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WO2003075271A1 - Method and system for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data. - Google Patents

Method and system for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data. Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2003075271A1
WO2003075271A1 PCT/EP2002/002614 EP0202614W WO03075271A1 WO 2003075271 A1 WO2003075271 A1 WO 2003075271A1 EP 0202614 W EP0202614 W EP 0202614W WO 03075271 A1 WO03075271 A1 WO 03075271A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
digital audio
song
digital
data
playing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/EP2002/002614
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Stephen J. Borza
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ActivCard Ireland Ltd
Original Assignee
ActivCard Ireland Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ActivCard Ireland Ltd filed Critical ActivCard Ireland Ltd
Priority to AU2002257640A priority Critical patent/AU2002257640A1/en
Priority to PCT/EP2002/002614 priority patent/WO2003075271A1/en
Publication of WO2003075271A1 publication Critical patent/WO2003075271A1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
    • G06F21/30—Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals
    • G06F21/31—User authentication
    • G06F21/32—User authentication using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
    • G06F21/10—Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material ; Digital rights management [DRM]
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
    • G11B20/00086—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
    • G11B20/00086—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy
    • G11B20/00137—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy involving measures which result in a restriction to contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier to authorised users
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
    • G11B20/00086—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy
    • G11B20/00137—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy involving measures which result in a restriction to contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier to authorised users
    • G11B20/00144—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy involving measures which result in a restriction to contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier to authorised users involving a user identifier, e.g. a unique customer ID
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
    • G11B20/00086—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy
    • G11B20/0021—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
    • G11B20/00086—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy
    • G11B20/0021—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
    • G11B20/00217—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier the cryptographic key used for encryption and/or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from the record carrier being read from a specific source
    • G11B20/00231—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier the cryptographic key used for encryption and/or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from the record carrier being read from a specific source wherein the key is obtained from a local external medium, e.g. a card
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F2221/00—Indexing scheme relating to security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
    • G06F2221/21—Indexing scheme relating to G06F21/00 and subgroups addressing additional information or applications relating to security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
    • G06F2221/2143—Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to a method of protecting digital audio data from piracy without causing user inconvenience and, more particularly, relates to a method of protection of digital audio data using biometric information.
  • illegal home and commercial copying of records is depriving artists, recording studios, and manufacturers of significant income.
  • high-quality hi-fi signals can be easily duplicated without deterioration, facilitating illegal proliferation of copyright protected material.
  • An integrated circuit card e.g., a smart card, PCMCIA card
  • An integrated circuit card is configured to store decryption capabilities for related video programs.
  • this system solves the problem of piracy for video programs, it is not applicable to audio data without causing user inconvenience. For example, a user may view two or three video programs a day, having to handle two or three smart cards, whereas he may listen to a hundred songs on hundred different CDs using a multi CD player. As is obvious, it is impossible to maintain convenience and to require a user to handle hundreds of smart cards.
  • a biometric identification system accepts unique biometric information from a user and identifies the user by matching the information against information belonging to registered users of the system.
  • One such biometric identification system is a fingerprint recognition system.
  • the finger under investigation is usually pressed against a flat surface, such as a side of a glass plate; the ridge and valley pattern of the finger tip is sensed by a sensing means such as an interrogating light beam.
  • a sensing means such as an interrogating light beam.
  • Various optical devices which employ prisms upon which a finger whose print is to be identified is placed.
  • the prism has a first surface, a platen, upon which a finger is placed, a second surface disposed at an acute angle to the first surface through which the fingerprint is viewed and a third illumination surface through which light is directed into the prism.
  • the illumination surface is at an acute angle to the first surface, as seen for example, in US Patents 5,187,482 and 5,187,748.
  • the illumination surface is parallel to the first surface, as seen for example, in US Patents 5,109,427 and 5,233,404.
  • Fingerprint identification devices of this nature are generally used to control the building-access or information- access of individuals to buildings, rooms, and devices such as computer terminals.
  • the described sensor has a two dimensional, row and column, array of capacitors, each comprising a pair of spaced electrodes, carried in a sensing member and covered by an insulating film.
  • the sensors rely upon deformation to the sensing member caused by a finger being placed thereon so as to vary locally the spacing between capacitor electrodes, according to the ridge/trough pattern of the fingerprint, and hence, the capacitance of the capacitors.
  • the capacitors of each column are connected in series with the columns of capacitors connected in parallel and a voltage is applied across the columns.
  • a voltage is applied to each individual capacitor in the array. Sensing in the respective two arrangements is accomplished by detecting the change of voltage distribution in the series connected capacitors or by measuring the voltage values of the individual capacitances resulting from local deformation. To achieve this, an individual connection is required from the detection circuit to each capacitor.
