U.S. patent application number 11/764932 was filed with the patent office on 2008-12-18 for digital camera for protection of creative works.
Invention is credited to Mikhail Milgramm.
Application Number | 20080309794 11/764932 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40131922 |
Filed Date | 2008-12-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080309794 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Milgramm; Mikhail |
December 18, 2008 |
DIGITAL CAMERA FOR PROTECTION OF CREATIVE WORKS
Abstract
A digital camera for protection of creative digital images
includes an image capturing device capturing and digitizing a
creative image, a biometric identification device acquiring and
verifying biometric information of authorized users, a local
biometric database storing the acquired biometric information on
the digital camera, and a digital image storage device storing the
captured creative digital image. An access to the captured creative
digital image stored on the digital image storage device is
selectively restricted to authorized users whose biometric
information is stored in the local biometric database.
Inventors: |
Milgramm; Mikhail; (Valley
Stream, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OSTROLENK FABER GERB & SOFFEN
1180 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK
NY
100368403
US
|
Family ID: |
40131922 |
Appl. No.: |
11/764932 |
Filed: |
June 19, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11761797 |
Jun 12, 2007 |
|
|
|
11764932 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
348/231.99 ;
348/61; 348/E5.024; 382/115; 726/28 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 21/32 20130101;
H04N 5/772 20130101; H04N 5/913 20130101; G06F 21/6209 20130101;
H04N 5/765 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
348/231.99 ;
348/61; 382/115; 726/28; 348/E05.024 |
International
Class: |
G06K 9/00 20060101
G06K009/00; G06F 21/24 20060101 G06F021/24; H04N 5/76 20060101
H04N005/76 |
Claims
1. A digital camera protecting creative digital images comprising:
an image capturing device capturing and digitizing a creative
image; a biometric identification device acquiring and verifying
biometric information of authorized users; a local biometric
database storing said biometric information on said digital camera;
and a digital image storage device storing said captured creative
digital image, wherein access to said captured creative digital
image stored on said digital image storage device is selectively
restricted to authorized users whose biometric information is
stored in said local biometric database.
2. The digital camera according to claim 1 further comprising a
processor controlling said image capturing device, said biometric
identification device and said digital image storage device.
3. The digital camera according to claim 1 further comprising a
graphic user interface configured to allow an owner of said
captured creative digital image to create and store rules of
accessing said captured creative digital image stored on said
digital image storage device.
4. The digital camera according to claim 3, wherein a biometric
information of said owner is stored in said local biometric
database during an initial set up of the digital camera.
5. The digital camera according to claim 3, wherein said owner is
one of said authorized users.
6. The digital camera according to claim 3, wherein said owner
defines said authorized users using said graphic user
interface.
7. The digital camera according to claim 1 further comprising a
computer interface configured to allow said digital camera to
communicate with a personal computer and to selectively convey said
captured creative digital image to said personal computer.
8. The digital camera according to claim 1 further comprising a
network interface configured to allow said digital camera to
communicate with a network and to selectively convey said captured
creative digital image to said network.
9. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein said digital
image storage device is removable from said digital camera.
10. A method of protecting creative digital images captured by a
digital camera, the method comprising the steps of: capturing and
digitizing a creative image using an image capturing device of said
digital camera; acquiring and verifying biometric information of
authorized users using a biometric identification device of said
digital camera; storing said biometric information on a biometric
database of said digital camera; storing said captured creative
digital image on a digital image storage device of said digital
camera; and selectively restricting access to said captured
creative digital image stored on said digital image storage device
to authorized users whose biometric information is stored in said
biometric database.
11. The method according to claim 10 further comprising controlling
said image capturing device, said biometric identification device
and said digital image storage device using a processor of said
digital camera.
12. The method according to claim 10 further comprising allowing an
owner of said captured creative digital image to create and store
rules of accessing said captured creative digital image stored on
said digital image storage device using a graphic user interface of
said digital camera.
13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising storing a
biometric information of said owner in said biometric database
during an initial set up of the digital camera.
14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said owner is one of
said authorized users.
