KR20060017762A - Method and apparatus for the protection of permanent storage media - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for protecting information on fixed media where the fixed media including a number of vulnerabilities, the method comprising the steps of: establishing security elements (A, B, C, D, E, F of the fixed media; determining security element variations for each of the security elements; pseudo- randomly choosing one of the security element variations; encoding the information with said pseudo-randomly chosen security element variation; repeating the choosing and encoding steps at least three times, whereby the information is encoded with at least four of said security element variations, creating a copy prevention layer (2); establishing copy detection elements; determining copy detection element variations for each of the copy detection elements; pseudo-randomly choosing at least one of the copy detection element variations; and encoding the copy prevention layer with said at least one chosen copy detection element variations (4), wherein the method allows playback of the information on commercially available media players and wherein the method provides copy protection and a means to discriminate between an original fixed medium and a copied fixed medium.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PROTECTION OF PERMANENT STORAGE MEDIA}

The present invention relates to a method of protecting information such as music or video on a fixed medium such as a compact disc (CD), digital audio tape (DAT) or digital video disc (DVD). More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of discouraging replication and facilitating identification of arbitrarily made replication by using during recording of the original fixed medium.

Compact discs (CDs), digital video discs (DVDs), and digital audio tapes (DATs) provide a single standard digital record carrier for data, software, images and audio. The ability to enable accurate duplication of media content is often an essential feature of enabling exchange and distribution and archiving information.

However, sometimes it is necessary to prevent duplication. For example, it is illegal to make unauthorized copies of copyrighted material. Software, music, and video providers need to distribute copyrighted work in digital form, while preventing unauthorized copying of the copyrighted work. What is needed is a way to selectively prevent the duplication of digital information.

In addition, there is a need to identify and distinguish between piracy and the original product. Without the ability to identify illegal copies, it is very difficult to track and carry out copyright infringement successfully.

Various methods have been attempted to solve the above problems, but before the present method, no copy protection and identification method has been executed completely and successfully. There are several reasons for this.

First, compact discs have very demanding guidelines for the way information is stored on them. These instructions are known as "green book", "yellow book", "red book" and "orange book". To ensure that data is readable by all media players, some protection and identification methods must follow these standards. The various copy protection schemes did not conform to the above mentioned standards, and as a result the information on the CD is not always readable. For example, some copy protection schemes do not play on all Macintosh computers or on some audio CD players, various brands of CD players, or game consoles.

Secondly, if copy protection is introduced on a CD, for example, the protection scheme used for CDs of all similar titles made by a company is usually the same and generally the same for all tracks on the CD. The problem with this is that hackers can usually find a workaround around copy protection and post it on the Internet as soon as a "crack" is found. This bulletin makes use of all manufacturers' copy protection on similar CDs to no avail.

The present invention seeks to solve the above problems by providing a method of stabbing known vulnerabilities of a recorded medium using element deviations based on safety factors and vulnerabilities. The safety factor deviation is chosen at random and the information recorded on the fixed medium is encoded as a safety factor deviation.

In addition, the use of multiple security elements inserted together makes the copying of information more difficult. The method of the present invention also advantageously encodes each track on the stationary medium with other safety elements inserted together, thereby consuming and annoying a lot of work time for hacking the safety of the stationary medium.

Inserting the various safety element deviations together with the information forms a copy protection layer.

In addition, a copy detection layer is added over the copy protection layer, allowing the copyright holder to identify between the original and the copy of the fixed medium. This facilitates the tracking and prosecution of copyright infringers.

In addition, a bulk barrier layer may be added to the fixed medium. This includes the addition of one or more physical protection elements to the fixed medium.