  • Fingerprint characterisation is well known and can involve many aspects of fingerprint analysis. The analysis of fingerprints is discussed in the following references, which are hereby incorporated by reference: Xiao Qinghan and Bian Zhaoqi,: An approach to Fingerprint Identification By Using the Attributes of Feature Lines of Fingerprint," IEEE Pattern Recognition, pp 663, 1986;
  • a method for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data comprising the steps of: providing personalised digital audio data from a storage medium to a digital audio player for decoding therefrom the song; providing user authorisation information in the form of digital data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data, wherein the user authorisation information of the authorised user is a same for different personalised digital audio data stored in a plurality of different storage media; playing the song by the steps of: using a processor, decoding the personalised digital audio data based on the user authorisation information to provide digital music data; providing the digital music data to a D/A converter; and, receiving analogue audio signals from the D/A converter, wherein the digital music data is only stored in volatile memory such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew.
  • a method for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data comprising the steps of: providing personalised digital audio data to a digital audio player for decoding therefrom a song; providing biometric information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital data; using a first processor, comparing the biometric information with stored biometric information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised audio data to produce a comparison result and, if the comparison result is indicative of a match playing the song by the steps of: using a second processor, decoding the personalised digital audio data based on data indicative of the authorised user to provide digital music data; providing the digital music data to a D/A converter; and, receiving analogue audio signals from the D/A converter, wherein the digital music data is only stored in volatile memory such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew.
  • a digital audio player for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data comprising: a first port for receiving personalised digital audio data; a second port for receiving user authorisation information in the form of digital data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data from a peripheral device interfaced therewith, wherein the user authorisation information of the authorised user is a same for personalised audio data stored in a plurality of storage media; a processor for decoding the digital data based on the user authorisation information to provide digital music data; a volatile memory for storing the digital music data such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew; and, a D/A converter for converting the digital music data into at least an analogue audio signal.
  • a digital audio player for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data comprising: a drive for reading personalised digital audio data from a storage medium inserted therein; a biometric input device for receiving biometric information of a user of the digital audio player and for providing data in dependence thereon; a first processor for comparing the biometric information with stored biometric information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data to produce a comparison result; a second processor for decoding the personalised digital audio data based on the stored biometric information indicative of an authorised user to provide digital music data if the comparison result is indicative of a match; a volatile memory for storing the digital music data such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew; and, a D/A converter for converting the digital music data into analogue audio signals.
  • FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of a digital audio player according to the invention for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data
  • Fig. 2 is a simplified flow diagram of a method according to the invention for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data
  • Fig. 3 is a simplified diagram of another embodiment of a digital audio player according to the invention
  • Fig. 3a is a simplified diagram of another embodiment of a digital audio player according to the invention.
  • Fig. 3b is a simplified diagram of another embodiment of a digital audio player according to the invention.
  • Fig. 3c is a simplified diagram of another embodiment of a digital audio player according to the invention.
  • Fig. 4 is a simplified flow diagram of another method according to the invention for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data
  • the invention relies on a peripheral device such as a smart card in order to unlock locked digital audio data. All digital audio data belonging to one legitimate user are locked in a same fashion such that the user has only one unique smart card in order to unlock a plurality of digital audio data on a plurality of storage media. As such, only an individual with the smart card may unlock the digital audio data. This limits the use of the audio data to one user, but it enables the user to make a plurality of copies of the locked digital audio data for his own use. With the smart card the user is then able to unlock the locked digital audio data and listen to his favourite songs.
  • a peripheral device such as a smart card
  • biometric information for user authentication.
  • a thief of the digital audio data and the smart card is not able to unlock the locked audio data.
  • the embodiment is described with reference to fingerprint registration.
  • the embodiment of this invention is applicable to other biometric information and methods of user authentication as well.
  • Contact imagers as described above, are known in the art of electronic security. Using a contact imager, a fingerprint is digitised and, using a processor, the digitised fingerprint is characterised. Characterisation of fingerprints is known in the art of fingerprint analysis and, in general involves extracting features in a substantially global reference frame for comparison with template features.
  • the characterised digitised biometric information is registered with stored templates to locate a template that, within a predetermined level of security in the form of a predetermined false acceptance rate, matches the characterised information. When a match is detected, the individual is identified and a corresponding action is performed.
  • the digital audio player comprises an input port 101 for receiving personalised digital audio data, such as a CD ROM drive, a digital audio tape drive or a port for connecting to the digital output of a high end CD player.
  • the digital audio data are personalised using user specific information.
  • the data may be personalised using various encryption methods with, for example, the user specific information being a user specific encryption/decryption key.
