JPH0887455A - Method for minimization of unapproved copy of digital information by making use of nonuniformity of medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prevent the unacknowledged copying and using of information by generating a code from the non-uniformity part of a recording medium, incorporating it to a ciphering key to cipher, permitting access corresponding to inspection, decoding information, and generating a decoded key. CONSTITUTION: An information providing person scans a medium through the use of a non-uniform part detection program and decides the location of the non-uniform part of the medium at a step 60. The output is inputted to a step 70 generating a selected list by a list generating program and a code generating program applies a previously set function to the selected list to obtain a code suited to a recording medium to input to steps 80 and 90. Next in order to generate a key ciphering information DI to be delivered or information S1 to support, the identification code of the recording medium is read at a step 90. D1 is read at the step 110, ciphering is executed at a step 120 and ciphering is decided at a step 130.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the field of data processing, and more particularly to preventing unauthorized copying of digital information on one storage medium to another storage medium. Furthermore, the present invention limits the use of the information on the original medium to one or more designated devices without introducing any key that is independent of the characteristics of the medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior art copy protection schemes rely primarily on software-based schemes, hardware keys, or a combination thereof. software·
The base method uses cryptographic techniques to prevent programs that normally copy from being made into unauthorized, usable copies. Unless the proper decryption key is found on the storage medium, the program on the storage medium stops working. Depending on the storage medium, the invention refers to all types of non-volatile storage medium. Examples of such media include floppy disks, hard disks,
There are optical disks and other non-volatile semiconductor storage media. Recently, new generation copy programs have been made so sophisticated that most software pre-protected by copy protection schemes cannot be copied without the consent of the informant.

[0003]

The hardware key method employs explicit keys on the system hardware to enable the program in the system. The first such scheme uses a hardware serial number or identification number as the key. The second scheme requires the user to also purchase special hardware each time the software is purchased. Therefore, whenever new software is required, the required hardware must be connected to the system hardware. In this way, the number of parallel operating software that can run on a particular system can be simultaneously connected to the system hardware,
It will be limited by the number of such special hardware.

As an example of a software-based scheme and hardware key combination, a US patent requesting a patent on the copy protection of software on magnetic media by a special key with two marks made on the surface of the media. No. There are 4,903,296. These marks are in the form of domains that cannot be made by a conventional disk drive and that are in the form of lack of material and cannot be formed by a conventional magnetic disk write head. In addition, the encrypted keys that are important in running the application are set in the special purpose hardware subsystem. Finally, the hardware subsystem is required to decrypt the key.

Another patent claims a method for protecting a copy of the personal computer software distributed on a diskette using a unique identifying symbol stored in the read-only memory of the personal computer. US Patent No. 4,86
There are 6,769. The source ID is given all distributed software. The personal computer ID is used with the source ID on the distribution diskette to generate the encoded check word using any available encryption scheme. This check word is used to verify that the software is being used on the designated personal computer.

[0006] To prevent unauthorized copying and use of information, prior art copy protection schemes either place an artificial display device as a software key, or
Or require a special hardware subsystem.
Not only are these measures very costly for both the information provider and the user because they require additional processing steps, but they also tend to encourage concurrent use of different types of information in a networked environment. Nor. Furthermore, prior art copy protection schemes are limited because they prevent unauthorized copying and use of magnetic media software only.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention prevents unauthorized copying and use of information stored on a storage medium and yet uses such information in a designated device. It is a method of limiting. Copy protection is achieved by generating the code from a given storage medium. The codes are derived from a list of arbitrarily selected non-uniform and uniform parts and their attributes.
The selected list can have non-uniformities at any level of granularity. In this way, this code will be unique for a given storage medium in the same way that a fingerprint will be unique for a human body.
This code is used to derive a key that encrypts the information on the storage medium. Arbitrarily copying shipping information from one storage medium to another results in the transformation of the code required to decrypt the information. Thus, the present invention obviates the need for an artificial display device or special hardware subsystem to implement the copy protection scheme.

