Abstract: A method of preventing reduction of sales amount of records due to a digital music file illegally distributed through a communication network is disclosed. The method comprises a)collecting an illegally produced digital music file, which is derived from a record of a cooperating record corporation by searching the network, b)encrypting the collected digital music file with a predetermined key; and c)redistributing the encrypted digital music file through the network. According to present invention, the method collects the illegally produced(or reproduced) digital music file that is shared and distributed through the network, encrypts the collected music file, and enables only users having a private key to use the digital music files, thus inducing the users habitually using the digital music files to use them after paying a justifiable fee and being assigned the encryption key, and to purchase the formal record.

Abstract: The disclosure describes methods for using digital watermarking to authenticate digital media signals, such as images, audio and video signals. It also describes techniques for using embedded watermarks to repair altered parts of a media signal when alteration is detected. Alteration is detected using hashes, digital watermarks, and a combination of hashes and digital watermarks.

Abstract: Media content, such as imagery (including video) and audio, can be encoded to convey hidden information (steganographic encoding) for a variety of purposes, including communication of auxiliary information (e.g., copyright data), authentication, tamper detection, forensic tracking, etc. The reading (decoding) of the hidden information from the media content is complicated if the content has been corrupted in some manner. One example of corruption is the lossy compression/decompression associated with JPEG processing of digital imagery. In some cases, the corruption introduces errors in the decoding. In other cases, the corruption prevents the hidden information from being decoded at all. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, reliable decoding of steganographically encoded information is enhanced by processing the corrupted media content so as to counteract some of the corruption.

Abstract: Encoded data that is obtained by embedding subdata in advertisement information and embedding the subdata-embedded advertisement information in main data is provided to a user. At the user side, the encoded data is decoded to reproduce the main data and the subdata-embedded advertisement information, and the subdata-embedded advertisement information is decoded to reproduce the advertisement information and the subdata embedded therein.

Abstract: This application relates to a system and method for distributing title data on demand. An embodiment of the system comprises a service bureau that captures a plurality of title data. The service bureau may include an encryption device that encrypts the title data and that provides encrypted title data and a corresponding decryption key. The system may also include an entry portal. The entry portal and the service bureau may be coupled to a communications network. The entry portal allows the customer to select and order the title data and provides information to the customer that will allow selection of the title data. The system also may include a storage facility that may also be coupled to the communication network, and that stores the encrypted title data and decryption key.

Abstract: A security document processing apparatus is provided having a feed path for receiving documents and at least one imaging assembly for capturing image data from documents received in the apparatus. The apparatus may include a material detection imaging assembly for detecting the material composition of certain materials on documents received in the apparatus. The material detection imaging assembly may detect material on a document by detecting transmissivity characteristics, or by sensing radiation emission characteristics of a document in the case received documents are of a type including radiation wavelength sensitive additives incorporated therein.

Abstract: A method for providing authentication, authorization and access control of software object residing in digital set-top terminals creates a fingerprint (“signature”) for each software object, associates each fingerprint with a service tier, encodes each association and creates an association table containing the information and downloads the association table to the digital set-top terminal. In addition, the method utilizes an entitlement management message, sent to each set-top terminal, indicating what software objects the set-top terminal may utilize, and provides a system routine at the digital set-top terminal that is invoked whenever software object is about to be utilized. The entitlement management message contains the access rights given to a particular set-top terminal, which must match the software object's access requirements for the software object to be utilized.

Abstract: A transaction processing system includes a broadcasting station broadcasting a television signal and a teletext signal, the teletext signal including service information concerning transactions, a home-use terminal, a television set connected to the home-use terminal, a transaction processing center, and a communications network connecting the home-use terminal and the transaction processing center to each other.