  • User authorisation information in the form of digital data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data is provided from a peripheral device interfaced with a second port 103 of the audio player 100.
  • the peripheral device comprises a smart card inserted into a smart card reader 103.
  • the peripheral device may be a portable card having a magnetic strip.
  • the user authorisation information is user specific, that is the user authorisation information of the authorised user is a same for different personalised digital audio data stored in a plurality of different storage media.
  • the personalised digital audio data is decoded based on the user authorisation information to provide digital music data.
  • the digital music data are then provided to a D/A converter 109 for determining analogue audio signals in dependence upon the digital music data.
  • the digital audio data is stored only in volatile memory 1 11 such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew.
  • the digital audio player 100 and the method for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital data according to the invention is highly advantageous, accommodating the needs of the electronic publishing industry as well as the user.
  • the digital audio data are in an unlocked form only within the processor 107, the D/A converter 109 and volatile memory 111 , therefore, any copying or storing of same is prevented.
  • the digital data are accessible in the personalised - encrypted - form allowing a user to make numerous copies of the personalised digital audio data to satisfy his personal needs.
  • the authorised user is enabled to use any copy of the personalised digital audio data at any place by providing the user authorisation information to a digital audio player according to the invention for unlocking.
  • Personalising the digital audio data using user specific information enables the authorised user to use a plurality of digital audio data on different storage media, such as CDs, using one smart card.
  • This feature is particularly advantageous in combination with a multi - CD player.
  • multi - CD players on the market that are able to hold a hundred or more CDs.
  • the use of a single smartcard allows the authorised user to play any song on any of the CDs contained in the player with the single smart card.
  • this method allows an authorised user to copy a selection of his favourite songs stored, for example, on a plurality of different CDs onto one CD and play the CD with the same single smart card.
  • a user may register with a company providing digital audio data. Upon registration the user is provided with user authorisation information for personalising the digital audio data. With the advent of new technologies such as writable CDs a user may select his favourite songs in an audio store and the selected songs are then stored on a CD as personalised digital audio data using the user authorisation information. Alternatively, a user may obtain his favourite songs as personalised digital audio data, for example, as an MP3 file via a communications network such as the Internet. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 another embodiment of a digital audio player 300 and a method for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data is shown.
  • the digital audio player comprises an input 301 such as a CD ROM drive for receiving digital audio data.
  • User authorisation information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital data in the form of biometric information such as a fingerprint is provided from a user to a biometric input device 303 such as a fingerprint imager.
  • a biometric input device 303 such as a fingerprint imager.
  • the biometric information is compared with biometric information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data stored in non-volatile memory 313 to produce a comparison result. If the comparison result is indicative of a match the personalised digital audio data are decoded based on data indicative of the authorised user stored in non-volatile memory 313 to provide digital music data.
  • the digital music data are then provided to a D/A converter 309 for determining analogue audio signals in dependence upon the digital music data.
  • the digital audio data is stored only in volatile memory 311 such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew.
  • data indicative of a plurality of authorised users may be stored in non-volatile memory 313.
  • a biometric input device 322 is contained in a separated housing connected to the digital audio player as shown in Fig. 3a. Further alternatively, the separate housing 324 contains non-volatile memory 326 and processor 328. Upon receipt the processor 328 compares biometric information received from the biometric input device 322 with the biometric information stored in memory 326 to produce a comparison result. If the comparison result is indicative of a match processor 328 provides data indicative of the authorised user stored in memory 326 to the digital audio player for decoding the personalised audio data.
  • This embodiment according to the invention allows a user to use one housing 322 for playing personalised digital audio data on a plurality of digital audio players.
  • one digital audio player can be used by a plurality of authorised users to play their personalised digital audio data.
  • Each user connects his housing 322 to the digital audio player in order to identify him as an authorised user and to provide data to decode the personalised digital audio data.
  • digital audio player 350 comprises a port 352 for interfacing a peripheral device 354 as shown in Fig. 3b.
  • the peripheral comprises non-volatile memory for storing biometric data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data and data indicative of the authorised user for decoding the personalised digital audio data.
  • the processing steps are performed by processor 307 of the digital audio player, whereas data indicative of an authorised user are stored in a portable card.
  • the portable card may be a smart card or a card having a magnetic strip.
  • the peripheral card 354 comprises a processor for comparing biometric information received from the biometric input device with biometric information stored in nonvolatile memory of the peripheral card 354 to produce a comparison result. If the comparison result is indicative of a match the processor provides data indicative of the authorised user stored in non-volatile memory of the peripheral card 354 to the audio player 350 for decoding the personalised audio data.
  • Housing 372 connected to audio player 370 comprises a biometric input device 374 and a port 376 for interfacing a peripheral device 378.
