Abstract: A content distribution system (300) has access control according to a predefined data access format. The system has organizations (32) for providing content data and related meta data on record carriers (34), and a rendering device (39), and applications for manipulating the content data and related meta data. An access policy for the organization is set according to the predefined data access format, and has access parameters for controlling access to resources of the rendering device and to said content data and related meta data. An organization application (35) complying with the access policy of the organization for accessing said data is executed while accessing the resources of the rendering device according to the access policy of the organization. According to the invention a user access policy is maintained that restricts, for the organization application, access to the resources of the rendering device relative to the access policy of the organization.

Abstract: A system (300) has access control according to a predefined data access format. A studio (32) provides content data and related proprietary data on a record carrier (34) to be rendered by a rendering device (39). In the system, applications (35) are executed on the device for manipulating the content data and related proprietary data. An access policy is set for each studio that controls access to said content data and related proprietary data. A cross access policy is set for a virtual entity (42), and at least part of the proprietary data (43) is made available according to the cross access policy of the virtual entity. Also a cross studio application (41) is provided that complies with the access policy of the virtual entity for accessing said data.

Abstract: File comparing device includes a comparator for comparing a first and second content identifiers, of respective files, with each other. Each file having at least two content identifiers and each content identifier is defined by at least one parameter. In addition a selector is included for selecting, using the parameters of the content identifiers, sub-groups of content identifiers, to increase flexibilities. Calculators calculate functions of the values of the parameters and further comparators compare the functions with thresholds. Content identifiers may be defined by cost and accuracy parameters. Then, calculators calculate first functions of the values of the cost parameters and calculate second functions of the values of the accuracy parameters and further comparators compare the first functions with first thresholds and compare the second functions with second thresholds.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for defining entry points for a data stream, in particular a stream of audiovisual information. Entry points in the stream are defined at a predetermined interval. This may be a time interval, a byte interval or any other interval. It is an object of the invention to provide an entry point table having a limited size. This object is achieved by increasing the interval between entry points if the table exceeds a predetermined size. This size may be defined in bytes, in the number of entry points or even in the number of sub-tables. After redefinition of the interval between entry points, entry points are redefined. The invention also relates to an apparatus for defining the entry points and to a record carrier with a data stream incorporating entry points defined by the method according to the invention.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing a data processing device (9-11) with a data processing system (1) to which the data processing device (9-11) has an intermittent connection, includes determining a first context based on variable data (30). A second context, valid over a longer term than the first context, is determined based on further data (28). Both the first and the second context are used to control a synchronization process during which data is communicated between the data processing device (9-11) and the data processing system (1), and which results in at least one of them obtaining a target set of data (31,32,33). The target set of data is determined in such a way that its composition is based on both the first and the second context.

Abstract: A method of retrieving content data and instructional data from a storage medium includes providing a storage medium having content data and instructional data, the content data having a physical and logical format on the storage medium that is known to the instructional data, wherein the instructional data includes plug-in data and has a physical and logical format on the storage medium that is known to firmware of a storage medium reading device, and further wherein the physical and logical format of the content data on the storage medium is incompatible and unknown to the firmware of the storage medium reading device. The method further includes retrieving, via the firmware, the instructional data from a predefined position on the storage medium and retrieving, via the firmware in cooperation with the instructional data, the content data from the storage medium.

Abstract: A system (300) has access control according to a predefined data access format. A studio (32) provides content data and related proprietary data on a record carrier (34) to be rendered by a rendering device (39). In the system, applications (35) are executed on the device for manipulating the content data and related proprietary data. An access policy is set for each studio that controls access to said content data and related proprietary data. A cross access policy is set for a virtual entity (42), and at least part of the proprietary data (43) is made available according to the cross access policy of the virtual entity. Also a cross studio application (41) is provided that complies with the access policy of the virtual entity for accessing said data.

Abstract: A system (300), apparatus (200) and method (100) are provided to automatically play/suggest at least one audio accompaniment while a sequence of at least one digital image is being displayed such that the audio accompaniment matches the content of the particular sequence of images and matches any provided and/or generated image metadata. Search terms are derived from the images themselves as well as any metadata provided by the user and these search terms are then used to find audio accompaniment that either (1) contains these search terms or synonyms thereof in the image or associated text (e.g., song text) or (2) represents the sound normally associated with the images, such as rushing water sound for an image of a fast flowing brook. The invention accepts user input, locates appropriate audio accompaniment as search results and presents these results to the user either by playing the audio accompaniment while displaying the images or by suggesting a playlist to the user compiled from these results.

Abstract: A content distribution system (300) has access control according to a predefined data access format. A studio (32) provides content data and related proprietary data on a record carrier (34) to be rendered by a rendering device (39). In the system applications (35) are executed on the device for manipulating the content data and related proprietary data. An access policy is set for each studio that controls access to said content data and related proprietary data. According to the invention a cross access policy is set for a virtual entity (42), and at least part of the proprietary data (43) is made available according to the cross access policy of the virtual entity. Also a cross studio application (41) is provided that complies with the access policy of the virtual entity for accessing said data for enabling the rendering device, when rendering the record carrier, to execute the cross studio application for accessing, for a multitude of studios, said at least part of the proprietary data.

