Apparatus, method and computer program product for protecting copyright data within a computer system

Apparatus for processing a data stream within a computer system having a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to receive the data stream, said apparatus comprising:

• encryption means within the CPU for encrypting identified copyright data within the data stream to produce therefrom encrypted data;
• means for transferring the encrypted data from the central processing unit to a structure of the computer system coupled thereto, wherein said copyright data is only transferred from the central processing unit as said encrypted data;
• and
• decryption means coupled to said structure receiving the encrypted data, said decryption means comprising means for decrypting the encrypted data.

A method for processing a scrambled data stream within a computer system having a central processing unit and a structure coupled thereto, said method comprising:

• (a) receiving the scrambled data stream at the central processing unit (CPU);
• (b) descrambling the scrambled data stream within a module executing on the central processing unit to produce clear data;
• (c) re-encrypting the clear data within the central processing unit, said re-encrypting producing at least partially encrypted data;
• (d) subsequent to said re-encrypting, transferring the at least partially encrypted data from the central processing unit to a second structure of the computer system, said second structure being coupled to the central processing unit;
• and
• (e) subsequent to said transferring, retrieving and decrypting the at least partially encrypted data to produce clear data, wherein said clear data is unexposed when transferred from the central processing unit to the structure coupled thereto, while said descrambling occurs within the module executing on the central processing unit, and wherein the scrambled data stream is produced from a different encryption algorithm than employed by said re-encrypting (c) to produce said at least partially encrypted data.

A method for processing a data stream within a computer system having a central processing unit and a structure outside the central processing unit coupled thereto, said method comprising:

• (a) receiving the data stream at the central processing unit (CPU);
• (b) encrypting identified copyright data within the data stream to produce encrypted data;
• (c) subsequent to said encrypting (b), transferring the encrypted data from the central processing unit to the structure coupled thereto, wherein said copyright data is only transferred from the central processing unit as said encrypted data;
• and
• (d) retrieving the encrypted data from the structure coupled to the CPU and decrypting the encrypted data to produce clear data, said decrypting occurring after transfer of the encrypted data to the structure outside the central processing unit, wherein said clear data is unexposed within the computer system when transferred between the central processing unit and the structure coupled thereto.

A computer program producing comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means therein for use in processing a scrambled data stream within a computer system having a central processing unit and a structure coupled thereto, said computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising:

• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to affect receiving of the scrambled data stream at the central processing unit and for descrambling the scrambled data stream within the central processing unit to produce clear data, and for re-encrypting the clear data within the central processing unit to produce at least partially encrypted data;
• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to affect transferring of said at least partially encrypted data from the central processing unit to the structure coupled thereto;
• and
• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to affect retrieving of the at least partially encrypted data from the structure coupled to the CPU and for decrypting the at least partially encrypted data, said decrypting producing clear data, wherein said clear data is unexposed when transferred from the central processing unit to the structure coupled thereto, while said descrambling occurs within the central processing unit.

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means therein for use in processing a data stream within a computer system having a central processing unit and a structure outside the central processing unit coupled thereto, said computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising:

• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to affect receiving of the data stream at the central processing unit and encrypting of identified copyright data within the data stream to produce encrypted data;
• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to affect transferring of the encrypted data from the central processing unit to the structure outside the central processing unit;
• and
• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to affect retrieving and decrypting of the encrypted data after transfer to the structure outside the central processing unit, wherein clear data is unexposed within the computer system when transferred between the central processing unit and the structure coupled thereto.