Limiting the use of the information on the delivery medium to a specified device is to identify the device ID stored on the delivery medium before the information is decrypted and transferred.
(DID-S) is used to identify the device ID (DI
This is achieved by verifying DD). Decryption of information is accomplished by generating a key from both the delivery medium and the DID-S code.

[0009]

【Example】

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A method and apparatus for exploiting media non-uniformity to prevent unauthorized copying and use of digital information is described. In the following description, various specific details are set forth, such as bit patterns and program steps, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be practiced without these special details. In other instances, well-known steps, such as those associated with encrypting and decrypting data, have not been shown in order not to obscure the invention.

Notes and Names A detailed description of copy protection schemes using media codes is presented in part in terms of algorithms and symbologies for the operation of data bits within computer memory. The description and representation of these algorithms is the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art.

An algorithm is here generally considered to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. These steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, but not necessarily, these quantities are in the form of electrical or magnetic signals that can be stored, transferred, combined, and processed in other forms. In this case, the physical quantity becomes a voltage signal corresponding to the information to be delivered. It is sometimes in a convenient form, mainly because it wants to be used extensively to indicate signals such as bits, numbers, elements, symbols, letters, conditions, numbers, etc. But,
It should be noted that all of these and similar conditions are related to the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities.

Further, the processing performed is often referred to in terms, such as addition or comparison, which are broadly related to the mental operations performed by human operators. No such human operator capability is required or desired. In the majority of cases, in any operation described herein and which forms part of the present invention, the operation is a machine operation. Useful machines for performing the operations of the present invention are equipped with general purpose digital computers, such as digital signal processors, or similar devices. It should be noted that in all cases there are differences between the method operations when operating a computer or other equipment and the method of calculation itself. The present invention relates to method steps for preventing unauthorized use of information delivered via a media code to generate other desired physical signals.

The invention also relates to equipment for performing these operations. This equipment is specially constructed for the required purpose, or it is equipped with a general-purpose computer that is selectively operated or reconfigured according to a computer program stored in the computer. It seems that The algorithms presented here are not inherently related to any particular computer or other equipment. In particular, various general-purpose machines are used here with programs written according to this idea, or it is possible to produce special equipment such as digital signal processors for carrying out the required method steps. It seems to provide convenience.
The required structure for a wide variety of these machines will appear from the description given below.

General System Configuration A general model of information distribution is illustrated in FIG. Here, the information provider 10 includes software, video, audio, graphics, or any combination thereof. However, it is meant to be, but not limited to, a provider of all types of information. Transmission channel 20 means the means and more particularly the medium by which information is delivered to information users 30 on paths 15 and 25. Transmission channel 20
Is equipped with any communication link such as a computer network, satellite link, diskette, optical disk, or other storage medium. However, it is not limited to them. It should also be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the conditional information user can exchange with any user of the information.

Any storage medium, such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, has physical non-uniformities due to imperfections in the processing of such media. FIG. 2 shows a non-uniform portion 41-47 of a sample on a storage medium such as disk 40. The non-uniformities illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 are similar to each other in pattern and size, for simplicity and should not be considered a limitation on the scope of the invention. . Similarly, circular storage medium 40 represents a general class of storage media. In general, non-uniformities appear in all types of non-volatile storage media. These non-uniformities are minimized because the manufacturing process is close to tolerance.
Not considered to be completely removed. Looking at Figure 2 again,
The nonuniform portions 41-47 are nonuniform portion detection programs (N
DP). Details of NDP are described next.

FIG. 3 shows the selected list for the non-uniform parts 41, 42, 45, 47 generated by the list generation program (LGP) after receiving the output from NDP. Depending on the list selected, the present invention represents non-uniform and / or uniform bit combinations of storage medium 40. As will be explained in more detail below, the selected list is used to generate a code when the output of the LGP is sent to the code generation program (SGP). The details of SGP are described further below. Depending on the code, the invention represents the result of adding the function to the selected list. Such a feature uses the attributes of a group of elements for a selected list. Depending on the attributes, the present invention can
Includes number, length, readability and writability,
However, the characteristics of bits on the storage medium are not limited thereto.

