ES2351088T3 - FILTER PROTECTED MATERIAL. - Google Patents

Abstract

Procedure for filtering (200) content material (101) that facilitates a phased approach to enhanced security comprising: checking (110) the content material (101) for compliance with a copy protection standard to identify material (311) of authorized content, characterized in that it further comprises determining (220) an improvement indicator that is associated with the material (311) of authorized content, determining a state of improvement of programming code that is associated with this procedure for filtering (200) content material (101), and process (120) the authorized content material (311) only when the improvement status corresponds to or is at a higher state than the improvement indicator.

Description

Filtering of protected material.

Background of the invention 1. Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of consumer electronics, and in particular to filtering techniques for copy protected material.

2. Description of the related technique

Digital recordings have the property unique that the copies of the content material have the same Quality than the original. As such, the need for a scheme of Effective copy protection is particularly crucial for the content material protection that is recorded digitally. Several protection schemes have been developed or proposed that they record the content material in an encrypted form. They have developed or proposed other protection schemes that record an encrypted key that controls the reproduction, or presentation, of content material. In several of these approaches it is done an attempt to minimize the value, or worth, of an illegal copy of copy protected material incorporating filtering elements or filters on playback or recording devices that prevent the presentation or recording of these illegal copies. Given the many alternative techniques are currently available, and since many other alternative techniques are being developed, the adoption of a single protection scheme by copy protected material suppliers and distributors of consumer electronics devices has been, and remains, A task of enormous proportions.

The Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) has proposed a phased approach to improved procedures to filter illicit copies of copy protected material. Is say, since most security systems are implemented in a programming code, it is relatively easy improve a security system to carry out measures of alternative security since these measures are developed and are normalize An improvement of this type can be achieved by sending a replacement memory device to a user, causing the user download the new programming code from a site Internet, etc. Initially, for example, material protected against copies will contain an indication, or mark, that it is material copy protected, or, in some cases, a mark indicating that the material has been altered. For example, a brand may indicate that the content material has become a format compressed when it should not have been compressed. A player as it will not reproduce content material that contains a brand of this type but does not contain the appropriate SDMI authorization. For to serve as a reference, content material that does not contain the appropriate SDMI authorization for content material is called Non-SDMI, or NSDMI. In addition, to facilitate compression, the SDMI approach is used herein as paradigm for security systems that use an approach to phases towards protection schemes.

A conventional SDMI filtering process 100 is illustrated in figure 1. User material 101 is received by the process 100, and is tested to determine if it is material that You have an appropriate SDMI authorization. If so, the SDMI material is provided to the player's processing components or recorder ("SDMI functions") 120, in figure 1. These 120 SDMI functions process the material and provide output 121 planned associated with the device; that is, a player presents the material through acoustic devices, a recorder record the material, normally safely, in another medium, such as a recordable CD, and the like.

If in 110 the material 101 does not contain the appropriate SDMI authorization, is filtered to detect a brand, in the mark detection block 130. If material 101 does not contain the aforementioned brand is considered not to be a copy protected material, and therefore can be reproduced or record freely. For example, the material protected against copies can be marked using a "watermark" that cannot be removed from the material without destroying or degrading Significant material quality. If a mark is not detected water at 130, it is likely that user material 101 is not copy protected. Material of this type can be material commercial that has been provided before the use of a watermark, or material such as private or other recordings recordings that are not intentionally protected against do you copy. If a mark is not found at 130, material 101 will be processes, in block 170 of preprocessing, so that it is SDMI compatible, for later presentation or other processing, through functions 120 SDMI. They can also other safety tests, such as protection tests against commonly used existing copies, to determine the validity of user material 101. By way of similar, functions 120 SDMI can also include functions additional that provide protection that are used to determine if output 121 is provided.

