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News articles search results by Dany Argueta
SSX demo arrives February 21
Time for a practice run
Xbox 360 and PS3 owners can finally get some hands-on time with SSX by grabbing a demo from Xbox LIVE or PSN on February 21. European PS3 users have to wait an extra day before having a go with the trial.
The demo only has Zoe as a playable character though you can unlock Mac by "referring a friend" (we're not sure about the specifics regarding referrals but we'll post details if we find information about it). Ridernet will be enabled in the demo plus a couple tutorials cover some basics and skydiving.
SSX ships out to retailers on February 28 in the U.S. and March 2 in Europe.
Mortal Kombat Vita trailer showcases new Challenge Tower
Looks like the PS3 version
Mortal Kombat Vita's new second Challenge Tower that utilizes Vita's touch and tilt features gets highlighted in today's trailer. There's also some promotional only augmented reality backgrounds thrown in for good fun.
You'll want to take a good look at the trailer since Mortal Kombat Vita appears quite similar to the PS3 version, which is pretty nice. Vita owners won't be missing out on blood splashing around the arena and seeing bits of bone flying from X-Ray Moves.
Mortal Kombat Vita hits retailers this spring.
Editor's note: this article was updated February 24 to acknowledge clarification AR backgrounds are not actually in the game.
Upcoming Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC episode sees return of Sazh
New DLC costumes for Noel and Serah also coming soon
Lightning's gun-toting partner Sazh takes the spotlight in an upcoming Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC episode titled "Heads or Tails". Players can meet up with Sazh by paying a visit to Xanadu in the year XXX plus try out two new card games at the casino. Completing "Heads or Tails" allows Sazh to join your party.
Also on the way are two new costumes for Noel and Serah. The 'Spacetime Guardian' costume gives Noel a suit of armor while Serah wears a pink swimsuit with her 'Beachwear' getup.
Import players can purchase each costume on February 21 for 300 yen from the PlayStation Store (around $3) or 240 Microsoft Points. "Heads or Tails" arrives February 28 for 600 yen (roughly $5) or 400 MS Points. No worldwide release dates for the new costumes or DLC episode has been announced yet.
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Metal Gear Solid 3D demo, Hulu Plus arrive for this week's Nintendo downloads
Super Mario Bros. hits the eShop
Some great stuff is available today for 3DS and Wii owners. The Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D demo hits the eShop plus all 3DS owners now have a chance to pick up Super Mario Bros. for Virtual Console. Wii owners can watch their favorite films and shows with Hulu Plus (a 3DS version is releasing later this year) and have a go with Strider.
Strider stars the titular ninja on a mission to assassinate the mysterious dictator known as Grandmaster. Strider hacks away at enemies using quick slashes with his sword and can make his way through stages by climbing walls or hanging on to hooks. Keep an eye out for power-ups that can recover your health, boost attack range, or summon various robot helpers. Try out this classic Sega Genesis game for 800 Wii Points.
Similar to Netflix, Hulu Plus is a streaming content service that lets you watch a selection of current-season TV shows and movies. Hulu Plus requires a $7.99 monthly subscription to access content though new users can sign up for a two week trial. The Hulu Plus Channel itself is free to download and only available to U.S. residents.
Super Mario Bros. sees Mario and Luigi on their first quest to rescue Princess Toadstool from King Bowser. Hop and bop on Bowser's minions while carefully making your way through the game's eight worlds. If you are a 3DS Ambassador, the game was recently updated to include save states, two-player support, and an updated manual. Add Super Mario Bros. to your 3DS Virtual Console library for $4.99.
iSpot Japan tasks players to find differences between two images. After completing a level, you can enter the gallery to learn various aspects of Japanese culture such as monuments, food, and important historical figures. Worth $1.99 / 200 DSi Points to purchase.
Quantum Conundrum screenshots offer look at Fluffy Dimension
So soft, you'll want to hug everything
Some new screenshots for Quantum Conundrum give a glimpse at the Fluffy Dimension, which players can easily phase into by using their trusty Interdimensional Shift Device. The Fluffy Dimension gives the environment a pink color and makes most objects light as a feather and huggably soft, which thankfully rids any worries about hurting yourself from long falls.
