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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus for controlling the reproduction of a multi-media data signal
using 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 multi-media data signal, detecting said control tag information,
if any, embedded in said multi-media 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 multi-media data signal; and
a data output stage responsive to the number of said generations of control
tag information for selectively reproducing said multi-media 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 multi-media 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 multi-media data signal; and
(b) means for adjusting the power of said control tag information according
to said multi-media 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 multi-media data signal; and
(b) means for adjusting the power of said master tag information according
to said multi-media 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 multi-media data signal.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said data output stage is prevented from reproducing said multi-media data
signal when a predetermined number of generations of said control tag
information is detected in the multi-media data signal;
said predetermined number being at least one.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said multi-media data signal includes cryptographic data embedded therein
to enable the decryption of data packets carried together with said
multi-media data signal.
8. 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.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said multi-media data signal
comprises:
at least one frame of multi-media data which is encrypted under an
encryption key; and
an encryption key layer with at least one packet containing said encryption
key for decrypting said at least one frame of multi-media data frame.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said encoder provides said control tag information as a spread spectrum
signal.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a master source encoder that provides said master tag information in said
multi-media data signal as a spread spectrum signal.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said multi-media data signal comprises compressed digital data; and
said encoder provides said additional generation of control tag information
without decompressing said compressed digital data.
13. 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 multi-media 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 multi-media 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.
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
multi-media 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.
15. 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
multi-media 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.
16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said encoder provides said control tag information in a plurality of
non-adjacent time segments of said multi-media data signal.
17. 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 multi-media data signal.
18. 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 multi-media data signal according
to said number of generations of control tag information.
19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
auxiliary data is embedded in said multi-media 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.
20. 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 multi-media data signal is
used to carry information in said multi-media data signal according to a
binary signaling scheme.
21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said multi-media data signal comprises video data.
22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said number of generations of detected control tag information in said
received data signal is at least one.
23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said encoder provides said additional generation of control tag information
in said multi-media data signal such that said additional generation of
control tag information replaces said master tag information.
24. 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.
25. A method for controlling the reproduction of a multi-media 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 multi-media
data signal;
(b) retrieving said control tag information, if any, embedded in said
multi-media data signal;
(c) determining the number of generations of said control tag information
in said multi-media 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 multi-media data signal; and,
(ii) if not, inhibiting the reproduction of said multi-media data signal.
26. The method of claim 25, comprising the further step of:
determining said threshold level according to said master tag information.
27. The method of claim 25, comprising at least one of the further steps
of:
(a) spectrally shaping said additional generation of control tag
information according to said multi-media data signal; and
(b) adjusting the power of said additional generation of control tag
information according to said multi-media data signal.
28. The method of claim 25, comprising at least one of the further steps
of:
(a) spectrally shaping said master tag information according to said
multi-media data signal; and
(b) adjusting the power of said master tag information according to said
multi-media data signal.
29. The method of claim 25, wherein:
at least one of said spectral shaping and power adjusting steps render said
master tag information at a desired level in said multi-media data signal.
30. The method of claim 25, wherein: said inhibiting step prevents
reproduction of said multi-media data signal.
31. The method of claim 25, comprising the further step of:
providing cryptographic data embedded in said multi-media data signal to
enable the decryption of data packets carried together with said
multi-media data signal.
32. The method of claim 25, 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.
33. The method of claim 25, wherein said multi-media data signal comprises:
at least one frame of multi-media data which is encrypted under an
encryption key; and
an encryption key layer with at least one packet containing said encryption
key for decrypting said at least one frame of multi-media data frame.
34. The method of claim 25, wherein:
said additional generation of control tag information is provided as a
spread spectrum signal.
35. The method of claim 25, wherein:
said master tag information is provided as a spread spectrum signal.
36. The method of claim 25, wherein:
said multi-media data signal comprises compressed digital data; and
said additional generation of control tag information is provided without
decompressing said compressed digital data.
37. The method of claim 25, 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
multi-media 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.
38. The method of claim 25, 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 multi-media 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.
39. The method of claim 25, 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 multi-media 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.
40. The method of claim 25, comprising the further step of:
providing additional generations of control tag information in a plurality
of non-adjacent time segments of said multi-media data signal.
41. The method of claim 25, comprising the further step of:
providing said master tag information in a plurality of non-adjacent time
segments of said multi-media data signal.
42. The method of claim 25, wherein:
said step (d)(i) provides said additional generation of control tag
information at a level calculated to cumulatively degrade the quality of
said multi-media data signal according to said number of generations of
control tag information.
43. The method of claim 25, wherein auxiliary data is embedded in said
multi-media 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.
