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Claims  |
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We claim:
1. Apparatus for controlling reproduction of a data signal that carries
master tag information embedded therein, and which is adapted to carry
control tag information embedded therein, comprising:
a receiver for receiving and detecting said master tag information embedded
in said data signal, detecting said control tag information, if any,
embedded in said data signal, and determining the number of generations of
said control tag information;
an encoder for providing an additional generation of control tag
information in said data signal; and
a data output stage responsive to the number of said generations of control
tag information for selectively reproducing said data signal.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said encoder is responsive to said master tag information for providing
said additional generation of control tag information; and
in the absence of master tag information in said data signal, said
additional generation of control tag information is not provided.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said encoder further comprises at
least one of:
(a) means for spectrally shaping said control tag information according to
said data signal; and
(b) means for adjusting the power of said control tag information according
to said data signal.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a master source encoder comprising at least one of:
(a) means for spectrally shaping said master tag information according to
said data signal; and
(b) means for adjusting the power of said master tag information according
to said data signal.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one of said spectral shaping
and power adjusting means render the master tag information at a desired
level in said data signal.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data output stage is prevented
from reproducing said data signal when a predetermined number of
generations of said control tag information is present in the data signal;
said predetermined number being at least one.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data signal comprises a plurality
of data channels, and said encoder provides said control tag information
and said master tag information in different ones of said data channels.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data signal includes
cryptographic data embedded therein to enable the decryption of data
packets carried together with said data signal.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said encoder provides said control tag
information as a spread spectrum signal.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a master source encoder that provides said master tag information in said
data signal as a spread spectrum signal.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said data signal comprises compressed digital data; and
said encoder provides said additional generation of control tag information
without decompressing said compressed digital data.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said master tag information is provided as a spread spectrum signal in
accordance with an associated pseudo-random sequence in at least one time
segment of said data signal;
said encoder generates said control tag information as a spread spectrum
signal using said associated pseudo-random sequence; and
said encoder provides said control tag information in said data signal in a
time segment which is unaligned relative to said at least one time segment
in which said master tag information is carried.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
at least one of said master tag information and said control tag
information, if any, is provided as a spread spectrum signal in said data
signal; and
said encoder provides said additional generation of control tag information
as a spread spectrum signal which is distinguishable from said at least
one of said master tag information and said control tag information.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
at least one of said master tag information and said control tag
information, if any, is provided as a spread spectrum signal in said data
signal in accordance with a first pseudo-random sequence; and
said encoder provides said additional generation of control tag information
as a spread spectrum signal in accordance with a second pseudo-random
sequence which is distinct from said first pseudo-random sequence.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said encoder provides said control
tag information in a plurality of non-adjacent time segments of said data
signal.
16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a master source encoder that provides said master tag information in a
plurality of non-adjacent time segments of said data signal.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said encoder provides said additional
generation of control tag information at a level calculated to
cumulatively degrade the quality of said data signal according to said
number of generations of control tag information.
18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
auxiliary data is embedded in said data signal; and
said data output stage is responsive to the number of said generations of
control tag information for selectively reproducing said auxiliary data.
19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a presence of at least one of said
master tag information and said control tag information in defined
intervals of said data signal is used to carry information in said data
signal according to a binary signaling scheme.
20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data signal comprises audio
data.
21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said number of generations of
detected control tag information in said received data signal is at least
one.
22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said encoder is operatively associated with said receiver for degrading the
quality of said received data signal such that succeeding received and
encoded generations of said data signal have an increasingly degraded
quality.
23. A method for controlling the reproduction of a data signal that carries
master tag information embedded therein, and which is adapted to carry
control tag information embedded therein, comprising the steps of:
(a) retrieving said master tag information embedded in said data signal;
(b) retrieving said control tag information, if any, embedded in said data
signal;
(c) determining the number of generations of said control tag information
in said data signal;
(d) determining whether the number of said generations of control tag
information is below a threshold level; and:
(i) if so, providing an additional generation of control tag information in
said data signal; and,
(ii) if not, inhibiting the reproduction of said data signal.
24. The method of claim 23, comprising the further step of:
determining said threshold level according to said master tag information.
25. The method of claim 23, comprising at least one of the further steps
of:
(a) spectrally shaping said additional generation of control tag
information according to said data signal; and
(b) adjusting the power of said additional generation of control tag
information according to said data signal.