15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said owner defines
said authorized users using said graphic user interface.
16. The method according to claim 10 further comprising a step of
using a computer interface of said digital camera to allow said
digital camera to communicate with a personal computer.
17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising selectively
conveying said captured creative digital image to said personal
computer.
18. The digital camera according to claim 10 further comprising a
step of using a network interface to allow said digital camera to
communicate with a network.
19. The method according to claim 18 further comprising selectively
conveying said captured creative digital image to said network.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/761,797, filed on Jun. 12, 2007 and fully incorporated herein by
reference, and claims all right s of priority thereto.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a system and
method for protection of creative works using biometric security
based on biometric identification and verification.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In view of the tremendous opportunities and advantages of
cybernetics and phenomenal growth of internet, mobile technologies,
digital instrumentation, there have arisen serious concerns in the
arena of protecting intellectual property rights of creative
digital works, for example, software, digital images, digitized
music, e-books, etc. The growth of digital information transmission
worries copyright holders who fear that the new technology
threatens their rights because of greater piracy, increased theft
of digital works at the information transfer stage and widespread
sharing of digital works.
[0004] Piracy copying of software, particularly software adapted to
run on personal computers, is an extensive problem to software
vendors which annually costs them large amounts of money. On
average, the software industry loses about US$11 to US$12 billion
in revenue to software piracy annually. The conventional methods
employed to protect software against unauthorized utilization by
demanding a password for the installation or operation of a
specific computer program or program package, for example, have not
provided sufficient security.
[0005] Several attempts have already been made to establish
arrangements in which simply typing a required password is not
sufficient to gain access to a program. For example, systems have
been proposed which require that a special hardware unit is
connected to the computer to make it possible to utilize a given
program. This unit may take the form of a blind plug (also termed
"dongle"), for example, which is connected directly to one of the
input-output terminals of the computer, and containing fixed
tables, identity number, or the like, stored in an internal memory
from which information is read upon the request of a programmed
additional routine included for this purpose in the application
program in question. The unit may also take the form of a card
reader station, or the like, in which a card is inserted, the
matter stored on the card in principle being similar to that of the
blind plug above. Usually the checking procedure involves that the
additional routine of the program makes a direct comparison of the
program identity, for example, and a corresponding item of
information present in the stored table. Thus, an arrangement
making it possible to use a certain computer program or a computer
program package only if the permission of the copyright holder
really exists would be of great importance.
[0006] One attempt to address the above challenges was a proposed
utilization of biometric access control systems by the sending and
receiving party to authenticate the identity of the sending and
receiving party. The use of biometric technologies has previously
gained some acceptance in the field of content access control, and
so, application of such technologies to the goal of securing
copyrighted content is a reasonable approach.
[0007] Biometrics is a field of technology aimed at utilizing one
or more unique personal characteristics of an individual, ranging,
for example, from their fingerprints to their hand vein pattern,
odor, iris image, or their DNA, to authenticate their identity.
Biometric technologies are typically of two types--passive and
active. Passive biometrics either do not require the individual
who's identity is being verified to do anything other than to
enable a certain biometric characteristic to be acquired by the
system (e.g., by placing a finger on a fingerprint scanner, by
looking into a retinal scanner, or by looking in the direction of a
facial scanner). Active biometrics require the individual who's
identity is being verified to perform one or more predetermined
actions in order to enable the system to acquire the representation
of one or more appropriate biometric characteristics (e.g., by
providing a signature, by speaking, by squeezing a certain object,
etc.). Certain types of biometric systems may incorporate a
combination of active and passive biometric approaches. The various
types of biometric systems are discussed in greater detail in the
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/332,017 entitled "MULTIPLATFORM
INDEPENDENT BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM", which is incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety.
[0008] It would thus be desirable to provide a system and method
for restricting access to creative digital works to one or more
specific identified individuals. It would further be desirable to
provide a system and method for preserving the identity of the
author of a particular creative work and the date and location of
its creation. It would additionally be desirable, to provide a
system and method for registering, tracking and biometrically
verifying identities of users/licensees of various creative
works.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The inventive data processing system and method enable
protection of creative works using biometric information of their
authors and other authorized individuals.