The above is carried out using a device having a special encoding unit for encoding information from the studio master into the above-mentioned safety element and copy detection element. This encoding unit interacts with a processor that controls the laser beam recorder for the glass disk in the CD manufacturing facility. Each fixed medium created from the glass disc will have the above-mentioned identification safety element.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of protecting information to be recorded on a fixed medium, wherein the fixed medium has a plurality of security elements having a plurality of vulnerabilities and safety element deviations based on the vulnerabilities, and the fixed medium further prevents copying. CLAIMS 1. A method having a plurality of copy protection elements with element deviations, the method comprising: selecting one said safety element deviation; Encoding the information into the selected safety factor deviation; Generating a copy protection layer by repeating at least one time in the selecting and encoding step; Selecting at least one copy protection element deviation; Generating encoded information by encoding the copy protection layer with the one or more selected copy protection element deviations; A method is provided that includes writing the encoded information onto the fixed medium, the method permitting playback of the information on a commercially available media player, the copy protection layer providing copy protection and The step of encoding into the copy protection element provides a means for identifying between the original fixed medium and the replica fixed medium.

The present invention also provides a device for protecting information on a fixed medium, wherein the information is obtained from a studio disc and the fixed medium is vulnerable, comprising: a processor for obtaining information from the studio disc; An encoding unit for interacting with the processor, the encoding unit for encoding information from a studio disc into security and copy protection elements based on vulnerabilities and providing the encoded information to the processor; A controller for controlling the processor; A laser beam recorder for generating a glass original, the recorder comprising: a laser beam recorder for obtaining the encoded information from the processor; It provides a device including a stamping device for producing the fixed medium from the glass disk.

1 is a graphical depiction of a safety layer of the present invention.

2 is a schematic conceptual diagram of a system according to a first embodiment for implementing the method of the present invention.

3 is a schematic conceptual diagram of a system according to a second embodiment for implementing the method of the present invention.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1. The method of the invention is based solely on the implementation of known public vulnerabilities and known public domain solutions in the medium to be recorded. Such vulnerabilities for compact disks include, for example, changing the width, height and time of the signal, using track hopping or switching, adding data to the header and / or each track, adding random serial numbers, or modifying subchannels. do. Other vulnerabilities exist and are well known to those skilled in the art. Those skilled in the art will also realize that other forms of media, such as signals transmitted over a network, have other vulnerabilities that may be exploited using the methods of the present invention, and the present invention is intended to be limited to specific forms of vulnerabilities. no.

The basis of the present invention is the mixing and combination of security factors based on vulnerability, which are chosen at random by the machine. Thus, for example, the safety element may utilize track hopping for the addition of a first copy protection element. The method of the invention can then select a change in signal time as the basis for the next safety factor.

Safety elements are inserted in a symbiotic relationship in which these safety elements are built on parts of other safety suites. The copy protection layer 2 is created through the use of these safety elements.

The copy protection layer 2 is created by selecting a plurality of safety elements from a table of safety elements available to the processor or encoder. Each of these safety elements may also have multiple safety deviations, and in a preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention may select from a pool of at least eight safety elements, each safety element being four or more elements. Has a deviation. The order in which the safety element deviations are inserted is also chosen randomly.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention have four or more element deviations per track. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the copy protection layer 2 has six safety element deviations selected at random. These are classified as elements "A", "B", "C", "D", "E" and "F" in FIG.

The copy protection layer 2 is preferably changed for each track on the medium. Thus, for example, on a music CD, each song has a randomness on the track by track basis with a different copy protection layer 2 and the amount of solution to the "hacker" in order to circumvent all protection mechanisms contained in the fixed medium. Provides time-consuming work.

The copy protection layer 2 works intelligently with the player by providing a media player on the CD for copy protection. This media player is adapted to allow a PC to play music on a CD in the case of an audio CD or to discern information on a CD in the case of a CD-ROM. However, if digital copying is attempted, the PC makes it impossible to continue due to the elements in the copy protection layer 2.

A single copy detection layer 4 may be added on the copy protection layer 2. The single copy detection layer 4 is again randomly selected from a number of elements known to the public such as electrical watermarks, random serial numbers, fingerprints and voice signals. Other detection elements are well known in the art and the present invention is not intended to be limited to any one detection element.

In addition, each copy detection element may have a number of deviations, and the computer again randomly selects from these deviations, making a copy detection element difficult for the replicator to detect. The duplication detection element deviation is shown using the symbol "G" in FIG.