26. The method of claim 23, comprising at least one of the further steps
of:
(a) spectrally shaping said master tag information according to said data
signal; and
(b) adjusting the power of said master tag information according to said
data signal.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of said spectral shaping
and power adjusting steps render said master tag information at a desired
level in said data signal.
28. The method of claim 23, wherein said inhibiting step prevents
reproduction of said data signal.
29. The method of claim 23, wherein said controlling step comprises
degrading the quality of said data signal.
30. The method of claim 23, comprising the further step of:
providing cryptographic data embedded in said data signal to enable the
decryption of data packets carried together with said data signal.
31. The method of claim 23, wherein said additional generation of control
tag information is provided as a spread spectrum signal.
32. The method of claim 23, wherein said master tag information is provided
as a spread spectrum signal.
33. The method of claim 23, wherein said data signal comprises compressed
digital data; and
said additional generation of control tag information is provided without
decompressing said compressed digital data.
34. The method of claim 23, comprising the further steps of:
providing said master tag information as a spread spectrum signal in
accordance with an associated pseudo-random sequence in at least one time
segment of said data signal;
providing said additional generation of control tag information as a spread
spectrum signal using said associated pseudo-random sequence; and
providing said additional generation of control tag information in said
data signal in a time segment which is unaligned relative to said at least
one time segment in which said master tag information is carried.
35. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of said master tag
information and said control tag information, if any, is provided as a
spread spectrum signal in said data signal, comprising the further step
of:
providing said additional generation of control tag information as a spread
spectrum signal which is distinguishable from said at least one of said
master tag information and said control tag information.
36. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of said master tag
information and said control tag information, if any, is provided as a
spread spectrum signal in said data signal in accordance with a first
pseudo-random sequence, comprising the further steps of:
providing additional generations of control tag information as distinct
spread spectrum signals by using different pseudo-random sequences; and
providing said additional generation of control tag information as a spread
spectrum signal in accordance with a second pseudo-random sequence which
is distinct from said first pseudo-random sequence.
37. The method of claim 23, comprising the further step of:
providing additional generations of control tag information in a plurality
of non-adjacent time segments of said data signal.
38. The method of claim 23, comprising the further step of:
providing said master tag information in a plurality of non-adjacent time
segments of said data signal.
39. The method of claim 23, wherein said data signal comprises a plurality
of data channels, comprising the further step of:
providing said control tag information and said master tag information in
different ones of said data channels.
40. The method of claim 23, wherein auxiliary data is embedded in said data
signal, and the number of said generations of control tag information is
not below said threshold level, comprising the further step of:
inhibiting the reproduction of said auxiliary data.
41. The method of claim 23, comprising the further step of:
providing at least one of said master tag information and said control tag
information in defined intervals of said data signal to carry information
in said data signal according to a binary signaling scheme.
42. The method of claim 23, wherein said number of generations of control
tag information in said step (c) is at least one.
43. The method of claim 23, wherein said data signal comprises audio data.
44. Apparatus for controlling reproduction of a data signal that carries
master tag information embedded therein, and which is adapted to carry
control tag information embedded therein, comprising:
a receiver for receiving and detecting said master tag information embedded
in said data signal, detecting said control tag information, if any,
embedded in said data signal, and determining the number of generations of
said control tag information;
an encoder for providing an additional generation of control tag
information in said data signal such that said additional generation of
control tag information replaces said master tag information; and
a data output stage responsive to the number of said generations of control
tag information for selectively reproducing said data signal.
45. A method for controlling the reproduction of a data signal that carries
master tag information embedded therein, and which is adapted to carry
control tag information embedded therein, comprising the steps of:
(a) retrieving said master tag information embedded in said data signal;
(b) retrieving said control tag information, if any, embedded in said data
signal;
(c) determining the number of generations of control tag information in
said data signal;
(d) determining whether the number of said generations of control tag
information is below a threshold level; and:
(i) if so, providing an additional generation of control tag information in
said data signal such that said additional generation of control tag
information replaces said master tag information; and,
(ii) if not, inhibiting the reproduction of said data signal. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional Application No.
60/008,287, filed Dec. 6, 1995. The present invention relates to a method
and apparatus for providing electronic copy management of various forms of
multi-media data. The invention is particularly suitable for controlling
the reproduction of audio or audio/video entertainment programs which are
carried over a broadcast communication network or in a portable storage
medium such as a compact disc (CD) or digital video disk (DVD).
Currently, there is a growing need to protect the proprietary rights of
entertainment companies and others who distribute electronic programming
services to individuals and the public at large. This includes television
programming service providers and other entertainment and educational
service providers such as the music industry and the software industry.