If, in state block 140, it is determined that material 101 is illicit, or potentially illicit, the process status 100 to determine if it contains elements of phase II safety filtering. That is, the security mark mentioned above will contain an indication that Phase II safety filter elements are available. When illicit copies of content material are made that Contains this brand, they will also contain the brand. Therefore when the user of the illegal copy tries to reproduce or record from of this illegal copy, the test at 140 will detect this indication, and will warn the user, in 150, that there is a problem when it comes to present user material 101, and will also warn the user that an improvement is available for the user's system. When the user makes an improvement in the user's system in response to this notification, advanced filtering techniques are provided, as illustrated by the filtering and rejection block 160. Is that is, when the user makes an improvement in the phase system II, block 160 is provided or improved, through an improvement of memory device, a download from an Internet site, etc. Other blocks, such as block 120 of SDMI functions, the mark detection block 130 and processing block 170 Previously they can also be improved or modified by improvement. TO then subsequent attempts to present or process another illicit material mode will undergo these safety techniques improved It is expected, for example, that one of the improved techniques be a trace of the source of illicit material. That is, for For example, recording systems or future providers may add a unique identifier to each material provided, identifying themselves; for example, material downloaded from a Website can contain that website name. When determines that material of this type is illegal, block 160 You can provide a message such as: "This material has been obtained illegally from the xxx.com site, and the artists are They are deprived of their copyright. Please refrain from purchase of material from xxx.com. "This warns the person who unintentionally purchases illegal material about of the nature of the product you are receiving from the site identified, and will look for another source for the desired material. Finally, the identified suppliers of illicit material they will lose their clientele in favor of authorized suppliers, and the lack of economic viability to provide illicit material of this type to a smaller and smaller clientele will force the operation to stop unlawful In addition, advanced systems can be configured to communicate this information to a central authority, so that preventive measures can be taken to avoid future losses.

Brief summary of the invention

It is an objective of this invention to improve the effectiveness of a phased approach to copy filtering Illicit copy protected material. To this end, the invention provides a method for filtering content and a system for processing content material as defined in independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

The present invention is based on observation that, after some experience in the phased approach conventional figure 1, people who use Intentionally obtained illegally obtained copies of protected material against copies "will spread the word", for example through Internet, warning people who use it so much intentional as those who use unintentionally material Illicit about the risks associated with the improvement. TO then an increasingly smaller number of people will be expected voluntarily improve your systems, and the phased approach to Advanced security will probably fail.

An embodiment of this invention provides for tests to detect the availability of an improved version of a filtering system and force an improvement of the system advanced filtering when material that meets the existing standards. When security regulations change and are corresponding security techniques available for download to existing consumer devices, the content material Newly published will contain an indication for this purpose. When he newly published content material is processed by a device of existing consumption, the consumption device will detect this indication of an available update, and will avoid processing of this newly published content material until that the update is received. In this way it can be carried out a phased approach to improved security.

It is indicated that the document "White Paper on the Secure Digital Music Initiative SDMI" of Rump, N., et al ., Provides information about a methodology to protect music so that it is not used illegally, the so-called IPMI SDMI system . A two-layer approach, a "fixed" and a "better" approach is recommended.

It indicates that the international application, published as document WO 97/21162, discloses a service methodology for time-based availability for content provided on a storage medium by means of which can generate revenue for premium access and pay per use to the content. The service combines a video disc reader and a authorization center The authorization center can authorize the viewing of content based on pay per use or along a defined time interval.

It is indicated that the European patent application EPO 174472 discloses a copy protection mechanism for magnetic media. The mechanism involves making a disk of distribution cannot be copied functionally, until it modify by executing a procedure that requires the cooperation of a coprocessor. After modification, the software can be copied but can only be used on the machine that contains the coprocessor that participated in the modification procedure.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention is explained in more detail, and by way of For example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a filtering process conventional by way of example to detect illegal copies of copy protected content material.

Figure 2 illustrates a filtering process a example mode to detect illicit copies of material from copy protected content according to this invention.

Figure 3 illustrates a block diagram a example mode of a filtering system to detect copies Illicit copy-protected content material according to the present invention

In all drawings the same numbers of reference indicate similar characteristics or functions or corresponding.

Detailed description of the invention

As indicated earlier in the summary of the invention, the conventional approach to a phased improvement of security measures imposes the improvement by phases in users that attempt to reproduce or otherwise process illegal copies of copy protected material. That is, consistent with a non-intrusive approach towards the implementation of a protection against copies, the conventional approach does not impose a burden on user until the user makes a mistake. Although this approach is minimally intrusive, it has the potential to be minimally effective. When violators determine that improving their system does not provides no benefit, they will stop applying such improvements. Dice that messages can now be communicated effectively almost all the world to large parts of the population, violators too they can influence others, particularly unconscious offenders, so they also stop applying such improvements. Therefore it is the conventional improvement strategy in Figure 1 is likely to does not provide tangible benefits for improvement, fail.

