U.S. patent application number 10/391475 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-29 for method and system for deterring electronic video piracy through image rearrangement.
Invention is credited to Reitmeier, Glenn A., Tinker, Michael.
Application Number | 20040018001 10/391475 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26842837 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040018001 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Reitmeier, Glenn A. ; et
al. |
January 29, 2004 |
Method and system for deterring electronic video piracy through
image rearrangement
Abstract
A method for frustrating unauthorized duplication of at least a
portion of a sequence of images being embodied in digital data in a
given order in a bitstream, the method including: storing data
corresponding to an individual one of the plurality of images in at
least one memory device in the given order; and, reading the data
out from the at least one memory device in a pseudorandom order as
part of the bitstream to provide a rearranged order of digital data
different from the given order and adapted to frustrate
conventional display of the sequence of images. A method for
providing a bitstream having digital data that has been rearranged
from a given order corresponding to a plurality of images so as to
frustrate unauthorized reproduction of the images to a display
device for receiving the digital data in the given order, the
method including: storing at least a portion of the rearranged
bitstream in a memory according to a pseudorandom sequence
corresponding to the rearrangement; and, sequentially reading the
data out from the memory in a the given order.
Inventors: |
Reitmeier, Glenn A.;
(Yardley, PA) ; Tinker, Michael; (Yardley,
PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
REED SMITH LLP
2500 ONE LIBERTY PLACE
1650 MARKET STREET
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103
US
|
Family ID: |
26842837 |
Appl. No.: |
10/391475 |
Filed: |
March 18, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10391475 |
Mar 18, 2003 |
|
|
|
09591966 |
Jun 12, 2000 |
|
|
|
6535687 |
|
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60145306 |
Jul 23, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
386/230 ;
348/E5.137; 348/E7.059; 360/60; 386/258; 386/E5.004 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/4405 20130101;
H04N 2005/91364 20130101; H04N 5/74 20130101; H04N 21/2347
20130101; G06F 21/10 20130101; H04N 21/4367 20130101; H04N 7/1696
20130101; H04N 5/913 20130101; H04N 21/4122 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
386/94 ;
360/60 |
International
Class: |
H04N 005/76; G11B
015/04; G11B 019/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for frustrating unauthorized duplication of at least a
portion of a sequence of images being embodied in digital data in a
given order in a bitstream, said method comprising: storing a
portion of said data corresponding to an individual one of said
plurality of images in at least one memory device in said given
order; and, reading said stored data out from said at least one
memory device in a pseudorandom order as part of a bitstream to
provide a rearranged order of digital data different from said
given order and adapted to frustrate conventional display of said
sequence of images.
2. A method for providing a bitstream having digital data that has
been rearranged from a given order corresponding to a plurality of
images so as to frustrate unauthorized reproduction of said images
to a display device for receiving said digital data in said given
order, said method comprising: storing at least a portion of said
rearranged bitstream in a memory according to a pseudorandom
sequence corresponding to said rearrangement; and, sequentially
reading said data out from said memory in said given order.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/591,966, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,535,687,
entitled "METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERRING ELECTRONIC VIDEO PIRACY
THROUGH IMAGE REARRANGEMENT", filed Jun. 12, 2000, which claims the
benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/145,306, entitled
"MEANS OF DEFEATING ELECTRONIC MOVIE PIRACY THROUGH IMAGE
REARRANGEMENT", filed on Jul. 23, 1999, the entire disclosures of
which are each hereby incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to electronic video
reproduction systems and more particularly to methods and devices
for preventing unauthorized duplication of electronic video
presentations.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0003] The present invention is described as it relates to digital
movies and their presentation in theatres, however it should be
understood to be equally applicable to other digital video
presentations methods and systems.
[0004] A major problem with digital movies today is piracy, or the
unauthorized reproduction thereof. Pirated copies of movies can be
found on film and other electronic media, such as video tape, or
magnetic or optical disk. Pirated movies are sold around the world
and shown without any royalties being paid to the proper persons,
e.g. the originators or studio. Accordingly, it is desirable that
electronic video presentation systems be as secure as possible and
as immune to piracy as possible.
[0005] In an electronic video presentation system dedicated to
showing digital movies or video presentations, data representative
of the movie or video presentation is relatively secure for most
parts of the system. FIG. 1 illustrates such a system 10. In
referring to the figures, like references designate like elements
of the invention.
[0006] Referring to FIG. 1, a video presentation such as a movie is
typically prepared at a location 20 such as a studio. The movie is
typically displayed at a distinct location 30 such as a theatre.
Using conventional processing elements 40 at the studio 20, a movie
is captured and digitized, and compressed into a bitstream which is
then encrypted to provide a secured, digital bitstream 50. The
movie is reproducible from the bitstream 50. The encrypted
bitstream 50 is transported to a remote location 30 by some means,
such as a computer network or physical medium like a magnetic tape
or disk, for example. In a theatre 30, the encrypted bitstream 50
is decrypted and decompressed using conventional processing
elements 60. The decrypted, decompressed bitstream 70 is fed to
projector 80 which displays it on a movie screen for example.
