Abstract: The communications means that are commonly provided for the remote control of electronic components are utilized to effect an exchange of parameters to facilitate a cryptographic key exchange. The bidirectional remote control transceivers, typically infrared transceivers, that are commonly used to communicate commands from the remote control device and to communicate feedback to the remote control device are configured to communicate parameters between a pair of consumer devices that are controllable by the remote control device. In a preferred embodiment of this invention the remote control device contains the control means to effect the transfer of these parameters between the consumer devices.

Abstract: A check-in/check-out system (100) and method creates limited-duration copies of protected content material (101). The system is configured to allow up-to-N contemporaneous copies (102) of the protected content material. A log (110) maintains a record of the copies currently outstanding, and their expiration times, after which time a conforming rendering device will cease to render the material of this expired copy. When a copy is returned, the entry in the log is deleted (270). If a copy is not returned to the system (100) before its expiration time, the system is configure to also delete its entry from the log (201), thereby allowing another copy to be made (250) to replace the expired copy, even though the expired copy has not been returned.

Abstract: A number of data items are selected for inclusion in a data set so as to discourage a transmission of the entire set over a limited bandwidth communications path, such as the Internet. The data set includes an entirety parameter that is used to determine whether the entirety of the data set is present. In a preferred embodiment, the entirety parameter is a hash value that is based on watermarks of each data item. When presented for rendering, the watermarks of the data items in the presented material are read and a hash value based on the presented watermarks is computed. A mis-match between the computed hash value and the entirety hash value contained in the data set indicates that less than the entirety of the data set is being presented, and the rendering is prohibited.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for attacking a screening algorithm. The methods include the steps of marking content to be downloaded, inserting at least one section of legitimate content into the marked content, and subjecting the content to a screening algorithm. The screening algorithm may include the steps of determining a number of segments that are included within the content, selecting at least two segments within the content, screening the two segments to determine whether the two segments verify correctly through the screening algorithm, and downloading the content when it is determined that the two segments verify correctly through the screening algorithm. Once the content has been successfully downloaded, the integrity of the downloaded content may be restored by removing the legitimate content that was previously inserted into the downloaded content.

Abstract: A plasma reactor including a first dielectric having at least one slot defined therethrough, and a segmented electrode including a plurality of electrode segments, each electrode segment is disposed proximate an associated slot. Each electrode segment may be formed in different shapes, for example, a plate, bar, rim, or plug. The electrode segment may be hollow, solid, or made from a porous material. The reactor may include a second electrode and dielectric with the first and second dielectrics separated by a predetermined distance to form a channel therebetween into which the plasma exiting from the slots defined in the first dielectric is discharged. The fluid to be treated is passed through the channel and exposed to the plasma discharge. If the electrode segment is hollow or made of a porous material, then the fluid/gas to be treated may be fed into the slots defined in the first dielectric and exposed therein to the maximum plasma density.

Abstract: To overcome a watermark security system that is based on a limited set of possible watermark values, a collection of authentic watermarked material is created, and a substitution system provides material from this collection in lieu of the content material that the watermark verification system is intended to verify. In security systems that are designed to verify the existence of authentic watermarked material, without regard to the actual content of the material, this substitution scheme will be successful. In security systems that are designed to verify the existence of an entirety of a data set in order to authorize the presentation of select material from the data set, the substitution of authentic watermarked material for the non-selected material will also be successful. A dictionary of expected watermarks for the data set is provided.

Abstract: A copy protection system for protecting content wherein a ticket and a watermark are created, utilizing a first time reference (TD) and a one-way function, to indicate the copy protection status of the content. A source device produces the ticket and watermark using a first time reference and a hashing function. The source device provides a data stream containing the content, the ticket, the watermark, and the first time reference (TD) to the receiver device. The receiver device determines if the first time reference (TD) is contained within a time window determined by a second time reference. When, the first time reference (TD) is contained within the time window, the receiver compares the ticket to the watermark using the first time reference (TD) and the one-way function, and based on the comparison, produces a signal indicating the copy protection status of the content.

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: The private and public keys of users, as encrypted with a symmetric algorithm by using individual user identifying keys are stored at a network server, indexed or addressable by user ID, and are sent to the user equipment only when needed. The user identifying keys are determined by hashing the users' respective passphrases or biometric information. After use, the private key and user identifying key are not retained at the user equipment. The encrypted private key is transmitted via the network to the user equipment along with a document to be approved by the user (in the case where the private key is used for digital signature) and, at the user equipment, the received encrypted private key is decrypted using a key determined at the user equipment by hashing either the user's passphrase, which is entered by the user, or the user's biometric information which is obtained by measurement or scanning the user.

Abstract: A device (10) for recording content onto a medium (14) includes a processor (22) which is configured to read a first code (16) embedded in the medium (14), a second code embedded in a memory (12) of the recording device (10), and a third code embedded in the content (18). The processor (22) compares the three codes and allows recordation of the content (18) onto the medium (14) when the three codes are identical. The three codes are region codes indicative of the region of broadcast of the content (18), the broadcast time or the time zone of the region of broadcast. The recording device (10) prevents recordation when a content code included in the content (18) does not match the other two codes or their difference is greater than a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A device and method for detecting the presence of living organisms in a structure or behind a wall or partition utilizes a plurality of transceivers, each of which generates 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 system and method facilitates a determination of proximity between nodes based on the communication time between the node. A source node communicates a query, or “ping”, to a target node. The target node is configured to automatically send a response to the sender of such a query. The communication time is determined based on the time duration between the transmission of the query and receipt of the response at the source node. The communication time is compared to a threshold value to determine whether the target node is local or remote relative to the source node.