FIG. 4 shows the non-uniform portions 51-55 of the second storage medium 50. The storage medium 50, like the storage medium 40 of FIGS. 2 and 3, is also represented by a circular disc.
In order to distinguish from the non-uniform portions 41-47 of FIGS. 2 and 3, the non-uniform portions 51-55 of FIG. 4 are shown in a circular shape as opposed to a rectangular shape. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the non-uniform portions of storage media 40 and 50 have the same attributes. However, there is almost no case where the respective attributes on the storage medium and the majority of the non-uniform portions are exactly the same. Further, the storage medium 40 of FIGS. 2 and 3 is a magnetic disk, while the storage medium 50 of FIG. 4 is an optical disk.

FIG. 5 illustrates a pattern of non-uniform portions that are overlaid when a bit-by-bit copy of storage medium 40 is made toward storage medium 50. Looking at FIG. 5, the final pattern shows a different non-uniformity pattern than FIGS. That is this original code of the storage medium that is an advantage of the present invention. To date, the field of data processing has been devoted to masking non-uniformities for reliable storage of software and data. Schemas such as the Reed Solomon coding technique have been used to store and retrieve data with reasonable accuracy when there is a non-uniformity of single bits or few bits. In contrast, the present invention
The non-uniformity of the storage medium is exploited to generate a code that is unique to a given storage medium.

Preferred embodiments of the invention

1. Creation of Delivery Package FIGS. 6-8 show how an information provider creates an information package when the information user agrees to the terms of the information delivery contract. Usually, the delivery package is mounted in encrypted form with the information (SI) supporting the information (DI) to be delivered. Depending on the DI, the invention represents the information delivered by the information provider.
In general, DI does not include software to assist in gaining access to the present invention. In contrast, SI
Represents all of the enable programs of the present invention along with other necessary software and data. DI and SI
Appears to reside on a single storage medium. Alternatively, they can be stored on different storage media. For example, the SI can reside on multiple storage media. Normally, only DI is encrypted. However, encryption of all or part of the SI seems to be done barely.

In FIG. 6, the information provider makes a step 6
At zero, the storage medium is scanned for non-uniformity using a non-uniformity detection program (NDP). NDP scans the media to determine the locations of non-uniform portions of the media. Normally, NDP reads a given location on a storage medium and tests for the presence of any non-uniformities due to the manufacturing process.
These non-uniform parts express themselves in many states.
NDP returns the location value as "favorable" or "undesirable". Generally, "undesirable" locations are those that cannot be used to store selected bits of information. NDP of some form of MS-DOS ^R Format Comman
d and Norton Utilities ^R. MS-DOS is a Microsoft Corp.
registered trademark of Norton Ut
illities is a registered trademark of Peter Norton.

The output from the NDP in step 60 is that the selected list is a list generation program (LG
Given as an input to step 70 generated according to P). FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of the LGP used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In step 65, the integer "k" is selected based on the characteristics of the storage medium, such as type and capacity. LGP is N
The output from the DP is examined at step 66. After that, the "k" elements from the non-uniform part are randomly selected. At the same time, uniform bit "k" elements that are not in the non-uniformity list are also randomly selected in step 67. The two selected lists are randomly modified at step 69 before it is output as the selected list at step 71. LGP also gives the attributes of the chosen location.