[0007] The physical studio 20 can be secured so as to protect the
movie from being pirated. Between the studio 20 and theatre 30, the
bitstream 50 is encrypted. Hence, even if the bitstream 50 is
intercepted or stolen, sufficiently robust encryption techniques
exist and are used to prevent easy reproduction of pirated copies
of the movie. Within the theatre 30, decryption and decompression,
using elements 60, happen almost simultaneously. This typically is
provided on the same computer platform which can also be made
sufficiently secure using conventional locked housings, or
enclosures.
[0008] However, over the transmission link between decryption and
decompression by elements 60 and projector 80, decrypted and
decompressed signal 70 is conventionally a "clear" signal that can
potentially be intercepted and stolen using appropriate
equipment.
[0009] It is an object of the present invention to prevent theft or
unauthorized duplication of signal 70 of a video presentation such
as a movie.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0010] A method for frustrating unauthorized duplication of at
least a portion of a sequence of images being embodied in digital
data in a given order in a bitstream, the method including: storing
data corresponding to an individual one of the plurality of images
in at least one memory device in the given order; and, reading the
data out from the at least one memory device in a pseudorandom
order as part of the bitstream to provide a rearranged order of
digital data different from the given order and adapted to
frustrate conventional display of the sequence of images.
[0011] A method for providing a bitstream having digital data that
has been rearranged from a given order corresponding to a plurality
of images so as to frustrate unauthorized reproduction of the
images to a display device for receiving the digital data in the
given order, the method including: storing at least a portion of
the rearranged bitstream in a memory according to a pseudorandom
sequence corresponding to the rearrangement; and, sequentially
reading the data out from the memory in a the given order.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0012] The advantages and aspects of the present invention will be
more fully understood in conjunction with the following detailed
description and accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a conventional movie
production, delivery and presentation system discussed in the
background of the invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a more detailed view of a presentation
portion of the system of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates the presentation portion of FIG. 2,
adapted according to a preferred form of the present invention;
and,
[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates rearrangement of an image or frame of a
movie according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] As will be discussed herein with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4,
the present invention basically operates by rearranging at least
some if not all of the individual images of the movie transmitted
to the projector 80 such that even if stolen, these images cannot
be readily reconstituted into a useful reproduction of the movie.
As is understood by those possessing ordinary skill in the
pertinent art, a digital video or movie includes a series of images
or frames displayed sequentially. On film, each image is complete
and intact. In a digital movie, each image is made up of pixels. Of
course, pixel is short for Picture Element, and is the smallest
single addressable element in a graphic image. Each pixel is well
defined and arranged in rows and columns to form a two-dimensional
array as is well understood. The array of pixels forms the image to
be displayed as a frame of the movie. The present invention
utilizes the fact each image in a digital movie is divided into
pixels, and manipulates the individual images to further protect
the movie from piracy.
[0018] Referring now to FIG. 2, therein is illustrated a block
diagram of apparatus provided in a theatre 30 which includes image
source 90 and projector 80. Image source 90 can take the form of
decryptor and decompressor 60 as illustrated in FIG. 1, or any
other suitable configuration for providing digital images to
projector 80. Image source 90 provides digital signal 70 to
projector 80. As was discussed, the signal 70 includes pixels which
make up the individual images of the movie displayed by the
projector 80, frame by frame. Depending on the projector 80, the
pixels corresponding to any given image in the signal 70 may be
displayed simultaneously or sequentially as in a raster scan. In
either case, each image is transmitted in signal 70 as individual
pixels or blocks of pixels in a fixed order which does not change
from image to image, (e.g. frame to frame).
[0019] The present invention prevents piracy of signal 70 and hence
the movie displayed using projector 80 by varying the order of the
pixels or blocks of pixels of each image in the signal 70 in a
random manner from image to image.
[0020] Referring now to FIG. 3, therein is illustrated a
configuration 100 including the theatre 30 configuration of FIG. 2
adapted according to the present invention to prevent unauthorized
duplication of the signal 70'. The configuration 100 includes frame
buffer 1 10 and randomizer 120. An input of the frame buffer 110 is
coupled to an output of the image source 90. The output of the
frame buffer 110 is coupled to an input of randomizer 120. Signal
70' is transmitted between an output of randomizer 120 and an input
of derandomizer 130 as is illustrated in FIG. 3. An output of the
derandomizer 130 is coupled to an input of frame buffer 140 and an
output of the frame buffer 140 is coupled to an input of projector
80.
[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, frame
buffer 110 and randomizer 120 are in close physical proximity to
image source 90, and preferably located in the same housing or
enclosure 95 as the image source 90.
[0022] According to the present invention, image source 90 provides
an output to frame buffer 110. Frame buffer 110 holds at least part
of each image output from image source 90. As is understood by
those possessing ordinary skill in the pertinent art, frame buffers
110 and 140 each include an array of addressable memory locations
which each has a unique identifier or memory address assigned to
it. Frame buffers and storage devices and memories are of course
well known and widely employed in the video related arts.