Figure 2 illustrates a filtering process 200 alternative by way of example to detect illegal copies of copy protected content material in accordance with this invention. This alternative filtering process 200 imposes a burden to users of legitimate copies of material protected against copies, but the burden is not considered excessive. As in the Figure 1, user material 101 is tested for determine the presence of an SDMI authorization at 110. If the material 101 is an authorized SDMI copy of protected material against copies, the system update status is subjected to test in test block 220. The authorized SDMI material includes an indication of the phase of the improvement strategy that It is currently available for download to the system. If he Current system status is not updated with this phase, you will be recommends the user to improve the system, in block 150 of notification. Alternatively, if the current system status is is in the indicated phase, or in a larger phase, the system is updated, and authorized SDMI material is provided to 120 SDMI functions for presentation 121 or other processing

By preventing access to 120 SDMI functions when it is determined that the system is outdated, the "incentive" of the user to improve the system is the presentation of this new content material that has the indication of highest improvement. In this way the users they probably continue to improve the system in each phase of a Safety improvement process by phases. To relieve the factor "surprise" associated with having to improve in a way not expected or untimely system, the material package of content could include an indication of the level of improvement applicable, and the user could carry out the improvement before try to present or otherwise process content material newly acquired. Alternative techniques can also be used. common in the art, such as automatic notification of new improvements for users through emails electronic, and similar.

As in the process of Figure 1, copies legitimate non-SDMI material (SDMI (L)), usually copies that do not have a copy protection mark, such as a watermark, are identified in 130, and are previously processed to SDMI processing, in 170. Illegitimate copies of material do not SDMI (SDMI (NL)), usually copies of content material that have copy protection marking although not a appropriate SDMI authorization, are rejected for submission or other processing in notification block 260. The process It will depend on the current improvement status of the system. That is, for example, if the system has been improved to identify the source of the illicit material, the processing in 260 will include the message "no purchase material from xxx.com "commented previously with with respect to figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates a block diagram a example mode of a system 300 to identify illegal copies of copy protected content material in accordance with this invention. A format tester 310 checks material 101 of content to determine if the material is content material authorized, using for example standards established by the SDMI. A status determinator 320 extracts an improvement status indicator of material 311 authorized content, and compares it to a state 302 system improvement, to produce a state of improvement 321. Such as indicated above, the improvement status indicator is associated with content material 101, preferably associated cryptographically to material 101, and indicates an upgrade version which is available for the system. This version indicator is normally the latest version of the upgrade was available when content material 101 was created. In the context of this invention, the improvement version indicator facilitates a identification of a new phase of copy protection in a copy protection system, although the principles presented in this document may apply to others improvement strategies as well as for other applications. Observe yourself that in a conventional improvement process, as illustrated in the Figure 1, the improvement status indicator is coded as a "in band" signal relative to the content material. That is to say, the status indicator is coded conventionally within the content material, so it cannot be removed so Simple material. On the other hand, according to the present invention the Status indicator is determined after the material of content is verified as authorized, and there is little or no incentive to eliminate it. Alternatively, tester 310 of format can be configured to ensure that an indicator of Status is present before declaring that the material is authorized. Therefore, the status indicator in the present invention can be encoded as an out-of-band signal, which, as it is known commonly in the art, it is often easier to extract and determine that a conventional band signal. As a measure additional security, the status indicator in one embodiment preferred is associated to the content material, using a technique of digital signature or similar security measure.

A processor 330 processes the material 101 of content based on the state of improvement 321. If the state 302 of system improvement is at the level determined by the improvement status indicator associated with material 101 of content, or at a higher level, processor 330 processes the content material 101 to provide output 121 presented. Note that a state of acceptable improvement 321 is only Produces from material 311 authorized content. The state 321 of improvement is also provided to a device 340 of notification that notifies a user when system 300 is outdated with respect to the status indicator included in the 101 content material.

If the content material 101 is not authorized 312, this does not necessarily imply that the material is illegitimate. A copy protection detector 350 is configured to detect the presence of a protection scheme against copies, such as a watermark, in the 312 content material Not authorized. If the unauthorized 312 material contains a mark copy protection, then it must be an illegal copy of copy protected material, and processor 330 is configured to avoid the presentation or other processing of material 101 of content if 351 protection label is confirmed copies, and optionally, to use the device 340 of notification to recommend an improvement. Conversely, if the 312 unauthorized material does not contain any protection mark against copies, the copy protection detector 350 does not Confirm the copy protection label, and the processor 330 otherwise presents or processes content material 101 without limitation.

