Abstract: Selection and presentation of media streams, in which presentation is not limited by order imposed by the digital content representative of those media streams, in response to bookmarks and watchpoints settable and usable by a user. Bookmarks reference a location within the media stream, not necessarily pre-selected and possibly dynamically selected, in which a presentation can be started or restarted therefrom. Watchpoints reference a location within the media stream, or a presentation state for the media stream, in which an action can be triggered thereby. Bookmarks and watchpoints provide a general technique for presenting selections from media streams in response to metadata.

Abstract: Selection and presentation of media streams, in which presentation is not limited by order imposed by the digital content representative of those media streams, in response to bookmarks and watchpoints settable and usable by a user. Bookmarks reference a location within the media stream, not necessarily pre-selected and possibly dynamically selected, in which a presentation can be started or restarted therefrom. Watchpoints reference a location within the media stream, or a presentation state for the media stream, in which an action can be triggered thereby. Bookmarks and watchpoints provide a general technique for presenting selections from media streams in response to metadata.

Abstract: Selection and presentation of media streams, in which presentation is not limited by order imposed by the digital content representative of those media streams, in response to bookmarks and watchpoints settable and usable by a user. Bookmarks reference a location within the media stream, not necessarily pre-selected and possibly dynamically selected, in which a presentation can be started or restarted therefrom. Watchpoints reference a location within the media stream, or a presentation state for the media stream, in which an action can be triggered thereby. Bookmarks and watchpoints provide a general technique for presenting selections from media streams in response to metadata.

Abstract: Selection and presentation of media streams, in which presentation is not limited by order imposed by the digital content representative of those media streams, in response to bookmarks and watchpoints settable and usable by a user. Bookmarks reference a location within the media stream, not necessarily pre-selected and possibly dynamically selected, in which a presentation can be started or restarted therefrom. Watchpoints reference a location within the media stream, or a presentation state for the media stream, in which an action can be triggered thereby. Bookmarks and watchpoints provide a general technique for presenting selections from media streams in response to metadata.

Abstract: Secure presentation of media streams includes encoding the media streams into digital content, encrypting a portion of that digital content, the portion being required for presentation, in which the encrypted version is substantially unchanged in formatting parameters from the clear version of the digital content. Selecting those portions for encryption so there is no change in distribution of the media stream: packetization of the digital data, or synchronization of audio with video portions of the media stream. When encoding the media stream into MPEG-2, refraining from encrypting information by which the video block data is described, packet formatting information, and encrypting the video block data using a block-substitution cipher. A block-substitution cipher can be used to encrypt each sequence of 16 bytes of video data in each packet, possibly leaving as many as 15 bytes of video data in each packet in the clear.

Abstract: A method of embedding information in digital content representing media streams. The method includes (1) selecting a set of locations within that digital content reprensenting the media stream to embed information, (2) selecting a set of possible alterations to make at those locations, and (3) making a subset of the possible alterations. The set of locations and possible alterations is herein sometimes called a “watermark.” The subset of actual alterations that are made is herein sometimes called a “fingerprint.” The method determines a set of locations at which there are alternative versions of digital content representing the same media stream, such as one being the original and one being an alternative version of the same digital content, herein sometimes called the “original movie” and the “alt-movie,” or herein sometimes called the “original block” and the “alt-block” for a particular block in the digital content representing the media stream.

Abstract: Integrating content into a storage system with substantially immediate access to that content. Providing high reliability and relatively easy operation with a storage system using redundant information for error correction. Having the storage system perform a “virtual write,” including substantially all steps associated with writing to the media to be integrated, except for the step of actually writing data to that media, including rewriting information relating to used disk blocks, and including rewriting any redundant information maintained by the storage system. Integrating the new physical media into the storage system, including accessing content already present on that media, free space already present on that media, and reading and writing that media. Recovering from errors during integration.

Abstract: Selection and presentation of media streams, in which presentation is not limited by order imposed by the digital content representative of those media streams, in response to bookmarks and watchpoints settable and usable by a user. Bookmarks reference a location within the media stream, not necessarily pre-selected and possibly dynamically selected, in which a presentation can be started or restarted therefrom. Watchpoints reference a location within the media stream, or a presentation state for the media stream, in which an action can be triggered thereby. Bookmarks and watchpoints provide a general technique for presenting selections from media streams in response to metadata.

Abstract: A method of embedding information in digital content representing media streams. The method includes (1) selecting a set of locations within that digital content representing the media stream to embed information, (2) selecting a set of possible alterations to make at those locations, and (3) making a subset of the possible alterations. The set of locations and possible alterations is herein sometimes called a “watermark.” The subset of actual alterations that are made is herein sometimes called a “fingerprint.” The method determines a set of locations at which there are alternative versions of digital content representing the same media stream, such as one being the original and one being an alternative version of the same digital content, herein sometimes called the “original movie” and the “alt-movie,” or herein sometimes called the “original block” and the “alt-block” for a particular block in the digital content representing the media stream.

Abstract: Secure presentation of media streams includes encoding the media streams into digital content, encrypting a portion of that digital content, the portion being required for presentation, in which the encrypted version is substantially unchanged in formatting parameters from the clear version of the digital content. Selecting those portions for encryption so there is no change in distribution of the media stream: packetization of the digital data, or synchronization of audio with video portions of the media stream. When encoding the media stream into MPEG-2, refraining from encrypting information by which the video block data is described, packet formatting information, and encrypting the video block data using a block-substitution cipher. A block-substitution cipher can be used to encrypt each sequence of 16 bytes of video data in each packet, possibly leaving as many as 15 bytes of video data in each packet in the clear.