[0010] In one embodiment of the inventive method for protection of
creative works, the method includes capturing and digitizing a
creative image using an image capturing device of a digital camera,
acquiring and verifying biometric information of authorized users
using a biometric identification device of the digital camera,
storing the biometric information on a biometric database of the
digital camera, storing the captured creative digital image on a
digital image storage device of the digital camera; and selectively
restricting access to the captured creative digital image stored on
the digital image storage device to authorized users whose
biometric information is stored in the biometric database.
[0011] In one embodiment of the inventive system for protection of
creative works, the system is a digital camera, which includes an
image capturing device capturing and digitizing a creative image, a
biometric identification device acquiring and verifying biometric
information of authorized users, a local biometric database storing
the acquired biometric information on the digital camera, and a
digital image storage device storing the captured creative digital
image. An access to the captured creative digital image stored on
the digital image storage device is selectively restricted to
authorized users whose biometric information is stored in the local
biometric database.
[0012] In a further embodiment of the inventive system and method,
which may be utilized on its own or in conjunction with other
described embodiments, one party is a licensor of a licensed
product incorporating the creative digital work. In accordance with
this embodiment, a license activation method is accomplished by
purchasing the licensed product by a first party from a second
party; conveying the licensed product by the second party to the
first party; verifying an identity of a recipient of the licensed
product using a biometric security management system; and
activating a license associated with the licensed product when the
biometric security management system verifies the identity of the
recipient of the licensed product.
[0013] Other objects and features of the present invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description considered
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be
understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for
purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of
the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote
corresponding or similar elements throughout the various
figures:
[0015] FIG. 1 shows a logic flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment
of a process of implementing and utilizing the systems of FIGS.
2-3;
[0016] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a first exemplary embodiment
of the inventive system, that enables securing access to works of
authorship through biometric identity verification;
[0017] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a second exemplary
embodiment of the inventive system, that enables securing access to
works of authorship through biometric identity verification;
[0018] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of
the inventive license activation system; and
[0019] FIG. 5 shows a logic flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment
of a process of implementing and utilizing the inventive license
activation system shown in FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] The system and method of the present invention remedy the
disadvantages of previously known solutions directed at protection
of creative works.
[0021] Because the terminology that may be currently utilized to
describe the various embodiments of the novel system (and its
functionality), evolves and changes rapidly, for the purposes of
clarity, and without departing from the spirit of the invention,
the various elements, components, infrastructures, and process
steps of the inventive system and method, are described in Table 1,
and further below, in terms of their required or desired
functionality, and/or in terms of objectives they are intended to
accomplish, in accordance with the present invention, rather than
as specific structural and/or process implementations, which may
change in nomenclature with advances in information systems
technology. Table 1 is provided for convenience only and is not
meant to be an exhaustive list of possible interpretations of
utilized terms.