Referring again to FIG. 6, in step 70 the LGP
The list selected from is the code generation program (SG
P) is applied as an input to step 80, which applies preset functions to the selected list to obtain the appropriate code for the storage medium in question. FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of the SGP used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The output from the LGP, the selected list, as described in the previous item, is S in step 81.
Sent as input to GP. Here, the SGP retrieves certain preset attributes of the element from the storage medium. Next, SGP lists the preset functions in step 8
It has the attribute in 3 and is added. Finally, step 8
At 5, the result of the operation according to the preset function of step 83, ie the code, is sent as an input to step 90 of FIG. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the functionality utilized by SGP will be mathematical or some other preset operation.

Referring to FIG. 6, in conjunction with the code of the storage medium, the present invention proceeds to step 90 to generate a key that encrypts DI and / or SI.
Read the identification code (DIS-S) of the storage medium. Here, the encryption key is an encryption key generation program (EKGP)
Is generated by. The details of EKGP depend on the particular encryption / decryption (EP / DP) scheme employed.
In general, EKGP adds a preset function or operation to the media code to produce a string corresponding to the key specification of the EP / DP schema used. EP and DP
Will be described further below. Then the DI goes to step 110
And encrypted with the key generated in step 100 using the EP in step 120. Step 1
The output of 20 is the information to be encrypted and delivered (EDI). EP / DP can be any well known method for encryption and decryption. One such example is DES
Is. D. E. R. Denning, Cryptog
raphy and Data Security, A
ddision-Wesley, Reading, M
A, 1983. At step 130, the information provider determines whether EDI and SI will be one or more delivery media. In addition, the information provider
Decide on the encryption of I. At step 140, the shipping package is shipped to the information user.

2. Information Access FIGS. 9 and 10 show how an information user accesses and uses the information contained in the shipping package created as described above. In FIG. 9, the information user reads the file carrying the list (SLF) selected from the delivery medium in step 150. Step 1
The output from 50 is used as the input to step 160, where SGP is employed to generate the appropriate code for the storage medium. Next, in step 170, the code of the delivery medium is verified. In particular, a program that calls a code verification program (SVP) is called when the storage medium is sent to the read / write peripheral. S
The VP checks if the media code is the same as the code shown on the shipping package. Figure 10
, The SVP reads the code S _m from the delivery medium in step 171. SVP is then NDP and LDP
And SGP, depending on the code S _{g of the} delivery medium, step 1
Generate at 73. The outputs of steps 171 and 173 are compared in step 175. If there is no match, the faulty sign condition is indicated at step 177. There are two possible causes for the bad code. That is,
(1) The read / write peripheral failed to transfer the non-uniform portion from the delivery medium to the medium to be copied, or (2) the storage medium is a medium that is copied or not approved. Both conclusions are SVP in step 175
Is detected by. The avoidance program will be called in step 180 to stop the program together.

Assuming that there is a code match in step 175, the present invention uses the device ID (DID-
R) is read from the storage device (DID-S) designated as the information user's device, as shown in step 190 of FIG. Next, the ID of the designated device is confirmed in step 200 by the device verification program DVP. If no match exists,
The evasion program is enabled because an unauthorized device is found in step 210. Otherwise, active matching of the device ID in step 200 activates the decryption key generator (DKGP) in step 220. Just E in Figure 6
Like KGP, the implementation of DKGP depends on the particular EP / DP schema adopted. Referring again to FIG. 9, the delivery medium and DID-S code are inputs to DKGP or other decryption key generation program. DKGP generates a decryption key (DK). Using the decryption key of step 220, the present invention enables the information consumer to decrypt the encrypted information (EDI). The output from the DK is the information delivered in its original or clear form (D
It should be understood by a person skilled in the art that I) will be obtained. Finally, the delivered information is transferred to the device specified in step 240.

[0028]

The present invention focuses on a method of exploiting media non-uniformity to minimize unauthorized copying of information in a delivery environment, and with particular reference to FIGS. Although illustrated, it should be understood that the figures are used for illustration purposes only and are not considered limitations on the invention. Moreover, it is clear that the method of the invention has applicability in many applications where copy protection of information is required. It is anticipated that numerous changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described above.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a model of information distribution.