Each of these service providers distribute audio, audio/video, and other
data via a network including terrestrial, satellite, or cable networks,
the Internet and intranets.
Additionally, the data is commonly stored on permanent or temporary storage
media which is distributed, for example, through retail and other
point-to-point sales. These storage media include magnetic tapes, such as
audio cassettes, video cassettes, and computer floppy disks, and optical
media, such as CDs, DVDs and laser discs.
However, it is problematic that the proprietary data can be copied onto
blank storage media and distributed without the permission of the service
provider, thereby significantly reducing sales for the service provider.
Additionally, the proprietary data may be altered in quality or in
substance.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an electronic copy management
scheme for controlling the reproduction of proprietary data which is
distributed via a communication network or distributed on a storage medium
in point-to-point sales. The management scheme should allow the control of
the number of generations of authorized copies which may be made. That is,
the scheme should allow no copies, a limited number of generations of
copies, or an unlimited number of generations of copies. Moreover, the
scheme should provide an option for gradual degradation of the data as
additional generations of copies are made. The scheme should thwart
attempts by unauthorized tamperers (e.g., pirates) to defeat the system,
and should be substantially imperceptible to the authorized user.
Additionally, the scheme should provide the capability to track the source
of an unauthorized copy by tagging the copy with a unique identification
number such as a player or recorder serial number. The present invention
provides a system having the above and other advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a method and apparatus are
presented for controlling the reproduction of a data signal which is
stored on a source media or distributed via a communication network.
The apparatus includes a receiver for receiving and detecting master tag
information which is embedded in a data signal of the source media at the
time of manufacture or during distribution. The receiver also detects
control tag information which may be present in the data signal, and,
determines the number of generations of the control tag information. An
encoder provides an additional generation of control tag information in
the data signal, and a data output stage selectively reproduces the data
signal for recording and/or playing based on the number of generations of
control tag information. In particular, the data output stage may be
prevented from reproducing the data signal when a predetermined number of
generations of the control tag information is present in the data signal.
Moreover, the encoder is also responsive to the master tag information for
providing the additional generation of control tag information, and, in
the absence of master tag information, the additional generation of
control tag information may not be provided. Thus, the encoder is also
compatible with data signals that are not copy protected according to the
present invention. Alternatively, the additional generations of control
tag information may replace the master tag information.
The data signal may include a plurality of data channels, in which case the
encoder may provide the control tag information and the master tag
information in the different data channels. The data signal may include
cryptographic data to enable the decryption of data packets carried
together with the data signal. The data signal may comprise compressed
digital data, where the encoder provides the additional generation of
control tag information without decompressing the compressed digital data.
The control tag and master tag information may be provided as spread
spectrum signals, and may be spectrally shaped and power-adjusted
according to the data signal to render them substantially imperceptible in
the data signal. Moreover, the master tag data and control tag data may be
provided in one or more layers of the data signal as spread spectrum
signals. For example, the master tag information may be provided in at
least one time segment of the data signal, while the control tag
information is provided in the data signal in non-overlapping time
segments. In this case, both the control tag and master tag may use the
same, non-shifted pseudo-random sequence.
Alternatively, orthogonal or otherwise distinct spread spectrum signals may
be used for the master tag information and control tag information.
Moreover, the control tag and master tag information may be provided in a
plurality of non-adjacent time segments in the same layer of the data
signal.
Furthermore, in a graceful degradation scheme of the present invention, the
encoder provides the additional generation of control tag information at a
level which is calculated to cumulatively degrade the quality of the data
signal according to the number of generations of control tag information.
That is, as additional generations of copies are made, the quality or
fidelity of the underlying data signal is reduced.
A corresponding method is also presented.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an overview of a copy management system in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a master source encoding system in accordance
with the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment of a master source encoding
system in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a player/recorder in accordance with the
present invention.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a data stream with a continuously encoded
sequence of a standard master tag in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a data stream with a periodically encoded
sequence of a standard master tag in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a data stream with a first layer having a
continuously encoded sequence of a standard master tag, a second layer
having a continuously encoded sequence of a first standard control tag,
and a third layer having a continuously encoded sequence of a second
standard control tag, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a data stream with a first layer having a
continuously encoded sequence of a standard master tag, a second layer
having a periodically encoded sequence of a first standard control tag,
and a third layer having a periodically encoded sequence of a second
standard control tag, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a data stream with a first layer having a
periodically encoded sequence of a standard master tag, a second layer
having a periodically encoded sequence of a first standard control tag,
and a third layer having a periodically encoded sequence of a second
standard control tag, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a data stream with a first layer having a
periodically encoded sequence of a standard master tag, and a second layer
having a periodically encoded sequence of first and second standard
control tags, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a data stream with a first layer having a
periodically encoded sequence of a standard master tag and first and
second standard control tags.
FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a data stream having a sequence of encrypted
and unencrypted frames which carry a continuously encoded sequence of a
standard master tag in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A method and apparatus are presented for providing electronic copy
management of various forms of multi-media data. In one embodiment, any
source material that has at least a single audio channel can take
advantage of the invention. Moreover, the distribution format is not
limiting and can include any number of means as discussed herein.
The present invention is compatible with a scheme such as Hidden Data
Transport (HDT) which is described in PCT application WO 97/09797 to C.
Lee, et al., entitled "Method and Apparatus for Transmitting Auxiliary
Data in Audio Signals", published Mar. 13, 1997, and incorporated herein
by reference. The invention is also compatible with other similar audio
tagging technology such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,735 to R.
Preuss et al., also incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, the
invention may employ both digital and analog audio signals, and may use a
scheme such as Post-Compression Hidden Data Transport (PC-HDT) as
described in U.S. patent application No. 08/607,330 to C. Lee, et al.,
entitled "Post-Compression Hidden Data Transport", filed Feb. 26, 1996,
incorporated herein by reference, to provide copy management for
compressed digital audio streams such as those which follow the MPEG,
Musicam, and Dolby AC-2 and AC-3 formats.
Tag data is generated, inserted, and detected in a data signal which is to
be copy managed according to a spread spectrum technique such as, for
example, HDT and PC-HDT. With these techniques, data to be carried by a
signal (e.g., an audio signal) is spectrally shaped to closely approximate
the spectral shape of the signal, and is combined with the signal at a
level where it is substantially imperceptible, e.g., inaudible, or
otherwise provided at an acceptable level. The advantages of using HDT and
PC-HDT algorithms over other technologies include the capability for
real-time encoding and decoding of a data stream, the ability to add
multiple layers of tag data at different times, cross-compatibility with
encoding and decoding of HDT and PC-FDT data, the ability to modulate an
information bit stream on tag data (e.g., a player/recorder serial
number), and higher data rates than previously available.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an overview of a copy management system in
accordance with the present invention. The Multi-Media Copy Management
System (MCM system) consists of two stages. The first stage is implemented
at the master source level and consists of embedding a Standard Master Tag
(SMT) into a data source such as an audio master signal. In particular, an
audio master signal is received via terminal 110 and provided to a master
source encoding unit 120. The encoding unit 120 receives an SMT data
signal via terminal 130.
The encoding unit 120 outputs a combined signal which includes the audio
master data and the SMT data. The combined signal may be stored on media
140 such as a disc, cassette, electronic audio files, or the like.
Alternatively, the combined signal may be transmitted over a communication
network, not shown.
The second stage of the MCM system is implemented in a player/recorder copy
management unit 150. The player/recorder 150 receives a Standard Copy Tag
(SCT) data signal via a terminal 160. The player/recorder unit 150
searches the combined signal which is stored on the media to detect the
presence of SMT data which was inserted by the encoding unit 120 and/or
SCT data which may have been previously inserted by the player/recorder
150. Specifically, if SMT data is detected, then the player/recorder will
know that the media 140 is protected by the MCM system of the present
invention. Moreover, the number of generations of SCT data which are
detected on the media 140 will inform the player/recorder 150 of the
number of copied media from which the particular media 140 was derived.
For example, if the media 140 is a second generation copy, that means an
original media was copied to a first media, and the first media was copied
to a second media. By comparing this generation number with a permitted
threshold value, which may be provided by the SMT data, the output of the
player/recorder can be muted or blanked to control the further
reproduction of the data of the media 140. That is, all or a portion of
the output, whether audio, video and/or data can be controlled.
Moreover, while the MCM system disclosed in FIG. 1 may provide copy
management of an audio signal in one embodiment, the SMT and SCT data may
also be used to provide copy management of any accompanying data signal or
other related program material. For example, if the media 140 included a
movie with separate audio and a video channels, reproduction of the video
signal at the player/recorder 150 may also be inhibited according to the
SMT and SCT data which was detected in the audio channel. Moreover, if the
media includes a number of movies with separate respective audio and video
channels, the SMT and SCT data of one or more of the audio channels may
control the reproduction of all data on the media 140. The player/recorder
150 is discussed in greater detail in connection with FIG. 4.