Abstract: Secure presentation of media streams includes encoding the media streams into digital content, encrypting a portion of that digital content, the portion being required for presentation, in which the encrypted version is substantially unchanged in formatting parameters from the clear version of the digital content. Selecting those portions for encryption so there is no change in distribution of the media stream: packetization of the digital data, or synchronization of audio with video portions of the media stream. When encoding the media stream into MPEG-2, refraining from encrypting information by which the video block data is described, packet formatting information, and encrypting the video block data using a block-substitution cipher. A block-substitution cipher can be used to encrypt each sequence of 16 bytes of video data in each packet, possibly leaving as many as 15 bytes of video data in each packet in the clear.

Abstract: Integrating content into a storage system with substantially immediate access to that content. Providing high reliability and relatively easy operation with a storage system using redundant information for error correction. Having the storage system perform a “virtual write,” including substantially all steps associated with writing to the media to be integrated, except for the step of actually writing data to that media, including rewriting information relating to used disk blocks, and including rewriting any redundant information maintained by the storage system. Integrating the new physical media into the storage system, including accessing content already present on that media, free space already present on that media, and reading and writing that media. Recovering from errors during integration.

Abstract: Distributing information, including the steps of watermarking the digital content, distributing the digital content using a multi-source system, and partially fingerprinting digital content at each stage of moving information from a point of origin to the viewer. “Adaptation” of the digital content to the recipient includes maintaining the digital content in encrypted form at each such intermediate device, including decrypting the digital content with a key unique to both the device and the specific movie, selecting a portion of the watermark locations into which to embed information, embedding fingerprinting information into those locations sufficient to identify the recipient, and encrypting the fingerprinted digital content with a new such key.

Abstract: Distributing information, including the steps of watermarking the digital content, distributing the digital content using a multi-source system, and partially fingerprinting digital content at each stage of moving information from a point of origin to the viewer. “Adaptation” of the digital content to the recipient includes maintaining the digital content in encrypted form at each such intermediate device, including decrypting the digital content with a key unique to both the device and the specific movie, selecting a portion of the watermark locations into which to embed information, embedding fingerprinting information into those locations sufficient to identify the recipient, and encrypting the fingerprinted digital content with a new such key.

Abstract: Integrating content into a storage system with substantially immediate access to that content. Providing high reliability and relatively easy operation with a storage system using redundant information for error correction. Having the storage system perform a “virtual write,” including substantially all steps associated with writing to the media to be integrated, except for the step of actually writing data to that media, including rewriting information relating to used disk blocks, and including rewriting any redundant information maintained by the storage system. Integrating the new physical media into the storage system, including accessing content already present on that media, free space already present on that media, and reading and writing that media. Recovering from errors during integration.

Abstract: Integrating content into a storage system with substantially immediate access to that content. Providing high reliability and relatively easy operation with a storage system using redundant information for error correction. Having the storage system perform a “virtual write,” including substantially all steps associated with writing to the media to be integrated, except for the step of actually writing data to that media, including rewriting information relating to used disk blocks, and including rewriting any redundant information maintained by the storage system. Integrating the new physical media into the storage system, including accessing content already present on that media, free space already present on that media, and reading and writing that media. Recovering from errors during integration.

Abstract: A method of embedding information in digital content representing media streams. The method includes (1) selecting a set of locations within that digital content reprensenting the media stream to embed information, (2) selecting a set of possible alterations to make at those locations, and (3) making a subset of the possible alterations. The set of locations and possible alterations is herein sometimes called a “watermark.” The subset of actual alterations that are made is herein sometimes called a “fingerprint.” The method determines a set of locations at which there are alternative versions of digital content representing the same media stream, such as one being the original and one being an alternative version of the same digital content, herein sometimes called the “original movie” and the “alt-movie,” or herein sometimes called the “original block” and the “alt-block” for a particular block in the digital content representing the media stream.

Abstract: Distributing information, including the steps of watermarking the digital content, distributing the digital content using a multi-source system, and partially fingerprinting digital content at each stage of moving information from a point of origin to the viewer. “Adaptation” of the digital content to the recipient includes maintaining the digital content in encrypted form at each such intermediate device, including decrypting the digital content with a key unique to both the device and the specific movie, selecting a portion of the watermark locations into which to embed information, embedding fingerprinting information into those locations sufficient to identify the recipient, and encrypting the fingerprinted digital content with a new such key.

Abstract: A method of embedding information in digital content representing media streams. The method includes (1) selecting a set of locations within that digital content reprensenting the media stream to embed information, (2) selecting a set of possible alterations to make at those locations, and (3) making a subset of the possible alterations. The set of locations and possible alterations is herein sometimes called a “watermark.” The subset of actual alterations that are made is herein sometimes called a “fingerprint.” The method determines a set of locations at which there are alternative versions of digital content representing the same media stream, such as one being the original and one being an alternative version of the same digital content, herein sometimes called the “original movie” and the “alt-movie,” or herein sometimes called the “original block” and the “alt-block” for a particular block in the digital content representing the media stream.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for operating multiple communicating caches. Between caches, unnecessary transmission of repeated information is substantially reduced. Each cache maintains information to improve the collective operation of the system of multiple communicating caches. This can include information about the likely contents of each other cache, or about the behavior of client devices or server devices coupled to other caches in the system. Pairs of communicating caches substantially compress transmitted information. This includes both reliable compression, in which the receiving cache can reliably identify the compressed information in response to the message, and unreliable compression, in which the receiving cache will sometimes be unable to identify the compressed information. A first cache refrains from unnecessarily transmitting the same information to a second cache when each already has a copy.