  • biometric information of a plurality of users is stored in non-volatile memory of the peripheral device allowing a group of users to play same personalised audio data.
  • Figs. 3b and 3c are preferred embodiments.
  • security is increased using biometric information while user convenience is maximised.
  • Theft of a smart card is futile compared with the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 , because additional biometric information is needed to decode the personalised audio data.
  • Biometric information and data indicative of an authorised user is stored in memory of the portable card and not in a plurality of audio players used by an authorised user, therefore this information is stored only in one location increasing security.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Software Systems (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
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  • Storage Device Security (AREA)

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed for securing digital audio data from piracy without causing user inconvenience. Personalised digital audio data are provided to a digital audio player. For playing a song in dependence upon the personalised digital audio data, user authorisation information in the form of digital data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data is provided to the digital audio player. The user authorisation information of the authorised user is a same for different personalised digital audio data stored in a plurality of different storage media. For playing a song a processor of the digital audio player decodes the personalised digital audio data based on the user authorisation information to provide digital music data and provides the digital music data to a D/A converter to produce analogue audio signals. The digital music data is only stored in volatile memory such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew. The user authorisation information may be stored on a portable device such as a smart card to be interfaced with the digital audio player. As such, only an individual with the smart card may unlock the digital audio data. This limits the use of the audio data to one user, but it enables the user to make a plurality of copies of the locked digital audio data for his own use. In another embodiment security is further enhanced using biometric information.

Description

Method and System for Playing a Song in Dependence upon Personalised
Digital Audio Data
Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method of protecting digital audio data from piracy without causing user inconvenience and, more particularly, relates to a method of protection of digital audio data using biometric information.
Background of the Invention
A serious problem, which faces the electronic publishing industry, is the ease with which digital information can be copied without authorisation from the publisher. In the record industry, illegal home and commercial copying of records is depriving artists, recording studios, and manufacturers of significant income. In digital form high-quality hi-fi signals can be easily duplicated without deterioration, facilitating illegal proliferation of copyright protected material.
The user is often unrestricted from copying the digital information from one storage medium to another resulting in undesirable piracy. In an attempt to compensate artists and recording studios each purchaser of an empty storage medium has to pay a levy. This method does not solve the problem of piracy and, furthermore, punishes an honest user who wants to make copies to play a song at different locations such as at home, in the car and in the cottage without having to carry CDs all the time when changing the location.
There are mechanisms available that may be used to limit or prevent access to digital information. Such mechanisms often either restrict the ability of the user to make copies or involve the use of special purpose hardware to limit access to the digital information. For example, some mechanisms restrict the use of digital information to a particular device.
In other mechanisms for avoiding piracy, a system designed to limit the number of copies of digital information, United States Patent No. 5,428,598, or a system embedding copyright data into digital data United States Patent No. 5,319,735, have been proposed. Limiting the number of copies does not solve the problem of piracy but produces user inconvenience. The system embedding copyright data into digital data has the drawback in that D/A conversion of the digital data into analogue audio signals in a reproduction operation causes reproduced sound quality to be deteriorated or changed uncomfortably.
In United States Patent 6,055,314, issued April 25, 2000, Spies et al. teaches a system and method for secure purchase and delivery of video content programs. An integrated circuit card (e.g., a smart card, PCMCIA card) is configured to store decryption capabilities for related video programs. For each video program an integrated circuit card is provided. While this system solves the problem of piracy for video programs, it is not applicable to audio data without causing user inconvenience. For example, a user may view two or three video programs a day, having to handle two or three smart cards, whereas he may listen to a hundred songs on hundred different CDs using a multi CD player. As is obvious, it is impossible to maintain convenience and to require a user to handle hundreds of smart cards.
In order to enhance security, the use of biometric identification systems is becoming widespread. A biometric identification system accepts unique biometric information from a user and identifies the user by matching the information against information belonging to registered users of the system. One such biometric identification system is a fingerprint recognition system.
In a fingerprint input transducer or sensor, the finger under investigation is usually pressed against a flat surface, such as a side of a glass plate; the ridge and valley pattern of the finger tip is sensed by a sensing means such as an interrogating light beam. Various optical devices are known which employ prisms upon which a finger whose print is to be identified is placed. The prism has a first surface, a platen, upon which a finger is placed, a second surface disposed at an acute angle to the first surface through which the fingerprint is viewed and a third illumination surface through which light is directed into the prism. In some cases, the illumination surface is at an acute angle to the first surface, as seen for example, in US Patents 5,187,482 and 5,187,748. In other cases, the illumination surface is parallel to the first surface, as seen for example, in US Patents 5,109,427 and 5,233,404. Fingerprint identification devices of this nature are generally used to control the building-access or information- access of individuals to buildings, rooms, and devices such as computer terminals.
