Abstract: In a method for providing copy-protection services on a storage medium (for instance a solid state memory module), the data are arranged in sectors to which a field (S4T) is associated, where said field contains a random value Ri which is changed randomly when writing data to said sector. By encrypting the data stored on the medium using a key which depends critically on said random numbers, bit-by-bit copies (apart from said random numbers, which can not be deterministically changed by an application) to a second storage medium or recopies from some intermediate storage medium, can not be decrypted because the values of said random numbers will have changed, thus preventing unauthorized duplication and replay attacks.

Abstract: A method of acquiring repetitively broadcast data comprises acquiring the data in fragments, acquiring a document comprising information on the fragments, examining the information, and re-acquiring the fragments according to the information.

Abstract: In a method for providing copy-protection services on a storage medium (for instance a solid state memory module), the data are arranged in sectors to which a field (S4T) is associated, where said field contains a random value Ri which is changed randomly when writing data to said sector. By encrypting the data stored on the medium using a key which depends critically on said random numbers, bit-by-bit copies (apart from said random numbers, which can not be deterministically changed by an application) to a second storage medium or recopies from some intermediate storage medium, can not be decrypted because the values of said random numbers will have changed, thus preventing unauthorized duplication and replay attacks.

Abstract: A method, a device and a system of performing error correction of stream data on a data medium using an information file. The stream data can be AVI, MPEG and stream data with file offset. The data medium can be a DVD+RW, a SVCD or a memory. The method includes the steps of determining (100) whether an error exists in the stream data on the basis of the information file and the stream data; determining (200) a file offset of the error in the stream data on the basis of the information file and the stream data; determining (300) the size of erroneous data in the stream data on the basis of the information file and the stream data; and inserting (400) correction data in stream data. Clock references and characteristic points in the information file are used to link to file offsets in the stream data. Erroneous data is replaced by correction data at the file offset with the correct size. Replaced data can also be a flag or it can be decided to replace with dummy data.

Abstract: A system (100, 300) like a video on demand server has a storage medium (106) with a number of files (200) from which data can be fetched or in which data can be stored. A file contains a number of clusters (202, 204, 206) and each cluster contains a number of storage sectors (208) that are physically successively organized on the storage medium. When a new stream is requested, either for reading or writing, a block size (210) is determined for the new stream. The block size is large enough to support the rate of the stream and is chosen such that a cluster can be read with an integer number of blocks by evenly partitioning the size of the cluster into the size of the blocks reading the cluster.

Abstract: In a method and a device for reading and a method and a device for recording files on a sequential medium as well as the sequential medium itself, in order to enable the use of sequential write-once mediums, the file system descriptor pointing to a current version of a management information area, is recorded on a reserved track being located at the beginning of the volume. Thereby, the management information area is recorded at a location behind files being recorded onto the volume.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and devices for storing and reading data (5, 6) on a storage medium (17). In order to allow compatibility between different file systems (JAFS, UDF) data structures are stored in a first administrative area (10) as belonging to the first file system (JAFS) and a second administrative area (12) belonging to the second file system (UDF). Thus, a so-called bridge disc is achieved that may be read in the different file systems.

Abstract: Systems (112) that can play real-time audio and/or video often have strict timing constraints for reading, processing and playing the data. However, when data is corrupt or sectors from a data carrier (100) are incorrect, the system tries to recover from the corrupt data. In order to prevent that the corrupt data causes the system to miss its timing requirements, the current invention administrates the corrupt sectors of the data carrier (110, 114) and conceals the corrupt data from the application by returning predefined data instead of the corrupt data. Furthermore, the current invention maintains a mapping of logical file blocks to the corrupt sectors to prevent a drive from trying to read the corrupt data.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for reading user data stored block-wise in encrypted form on a storage medium (4), the storage of which is divided into blocks, to an apparatus for writing user data block-wise onto a storage medium (4) and to corresponding methods. In order to inform the apparatus for read or writing, respectively, on the intended use of said user data, particularly if the user data is stored on the storage medium in encrypted form to inform the apparatus for reading about the encryption key for encrypting the user data before writing it on the storage medium or to inform the apparatus for writing about the decryption key for decryption the read user data before outputting it, it is proposed according to the present invention to add a processing information to the read or write command specifying how to process the user data and to provide processing means for processing the user data according to said processing information, e.g.

Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing an ordered information unit, such as a TV program. The apparatus comprises a presentation unit (6) for generating a length display of the information unit on a display unit. The length display is divided in consecutive portions. A portion corresponds to a position in the information unit. The length display further comprises a marker. The apparatus further comprises a user operable input unit (8) for receiving commands to move the marker along the consecutive portions, means (10) for determining the portion at which the marker is located, and means (12) to enable reproduction of the information unit at the position indicated by the determined portion. A portion of the length display has at least one visual parameter. The visual parameter represents a parameter which is determined from at least a part of the information unit corresponding to said portion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for acquiring electronic program guide (EPG) data from a plurality of different EPG sources (120), and combining the acquired data to a single EPG (10). At regular intervals, EPG data is acquired from different sources (120), which may include the Internet (122), digital programming broadcasters, and teletext service providers (126). Equivalent program listings (40) within the acquired EPG data are identified, and the best information is selected from the equivalent program listings (40) to be included in the combined EPG (10). The present invention is able to identify equivalent program listings (40), even if the program titles are written in different languages or when the scheduled broadcast times differ to some extent. The resulting EPG (10) is more reliable and contains more information than any of the EPGs (10) associated with the original sources (120).

Abstract: Systems (112) that can play real-time audio and/or video often have strict timing constraints for reading, processing and playing the data. However, when data is corrupt or sectors from a data carrier (100) are incorrect, the system tries to recover from the corrupt data. In order to prevent that the corrupt data causes the system to miss its timing requirements, the current invention administrates the corrupt sectors of the data carrier (110, 114) and conceals the corrupt data from the application by returning predefined data instead of the corrupt data. Furthermore, the current invention maintains a mapping of logical file blocks to the corrupt sectors to prevent a drive from trying to read the corrupt data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for reading and a method and a device for recording files on a sequential medium as well as the sequential medium itself. In order to enable the use of sequential write-once mediums according to the invention the file system descriptor pointing to a current version of a management information area is recorded on a reserved track being located at the beginning of the volume. Thereby, the management information area is recorded at a location behind files being recorded onto the volume.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and devices for storing and reading data (5, 6) on a storage medium (17). In order to allow compatibility between different file systems (JAFS, UDF) data structures are stored in a first administrative area (10) as belonging to the first file system (JAFS) and a second administrative area (12) belonging to the second file system (UDF). Thus, a so-called bridge disc is achieved that may be read in the different file systems.

Abstract: A method of and module for allocating recording space on a recording medium for recording an entry of predetermined length, the recording medium having an associated directory (30), which directory (30) lists blocks specifying free space and previously recorded entries, the method comprising the steps of receiving a start position on the recording medium (21), determining with the aid of the directory (30) the consecutive blocks necessary for recording at least the entry of predetermined length, starting from the start position (22), displaying the directory (23) and indicating the consecutive blocks in the directory (24), for example, by a frame (31) around the consecutive blocks. The module may advantageously be included in a video recorder system (10) or another recorder system using recording media.

Abstract: A system (100, 300) like a video on demand server has a storage medium (106) with a number of files (200) from which data can be fetched or in which data can be stored. A file contains a number of clusters (202, 204, 206) and each cluster contains a number of storage sectors (208) that are physically successively organized on the storage medium. When a new stream is requested, either for reading or writing, a block size (210) is determined for the new stream. The block size is large enough to support the rate of the stream and is chosen such that a cluster can be read with an integer number of blocks by evenly partitioning the size of the cluster into the size of the blocks reading the cluster.