Replication detection elements generally do not move between the original and the replica. The way to provide the copyright holder in the original is to prove that the disc is a duplicate. This provides an advantage for copyright owners to now prove copyright infringement.

Bulk replication detection layer 6 may be added on single replication detection layer 4. The bulk replication detection layer 6 may have one or more items selected from the group of physical protection elements. These items have various forms of physical watermarks, physical serial numbers, holographic marks, or other physical schemas. These physical protection elements may or may not be visible. Physical protection elements are well known and those skilled in the art will appreciate that other physical protection elements may be used in addition to those listed above, and the present invention is not intended to be limited to any particular physical protection element.

Referring to FIG. 1, elements are generally combined in the following manner. Random selection is usually represented by X = (ABCDEF) + G + H, where:

X is a copy protection and protection choice;

A, B, C, D, E and F are random element deviations chosen randomly to prevent electrical replication;

G can be a randomly selected single copy detection element deviation;

H may be a randomly selected bulk copy detection element deviation.

Thus, grouping of copy protection elements is combined with single copy and bulk copy detection elements.

The foregoing may be modified to meet the needs of the user by ensuring that either A to H is fixed. This may serve, for example, to ensure that there is a watermark on the fixed medium. In addition, another layer "I" may be added for encryption of data if the user requires. This is separate from layers "A" through "H" and does not generally handle data, but has a sub track.

The method of the present invention also has a number of rules to follow. This rule:

1. All media modified by the Protection Method must be played on any "Orange Book" standard commercial player.

2. There should be no discernable distortion or noise when playing protected static media.

3. Media copied using a PC should indicate protection.

4. Protection shall be the result of the combination of protection elements.

5. Protection shall be the result of inherent vulnerabilities with respect to the media and should include both electrical and physical additions of the safety element. Safety features must include hard and soft element deviations, where the hard safety element passes during replication and the soft element must not pass during replication. The physical safety factor determines whether the medium is a duplicate from the original medium and can be used to prevent theft at retail.

The protection scheme overcomes deficiencies in the art by providing a copy protection scheme that is difficult to break and changes from track to track by track or packet by packet. In addition, the potential for protection lies in that this schema can be different for all glass masters, helping to create multiple protection schemes for the same title. In addition, prevention schemes can be used to identify original and pirated copies.

The above is available by means of a batch or individual arrangement of data CDs, music CDs, video DVDs or other media. In other words, the performance of media such as CD may vary for each CD or may have the same protection scheme for the placement of the CD. The complexity of each safety suite is intentional, and safety features are inserted to increase their protection value. However, the protection method is kept simple to ensure fast reading by playing music, video or playing equipment that accepts data.

The prevention scheme can be implemented in the following manner. It demonstrates with reference to FIG.

Information contained in the studio master 22 is passed to the processor 26 via the interface 24. The controller 30 is used to control and update the processor 26.

The processor also has an encoding unit 28. The encoding unit 28 is provided with a pseudo random selector for selecting the safe element deviation and the duplicate detection deviation as described above in the method of the present invention.

Encoding unit 28 encodes the original sequence of symbols from interface 24 into a channel or sub-channel sequence per track basis that can be read by all commercial "orange book" protocol decoders. They will have many of the elements of the copy protection device used as part of the feature safety suite. The encoded sequence is passed through a laser beam recorder (LBR) interface 32 to a laser beam recorder 34 as included in a commercial CD manufacturing facility.

LBR 34 is used to make glass original (s) 36. The glass original 36 is then used in the stamping machine 38 to produce the distribution CD 40. In a preferred embodiment, the stamping device 40 is limited in the number of CDs that can be made from a single glass original 36. This is done through the cooperation of the manufacturer.

A limited number of CDs 40 made from a single glass original 36 provide an additional level of safety. Since the number of CDs 40 produced by a single glass original 36 is limited to, for example, 50,000 copies, a number of glass originals 36 are needed to meet the demand for CDs for popular CDs. Each glass original has a different layer of safety produced by the encoding unit 28, so if one million CDs are produced, there are 20 CDs encoded differently. If a hacker takes a lot of time to break a safety scheme on one CD and post it on the Internet, this would be beneficial only for users with a copy of the CD equipped with the same protection mechanism.