Of course, there are good reasons for shifting into the Fluffy Dimension. Heavy items like metal safes are easy to move around and can be stacked or used to activate switches. Later puzzles may require you to toss an item to hit something out of reach or access a heavy object to be used in other dimensions.
It's worth pointing out one screenshot reveals the presence of a little green furry animal named Ike. We don't know why Ike is holding a battery but seeing as he's got a devious look on his face, he's probably not going to hand it over easily.
Quantum Conundrum hits PSN, XBLA, and PC later this year.
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Karateka remake headed to PSN and XBLA
Jordan Mechner serving as creative director
Here's an awesome blast from the past: Karateka, the side-scrolling fighting game originally released in 1984, is getting a remake set to hit Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network this year. Karateka creator Jordan Mechner (who also produced the original Prince of Persia) is on board with development of the remake as creative director.
The original Karateka for Apple II
Mechner's involvement with Karateka marks his return to video game development since working on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time in 2003. Mechner intends to "honor the original game with a compact, pick-up-and-play game that is fluid, atmospheric, and beautiful." Sounds like the new Karateka will be something most gamers can enjoy.
Akuma, Ogre join Street Fighter X Tekken roster
Fight as the strongest villains
Capcom has revealed the last characters joining Street Fighter X Tekken, bringing the final roster count to 38 fighters (plus five more if you grab the PS3 or Vita version). Big bad villains Akuma and Ogre make their debut in new trailers showing off their immense power in Pandora mode.
M. Bison and Akuma
Ogre and Jin
Wondering how the Street Fighter folks ended up meeting the cast of Tekken? Dan gives a humorous run-down on the crossover that started when Shadaloo and the Mishima Zaibatsu attempted to recover the mysterious Pandora cube that crash landed in the South Pole:
Street Fighter X Tekken releases March 6 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The PC version of SFXT arrives May 11.
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Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 screens reveal new zones, special stage
Online and offline co-op confirmed
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 will see Sonic and Tails once again exploring new lands to stop Eggman's nefarious plans and defeat Metal Sonic. The first batch of screenshots show the heroic duo racing through a snowy carnival, watery ruins (which look a bit like Sonic 2's Aquatic Ruin Zone), and a desert oil field.
Co-op play is returning in Episode 2, allowing a friend to join the adventure over the internet or local multiplayer. Tails players can not only help Sonic reach out-of-the-way places, the two buddies team up to pull off new attacks such as a giant spin dash. Tails is also around to help gather rings in the Sonic 2-style special stages.
Sonic the Hegehog 4 Episode 2 releases later this year for Xbox LIVE Arcade, PlayStation Network, and mobile devices.
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Weekly PS Store update debuts Vita launch titles, The House of the Dead III
Download the Mass Effect 3 demo and digital GTA IV
With PlayStation Vita First Edition bundles releasing this week, the PlayStation Store is stocking up on launch titles for new Vita owners. 16 Vita games are ready to be purchased today plus more titles should arrive in time for the official Vita launch on February 22. PS3 users can now grab the Mass Effect 3 trial (check out our demo impressions), The House of the Dead III, and some new DLC for Soul Calibur V.
| PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Network games
| Price
| Grand Theft Auto IV
| $19.99
| The House of the Dead III
| $6.99
| Worms Ultimate Mayhem
| $14.99
| PlayStation 3 Demos
| Binary Domain
| Mass Effect 3
| PSP and Vita Games
| Price
| Asphalt Injection
| $26.99
| BlazBlue: Contiuum Shift EXTEND
| $34.99
| Dungeon Hunter: Alliance
| $35.99
| EA Sports FIFA Soccer
| $39.99
| Escape Plan
| $14.99
| $39.99
| Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom
| $24.99
| Hot Shots Golf World Invitational
| $35.99
| Lumines Electronic Symphony
| $35.99
| Michael Jackson The Experience
| $35.99
| ModNation Racers: Road Trip
| $26.99
| Rayman Origins
| $35.99
| Super Stardust Delta
| $9.99
| Super Stardust Delta Interstellar Bundle
| $14.99
| Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
| $39.99
| Uncharted: Golden Abyss
| $44.99
| Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition
| $39.99
| WipEout 2048
| $35.99
| Download Content
| Price
| Ace Combat: Assault Horizon 13 Add-ons
| Free - $5.99
| Choplifter HD 5 Add-ons
| Free - $0.99
| Crazy Machines Elements Brain Food Pack 1
| $2.99
| Disgaea 4 4 Add-ons
| $0.99 - $2.99
|Disney Universe Phineas and Ferb Level Pack
| Everybody Dance Pack 7
| $8.99
| Saints Row The Third Money Shot, Funtime! packs
| $2.99 each
| Soul Calibur V Music Pack 3, Music Pack 4
| $2.99 each
| Soul Calibur V Custom Equipment 2
| $1.99
| TNT Racers Formula TNT, Drift Challenge packs
| $2.99 each
| Twisted Metal Online Pass
| $9.99
| UFC Undisputed 3 3 Add-ons
| $1.99 - $9.99
| Zen Pinball Epic Quest table
| $2.49
Dungeon Defenders 'Etherian Festival of Love' DLC released
Free for a limited time
Over one million PC users have downloaded Dungeon Defenders and Trendy Entertainment is celebrating the milestone by offering some Valentine's Day-themed DLC. The 'Etherian Festival of Love' sees the young heroes visit the Sky O' Love to pair up boy and girl mobs together though Mega Cupid will be stepping in to stop anyone trying to do his job.
Your reward for taking down Mega Cupid is a new outfit for the Monk, Initiate, Countess, and Squire (he finally gets some armored pants!). You can also earn a new Cupid pet and weapons for all classes.
The 'Etherian Festival of Love' DLC is free for a limited time so grab it as soon as you can.
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Skullgirls trailer shows off Valentine in action
Lethal but also helpful
Some time ago, we received our first glimpse of Skullgirls' latest roster addition Valentine, a deadly ninja who also happens to be a nurse. Today we get to see Valentine in motion with a new trailer, showing off her quick moves and variety of medical instruments that double as weapons.
Anyone who uses Valentine has access to a very helpful move that can revive a fallen partner with a defibrillator. Revival does take a little while to perform so be sure you've enough time and room to bring back your teammate.
Skullgirls will be released through the PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE Arcade in early 2012.
Metal Gear Online servers shutting down on June 12
Play a couple more rounds before it goes dark
After more than three years of service, Konami will be shutting down its Metal Gear Online servers on June 12. MGO was originally meant to be shut down in 2011 but fan demand prompted Konami to keep the servers going for another year.
Konami isn't just going to let the game end quietly, however. There will be special events taking place before the June shutdown so if you're interested in participating, keep an eye on the MGO Twitter (Japanese) for details. In the meantime, call up some friends to play a few more rounds before the servers turn off for good.
Kingdom Hearts 3D trailer offers another look at TRON: Legacy, Notre Dame worlds
Meet new friends and familiar faces
There is quite a bit to see in the latest Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] trailer. Not only do we get another look at new Disney worlds such as TRON: Legacy and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, we see Organization XIII member Axel will get some time in the spotlight.
If that wasn't exciting enough, the end of the trailer reveals the heroes of Birth by Sleep are going to be involved in some way.
Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] releases later this year in North America and Europe for Nintendo 3DS.
Super Stardust Delta 'Blast Pack' DLC adds four modes
Available on day one
If you were considering picking up a copy of Super Stardust Delta, you may want to save up a few extra bucks as the 'Blast Pack' DLC will be complimenting Delta's release on February 15. The Blast Pack adds four new game modes called Endless, Impact, Bomber, and Twin Gun.
On its own, the Blast Pack DLC costs $8 to purchase, which is worth almost as much as Super Stardust Delta itself. However, you can get a decent discount by buying Delta and the Blast Pack DLC together in the 'Interstellar Bundle' for $14.99.
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Encrypted credit card information possibly acquired from Steam database breach
Gabe Newell gives an update on the recent hack
The investigation into last year's Steam database breach continues as Valve co-founder Gabe Newell today provided an update on the matter. Newell once again affirms nothing from the database was taken but he reports the intruders may have acquired a backup file containing information about Steam transactions done from 2004 to 2008.
