Abstract: A surveillance tag apparatus for goods of varying size and shape comprising a lanyard, a housing and a pawl. The lanyard includes a flexible, elongated body having parallel ridges across at least one side, the body ending in one stop member. The housing includes an inner surface defining an internal chamber and an outer surface defining a pair of lanyard receiving passages. The first passage of the pair receives the body and abuts the stop member before securing the lanyard to a good and the second passage receives the body after. The housing defines at least one aperture connecting the internal chamber and second passage. The pawl is positioned within the internal chamber and includes at least one protrusion through at least one aperture into the second passage to engage at least one parallel ridge when the lanyard is secured to the good, thereby inhibiting removal of the lanyard.

Abstract: Super distribution of protected digital content is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the invention previously purchased encrypted digital content is received from a purchaser of the digital content. The purchaser of the previously purchased encrypted digital content is different from the recipient of the encrypted digital content. A secure transmission is established with an authorization authority for decrypting the content. A first decryption key for decrypting at least part of the previously purchased encrypted content as permitted by the authorization authority is received from the authorization authority. The at least part of the previously purchased encrypted content is decrypted as permitted by the authorization authority.

Abstract: A method on an end user system for creating additional copies onto at least one computer readable medium such as CDs, DVDs, ZipDisks™, tape, Flash memory, and RAM. The method comprising the steps of: receiving encrypted content with associated usage conditions and a first hash value; receiving a selection from an end user to create at least one copy of the-encrypted content onto at least one computer readable medium; sending a request to an online electronic store of the encrypted content selected to be copied; receiving from the electronic store a description of the content selected to be copied along with a second hash value; and determining if the first hash value received is identical to the second hash value and if the first hash and the second hash value is identical authorizing the creating additional copies onto at least one computer readable medium.

Abstract: A storage case (10) or receptacle used to secure discs (e.g., CDs or DVDs) used in rental or purchase applications includes a housing (H) and a releasable locking assembly (40) that securely retains a disc (16) within the housing. The housing includes two housing portions (12, 14) that are sized and shaped to cover at least an entire surface of the disc and are arranged to substantially enclose the disc when in a closed position. The locking assembly preferably comprises a pin and clutch arrangement in which the pin or rod (34) passes through a pre-existing aperture in the disc, but may alternatively be of any type in which one member is inserted into another member to securely retain the disc within the housing. In another embodiment, one of the housing portions (12) includes a recess (201) and/or a collar (205) to further inhibit unauthorized access to the pin.

Abstract: A method for permitting the electronic delivery of digital content. Metadata is acquired which has been previously associated with content. Promotional metadata is extracted for use with a electronic store. At least one of the metadata is altered to create offer data. And at least one of the metadata is altered to create transaction data. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a computer readable medium is described to carry out the above method.

Abstract: A software intelligent Agent, and rules provided thereto by a user, screen and process data objects, for example an e-mail message, in accordance with said rules. Actions taken by the Agent to process a data object in accordance with rules associated with the object are entered into an activity record and the activity record is injected into the body of the data object, for example pre-pended into an e-mail message as the first body part of the message. This obviates the need for a user to remember the rules or to remember what actions were taken by the Agent.

Abstract: A method and system for preventing routing maelstrom loops of automatically routed electronic mail which is operational with intelligent agents and computer-processor hardware components, and includes a software based solution comprising a processor readable code of instructions. The code of instructions generally comprise a routine for tagging processed e-mail message with a system generated special identifying tag revealing each source subscriber, a routine for ascertaining whether a received message intended for automatic routing contains any special tag and a corresponding routine for deciding whether any of the special tags contain the current source subscriber's identification before exercising any routing rules against the message. If the subscriber's ID is listed in the particular e-mail being routed, then the system of the invention determines that a complete loop has been made and terminates further transmission since the next target subscriber has already received the message.