Ensuring the copy protection of digital data

Abstract

When digital data is to be copy protected at a processing station, for example, prior to its encoding and recording onto an optical disc, it is necessary to control a compliant encoder to utilise copy protection files to perform the copy protection routine. To ensure that the digital data is reliably copy protected, predetermined noise signals are incorporated into the digital data and the processing steps which add the copy protection are additionally caused to remove the noise signals. By this means, if the digital data is not copy protected, the noise signals remain. This enables non-copy protected digital data to be readily identified and ensures that it is effectively unusable to a consumer.

1 .- 25 . (canceled)  
     
     
         26 . A method of ensuring data is copy protected, the method comprising: 
 receiving input data at a processor, the input data including a watermark at a pre-selected location;    modifying a copy protection process to enable the removal of the watermark; and    applying the modified copy protection process to the input data thereby both removing the watermark and copy protecting the input data.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further including encoding the input data.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the input data is digital data which is then encoded at the processor.  
     
     
         29 . The method  claim 27 , wherein the input data is in analog form, which is then converted into digital data and encoded.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein processed data output from the processor is to be recorded onto an optical disc.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising reading or presenting processed data output from the processor to determine if the watermark has been removed.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the watermark has been incorporated in the input data by a publisher or compiler, the input data with the added watermark being delivered subsequently to the processor.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the input data with the watermark is delivered to the processor as recorded on an optical disc, on a tape, or on any other data carrier.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein processed data output from the processor is to be recorded onto an optical disc.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising reading or presenting processed data output from the processor to determine if the watermark has been removed.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising adding the watermark to the input data at the processor.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein processed output from the processor is to be recorded onto an optical disc.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising reading or presenting processed data output from the processor to determine if the watermark has been removed.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising removing the watermark and restoring the original data.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the watermark is added to the input data in the digital domain.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the watermark is added to the input data in the analog domain.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising detecting and removing the watermark and restoring the original data.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42  further comprising reading or presenting the processed digital data output from the processor to determine if the watermark has been removed.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the watermark has been incorporated in the input data by a publisher or compiler, the input data with the added watermark being delivered subsequently to the processor.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the input data with the watermark is delivered to the processor as recorded on an optical disc, on a tape, or on any other data carrier.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the watermark is arranged to carry information.  
     
     
         47 . An apparatus for copy protecting input data comprising: 
 a processor arranged to receive input data, the input data including a watermark added into the input data, the processor including a copy protection process;    a preparatory mechanism to modify the copy protection process to enable the removal of the watermark; and    an encoding mechanism responsive to the preparatory mechanism, wherein the encoding mechanism encodes the input data to produce processed digital data which is copy protected, wherein the modified copy protection process causes the encoding mechanism to remove the watermark from the processed digital data output.    
     
     
         48 . An apparatus for copy protecting input data comprising: 
 a processor arranged to receive input data and to output processed digital data, the processor including a watermark generator to add a watermark to the input data, the processor including a copy protection process;    a preparatory mechanism to modify the copy protection process to enable the removal of the watermark; and    an encoding mechanism responsive to the preparatory mechanism, wherein the encoding mechanism encodes the input data to produce processed digital data which is copy protected, wherein the modified copy protection process causes the encoding mechanism to remove the watermark from the processed digital data output.    
     
     
         49 . A data carrier comprising: 
 encoded digital data for recording on an optical master disc, the digital data having been processed from input data, the input data including a watermark, the digital data having been processed by modifying a copy protection process to enable the removal of the watermark, and applying the modified copy protection process to the input data thereby both removing the watermark and copy protecting the input data.    
     
     
         50 . The data carrier of  claim 49 , wherein the data carrier is an optical disc.