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US 2004/0019797 A1Published application
Ensuring the copy protection of digital data
AssigneeMacrovision Corporation
InventorStephen Nigel Brown
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMacrovision Corporation
InventorStephen Nigel Brown
Estimating the term…
When digital data is to be copy protected at a processing station, for example, prior to its encoding and recording onto an optical disc, it is necessary to control a compliant encoder to utilise copy protection files to perform the copy protection routine. To ensure that the digital data is reliably copy protected, predetermined noise signals are incorporated into the digital data and the processing steps which add the copy protection are additionally caused to remove the noise signals. By this means, if the digital data is not copy protected, the noise signals remain. This enables non-copy protected digital data to be readily identified and ensures that it is effectively unusable to a consumer.
A method of ensuring digital data is copy protected, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of ensuring digital data is copy protected as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the processed digital data output from the processing station is to be recorded onto an optical disc.
A method of ensuring digital data is copy protected as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising the steps of reading or playing the processed digital data output from the processing station to check that the predetermined noise signals have been removed.
A method of ensuring digital data is copy protected as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the predetermined noise signals have been incorporated in the input data by a publisher or compiler, the input data with the added predetermined noise signals being delivered subsequently to the processing station.
A method of ensuring digital data is copy protected as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising the steps of providing to the processing station identification of the locations of the predetermined noise signals, and removing or restoring the data at each identified location.
A method of ensuring digital data is copy protected as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the predetermined noise signals comprise erroneous values which are added into the input data in the digital domain at preselected locations.
A method of ensuring digital data is copy protected as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein impulses are superimposed onto the input data in the analog domain at preselected locations.
A method of ensuring digital data is copy protected as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the predetermined noise signals are arranged to carry information.
Apparatus for copy protecting input data comprising a processing station arranged to receive input data and to output processed digital data, said apparatus being arranged to perform a method as claimed in any preceding claim.
An executable application file arranged to ensure digital data is copy protected, the application file comprising:
An executable application file arranged to ensure that digital data is copy protected, the application file comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.