The backup stored user names, e-mail addresses, encrypted billing addresses, and encrypted credit card info. No passwords were stored in the backup.
Fortunately, Newell says there hasn't been any sign of addresses or credit cards being compromised though Steam users are advised to keep an eye on their card statements and activity. Updating your Steam Guard settings is also recommended.
Lollipop Chainsaw trailer introduces Juliet's bodiless boyfriend Nick
No limbs? No problem!
If you've seen footage of Lollipop Chainsaw, you're probably wondering why there's a decapitated head hanging at Juliet's hip. Who or what is that thing? Well, we finally have an answer to that mystery: it's Nick Carlyle, Juliet's boyfriend.
After Nick was bitten by a zombie, Juliet performed some "emergency surgery" on-the-spot to save Nick's life. Despite being only a head, Nick does help out Juliet in some situations.
Lollipop Chainsaw will be released later this year for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Rick Astley, Poison singles coming soon to Rock Band 3
It's another Valentine's Day track pack
Rock Band 3's next batch of tracks lands on Valentine's Day, serving up some romance-themed tunes for lovey-dovey couples out there. On the way is Heart's power ballad from Bad Animals, a hard rock track from Poison's Open Up and Say... Ahh!, a single from Mr. Big's Lean Into It, and Rick Astley's famous dance-pop tune from Whenever You Need Somebody. Fun fact: the Rick Astley track happens to be one of the most requested songs by the Rock Band community.
These four tracks will be available for download starting February 14; songs marked in blue have Pro upgrades available:
- Alone - Heart
- Every Rose Has Its Thorn - Poison
- Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley
- To Be With You - Mr. Big
"To Be With You" does not support Keys.
The "Gold Star My Heart Pack" can be purchased for 560 Microsoft Points, 700 Nintendo Points, or $6.99 US / £3.49 UK / €5.29 EU from the PlayStation Store. Single track downloads are worth 160 MS Points, 200 Nintendo Points, or $1.99 / £0.99 / €1.49 from the PS Store. Pro upgrades cost 80 MS Points, 100 Nintendo Points, or $0.99 / £0.59 / €0.79 from the PS Store.
[Update] Newest Humble Bundle includes support for Android
Pay what you want, support charity
Update: The Humble Bundle for Android now includes platform puzzler Toki Tori. If you already purchased the bundle, simply visit your Humble Bundle download page to grab Toki Tori and its soundtrack.
The Humble Bundle is back with a smaller selection of games than usual though each title on offer works with Android devices in addition to PC, Mac OS X, and Linux. Humble Bundle's latest batch of titles include EDGE, Osmos, and Anomaly: Warzone Earth (check out our Anomaly review here) plus you can get World of Goo if you pay over the average price.
Like previous bundles, you can pay what you want for these games and decide how to split the money between developers and charities. All games are DRM-free and you can receive Steam keys if you pay at least one dollar.
Twisted Metal video offers look at weapons and utilities
Pew pew! Boom!
Guns are your best friend in Twisted Metal but which weapons are right for you? A new video released today gives a peek at the many energy attacks and sidearms you can equip to blow up rivals headed your way. Don't forget to drop some mines and pop up a shield to stay alive for a little longer:
Twisted Metal releases February 14 for PlayStation 3. A multiplayer demo is now available for download from the PlayStation Store.
Weekly Nintendo downloads debut BurgerTime World Tour
Go on a worldwide quest in Maru's Mission
It's another week of light content for Nintendo fans though there are some notable titles to check out. 3DS owners may want to try out cute-looking platformer Maru's Mission while BurgerTime World Tour arrives as the latest WiiWare title.
BurgerTime World Tour brings back heroic chef Peter Pepper to make giant hamburgers once again. Peter assembles the burgers by running over ingredients but he must watch out for evil vegetables that hinder his progress. Defend yourself by tossing enemies or escaping with rockets, which will be essential to defeat bosses at the end of each world. Play this updated arcade classic for 1,000 Wii Points.
Maru's Mission features the titular ninja on a quest to save his kidnapped girlfriend. Maru must travel all over the world to gain hints about his girlfriend's whereabouts while defeating foes using his ninja skills. Add this Game Boy title to your Virtual Console collection for $2.99.