[0022] For example, as computers of various types are well known in
the art, it is presumed that any computer used in conjunction with
the present invention, will include the typical components
necessary for its operation, e.g., one or more CPUs, memory, long
term data storage, and, in cases of computers typically utilized by
users, one or more input devices, a display, and so on. In
addition, because a number of abbreviated terms are used for the
sake of convenience in FIGS. 1 to 5, and further below, Table 1
also provides the definitions of some abbreviated terms used
herein.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Definitions/Terminology # Term Definition 1
Creative For purposes of the present application, the term Work
"creative work" refers to any work of authorship, regardless of the
means of its creation, including but not limited to the types and
definitions set forth in 17 U.S.C. .sctn.101 and 102. 2 Author An
individual, a group of individuals or a company responsible for
creation of the creative work or a legal owner of a creative work
created by somebody else. 3 User A user is defined as: 1. Any party
that desires to securely and/or verifiably store or transfer to
another party (or parties) a creative work, whether by transmission
thereto, or by granting (to the other party or parties) secured
access to content that includes the creative work, and/or 2. Any
party that desires to have an access to a creative work from
another party (or parties). Thus, in accordance with the present
invention, users may range from private individuals, to members of
groups of any type and with any amount of hierarchical levels and
subgroups and that may be readily overlap with other groups (e.g.,
Groups of friends, family members, employees of a corporation,
government employees and/or officials of varying ranks in one or
more agencies, students of a particular university, etc.) 4 BIVS
Biometric Identity Verification System 5 BIVD Biometric Identity
Verification Device 6 BIVA Biometric Identity Verification
Application 7 Informa- As defined herein, information, data, or
content, may be tion/ of any type and in any number of formats that
can be, in data/ whole or in part, transmitted, interacted with
(e.g., content Viewed, modified, reviewed, etc.), Generated,
acquired, analyzed, deleted, reviewed, and/or otherwise processed
by an infotr system. For example, information may include, but is
not limited to, one or more or the following: text, images, audio,
video, transactional information, instrument or sensor readings
(e.g., Medical, scientific, military), links to other data,
executable programs and supporting files, etc. Additionally, data
may be static, interactive, or a combination of both. While it may
be used interchangeably with "information" or "data", the term
"content" preferably represents certain desirable information that
is of interest to one or more parties, access to which is
controlled by one or more parties. 8 Communi- As defined herein, a
communication link is preferably cation any form of a communication
connection between the link various components of the inventive
system that enables data transmission of the appropriate types of
information therebetween. Each communication link may include, but
is not limited to, one or more of the following, in any
combination: direct telecommunication line(s), wireless link(s)
(e.g., Satellite uplink, radio, cellular, Wi-Fi, etc.), and
communication network(s) (such as a LAN (local area network), a WAN
(wide area network), or the Internet). 9 BIVE Biometric Identity
Verification Element. 10 LAS License Activation Server (see FIGS.
4-5 and accompanying description) 11 LAC License Activation
Component (see FIGS. 4-5 and accompanying description)
[0023] It should be noted, that the specific numbers of users, and
corresponding systems shown in the various FIGS. 1 to 5, are
provided by way of example only. Because the inventive system is
completely scalable, it may be used in configurations ranging from
as few as two users, to as many as practically possible, as a
matter of design choice or convenience, without departing from the
spirit of the invention.
[0024] As described further below, the system of the present
invention includes at least two levels: Level 1--the level where
the creative digital work is created and initially stored (e.g., a
digital camera, a personal computer, a mobile device, a scanner, a
digital audio recorder, etc.), and Level 2--the network level,
where the creative digital work is stored for subsequent protection
and/or utilization. As described further below, an intermediary
Level 1a, for example, a host computer, may be provided for an
intermediate storage and transfer of creative digital works.
[0025] The system is generally illustrated in FIG. 2 showing Level
1 elements including the processor 1, the memory 4, the Level 1
biometric database 2, the biometric identification and verification
device (BIVD) 3 for acquiring biometric information from a user and
a corresponding biometric identity verification application (BIVA)
8 for controlling the operation of the BIVD 3 and for enabling the
acquired biometric characteristics to be used for identity
verification. BIVD 3 in combination with the BIVA 8 generate a user
biometric identity verification element (BIVE), representative of
the biometric information acquired by the BIVD, and process it for
storage in the biometric database 2 (as well as biometric databases
of other system levels) and use in future user identity
verification (e.g., by creating a recognition template, or
otherwise). It should be noted that more than one BIVD with its
corresponding BIVA (e.g., fingerprint scanner(s), iris scanner(s),
face identifier(s), etc.) may be utilized at Levels 1 or 1a of the
present system. Additionally, Level 1 includes a creative device 5,
i.e., the device that is used by the author to assist in creation
of the creative work. Depending on an actual implementation of the
claimed invention, creative device 5 may be an image capturing
device of a digital camera, software assisting in creation of a
digital work, a sound recording and digitizing device, etc.
[0026] Level 2 preferably includes at least a biometric database 6
for storing BIVEs of users registered with Level 2 network and a
creative works database 7 for storing and protecting creative works
uploaded to Level 2. Only users whose BIVEs are registered with the
biometric database 6 and who are authorized by the author will have
an access to the creative work in the creative works database 7.