For other media that do not require glass originals, one possibility foreseen for the method of the present invention is to create a unique protection mechanism for each copy of the media to be distributed. Thus, each distributed product will have a different protection scheme, and one break by the hacker will not help others.

In one embodiment, feedback may be added to the controller 30 from the CD manufacturer. This feedback is used in particular to construct a number of glass originals 36 to manufacture.

A further embodiment is shown in FIG. 3. The embodiment of FIG. 3 includes the same arrangement as found in FIG. 2 with the addition of a physical protective element. This embodiment thus allows the addition of the bulk copy detection layer 6.

The embodiment of FIG. 3 utilizes the characteristics of the physical identification of the distributed CD 40. Physical encoder 42 encodes additional information without adding overhead or other data to the track. Some of these elements may include serial numbers, random numbers, batch lot codes, dye markers and other such methods that enable both court and anti-theft judgments.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the controller 30 passes the information to the physical encoder 42. The physical encoder 42 notifies the stamping facility 38 side via the interface 43 to encode in the CD 40 which contains the randomly selected physical safety element information and stamps the physical safety element for distribution.

Although CD has been described above, the manufacture of DVDs, DATs and other fixed media is envisaged, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that the methods of the present invention can be used for all types of media bearing information.

The method and apparatus thus do not allow the duplication of the information recorded thereon for an intelligent device such as a PC or a bulk replicator. This additionally provides physical and soft copy protection, allowing the copyright owner to determine whether the medium is the original or the replica at work by asking the copyright owner.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with respect to its preferred embodiments, it is possible for those skilled in the art to easily realize other versions, and the present invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.

Claims (16)

A method of protecting information to be recorded on a fixed medium, the fixed medium having a plurality of vulnerabilities with a number of vulnerabilities and safety element deviations based on the vulnerabilities, and the fixed medium having a plurality of additional anti-copy element deviations. In the method having a copy protection element of Selecting one said safety element deviation; Encoding the information into the selected safety factor deviation; Generating a copy protection layer by repeating at least one time in the selecting and encoding step; Selecting at least one copy protection element deviation; Generating encoded information by encoding the copy protection layer with the one or more selected copy protection element deviations; Writing the encoded information onto the fixed medium, wherein the information is protected on the fixed medium. The method of claim 1, Establishing a physical protection element; Determining a physical protective element deviation for each of the physical protective elements; Pseudo randomly selecting one said physical protection element deviation; And adding the pseudo randomly selected physical protection element deviation to the fixed medium. The method according to claim 1 or 2, A safety element deviation is pseudo-randomly executed in the selection step. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, And wherein said at least one said copy protection deviation is performed pseudorandomly. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, Said method being executed on a track by track or packet by packet base on said fixed medium. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The repeating step is performed three or more times. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, And said fixed medium is digital media. The method of claim 7, wherein The fixed medium is a compact disc. The method of claim 7, wherein And said fixed medium is a digital audio tape. The method of claim 7, wherein And said fixed medium is a digital video disc. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, Wherein said information is a commercially available media player. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The copy protection layer prevents copying on an intelligent device. A device for protecting information on a fixed medium, wherein the information is obtained from a studio disc and the fixed medium is vulnerable. A processor for obtaining information from said studio disc; An encoding unit for interacting with the processor, the encoding unit for encoding information from a studio disc into security and copy protection elements based on vulnerabilities and providing the encoded information to the processor; A controller for controlling the processor; A laser beam recorder for generating a glass original, the recorder comprising: a laser beam recorder for obtaining the encoded information from the processor; And a stamping device for producing said stationary medium from said glass disc. The method of claim 13, And a physical protection unit, the physical protection unit interacting with the stamping device to add a physical protection element to the fixed medium. The method of claim 14, The physical protection unit is controlled by the controller. The method according to claim 13 or 15, The laser beam recorder includes a feedback interface to the controller to limit the number of glass originals generated by the laser beam recorder.

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