Randomizer 120 accesses contents of the memory addresses of frame
buffer 110 in a pseudo-random manner and writes the contents of
these pseudo-randomly accessed addresses sequentially as part of
signal 70'.
[0023] As is well understood, a pseudo-random number generator can
be used to generate a pseudo-random sequence that satisfies
statistical tests for randomness. The random sequence provided by
these types of generators can be repeated by starting from the same
starting point. By using a pseudo-random sequence to control the
order of access and readout of data as stored by the frame buffer
110, a pseudo-randomized version of each image or frame that make
up the movie to be displayed by projector 80 is transmitted as
signal 70' on the vulnerable link between image source 90 and
projector 80. Hence the signal 70' is randomized and less likely,
if intercepted, to be effectively used than is signal 70 of FIG. 2.
Each image or frame of the movie which was randomized using frame
buffer 110, randomizer 120 and pseudo-random sequence generator 125
is reconstructed using derandomizer 130, pseudo-random sequence
generator 135 and frame buffer 140.
[0024] The derandomizer 130 uses pseudo-random sequence generator
135 to generate the same pseudo-random sequence as was utilized by
the randomizer 120 and pseudo-random sequence generator 125, to
apply the randomized data in signal 70', corresponding to an image,
to the appropriate memory addresses of frame buffer 140. In other
words, data is read-out from memory addresses of frame buffer 110
selected according to a pseudo-random sequence and applied to
memory addresses of frame buffer 140 selected according to the same
pseudo-random sequence. After being applied and stored in the frame
buffer 140, the data is then supplied in a conventional manner to
the projector 80 which displays the corresponding image. Thus, for
any given image of a movie, data corresponding to that image is
stored in identical corresponding addresses in the frame buffers
110 and 140 as that data is conventionally supplied to frame buffer
110, pseudo-randomly read out from frame buffer 110, applied to
frame buffer 140 utilizing the same pseudo-random sequence as was
used to read frame buffer 110, and conventionally read-out from
frame buffer 140.
[0025] It should be understood, that unlike image source 90 which
may take the form of conventional decryptor/decompressor 60 and
require significant processing capabilities and a physically large
computing platform, derandomizer 130 and frame buffer 140 can be
made relatively physically smaller, and hence suitable for
placement within a typical projector 80 enclosure 85 without
significant modifications being made thereto. In a preferred form
of the present invention, the derandomizer 130 and frame buffer 140
are physically positioned within the projector 80 housing, or
enclosure 85.
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 4, there is illustrated an example of
how an individual image or frame 150 of a movie can be rearranged
according to the present invention for transmission as part of
signal 70'. Using the pseudo-random sequence, images 150 or frames
of the movie to be displayed using projector 80 can advantageously
be rearranged according to the present invention differently in a
random manner. It should also be understood while the discussion of
the present invention hereto has been as it relates to individual
pixels, the block size or size of a pixel group, utilized for
randomization, can vary from a substantial portion of each image
down to individual pixels depending upon particular design
criteria.
[0027] For example, in digital videos the use of macroblocks, four
blocks of luminance, one C.sub.r block and one C.sub.b block is
well known. In a preferred form of the present invention,
individual macroblocks are rearranged using the methodology set
forth hereto.
[0028] Referring still to FIG. 4 therein is illustrated an original
image 150 supplied by image source 90. Image 150 includes groups of
pixels 1-9. Analogously, reconstructed image 150" provided by frame
buffer 140 to projector 80 also includes groups of pixels 1-9 in
the same order and respective positions as in image 150. It should
be understood images 150 and 150" are respectively protected within
image source enclosure 95 and projector enclosure 85. Accordingly,
the more robust enclosures 85 and 95 are, the more secure images
150 and 150" are. Image 150' is a representation of image 150 which
has been rearranged according to the present invention for
transmission as part of signal 70'. As set forth, a pseudo-random
sequence utilized by randomizer 120 and derandomizer 130 is
necessary for proper de-arranging to generate image 150". As can be
seen in FIG. 4, the relative arrangement of pixel groups 1-9 in
image 150' is changed dependent upon the utilized pseudo-random
sequence as compared to the relative arrangement of pixel groups
1-9 in image 150. For example, pixel group 9 in image 150' has
taken the relative position of pixel group 1 in image 150.
Likewise, pixel group 1 in image 150' has take the relative
position of pixel group 6 in image 150 for example. It should be
understood this particular pixel group rearrangement is for
purposes of illustration only, as in a preferred embodiment the
relative arrangement of pixel groups can change from image to
image, or frame to frame.
[0029] Although the invention has been described and pictured in a
preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is
understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form, has
been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the
details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts
may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as hereinafter claimed. It is intended that the patent
shall cover by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever
features of patentable novelty exist in the invention
disclosed.
* * * * *