FIG. 2 illustrates sample non-uniformity on a storage medium.

3 shows a list selected for non-uniformity on the storage medium of FIG.

FIG. 4 illustrates sample non-uniformity on another storage medium.

5 illustrates a non-uniformity pattern from a non-uniform bit-by-bit copy from the storage medium of FIG. 2 to the storage medium of FIG.

FIG. 6 illustrates the steps for an information provider to create a distribution package according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a flow chart of a list generation program (LGP) used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a flow chart of a code generation program (SGP) used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates steps for an information user to access and use information from the shipping package created in FIGS. 6-8.

FIG. 10 shows a flow chart of a code verification program (SVP) used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Information provider 20 ... Transmission channel 30 ... Information user 60 ... Scan delivery media for defects using NDP 65 ... Select integer "k" based on media characteristics, such as type and capacity 66 ... List output 67 ... Randomly extract "k" elements from this non-uniformity list 68 ... "k" Uniformity bits, rather than non-uniformity list
Randomly extract 69 ... Swap this extracted list of elements at random 70 ... Generate a selected list (SLF) from defects found using LGP 71 ... Output this selected list 80 ... Use function to generate code using SGP 81 ... For each element of selected list, retrieve certain preset attribute of element from medium 83 ... Preset function / operation Add to list from attribute 85 ... Output conclusion as code 90 ... Read DID 100 ... Generate key to encrypt using EKGP 110 ... Read information 120 ... Use EP to find necessary part of information Encrypt 130 ... Create supporting information 140 ... Store them on one or more delivery media 150 ... SLF from delivery media With 173 ... NDP and LGP and SGP for reading the 171 ... sign "S _m" that are generated verifying code stored using the 170 ... SVP to generate the code using a 160 ... SGP take viewed from the delivery medium , Sign
Get "S _g " 175 ... S _g = S _m ? 177 ... Incorrect code 179 ... Code is correct 180 ... Medium stop to be copied 190 ... Read DID from storage medium (DID-S) designated as device (DID-R) 200 ... RDID matches SDID There? (D
VP) 210 ... Unauthorized device stop 220 ... Generate key using DKGP 230 ... Decrypt information using DP 240 ... Load information to specified device

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Mohan Shankara Kankanhari Singapore, Singapore 1027, Jalan Hitam Manis 74

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A system for delivering information, comprising at least one storage medium and at least one output device, said information comprising both delivered information (DI) and supporting information (SI). And a method for preventing unauthorized use of said information on said storage medium, said storage medium having non-uniform and uniform parts, wherein: Generated from a non-uniform part of the medium, incorporating the code into an encryption key and encrypting the information before delivering it to the storage medium, and corresponding to the verification of the code to the device. Thereby allowing access to the storage medium, decrypting the information and generating a decryption key from the code to authorize access to the information by the device. Serial method of. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises any digital information. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information can be partially or fully encrypted. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said code is a function of a list consisting of said non-uniform part, uniform part and their attributes. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the list can be a subset of all of the non-uniform and uniform parts and their attributes. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the subset can be arbitrarily selected. 7. A system for delivering information and comprising at least one storage medium and at least one designated device, wherein said device has a unique identification 14D) number, said information being Information to be delivered (D
I) and supporting information (SI) together to prevent unauthorized use of said information on said storage medium, said storage medium being associated with the non-uniform portion. And generating a code from the non-uniform part of the storage medium, incorporating the code and the device ID into an encryption key, and delivering the information to the storage medium. Previously encrypted, allowing access to the storage medium by the device in response to the verification of the code and the device ID, decrypting the information and the information on the device A method of generating a decryption key from the code and the device ID to authorize access to the device. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information comprises any digital information. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the information can be partially or fully encrypted. 10. The method of claim 7, wherein the code is a function of the list of non-uniform parts and uniform parts and their attributes. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the list can be a subset of all of the non-uniform and uniform parts and their attributes. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the subset can be arbitrarily selected.