting flange for at least partially covering and separating an exposed, upstream-facing portion of the bolts from the fluid flow to thereby reduce drag and consequent heating of the bolts. A plurality of closely spaced-apart, spirally-oriented channels are formed in the fastener shield cover for deflecting the fluid flow impinging on the fastener shield cover, thereby increasing the tangential velocity and lowering the relative temperature of the fluid flow.

Abstract: A fastener shield for use in a fluid flow path within a gas turbine engine for reducing fluid drag and heating generated by fluid flow over a plurality of circumferentially spaced fasteners. The fastener shield has a radially-extending, downstream-facing mounting flange with a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolt holes positioned to receive respective engine mounting bolts therethrough and to attach the mounting flange to elements of the turbine engine. A curved, upstream-facing fastener shield cover is positioned in spaced-apart relation to the mounting flange for at least partially covering and separating an exposed, upstream-facing portion of the bolts from the fluid flow to thereby reduce drag and consequent heating of the bolts.

Abstract: A security system is configured to use a variable length encoding of a security identifier for segments of protected content material. In this system, a distinction is made between a “zero” information bit, and the “absence” of the information bit in a shorter information item. A conventional N-bit information encoding is encoded as a variable bit encoding, wherein the information encoding ranges from N?k bits to N+k bits. By distinguishing “zero” bits from “absent” bits, this variable bit encoding allows for 2N?k+2N?(k?1) . . . +2N . . . +2N+(k?1)+2N+k possible unique information values. Preferably, the number of bits used for each encoding of a segment of a data set is a random value, further adding to the complexity of creating a dictionary mapping for protected content material.

Abstract: A system and method determines the proximity of the target node to the source node from the time required to communicate messages within the node-verification protocol. The node-verification protocol includes a query-response sequence, wherein the source node communicates a query to the target node, and the target node communicates a corresponding response to the source node. The target node is configured to communicate two responses to the query: a first response that is transmitted immediately upon receipt of the query, and a second response based on the contents of the query. The communication time is determined based on the time duration between the transmission of the query and receipt of the first response at the source node and the second response is compared for correspondence to the query, to verify the authenticity of the target node.