The author or an owner of the creative work stored in the creative
works database may create various rules with respect to accessing,
viewing, using, selling, purchasing, distributing and other rights
with respect to its creative work.
[0027] Level 1a preferably includes a processor 1', a Level 1a
biometric database 2', memory 4', BIVD 3'and BIVA 8'. Functions of
Level 1a elements are similar to the functions of the equivalent
elements of Level 1, described above.
[0028] FIG. 1 is a logical flow chart illustrating the method for
protecting creative works, in accordance with the preferred
embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, at the
initial setup step 101, an author is asked whether he/she wants to
create and store his/her biometric information (step 102), i.e.,
BIVE. More than one person may be designate as the author.
Therefore, multiple biometric enrollments are possible with the
present system. As explained above, BIVE is created using a
biometric scanning device ("BIVD") and, in accordance with step
103, is stored in the Level 1 Biometric Database. If there are
additional users of the system, their BIVEs may also be created and
stored at the time the initial set up is performed (steps 104-105).
Next, author creates a creative work (step 106) and has a choice of
protecting this work using his/her biometric information (step
107). If no protection is desired, the work is ordinarily stored on
an appropriate storage means, for example, memory 4 or 4' (step
108). If, however, the author desires to protect the creative work,
the system will first check whether the author's BIVE was
previously stored (step 109). If no such information was previously
stored, the author will be asked to use the attached BIVD to create
BIVE and to store this information in the Level 1 Biometric
Database (step 110). The author's BIVE is then verified (step 111),
and the work is protected and stored (step 112). It should be noted
that in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the creative work may be encrypted using any known
encryption method prior to being stored. To access, the protected
work, the author will need to submit his/her BIVE using the BIVD
and verify this BIVE by comparing it to the BIVE previously stored
in Level 1 Biometric Database. Additionally, the author may
designate other individuals allowed to access the protected work.
All such individuals will need their BIVEs to be stored in Level 1
Biometric Database. As will be obvious to a person skilled in the
art, the additional step of encryption is not necessary to protect
the creative work. The work may simply be protected by
biometrically securing access to such work in the manner described
above.
[0029] The protected work may then be uploaded to an intermediate
Level 1a or the network Level 2 of the inventive system and
distributed or licensed as described below (step 114).
[0030] The creative work protection system 100 useful in practicing
the method of the present invention, which enables users to easily
secure, authenticate, and store their creative works, is described
with reference to FIG. 3. Although FIG. 3 explains the use of the
inventive system and method in connection with creation and
utilization of digital images created by a digital camera (i.e.,
Level 1), it should be noted that the present system is not
restricted to such use, as will be apparent to a person skilled in
the art.
[0031] In accordance with one preferred embodiment, system 100
includes a digital camera 10, a host computer 50 and a network 70.
Digital camera 10 produces digital images that are stored on a
removable digital image storage medium (e.g., a memory card) 30 or
other digital storage device. Digital camera 10 has a zoom lens 12
that is controlled by a zoom switch (not shown) having telephoto
(T) and wide angle (W) positions, and having zoom and focus motor
drives (not shown), and an adjustable aperture and shutter (not
shown) for focusing light from a scene onto an image sensor 14. The
image sensor 14 can be, for example, a single-chip, colored,
charge-coupled device (CCD), using the well-known Bayer color
filter pattern. When the user depresses a shutter button (not
shown), the analog output signal from the image sensor 14 is
converted to digital data by an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter
(not shown). The digital data is processed by a processor 18 that
is controlled by firmware stored in a reprogrammable memory, such
as a Flash EPROM (not shown).