United States patent number 4,353,056 in the name of Tsikos issued October 5, 1982, discloses an alternative kind of fingerprint sensor that uses a capacitive sensing approach. The described sensor has a two dimensional, row and column, array of capacitors, each comprising a pair of spaced electrodes, carried in a sensing member and covered by an insulating film. The sensors rely upon deformation to the sensing member caused by a finger being placed thereon so as to vary locally the spacing between capacitor electrodes, according to the ridge/trough pattern of the fingerprint, and hence, the capacitance of the capacitors. In one arrangement, the capacitors of each column are connected in series with the columns of capacitors connected in parallel and a voltage is applied across the columns. In another arrangement, a voltage is applied to each individual capacitor in the array. Sensing in the respective two arrangements is accomplished by detecting the change of voltage distribution in the series connected capacitors or by measuring the voltage values of the individual capacitances resulting from local deformation. To achieve this, an individual connection is required from the detection circuit to each capacitor.
Fingerprint characterisation is well known and can involve many aspects of fingerprint analysis. The analysis of fingerprints is discussed in the following references, which are hereby incorporated by reference: Xiao Qinghan and Bian Zhaoqi,: An approach to Fingerprint Identification By Using the Attributes of Feature Lines of Fingerprint," IEEE Pattern Recognition, pp 663, 1986;
OB. Shelman, " Fingerprint Classification - Theory and Application," Proc. 76 Camahan Conference on Electronic Crime Countermeasures, 1976; Feri Pernus, Stanko Kovacic, and Ludvik Gyergyek, "Minutaie Based Fingerprint Registration," IEEE Pattern Recognition, pp 1380, 1980;
J.A. Ratkovic, F.W. Blackwell, and H.H. Bailey, "Concepts for a Next Generation Automated Fingerprint System," Proc. 78 Carnahan Conference on Electronic Crime Countermeasures, 1978; K. Millard, " An approach to the Automatic Retrieval of Latent Fingerprints," Proc. 75 Carnahan Conference on Electronic Crime Countermeasures, 1975;
Moayer and K.S. Fu, "A Syntactic Approach to Fingerprint Pattern Recognition," Memo Np. 73-18, Purdue University, School of Electrical Engineering, 1973; Wegstein, An Automated Fingerprint Identification System, NBS special publication, U.S. Department of Commerce/National Bureau of Standards, ISSN 0083-1883; no. 500-89, 1982;
Moenssens, Andre A., Fingerprint Techniques, Chilton Book Co., 1971 ; and, Wegstein and J.F. Rafferty, The LX39 Latent Fingerprint Matcher, NBS special publication, U.S. Department of Commerce/National Bureau of Standards; no. 500- 36, 1978. It is, therefore, an object of this invention to secure digital audio data from piracy without causing user inconvenience.
It is another object of this invention to secure digital audio data from piracy using biometric information.
Summary of the Invention
In accordance with the invention there is provided a method for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data comprising the steps of: providing personalised digital audio data from a storage medium to a digital audio player for decoding therefrom the song; providing user authorisation information in the form of digital data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data, wherein the user authorisation information of the authorised user is a same for different personalised digital audio data stored in a plurality of different storage media; playing the song by the steps of: using a processor, decoding the personalised digital audio data based on the user authorisation information to provide digital music data; providing the digital music data to a D/A converter; and, receiving analogue audio signals from the D/A converter, wherein the digital music data is only stored in volatile memory such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a method for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data comprising the steps of: providing personalised digital audio data to a digital audio player for decoding therefrom a song; providing biometric information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital data; using a first processor, comparing the biometric information with stored biometric information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised audio data to produce a comparison result and, if the comparison result is indicative of a match playing the song by the steps of: using a second processor, decoding the personalised digital audio data based on data indicative of the authorised user to provide digital music data; providing the digital music data to a D/A converter; and, receiving analogue audio signals from the D/A converter, wherein the digital music data is only stored in volatile memory such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew.