The above merely illustrates the principles of the invention. It will therefore be appreciated that those skilled in the art they may conceive various provisions that, although not described or explicitly show in this document, implement the principles of the invention and therefore are within its reach For example, test block 220 or processor 330 they can have a structure so that the material is allowed User 101 is presented or otherwise processed during a limited number of times before such presentation is avoided or other processing based on an outdated improvement. That is, the system will display a message indicating that the system needs be updated, and will stop presenting the content material of higher level improvement status after the next 5 reproductions Instead, the test block 220 or the processor 330 may have a structure so that any subsequent processing of content material 101 after the first Determination of an outdated improvement status. That is, the block 220 test could prohibit subsequent access to functions 120 regardless of the material improvement indicator 101 of later user Combinations of these and other approaches they will be apparent to one skilled in the art. These and others configuration and system optimization features will be apparent to a person skilled in the art in view of this description.

In the claims, no symbol of reference in parentheses should be interpreted as limiting the claim. The expressions "understanding" and "that includes "do not exclude the presence of elements or stages different from those listed in a claim. The invention it can be implemented by means of hardware comprising several different elements, and by means of a programmed computer of properly. In a device claim that lists several means, several of these means can be implemented by The same hardware item. The mere fact that certain measures are cited in mutually dependent claims different does not indicate that it cannot be used advantageously combination of these measures.

In summary, a content material is filtered copy protected to detect an indication of the availability of an improved version of a filtering system and force an improvement to the advanced filtering system by rejecting process copy-protected content material until the improvement is made. When security regulations change, and corresponding safety techniques are available for discharge to existing consumer devices, material Newly published content will contain an indication for this purpose. When newly published content material is processed by an existing consumption device, the consumption device will detect this indication of an update. available, and prevent the processing of this content material just published until the update is received. This way you can a phased approach towards security improved

Claims (10)

1. Procedure to filter (200) material (101) of content that facilitates a phased approach to Enhanced security comprising: check (110) the material (101) of content as to its compliance with a copy protection standard to identify material (311) of authorized content, characterized in that it also includes determine (220) an improvement indicator that is associated with the material (311) of authorized content, determine a code improvement status of programming that is associated with this procedure to filter (200) material (101) of content, and process (120) the material (311) of content authorized only when the improvement status corresponds to or is at a higher state than the improvement indicator. 2. Method according to claim 1, which It also includes: warn (150) a user that a improvement of the programming code, when the improvement status is not corresponds to the improvement indicator. 3. Method according to claim 1, which It also includes: determine (130) a material authorization (101) of content that does not meet the standard of protection against copies, and process (120) the material (312) of content that does not meet the copy protection standard when the Authorization is affirmative. 4. Method according to claim 1, in which the determination (220) of the improvement indicator is facilitated by out-of-band signaling of the indicator improvement. 5. Method according to claim 4, in which out-of-band signaling is associated with the material (101) of content using a cryptographic technology. 6. System (300) for processing content material (101) that facilitates a phased approach to improved security, the system comprising
(300): a format tester (310) that is configured to identify material (311) of content authorized, based on compliance with material (101) of content of a copy protection standard, characterized in that it also includes a status determiner (320) that is configured to determine an improvement state (321) associated with the system (300) based on an improvement indicator that is associated with the material (311) of authorized content and a status (302) system improvement (300), and a processor (330) that is configured to process the material (311) of authorized content based on the state (321) of improvement. 7. System (300) according to claim 6, which also includes a notification device (340) that is configured to provide advice that a system improvement (300), depending on the state (321) of improvement. 8. System (300) according to claim 6, which also includes a copy protection detector (350) that is configured to detect a security mark (351) that is associated with the content material (101), and in which the processor (330) is further configured to process content material (101) based on brand (351) of security. 9. System (300) according to claim 6, in which the improvement indicator corresponds to a signaling outside of band, with respect to the material (101) of content. 10. System (300) according to claim 9, in which out-of-band signaling is associated with the material (101) of content using a cryptographic technique.