Abstract: A sufficient number of data items are selected for inclusion in a data set so as to discourage a transmission of the entire set over a limited bandwidth communications path, such as the Internet. Each data item comprises one or more sections, which taken together constitute the complete data set. Each section of the data set is linked to another section of the data set, and each section's link is bound to the section via the use of one or more watermarks. Upon presentation of material for rendering, the presence of the entirety of the data set is verified by ascertaining the presence of linked-to sections. For further security, the links between sections is formed by a random selection of each linked-to section. To verify that each linked-to section corresponds to the original section that was linked-to, each link contains an identifier of the linked-to section that can be used to determine that a retrieval of a linked-to section corresponds to the originally assigned linked-to section.

Abstract: A copyright protection system for protecting content wherein a time dependent ticket is calculated at a source device by combining a checkpoint with a ticket. The checkpoint is transmitted from a display device to the source device prior to the source device transmitting watermarked content to the display device. The checkpoint is also stored at the display device. Thereafter, the source device transmits, to the display device, watermarked content, the ticket, and the time dependent ticket. At the display device, the stored checkpoint is compared to a current count of a local clock that was utilized for producing the checkpoint. If the stored checkpoint is within a window of time of the local clock, then the stored checkpoint is combined with the ticket in the same way that the checkpoint is combined with the ticket at the source device.

Abstract: Copy-protected content material is screened for an indication of the availability of an enhanced version of a screening system and forcing an upgrade to the advanced screening system by refusing to process the copy-protected content material until the upgrade is preformed. When security standards change, and corresponding security techniques are available for downloading to existing consumer devices, newly published content material will contain an indication to that effect. When the newly published content material is processed by an existing consumer device, the consumer device will detect this indication of an available update, and will prevent the processing of this newly published content material until the update is received. In this manner, a phased approach to enhanced security can be effected.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for random number generation, including a plurality of cross- connected latches 210, 215, 220, 225, providing at least two latch outputs (latch1, latch0) is provided. At least one input of one latch 210, 215, 220, 225 of the plurality of latches being driven by a clock signal 100. A first XOR 261 receives the at least two latch outputs (latch0, latch1) as an input, and generates a mistake signal “E” when its inputs do not match from the at least two latch outputs(latch0, latch1) being at different logic states. Te mistake signal is compared with a previously stored mistake signal by a second XOR 265 to determine whether to obtain a random bit from a pseudo random stream of bits.

Abstract: A usage-limit is associated with each copy of copy-protected material. A conforming playback device determines how much usage has been made of the copy, and only plays the copy-protected material if the usage is within the associated usage-limit of the copy. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the providing source of the copy contains a total-usage-measure that is allocated among each of the provided copies of the copy-protected material, thereby allowing for more than one copy of the copy-protected material to be produced, or “checked-out” from the providing source. When a copy of the copy-protected material is subsequently returned, or “checked-in” to the providing source, the usage allocation associated with this copy is returned to the total-usage-value. In this manner, if a particular copy, of the copy-protected material is lost, damaged, or misplaced, the loss of value to the purchaser is merely a reduction in the available total-usage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing stereoscopic 3-D images for monoscopic 3-D data including an automated method and apparatus for converting input monoscopic 3-D graphical data to stereoscopic 3-D images. The method includes extrapolating a left stereo image and a right stereo image to minimize distortion in the final 3-D stereoscopic image which is independent of the video display hardware used for viewing the images and thus can be used with various display systems without modification. The method and apparatus may also be used with or without glasses (using an auto-stereoscopic display) for providing realistic 3-D images.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for secure distribution of music and other types of content. The invention allows content to be registered with a centralized trusted registration authority (TRA) in such a way that it can be distributed anonymously, such that the identity of the content provider need not be disclosed until a dispute arises. A first illustrative embodiment of the invention provides unbound rights management, i.e., secure registration of content such that usage rights for the content are not bound to the content itself. In this embodiment, distributed content is not protected by encryption, i.e., confidentiality of content is not provided. However, the content is protected against piracy, due to the fact that the content provider is certified by the TRA, and thus can be traced or otherwise identified in the event that irregularities are detected. Since the usage rights are not bound to the content, the content provider can change the usage rights after the content has been registered with the TRA.

Abstract: A usage-limit is associated with each copy of copy-protected material. A conforming playback device determines how much usage has been made of the copy, and only plays the copy-protected material if the usage is within the associated usage-limit of the copy. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the providing source of the copy contains a total-usage-measure that is allocated among each of the provided copies of the copy-protected material, thereby allowing for more than one copy of the copy-protected material to be produced, or “checked-out” from the providing source. When a copy of the copy-protected material is subsequently returned, or “checked-in” to the providing source, the usage allocation associated with this copy is returned to the total-usage-value. In this manner, if a particular copy of the copy-protected material is lost, damaged, or misplaced, the loss of value to the purchaser is merely a reduction in the available total-usage.