In accordance with the invention there is further provided a digital audio player for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data comprising: a first port for receiving personalised digital audio data; a second port for receiving user authorisation information in the form of digital data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data from a peripheral device interfaced therewith, wherein the user authorisation information of the authorised user is a same for personalised audio data stored in a plurality of storage media; a processor for decoding the digital data based on the user authorisation information to provide digital music data; a volatile memory for storing the digital music data such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew; and, a D/A converter for converting the digital music data into at least an analogue audio signal. In accordance with the invention there is further provided a digital audio player for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data comprising: a drive for reading personalised digital audio data from a storage medium inserted therein; a biometric input device for receiving biometric information of a user of the digital audio player and for providing data in dependence thereon; a first processor for comparing the biometric information with stored biometric information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data to produce a comparison result; a second processor for decoding the personalised digital audio data based on the stored biometric information indicative of an authorised user to provide digital music data if the comparison result is indicative of a match; a volatile memory for storing the digital music data such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew; and, a D/A converter for converting the digital music data into analogue audio signals.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a simplified diagram of a digital audio player according to the invention for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data; Fig. 2 is a simplified flow diagram of a method according to the invention for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data; Fig. 3 is a simplified diagram of another embodiment of a digital audio player according to the invention;
Fig. 3a is a simplified diagram of another embodiment of a digital audio player according to the invention;
Fig. 3b is a simplified diagram of another embodiment of a digital audio player according to the invention;
Fig. 3c is a simplified diagram of another embodiment of a digital audio player according to the invention;
Fig. 4 is a simplified flow diagram of another method according to the invention for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data;
Detailed Description
With the advent of digital audio data, for example in the MP3 format, piracy - copying audio data for which copyright exists - proliferated. With the implementation of writeable CDs or digital audio tapes (DATs) copying audio data has become a matter of dragging files from one storage medium to another. In digital form high- quality hi-fi signals can be easily duplicated without deterioration. Further, unlike the analogue domain, fading -slight deterioration between copies, which prevents copies of copies of copies from sounding like the originals, does not occur. Obviously, it is in the best interest of the electronic publishing industry to reduce piracy, which is depriving artists and manufacturers of their legitimate income. Unfortunately, prior art systems and methods - limiting the number of copies, limit use of files to a certain systems, providing a smart card for each file - do not provide a solution to this problem without causing inconvenience for a legitimate user of the audio files. Nowadays, listening to music has become so commonplace that people want to listen to their favourite songs at many different locations such as at home, in the office, in the car, in the cottage, in the boat etc. Therefore, a listener wants to purchase one copy of a song, for example, on a CD and make several copies to be stored at the different locations where he want to listen to the music. The invention provides a unique system and method to accommodate the needs of the electronic publishing industry as well as the needs of an honest user. The invention relies on a peripheral device such as a smart card in order to unlock locked digital audio data. All digital audio data belonging to one legitimate user are locked in a same fashion such that the user has only one unique smart card in order to unlock a plurality of digital audio data on a plurality of storage media. As such, only an individual with the smart card may unlock the digital audio data. This limits the use of the audio data to one user, but it enables the user to make a plurality of copies of the locked digital audio data for his own use. With the smart card the user is then able to unlock the locked digital audio data and listen to his favourite songs.
In another embodiment according to the invention security is enhanced by using biometric information for user authentication. Here, a thief of the digital audio data and the smart card is not able to unlock the locked audio data. The embodiment is described with reference to fingerprint registration. Of course, the embodiment of this invention is applicable to other biometric information and methods of user authentication as well. Contact imagers, as described above, are known in the art of electronic security. Using a contact imager, a fingerprint is digitised and, using a processor, the digitised fingerprint is characterised. Characterisation of fingerprints is known in the art of fingerprint analysis and, in general involves extracting features in a substantially global reference frame for comparison with template features. The characterised digitised biometric information is registered with stored templates to locate a template that, within a predetermined level of security in the form of a predetermined false acceptance rate, matches the characterised information. When a match is detected, the individual is identified and a corresponding action is performed.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 a digital audio player 100 and a method for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data according to the invention is shown. The digital audio player comprises an input port 101 for receiving personalised digital audio data, such as a CD ROM drive, a digital audio tape drive or a port for connecting to the digital output of a high end CD player. The digital audio data are personalised using user specific information. As is obvious to a person of skill in the art, the data may be personalised using various encryption methods with, for example, the user specific information being a user specific encryption/decryption key. User authorisation information in the form of digital data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data is provided from a peripheral device interfaced with a second port 103 of the audio player 100. For example, the peripheral device comprises a smart card inserted into a smart card reader 103. Alternatively, the peripheral device may be a portable card having a magnetic strip. The user authorisation information is user specific, that is the user authorisation information of the authorised user is a same for different personalised digital audio data stored in a plurality of different storage media. Using a processor 107 of the digital audio player 100, the personalised digital audio data is decoded based on the user authorisation information to provide digital music data. The digital music data are then provided to a D/A converter 109 for determining analogue audio signals in dependence upon the digital music data. During processing the digital audio data is stored only in volatile memory 1 11 such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew.