Abstract: Method for controlling the settings of each of a multitude of spotlights, such as light intensity, color and light beam direction, wherein a remote control is used for sending control signals to a control system comprising a multitude of control units for changing the settings of said multitude of spotlights to desired values, which control units are each associated with one of said multitude of spotlights, wherein said control units can change the settings of their associated spotlights to the desired values, wherein each of said multitude of spotlights is radiating a unique light signal which is superimposed on its light beam, wherein the remote control comprises a sensor for determining said unique light signal, wherein the remote control sends with said control signal a spotlight identifying signal associated with the determined unique light signal as determined at the time that the remote control is used, and wherein the control unit associated with said spotlight identifying signal reacts to the combine

Abstract: A booting procedure can take a long time and typically starts from a lead-in on a main data layer of an optical data disc. A Portable-Blue (PB) disc, a dual boot disc, includes a second data layer (304) from which application specific optical drives can boot directly. The dual boot disc still conforms to the prior art standard for PB for normal applications. The second boot (340) will cut in booting time for a specific application and will make application software small. is in particular relevant for gaming, for portable devices and relative specific applications.

Abstract: A personal communication apparatus is presented for generating a verifiable recording of a transaction, the transaction comprising an exchange of information. The apparatus includes a receiving component, a protection component, a memory and a recording component. The receiving component receives a transaction between a user of the apparatus and a remote person, and of receiving biometric data (BIOKY) of the remote person. The protection component protects the voice conversation with the biometric data (BIOKY). The recording component records the transaction protected with the biometric data on the memory. A communication apparatus is also presented that includes a memory and an authentication component. The authentication component provides access to a protected transaction stored on the memory.

Abstract: A universal memory device is presented that provides adaptability to existing hardware and software environments. The memory can “mimic” existing memory technology combining the advantages of integrating all memory capacity into one single technology and still providing the implicit protections and access characteristics known from the different existing memory technologies.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing a data processing device (9-11) with a data processing system (1) to which the data processing device (9-11) has an intermittent connection, includes determining a first context based on variable data (30). A second context, valid over a longer term than the first context, is determined based on further data (28). Both the first and the second context are used to control a synchronization process during which data is communicated between the data processing device (9-11) and the data processing system (1), and which results in at least one of them obtaining a target set of data (31,32,33). The target set of data is determined in such a way that its composition is based on both the first and the second context.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a record carrier, drive device and method of reading from or writing to the record carrier, wherein a predetermined navigation area (DN) is provided on said record carrier for storing at least one predetermined parameter specifying at least one of a logical format and an application format used on said record carrier. Thereby, a universal portable disc format can be provided, where a single disc can contain content in many formats from many different devices and all these content types can coexist. A clean separation of physical, logical and application level structures is thus possible without loosing any flexibility or ability of drive devices to maintain these structures.

Abstract: In a method of annotating a recording of at least one media signal (22,23), the recording relates to at least one time interval during which corresponding physical signals have been captured. The method includes augmenting the at least one media signal (22,23) with information (17) based on data (14-16) representative of values of at least one physical parameter in an environment at a physical location associated with the recording and pertaining at least partly to points in time outside the at least one time interval.

Abstract: A drive device and method of reading from or writing to a record carrier are provided, where data is input or output via an interface using a first format according to a first file system. In the drive device, the first format is mapped to a second format according to a second file system used on the record carrier. This allows using different storage technology with the same interface, such as using a hard-disc based Microdrive with a Compact Flash interface.

Abstract: Arrangements (1) comprising comparators (11) for comparing content identifiers with each other, such as audio/video fingerprints, unique identifiers, hash algorithms, cyclic redundancy checks, titles, names, durations, sizes, album names and artist names of files such as audio/video/data files, are provided with selectors (12) for selecting, 5 from groups of content identifiers, in dependence of values of parameters of the content identifiers, sub-groups of content identifiers, to increase flexibilities. Calculators (13) calculate functions of the values of the parameters and further comparators (14) compare the functions with thresholds. Content identifiers may be defined by cost and accuracy parameters. Then, calculators (13) calculate first functions of the values of the cost 10 parameters and calculate second functions of the values of the accuracy parameters and further comparators (14) compare the first functions with first thresholds and compare the second functions with second thresholds.

Abstract: The electronic device (21) for receiving product-related data comprises a memory (23) for storing a unique product identifier identifying a product selected from a database, a wireless transmitter (25), a wireless receiver (27) and a processor (29). The processor (29) performs a method comprising the steps of wirelessly transmitting a unique product identifier to be received by a nearby electronic device, the unique product identifier identifying a product selected from a database, and wirelessly receiving data related to said product from the nearby electronic device. The electronic device (31) for transmitting product-related data comprises a storage means (33) for storing a unique product identifier and data associated with the unique product identifier, a wireless transmitter (35), a wireless receiver (37) and a processor (39).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for performing digital rights management. The idea of the invention is that a master right associated with a content is stored at a first authorized device (211). An authorized device is a device which can be considered trusted and performs actions with contents according to the associated rights. These devices enforce rights that are bound to contents, and perform the security tasks of the DRM system employed. A subright is derived from the master right, which subright controls what type of access a second authorized device (261) is given to the associated content. Finally, the subright is distributed to the second authorized device, given that the second device complies with predetermined distribution criteria associated with the master right. The device distributing the subright authenticates the device which is to receive the subright, ensuring that the second device can be trusted.