Preferably, encoding of the master source which is input to the encoder 120
of FIG. 1 occurs prior to mass production of the distributed material
(e.g., media 140). This is accomplished by the encoder adding SMT data to
a digital or analog master tape or digital stream, which may be compressed
or uncompressed. Moreover, when SMT data is embedded in an audio data
stream, it is desirable to spectrally shape the SMT data and provide it at
an amplitude level so that it is inaudible in the audio stream. In this
manner, the fidelity of the audio data is not noticeably diminished.
Although not necessary, it may be desirable to use the same SMT for all the
source material which is produced on the same type of media. For example,
all audio CDs may use a first SMT, while all audio/video DVDs use a second
SMT, all broadcast television programs use a third SMT, and so forth. This
makes it easier for the player/recorder 150 to detect the SMT by avoiding
the need to search for numerous possible SMTs and maintain a data base of
available SMTs. However, the use of a number of different SMTs may allow a
manufacturer to better track the source of an unauthorized copy by
cross-referencing the SMT with the distribution channel (e.g., geographic
region, retail store), and/or the distribution date. Thus, the SMT data
may include information such as a unique source identification number as
well as the number of authorized copies which may be made of the data
stream carried by the media 140.
Advantageously, when using HDT or PC-HDT, the SMT data may be provided
according to a reserved continuous pseudo-noise (PN) sequence, or multiple
repetitions of the same PN sequence. Moreover, various modifications of
this scheme may be used. For example, instead of using a continuous PN
sequence, one may use a burst of a PN sequence, a repetitive PN sequence,
a non-repetitive continuous PN sequence, a non-continuous PN sequence, a
PN sequence having a length which exceeds the length of the SMT or other
tag data, or any combination thereof. Other alternatives and modifications
will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the PN
sequence may optionally be modulated with a low rate information layer,
which may uniquely identify the source material by providing an identifier
which is similar to a universal product code (UPC) or other standard code
used on consumer goods. The modified compressed stream is then recorded on
each and every disc (e.g., media 140) along with any video signal and/or
data stream that may accompany it.
Moreover, the SMTs and/or SCTs may be used to carry additional data in a
binary signaling scheme. That is, the presence or absence of an SMT data
packet in a defined interval of the copy managed data stream may indicate
a zero or one data bit. A sequence of zeros and ones can be accumulated
and decoded by the player/recorder to derive the desired data. Thus,
additional data can be carried beyond the data of the SCTs and SMTs
themselves.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a master source encoding system in accordance
with the present invention. Audio master data is received via a terminal
210 and provided to an HDT encoder 220. The HDT encoder 220 inserts SMT
data into an uncompressed audio master signal and provides the combined
signal to an audio compressor 230 for compression. Video data which
accompanies the audio data may also be received, via terminal 240, and
multiplexed with the compressed audio signal at multiplexer 235. The
multiplexed signal is then stored on the media 140. Other accompanying or
non-accompanying audio, video and data signals may also be stored on the
media 140. For example, a movie may include multiple audio tracks for
high-fidelity reproduction.
As mentioned, it is desirable to add the SMT data to the master audio
signal prior to manufacturing a large number of media units 140 which are
mass marketed to consumers. This avoids the need to insert the SMT data
into each media unit 140 separately, thereby resulting in significant
production efficiencies.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment of a master source encoding
system in accordance with the present invention. Audio master data is
received via a terminal 310 and provided to an audio compressor 320, which
provides a compressed audio master signal to the PC-HDT encoder 330. The
PC-HDT encoder 330 inserts SMT data into the compressed audio master
signal to provide the combined signal. Video data which accompanies the
audio data may be received via terminal 340 and multiplexed with the
combined signal at multiplexer 335 for storage on the media 140.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a player/recorder in accordance with the
present invention. The player/recorder, shown generally at 150, receives a
combined data stream from a media 140. In the embodiment shown, the data
stream comprises audio data and associated video data such as might be
found in a movie which is stored on a DVD. The combined data stream is
demultiplexed at demultiplexer 405 to separate the audio data and SMT data
from the video data. Additionally, SCT data may be carried with the audio
and SMT data if the media 140 is a copy of an original media.
In this example, it is assumed that the source material which is stored on
the media 140 is compressed data, and that the media 140 is a laser disc,
compact disc, or DVD. Furthermore, the player/recorder 150 may have a
digital compres | | |