The digital audio player 100 and the method for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital data according to the invention is highly advantageous, accommodating the needs of the electronic publishing industry as well as the user. The digital audio data are in an unlocked form only within the processor 107, the D/A converter 109 and volatile memory 111 , therefore, any copying or storing of same is prevented. However, the digital data are accessible in the personalised - encrypted - form allowing a user to make numerous copies of the personalised digital audio data to satisfy his personal needs. The authorised user is enabled to use any copy of the personalised digital audio data at any place by providing the user authorisation information to a digital audio player according to the invention for unlocking. Personalising the digital audio data using user specific information enables the authorised user to use a plurality of digital audio data on different storage media, such as CDs, using one smart card. This feature is particularly advantageous in combination with a multi - CD player. Nowadays there are multi - CD players on the market that are able to hold a hundred or more CDs. Accordingly, the use of a single smartcard allows the authorised user to play any song on any of the CDs contained in the player with the single smart card. Furthermore, this method allows an authorised user to copy a selection of his favourite songs stored, for example, on a plurality of different CDs onto one CD and play the CD with the same single smart card.
For purchasing personalised digital audio data a user may register with a company providing digital audio data. Upon registration the user is provided with user authorisation information for personalising the digital audio data. With the advent of new technologies such as writable CDs a user may select his favourite songs in an audio store and the selected songs are then stored on a CD as personalised digital audio data using the user authorisation information. Alternatively, a user may obtain his favourite songs as personalised digital audio data, for example, as an MP3 file via a communications network such as the Internet. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 another embodiment of a digital audio player 300 and a method for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data is shown. The digital audio player comprises an input 301 such as a CD ROM drive for receiving digital audio data. User authorisation information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital data in the form of biometric information such as a fingerprint is provided from a user to a biometric input device 303 such as a fingerprint imager. Using a processor 307 the biometric information is compared with biometric information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data stored in non-volatile memory 313 to produce a comparison result. If the comparison result is indicative of a match the personalised digital audio data are decoded based on data indicative of the authorised user stored in non-volatile memory 313 to provide digital music data. The digital music data are then provided to a D/A converter 309 for determining analogue audio signals in dependence upon the digital music data. During processing the digital audio data is stored only in volatile memory 311 such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew. Optionally, data indicative of a plurality of authorised users may be stored in non-volatile memory 313.
Alternatively, a biometric input device 322 is contained in a separated housing connected to the digital audio player as shown in Fig. 3a. Further alternatively, the separate housing 324 contains non-volatile memory 326 and processor 328. Upon receipt the processor 328 compares biometric information received from the biometric input device 322 with the biometric information stored in memory 326 to produce a comparison result. If the comparison result is indicative of a match processor 328 provides data indicative of the authorised user stored in memory 326 to the digital audio player for decoding the personalised audio data. This embodiment according to the invention allows a user to use one housing 322 for playing personalised digital audio data on a plurality of digital audio players. Furthermore, one digital audio player can be used by a plurality of authorised users to play their personalised digital audio data. Each user connects his housing 322 to the digital audio player in order to identify him as an authorised user and to provide data to decode the personalised digital audio data. In a further embodiment of a digital audio player according to the invention digital audio player 350 comprises a port 352 for interfacing a peripheral device 354 as shown in Fig. 3b. The peripheral comprises non-volatile memory for storing biometric data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data and data indicative of the authorised user for decoding the personalised digital audio data. Here, the processing steps are performed by processor 307 of the digital audio player, whereas data indicative of an authorised user are stored in a portable card. The portable card may be a smart card or a card having a magnetic strip. Optionally, the peripheral card 354 comprises a processor for comparing biometric information received from the biometric input device with biometric information stored in nonvolatile memory of the peripheral card 354 to produce a comparison result. If the comparison result is indicative of a match the processor provides data indicative of the authorised user stored in non-volatile memory of the peripheral card 354 to the audio player 350 for decoding the personalised audio data. Referring to Fig. 3c yet another embodiment of an audio player according to the invention is shown. Housing 372 connected to audio player 370 comprises a biometric input device 374 and a port 376 for interfacing a peripheral device 378.
Optionally, biometric information of a plurality of users is stored in non-volatile memory of the peripheral device allowing a group of users to play same personalised audio data.
The embodiments shown in Figs. 3b and 3c are preferred embodiments. Here, security is increased using biometric information while user convenience is maximised. Theft of a smart card is futile compared with the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 , because additional biometric information is needed to decode the personalised audio data. Biometric information and data indicative of an authorised user is stored in memory of the portable card and not in a plurality of audio players used by an authorised user, therefore this information is stored only in one location increasing security.
Numerous other embodiments may be envisaged without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

ClaimsWhat is claimed is:
1. A method for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data comprising the steps of: providing personalised digital audio data from a storage medium to a digital audio player for decoding therefrom the song; providing user authorisation information in the form of digital data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data, wherein the user authorisation information of the authorised user is a same for different personalised digital audio data stored in a plurality of different storage media; playing the song by the steps of: using a processor, decoding the personalised digital audio data based on the user authorisation information to provide digital music data; providing the digital music data to a D/A converter; and, receiving analogue audio signals from the D/A converter, wherein the digital music data is only stored in volatile memory such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew.