44. The method of claim 25, comprising the further step of:
providing at least one of said master tag information and said control tag
information in defined intervals of said multi-media data signal to carry
information in said data signal according to a binary signaling scheme.
45. The method of claim 25, wherein:
said multi-media data signal comprises video data.
46. The method of claim 25, wherein:
said number of generations of detected control tag information is at least
one.
47. The method of claim 25, wherein:
said step (d)(i) provides said additional generation of control tag
information in said multi-media data signal such that said additional
generation of control tag information replaces said master tag
information.
48. The method of claim 25, comprising the further step of:
degrading the quality of said multi-media signal such that succeeding
encoded generations of said multi-media data signal have an increasingly
degraded quality.
49. Apparatus for controlling the reproduction of a primary multi-media
data signal using an auxiliary multi-media data signal, where master tag
information is embedded in at least one of said primary and auxiliary
multi-media data signals, and at least one of said primary and auxiliary
multi-media data signals is adapted to carry control tag information
embedded therein, comprising:
a receiver for receiving and detecting said master tag information embedded
in said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data
signals, detecting said control tag information, if any, embedded in said
at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals, and
determining the number of generations of said control tag information;
an encoder for providing an additional generation of control tag
information in said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media
data signals; and
a data output stage responsive to the number of said generations of control
tag information for selectively reproducing said primary multi-media data
signal.
50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said data output stage is responsive to the number of said generations of
control tag information for selectively reproducing said auxiliary
multi-media data signal.
51. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
the master tag information is embedded in said auxiliary multi-media data
signal, and said auxiliary multi-media data signal is adapted to carry the
control tag information embedded therein.
52. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
the master tag information is embedded in said primary multi-media data
signal, and said auxiliary multi-media data signal is adapted to carry the
control tag information embedded therein.
53. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said encoder provides said additional generation of control tag information
in said primary multi-media data signal.
54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein:
said encoder provides said additional generation of control tag information
at a level calculated to cumulatively degrade the quality of said primary
multi-media data signal according to said number of generations of control
tag information.
55. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals are carried on a common
source media.
56. The apparatus of claim 49, 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, said additional generation of
control tag information is not provided.
57. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein said encoder further comprises at
least one of:
(a) means for spectrally shaping said control tag information according to
said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals;
and
(b) means for adjusting the power of said control tag information according
to said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data
signals.
58. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising:
a master source encoder comprising at least one of:
(a) means for spectrally shaping said master tag information according to
said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals;
and
(b) means for adjusting the power of said master tag information according
to said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data
signals.
59. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
at least one of said spectral shaping and power adjusting means render the
master tag information at a desired level.
60. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said data output stage is prevented from reproducing said primary
multi-media data signal when a predetermined number of generations of said
control tag information is detected in said at least one of said primary
and auxiliary multi-media data signals;
said predetermined number being at least one.
61. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals
includes cryptographic data embedded therein to enable the decryption of
data packets carried together with said at least one of said primary and
auxiliary multi-media data signals.
62. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said primary multi-media data signal comprises at least one frame of
multi-media data which is encrypted under an encryption key; and
said auxiliary multi-media data signal comprises an encryption key layer
with at least one packet containing said encryption key for decrypting
said at least one frame of the primary multi-media data signal.
63. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said encoder provides said control tag information as a spread spectrum
signal.
64. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising:
a master source encoder that provides said master tag information as a
spread spectrum signal.
65. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals
comprises compressed digital data; and
said encoder provides said additional generation of control tag information
without decompressing said compressed digital data.
66. The apparatus of claim 49, 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 at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media
data signals;
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 a time segment which
is unaligned relative to said at least one time segment in which said
master tag information is carried.
67. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
at least one of said master tag information and said control tag
information, if any, is provided as a spread spectrum 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.
68. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
at least one of said master tag information and said control tag
information, if any, is provided as a spread spectrum 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.
69. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said encoder provides said control tag information in a plurality of
non-adjacent time segments.
70. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising:
a master source encoder that provides said master tag information in a
plurality of non-adjacent time segments of said at least one of said
primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals.
71. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said encoder provides said additional generation of control tag information
in said auxiliary multi-media data signal.
72. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
a presence of at least one of said master tag information and said control
tag information in defined intervals of said at least one of said primary
and auxiliary multi-media data signals is used to carry information in
said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals
according to a binary signaling scheme.
73. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals
comprises video data.
74. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said number of generations of detected control tag information is at least
one.
75. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said encoder provides said additional generation of control tag information
in said multi-media data signal such that said additional generation of
control tag information replaces said master tag information.
76. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said encoder is operatively associated with said receiver for degrading the
quality of said primary multi-media data signal such that succeeding
encoded generations of said primary multi-media data signal have an
increasingly degraded quality.
