Managing Rights Management

LG Conditional Access and Macrovision Copy Protection Patent Applications

On Thursdays the USPTO publishes new pending patent applications. Today's Spotlight Applications concern various aspects of conditional access and copy protection systems. Assigned to LG Electronics (KR), the first application discloses techniques for interfacing resource information between a host device and a security module (or Point of Deployment module). Assigned... Read more →

Sony and IBM Watermarking Patents

On Tuesdays the USPTO issues new patents. Both of today's Spotlight Patents address various aspects of digital watermarking. Assigned to Sony, the first patent concerns techniques for embedding and detecting watermarks in digital data. Assigned to IBM, the second patent concerns techniques for for securing online chat conversations. 7,496,209, "Techniques... Read more →

Shutterfly Digital Fingerprinting and Microsoft Watermarking Issued Patents

On Tuesdays the USPTO issues new patents. Today's Spotlight Patents address aspects of digital fingerprinting and watermarking. Assigned to Shutterfly, the first patent concerns techniques for the automated verification of copyrighted digital images. Assigned to Microsoft, the second patent concerns a centralized detector of dynamic, robust, embedded-signals. 7,492,922, "Automated verification... Read more →

AACS Interim License Agreement Expiring?

Tyler Pruitt points out that the AACS-LA interim licensing agreement expires on February 27th. AACS is one of the security standards used in Blu-ray discs and players (and in the now defunct HD-DVD format). The thing that makes this important is the much lauded “Managed Copy” technology specifications are set... Read more →

FTC DRM Workshop Draws 700 Comments

As noted here, the Federal Trade Commission will hold a public workshop in March on Digital Rights Management in Seattle. At least 700 comments have been file with the commission and have been made available to the public here. A preponderance of comments seem to have been submitted by individuals.... Read more →

Macrovision (MSVN), Blu-ray, and BD+

Macrovision held it's quarterly earnings call for analysts and investors on Tuesday. Here are a few selected excerpts from different parts of the transcript that deal with BD+ security for Blu-ray discs and players and the uptake of Blu-ray players in the marketplace. In other category, while we expect to... Read more →

Two Digital Fingerprinting Patent Applications

On Thursdays the USPTO publishes new pending patent applications. Both of today's Spotlight Applications address various aspects of digital fingerprinting. The first application discloses techniques for applying content categorization of images. Assigned to Cortica, Ltd (IL), the second application discloses techniques for signature generation for multimedia deep-content-classification by a large-scale... Read more →

Motorola and NTT Watermarking Issued Patents

On Tuesdays the USPTO issues new patents. Both of today's Spotlight Patents concern aspects of digital watermarking. Assigned to Motorola, the first patent concerns techniques for fragile watermarking. Assigned to Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, the second patent concerns techniques for watermark detection. 7,489,797, "Method and apparatus for fragile watermarking," assigned... Read more →

Getting Rid of iTunes DRM

In a comment, Dave Sprogis asks about what happens to iTunes tracks that people have already purchased now that Apple has dropped its FairPlay DRM? In addition to lots of freeware software for stripping out FairPlay DRM available on the Internet, Apple will remove it for a fee (says Tom's... Read more →

Apple Drops DRM, Norway Drops Law Suit

CNet and other outlets report that Norway's consumer watchdog is dropping legal action against Apple now that music from iTunes will be without DRM protection. The legal action complained that Apple's FairPlay DRM prevented tracks purchased from Apple could not be played on non-Apple devices. Norway's consumer ombudsman, Bjoern Erik... Read more →