40-in-1 Explosive Megamix includes a variety of simple minigames, some based on other popular titles like Sudoku and Bejeweled. Each minigame has its own high score tables and more games can be unlocked just by playing. Worth $7.99 / 800 DSi Points to purchase.


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He weighs about 300 lbs... uh, never mind.
He weighs about 300 lbs... uh, never mind.
Last edited by arm-spin; 04-12-2009 at 07:14 PM.
My friend was stationed on one of the ships in the JFK's fleet a few year back, and he took me on a tour of his ship, and I thought that his ship was huge. Then we walked down to the JFK, and I literally tripped in awe when I saw it.
Eamus Tigris!
Cage Writer ? NBC Chicago? Fourth Place Medal

subset: commoncrawl


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WINNERS from my last post, back to Dr. Wall for a checkup
Look who won the fabulous Zen Society skin care products—I'm sure you'll love them like I do! Candi Nicholls, Lehi UT 84043 Sarah Peterson, Suwanee GA 30024 Deidre Gibb, Los Angeles, CA 90066 Congrats, ladies! I went back to Dr. Wall to get my stitches out yesterday. I'm now missing two back teeth, and 5 fillings on the […]17 Comments • Continue Reading →
First three to write us get free Zen Society skincare products
I don't sell any skincare products—but virtually all the skincare products you can buy in a drugstore or even high-end makeup lines have dozens of toxins in them. Anything you put on your skin is used by the body the same way what you eat is. That is, it goes right into the bloodstream. Fragrances […]5 Comments • Continue Reading →
Recovering from oral surgery….part 3 of 3
I am more committed now than ever, to good nutrition. I want to keep my teeth healthy! I don't want to face more dental decay. We live longer than people did back when infectious disease and dreadful working conditions were rampant. And we're vain as a culture. So we have to have beautiful, straight, white […]12 Comments • Continue Reading →


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Sarnia at North Bay: Sarnia is interested in shaking off the stigma of last place and add to their 9 wins this season. The Sting are on a northern swing to start their weekend. Sarnia will stop in for a match against Sudbury tomorrow night and then end their weekend at home on Sunday vs. the loaded Guelph Storm. The North Bay Battalion were involved in consecutive 4-0 games. Once in their favour (Kitchener) and once against (London - loss). When these 2 teams met in Sarnia at the end of September, the Troops were victorious 5-2. In that game both Nick Paul and Anthony DeAngelo had 2 goals each. In this game tonight, look for the Troops to smother the visitors and skate to a 2 goal victory.
Erie at Peterborough: The #1 team in the CHL should not have any problem with the Petes tonight. The Otters have the #1,#2 and #6 leading scorers in the league. One has to travel really deep on the stats sheet to find the Petes' #1 scorer - Nick Ritchie - at #50 in the league. (last month he had 13 points in his team's 12 games. ) The Petes travel to Oshawa tomorrow night and are then off until next Thursday night. The Otters will continue eastward for games at Ottawa and Kingston. Look for Erie to continue their winning ways tonight by 3 goals.
Saginaw at Windsor: The Spirit are plodding along in the heart of the Western Conference standings. Last weekend they would drop two consecutive games – the first in overtime and the second vs the top CHL ranked team from the Eastern Conference. Jake Paterson would give up 4 goals on 10 shots in the first frame. The Spirit will travel to Kitchener for a game tomorrow night. They complete their weekend action with a home game on Sunday vs. the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds.
Windsor has started their 'fire sale' with the acquisition of Brody Milne and a boatload of draft picks in exchange for their scoring leader Kerby Rychel and D-Man Nick Ebert. They won their last 2 games, and 6 of their last 10 games but that trend will not continue as the team adjusts to their new reality. I predict Saginaw by 1 goal tonight.


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NAU spring game postponed due to snow
APR 26, 2014 3:20p ET
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- The Northern Arizona spring football game, which had been scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, was postponed to Sunday due to inclement weather in Flagstaff.
The Blue-Gold Spring Game was scheduled to be aired live on FOX Sports Arizona.
