Method and apparatus for controlling the use of data stored on a media sample

A system for controlling the use of data stored on a non-transitory media sample, comprising:

• a creation module incorporated in a consumer operable appliance to create a first media sample identifier from media sample characteristics that are derived from measurements of inherent physical, optical, electrical, or magnetic irregularities of the non-transitory media sample that are not correlated with the data stored on the non-transitory media sample, the consumer operable appliance being located at the point of data use and the first media sample identifier uniquely identifying the non-transitory media sample based on the media sample characteristics;
• a storage module located on a server at a different location than the point of data use for storing one or more second media sample identifiers created by consumer operable appliances each respective second media sample identifier of the one or more second media sample identifiers uniquely identifying a respective second non-transitory media sample from which it was created based on media sample characteristics derived from measurements of inherent physical, optical, electrical, or magnetic irregularities of the respective second non-transitory media sample that are not correlated with data stored on the respective second non-transitory media sample;
• a comparison module located on the server for comparing the first media sample identifier with the one or more second media sample identifiers and generating data use control information based on the one or more comparisons;
• and
• a control module incorporated in the consumer operable appliance for controlling the use of the data on the consumer operable appliance in response to receipt of the data use control information.

A method of controlling execution of a process by a programmable processor interconnected with a non-transitory integrated circuit sample comprising steps of:

• creating an integrated circuit sample identifier at the point of non-transitory integrated circuit sample use based on sample characteristics of the non-transitory integrated circuit sample that uniquely identify the non-transitory integrated circuit sample, the sample characteristics being derived from measurements of inherent physical or electrical irregularities of the non-transitory integrated circuit sample that are not correlated with data stored on the non-transitory integrated circuit sample;
• storing the integrated circuit sample identifier on a server at a location that is different than the point of integrated circuit sample use;
• determining if the integrated circuit sample identifier had been previously stored on the server by comparing the integrated circuit sample identifier with other stored integrated circuit sample identifiers created at their points of non-transitory integrated circuit sample use, each respective other stored integrated circuit sample identifier uniquely identifying a respective other non-transitory integrated circuit sample based upon other sample characteristics derived from measurements of inherent physical or electrical irregularities of the respective other non-transitory integrated circuit sample that are not correlated with data stored on the respective other non-transitory integrated circuit sample;
• controlling the execution of the process by the programmable processor by providing access to an encrypted version of the process' executable code stored on the non-transitory integrated circuit sample in response to a determination that the integrated circuit sample identifier had not been previously stored on the server;
• and
• using the programmable processor and a processor accessible key to decrypt and execute the code.