[0032] Digital camera 10 is further supplied with a biometric
identification system (BIS), which utilizes one or more unique
personal characteristics of camera users registered therewith, to
verify their identity. BIS preferably includes a biometric identity
verification device (BIVD) 28 for acquiring biometric information
from a user, and a corresponding biometric identity verification
application (BIVA) (not shown) for controlling the operation of the
BIVD, and for enabling the acquired biometric characteristics to be
used for identity verification. BIVA software may be provided with
the digital camera on a compact disc, CD-ROM, a floppy disk, or
other digital media and installed on the host computer 50 or
directly on the digital camera 10 (possibly, as part of the
firmware) at the time of the initialization of the digital camera,
i.e., prior to taking pictures. Thus, in accordance with one
preferred embodiment of the present invention, BIVA software is
executed external to the digital camera 10, and is executed on the
host computer 50. However, the BIVA software can alternatively be
executed by an Internet appliance, set-top box, or other external
device, or can be executed internal to the digital camera 10,
provided that the digital camera has an appropriate user interface
for displaying and responding to questions. BIVEs of the author and
other authorized users may be stored in a local biometric database
34.
[0033] The processed digital image file is provided to a digital
storage interface 20 which stores the digital image file on the
removable digital image storage medium 30, or on another type of
digital memory device, such as a floppy disk or magnetic hard
drive, or smart media. The removable digital image storage medium
30, which is well-known to those skilled in the art, can include,
for example, a memory card adapted to the PCMCIA card interface
standard, as described in the PC Card Standard, Release 2.0,
published by the Personal Computer Memory Card International
Association, Sunnyvale, Calif., September 1991. The removable
digital image storage medium 30 can also be adapted to the Compact
Flash interface standard, such as described in the Compact Flash
Specification Version 1.4, published by the CompactFlash
Association, Palo Alto, Calif., July 1999, or to other memory
devices such as the well-known SSFDC (Solid State Floppy Disc Card)
or Memory Stick formats.
[0034] Processor 18 performs color interpolation followed by color
and tone correction, in order to produce rendered sRGB image data.
The processor 18 can include internal buffer memory to store a
portion of the image, or to store one or more entire images.
Alternatively, the processor 18 can use a separate external memory,
such as DRAM memory 19. The rendered sRGB image data is then JPEG
compressed and stored as a JPEG image file on the removable digital
image storage medium 30. The processor 18 also provides a lower
resolution or "thumbnail" size image data to an LCD display 22,
which displays the captured image for the user to review. Several
camera user buttons provided as part of the user controls 24 are
used to control the digital camera 10. User controls 24, together
with text and icons displayed on the LCD display 22, form the
camera graphical user interface (GUI). This GUI is controlled by
the user interface portion of the firmware stored in the Flash
EPROM.
[0035] The digital camera 10 determines various metadata items,
such as the date/time the picture was taken from the real-time
clock (not shown) provided by the processor 18. Additionally, a
place of the creation may also be preserved by entering the place
identifying information using the GUI. After a series of images has
been taken by the digital camera 10 and stored on the removable
digital image storage medium 30, the removable medium 30 can be
inserted into an appropriate reader 48 communicatively attached to
or incorporated within the host computer 50. Alternatively, an
interface cable 36 can be used to connect between a host interface
26 in the digital camera 10 and a camera interface 46 which may be
external or internal to the host computer 50. The interface cable
36 may conform to, for example, the well-known universal serial bus
(USB) interface specification.
[0036] The captured images from the digital camera 10 can be
downloaded to the host computer 50 and stored on a hard drive 56
under the control of a central processing unit (CPU) 60. As
conventionally known, host computer 50 includes RAM memory 38, and
the CPU 60 is coupled to a display monitor 52, which is used to
view the images, and various input/output devices 54 (e.g., a
keyboard).
[0037] In an alternative embodiment, previously created creative
works can be stored on an external storage medium 32. Examples of
the external storage medium 32 include a CD ROM, a DVD, an external
hard drive, a floppy disk, an MP3 player and a flash drive.
However, as it is apparent to a person skilled in the art, the
present invention is not limited to these exemplary devices. CPU 60
communicates with an External Media Storage Interface 42 in order
to read the information from the external storage medium 32.
External media storage interface 42 can be a CD ROM drive, a floppy
disk drive or any other appropriate interface.
[0038] To protect creative works and other information stored on
the host computer 50, a host BIS is provided on the host computer.