2. A method for playing a song as defined in claim 1 , wherein the personalised digital audio data is encrypted using a user specific key.
3. A method for playing a song as defined in claim 1 , wherein the user authorisation information comprises a user specific key for decrypting the personalised digital audio data.
4. A method for playing a song as defined in claim 1 , wherein the user authorisation information is stored in memory of a portable device to be interfaced with the digital audio player.
5. A method for playing a song as defined in claim 2, wherein the personalised digital audio data is decrypted using the user specific key.
6. A method for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data comprising the steps of: providing personalised digital audio data to a digital audio player for decoding therefrom a song; providing biometric information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data; using a first processor, comparing the biometric information with stored biometric information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data to produce a comparison result and, if the comparison result is indicative of a match playing the song by the steps of: using a second processor, decoding the personalised digital audio data based on data indicative of the authorised user to provide digital music data; providing the digital music data to a D/A converter; and, receiving analogue audio signals from the D/A converter, wherein the digital music data is only stored in volatile memory such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew.
7. A method for playing a song as defined in claim 6, comprising the step of: providing user authorisation information in the form of digital data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data.
8. A method for playing a song as defined in claim 6, wherein the biometric information comprises fingerprint information.
9. A method for playing a song as defined in claim 6, wherein the first processor and the second processor is a same processor.
10. A method for playing a song as defined in claim 6, wherein the biometric information indicative of an authorised user is stored in memory of a portable device to be interfaced with the digital audio player.
1 1. A method for playing a song as defined in claim 10, wherein the portable device comprises the first processor.
12. A method for playing a song as defined in claim 11 , wherein the portable device comprises a smart card.
13. A digital audio player for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data comprising: a first port for receiving personalised digital audio data; a second port for receiving user authorisation information in the form of digital data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data from a peripheral device interfaced therewith, wherein the user authorisation information of the authorised user is a same for personalised digital audio data stored in a plurality of storage media; a processor for decoding the digital audio data based on the user authorisation information to provide digital music data; a volatile memory for storing the digital music data such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew; and, a D/A converter for converting the digital music data into at least an analogue audio signal.
14. A digital audio player for playing a song as defined in claim 13, wherein the first port comprises a drive for reading personalised digital audio data from a storage medium inserted therein.
15. A digital audio player for playing a song as defined in claim 14, wherein the drive comprises a CD-ROM drive.
16. A digital audio player for playing a song as defined in claim 14, wherein the drive comprises a digital audiotape drive.
17. A digital audio player for playing a song as defined in claim 13, wherein the port for receiving user authorisation information comprises a smart card reader for interfacing a smart card.
18. A digital audio player for playing a song as defined in claim 13, wherein the digital audio player comprises a multi - CD Player.
19. A digital audio player for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data comprising: a drive for reading personalised digital audio data from a storage medium inserted therein; a biometric input device for receiving biometric information of a user of the digital audio player and for providing data in dependence thereon; a first processor for comparing the biometric information with stored biometric information indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data to produce a comparison result; a second processor for decoding the personalised digital audio data based on the stored biometric information indicative of an authorised user to provide digital music data if the comparison result is indicative of a match; a volatile memory for storing the digital music data such that each time the song is played, the digital data is decoded anew; and, a D/A converter for converting the digital music data into analogue audio signals.
20. A digital audio player for playing a song as defined in claim 19, comprising a port for receiving user authorisation information in the form of digital data indicative of an authorised user of the personalised digital audio data from a peripheral device interfaced therewith.
21. A digital audio player for playing a song as defined in claim 19, wherein the biometric input device comprises a fingerprint imager.
22. A digital audio player for playing a song as defined in claim 21 , wherein the port for receiving user authorisation information comprises a smart card reader and, wherein the smart card reader and the fingerprint imager are housed in a same peripheral housing connected to the digital audio player.
23. A digital audio player for playing a song as defined in claim 22, wherein the peripheral housing comprises the first processor.
24. A digital audio player for playing a song as defined in claim 19, wherein the first processor and the second processor are a same processor.
25. A digital audio player for playing a song as defined in claim 19, wherein the peripheral device comprises a smart card.
26. A digital audio player for playing a song as defined in claim 25, wherein the smart card comprises the first processor.
PCT/EP2002/002614 2002-03-07 2002-03-07 Method and system for playing a song in dependence upon personalised digital audio data. Ceased WO2003075271A1 (en)

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