77. A method for controlling the reproduction of a primary multi-media data
signal using an auxiliary multi-media data signal, where master tag
information is embedded in at least one of said primary and auxiliary
multi-media data signals, and at least one of said primary and auxiliary
multi-media data signals is adapted to carry control tag information
embedded therein, comprising the steps of:
(a) retrieving said master tag information embedded in said at least one of
said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals;
(b) retrieving said control tag information, if any, embedded in said at
least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals;
(c) determining the number of generations of said control tag information;
(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 at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals;
and,
(ii) if not, inhibiting the reproduction of said primary multi-media data
signal.
78. The method of claim 77, comprising the further step of:
determining said threshold level according to said master tag information.
79. The method of claim 77, wherein:
the master tag information is embedded in said auxiliary multi-media data
signal, and said auxiliary multi-media data signal is adapted to carry the
control tag information embedded therein.
80. The method of claim 77, wherein:
the master tag information is embedded in said primary multi-media data
signals, and said auxiliary multi-media data signal is adapted to carry
the control tag information embedded therein.
81. The method of claim 80, wherein:
said step (d)(i) provides said additional generation of control tag
information at a level calculated to cumulatively degrade the quality of
said primary multi-media data signal according to said number of
generations of control tag information.
82. The method of claim 77, wherein:
said encoder provides said additional generation of control tag information
in said primary multi-media data signal.
83. The method of claim 77, wherein:
said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals are carried on a common
source media.
84. The method of claim 77, comprising at least one of the further steps
of:
(a) spectrally shaping said additional generation of control tag
information according to said at least one of said primary and auxiliary
multi-media data signals; and
(b) adjusting the power of said additional generation of control tag
information according to said at least one of said primary and auxiliary
multi-media data signals.
85. The method of claim 77, comprising at least one of the further steps
of:
(a) spectrally shaping said master tag information according to said at
least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals; and
(b) adjusting the power of said master tag information according to said at
least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals.
86. The method of claim 77, wherein:
at least one of said spectral shaping and power adjusting steps render said
master tag information at a desired level.
87. The method of claim 77, wherein:
said inhibiting step prevents reproduction of said primary multi-media data
signal.
88. The method of claim 77, comprising the further step of:
providing cryptographic data embedded in said at least one of said primary
and auxiliary multi-media data signals to enable the decryption of data
packets carried together with said at least one of said primary and
auxiliary multi-media data signals.
89. The method of claim 77, wherein:
said primary multi-media data signal comprises at least one frame of
multi-media data which is encrypted under an encryption key; and
said auxiliary multi-media data signal comprises an encryption key layer
with at least one packet containing said encryption key for decrypting
said at least one frame of the primary multi-media data signal.
90. The method of claim 77, wherein:
said additional generation of control tag information is provided as a
spread spectrum signal.
91. The method of claim 77, wherein:
said master tag information is provided as a spread spectrum signal.
92. The method of claim 77, wherein:
said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals
comprises compressed digital data; and
said additional generation of control tag information is provided without
decompressing said compressed digital data.
93. The method of claim 77, 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 at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media
data signals;
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 at
least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals in a time
segment which is unaligned relative to said at least one time segment in
which said master tag information is carried.
94. The method of claim 77, wherein at least one of said master tag
information and said control tag information, if any, is provided as a
spread spectrum 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.
95. The method of claim 77, wherein at least one of said master tag
information and said control tag information, if any, is provided as a
spread spectrum 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.
96. The method of claim 77, comprising the further step of:
providing additional generations of control tag information in a plurality
of non-adjacent time segments of said at least one of said primary and
auxiliary multi-media data signals.
97. The method of claim 77, comprising the further step of:
providing said master tag information in a plurality of non-adjacent time
segments of said multi-media data signal.
98. The method of claim 77, wherein:
said encoder provides said additional generation of control tag information
in said auxiliary multi-media data signal.
99. The method of claim 77, comprising the further step of:
providing at least one of said master tag information and said control tag
information in defined intervals of said at least one of said primary and
auxiliary multi-media data signals to carry information in said at least
one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals according to a
binary signaling scheme.
100. The method of claim 77, wherein:
said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media data signals
comprises video data.
101. The method of claim 77, comprising the further step of:
wherein said number of generations of detected control tag information is
at least one.
102. The method of claim 77, wherein:
said step (d)(i) provides said additional generation of control tag
information in said at least one of said primary and auxiliary multi-media
data signals such that said additional generation of control tag
information replaces said master tag information.
103. The method of claim 77, comprising the further step of:
degrading the quality of said primary multi-media data signal such that
succeeding encoded generations of said primary multi-media data signal
have an increasingly degraded quality. |
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