Host computer BIS preferably includes a host BIVD 64 for acquiring
biometric information from a user, a corresponding BIVA (not shown)
and an intermediate biometric database 66 for storing BIVEs of
registered users.
[0039] CPU 60 further communicates with an image forming apparatus
(IFA) 58 through an IFA interface 62. IFA 58 can be a local
printer, a copier, a facsimile apparatus or a scanner. IFA 58 may
be utilized to produce hard copy prints of the images that were
captured by the digital camera 10, to print hard copies of other
creative works created on the host computer 50, to upload a digital
copy of a creative work existing in a hard copy (e.g., by scanning
a hard copy of a manuscript) or to upload a digital copy of a
creative work transmitted from another location. Similarly to the
digital camera 10, IFA 58 can create a date stamp associated with
the creation, upload or transmission of a particular creative
work.
[0040] In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the creative
work is uploaded to the network 70 having a creative works database
72 for storage and protection of uploaded creative works and a
network biometric database 74. As shown in FIG. 3, network may
further include a master biometric security system 80 working with
the master biometric database 74 to register and store biometric
information of authorized users. Biometric security system 80 may
be implemented as part of the network 70 (as shown in FIG. 3) or as
a free-standing application service provider (ASP) connected to the
network 70. Further, biometric security system 80 may be
implemented as an independent biometric security server described
in U.S. Pat. No. 6,993,659, fully incorporated herein by reference.
Network 70 further includes an interface 76 for interfacing with
various local or intermediary devices via secure communication
links 82. Communications with the host computer 50 are preferably
accomplished via the PC/Network interface 68. Similarly,
communications with the digital camera 10 are preferably
accomplished via the network interface 78. Further elements and
functions of network 70 are described below in connection with
distribution of creative works.
[0041] As described above in connection with FIGS. 1-3, an author
creates his/her creative work 200 using digital equipment, e.g., a
personal computer, a digital camera, a mobile device, etc. This
digital equipment may be preliminary set up to have a biometrically
secured access to the digital equipment and information stored
thereon. As further described above, the author secures the work by
attaching his/her biometric information, a date stamp and possibly
a place of creation information to the work. The work may be
further locally protected by encryption. Only authorized users
whose biometric information is registered with a biometric
identification system of the digital equipment will be allowed to
access the creative work 200.
[0042] According to the copyright law, copyright protection
attaches to work 200 at the time of creation. To ensure that the
creative work itself, its date and place of creation are preserved,
the author registers his/her biometric information using the master
biometric security system and uploads work 200 to the Level 2
network. As the author uploads work 200, he/she provides the
biometric information using the biometric scanning device. The
system identifies the author using the previously stored biometric
information and creates a date stamp and optionally a place of
creation stamp for work 200. The name of the author, the date stamp
and the place stamp are then attached to the work such that the
date, the place and the author of the work may be later verified,
if necessary. Further, work 200 may then be distributed with the
attached information, as described in more detail below.
[0043] Referring now to FIG. 4, another aspect of the inventive
system is shown that enables registered users to obtain a licensed
product 220, for example, a product incorporating the copyrighted
work 200 discussed above, and activate the license by verifying one
or more biometric criteria of the intended user/licensee using the
biometric identity verification system (BIVS) 205. In addition to
the creative work 200, licensed product 220 may include terms and
conditions of licensing the product 220. User 201 in FIG. 4 refers
to the author or licensor (i.e., an owner, vendor or distributor of
a licensed product corresponding to the creative work) of the
creative work, and its system 202 may be constructed in a way
described above with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, i.e., the system
may be the Level 1, Level 1a or Level 2 system containing the
product to be licensed. Further, the licensor's system 202
preferably includes the following capabilities: 1. capability for
transmitting information to at least one other system; 2.
capability for receiving information from at least one other
system; 3. capability for storing data and applications for issuing
instructions, and, in response to issued instructions, performing
tasks involving data stored therein or provided thereto, sufficient
to enable functionality necessary for operation of the disclosed
system and method; 4. capability for displaying information
relevant to its operation and the performed tasks; 5. capability
for communicating with the BIVS system 205 via a communication link
210; and 6. capability for receiving instructions from an operator.
