On Tuesdays the USPTO issues new patents. Both of today's Spotlight Patents deal with aspects of DRM. Assigned to Intertrust, the first patent concerns trusted and secure techniques for item delivery and execution. Assigned to Hitachi, the second patent concerns techniques for limiting high quality digital video to devices that are capable of enforcing copy protection.
7,587,369, "Trusted and secure techniques, systems and methods for item delivery and execution," assigned to Intertrust Technologies.
Abstract
Documents and other items can be delivered electronically from sender to recipient with a level of trustedness approaching or exceeding that provided by a personal document courier. A trusted electronic go-between can validate, witness and/or archive transactions while, in some cases, actively participating in or directing the transaction. Printed or imaged documents can be marked using handwritten signature images, seal images, electronic fingerprinting, watermarking, and/or steganography. Electronic commercial transactions and transmissions take place in a reliable, "trusted" virtual distribution environment that provides significant efficiency and cost savings benefits to users in addition to providing an extremely high degree of confidence and trustedness. The systems and techniques have many uses including but not limited to secure document delivery, execution of legal documents, and electronic data interchange (EDI).
7,587,126, "Video information outputting apparatus, video information receiving apparatus, video information outputting method and video information transmitting method," assigned to Hitachi, Ltd. (JP).
Abstract
According to a video information outputting apparatus, a video information receiving apparatus, a video information outputting method and a video information transmitting method, for receiving and outputting digital video information. The digital information is outputted in the same quality as it is, when it is certificated that an external apparatus operates according to a copy control information, while no information limited on copying thereof is outputted when it is not. It thereby prevents the information, which is outputted from the video information outputting apparatus to an external apparatus, from being used in other purposes than the original object thereof, thereby giving disadvantages onto the producer and/or copyright owner of the information.
Abstract
Documents and other items can be delivered electronically from sender to recipient with a level of trustedness approaching or exceeding that provided by a personal document courier. A trusted electronic go-between can validate, witness and/or archive transactions while, in some cases, actively participating in or directing the transaction. Printed or imaged documents can be marked using handwritten signature images, seal images, electronic fingerprinting, watermarking, and/or steganography. Electronic commercial transactions and transmissions take place in a reliable, "trusted" virtual distribution environment that provides significant efficiency and cost savings benefits to users in addition to providing an extremely high degree of confidence and trustedness. The systems and techniques have many uses including but not limited to secure document delivery, execution of legal documents, and electronic data interchange (EDI).
7,587,126, "Video information outputting apparatus, video information receiving apparatus, video information outputting method and video information transmitting method," assigned to Hitachi, Ltd. (JP).
Abstract
According to a video information outputting apparatus, a video information receiving apparatus, a video information outputting method and a video information transmitting method, for receiving and outputting digital video information. The digital information is outputted in the same quality as it is, when it is certificated that an external apparatus operates according to a copy control information, while no information limited on copying thereof is outputted when it is not. It thereby prevents the information, which is outputted from the video information outputting apparatus to an external apparatus, from being used in other purposes than the original object thereof, thereby giving disadvantages onto the producer and/or copyright owner of the information.