System 202 also preferably includes a BIVD 214 for scanning or
otherwise retrieving BIVEs.
[0044] The embodiment of FIG. 4 further features a licensee 203.
The licensee 203 has access to its own system 204, which may
communicate with the BIVS system 205 via a communication link 212.
Additionally, system 202 of the user 201 and system 204 of the user
203 are able to communicate with each other via a communication
link 240. The various communication links shown in FIG. 4 may be
similar to at least some of the other links, or may all be of the
same configuration (e.g., the Internet). Similarly to system 202,
system 204 also preferably includes a BIVD 216 for scanning or
otherwise retrieving BIVEs.
[0045] BIVS system 205 preferably includes LAS 206 (see definitions
in Table 1) as an integrated component. LAS 206 is a license
activation management system performing enrollment procedure and
verification for user 203 during installation of the product 220.
Further, each product 220 prefer includes LAC 208 (see definitions
in Table 1). LAC 208 is a software installation package that
implements biometric identity management algorithm to connect user
203 to LAS 206, capture and send a user's biometric (e.g.,
fingerprint) element during installation procedure and to ensure
that only previously registered clients would be able to complete
installation of the product they had purchased.
[0046] Referring, to FIG. 5, an exemplary embodiment of a process
for accomplishing license activation utilizing the inventive system
(for example, the system of FIG. 4) is shown. As a matter of design
choice, the various steps of this process may be executed by
different components of the inventive system of FIG. 4.
[0047] The process of licensing the product 202 may begin at an
optional step 302, where a user 203 may purchase a licensed product
from a licensor 201. LAC 208 of the purchased licensed product is
then sent to the purchasing user at a step 304. Using the
embodiment shown in FIG. 4 as an example, step 304 may be
accomplished by electronically transmitting LAC 208 from licensor
201 to user 203 via the connection link 240. Alternatively, LAC 208
of the purchased licensed product may be recorded on some
electronic media (e.g., hard disk, CD, DVD, etc.) and then
physically conveyed to the purchasing user. Next, at a step 306,
the purchasing user runs LAC 208 on its system 204 connecting the
purchasing user's system to the LAS 206 of the BIVS system 205,
where the user performs a registration process (step 308).
Purchaser's BIVE is then stored at the biometric database 212 of
the BIVS system 205. Alternatively, the purchasing user 203 may
register its biometric information with the BIVS system 205 at the
time of purchase of the licensed product using the communication
link 210 between the licensor 201 and the BIVS system.
[0048] After the registration is complete, IBSM System notifies the
licensor that the product may be transmitted. At an optional step
310, the licensor encrypts the purchased product (this step is
optional because it is possible to control access to the purchased
product without encrypting it), which is then transmitted to the
purchasing user at a step 312 indicating the purchasing user as the
intended recipient. Upon receipt of the licensed product, the user
transmits, biometric information acquired through its BIVD 216 in
form of a BIVE to the BIVS system, which verifies the supplied BIVE
against the BIVE of the authorized user previously stored during
registration. Upon successful verification, the product is
decrypted (if it was previously encrypted) and product installation
process is activated, at a step 314. At an optional step 316, an
installation log may be created and stored at the BIVS system to
provide the licensor with an easy license record keeping
option.
[0049] Although, transmission of LAC of the purchased product,
encryption of the purchased product and the transmission of the
actual purchased product are described as three separate steps
(i.e., steps 304, 310 and 312), they can be accomplished
simultaneously. In such alternative embodiment, the licensor will
transmit the LAC and the encrypted product as one package. However,
the user will not be able to access and/or install the licensed
product until the registration (step 308) and verification are
completed. Accordingly, the creative work incorporated in the
licensed product 202 is protected by the disclosed and claimed
system and method.
[0050] Thus, while there have been shown and described and pointed
out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to
preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various
omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of
the devices and methods illustrated, and in their operation, may be
made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit
of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all
combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform
substantially the same function in substantially the same way to
achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. It
is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the
scope of the claims appended hereto.
* * * * *