"Unfortunately, due to the combination of the weather and field conditions, we have decided to postpone the spring game," said NAU coach Jerome Souers. "We are a mentally tough football program, but in this scenario we feel it's important to not only think about the safety of the players but to also think about the long-term effects to the turf of Lumberjack Stadium. Our plan is to postpone the scrimmage until tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon at 2 p.m. on our normal practice facility. We encourage everyone to come out and support the Lumberjacks tomorrow."
Sunday's game will not be televised.


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Intra-Household Tensions And Conflicts Of Interest In Migration Decision Making: A Case Study Of The Todgha Valley, Morocco
Date Added: Sep 2009
Format: PDF
This paper explores the role of intra-household tensions and conflicts of interest in explaining the diverse return and pendulum migration strategies among Moroccan migrants who first migrated to Europe in the 1960s and 1970s. Migration strategies and motivations of migrants and their households are explored through an analysis of survey and interview data collected in the Todgha valley, a migrant sending region located in southeast Morocco. While labour migration was part of broader household strategies to improve their living standards and material wellbeing, the study reveals that motivations to return are highly diverse and suggest that the issue of return can be a significant source of intra-household conflicts.


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YIELD: Makes 2 servings
Cut tenderloin into 1-inch-thick pieces. Place 1 piece between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Pound pork with mallet or small heavy flat-bottomed saucepan until flattened to thickness of 1/4 inch. Repeat with remaining tenderloin.
Place sun-dried tomatoes in small bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover tomatoes. Let stand until tomatoes are soft, approximately 5 minutes. Drain and slice tomatoes.
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork in batches and fry until just cooked, turning once, about 4 minutes. Transfer pork to plate; cover with foil and keep warm. Add garlic to skillet and sauté 1 minute. Stir in wine and broth and simmer until reduced by 1/2, about 2 minutes. Mix in rosemary and tomatoes. Pour tomato mixture over pork and serve.
Per serving: calories, 220; fat, 8 g; sodium, 84 mg; cholesterol, 74 mg
Nutritional analysis provided by Bon Appétit


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'Life after injury does exist'
Greg Reynolds is the starting left-center fielder for the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball team.
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14 search results for in your face jam
What a newbie can expect at Comic-Con 2013
Type: Article | Date: Wednesday, Jul 17, 2013Brett White plans to see artists, panels and 'sexy baby Looney Tunes' drawings
'Guardians of the Galaxy' is the 'Star Wars' sequel you always wanted and so much more
Type: Article | Date: Thursday, Feb 20, 2014The future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe rests in the hands of a bunch of a-holes
Give Captain Marvel a movie
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Type: Article | Date: Thursday, Sep 26, 2013How Joss Whedon and Marvel were able to make a mainstream comic-based series
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Type: Article | Date: Thursday, Feb 13, 2014What 'The Lego Movie' can teach us about comic book culture and storytelling
Opinion: We need a real 'X-Men' movie
Type: Article | Date: Thursday, Jun 27, 2013Has Fox gotten Marvel's mutants right?
UPDATED: Watch the video for Pearl Jam's emotional, gorgeous new single, 'Sirens'
Type: Post | Date: Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013Eddie Vedder had never sounded so lovely
Listen: Kanye West, 2 Chainz, Pusha T and Big Sean's showing 'Mercy'
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Type: Post | Date: Tuesday, Jan 7, 2014The star talks about the smoky scene she was 'happy was a short clip'


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OKLAHOMA CITY — Home from war with nowhere to go. We're talking about injured veterans who are often sent to nursing homes for rehabilitation.
However, a new law is now offering our military members the chance to live in a medical foster home while they recover.
It helps those veterans who have physical and emotional needs get the specific care they need while in a home setting.
Having your own home is part of the American dream.
A dream that Army veteran William Smith knows all about.
"That's what we're here for," he said. "That's what we fought for, for everybody to have their own piece of this great country."
During his 14 years of service, Smith suffered bone loss from a disease that put him in a wheelchair.
But many of his fellow vets who are coming home injured don't have family to care for them and end up in nursing homes.
"(A soldier) doesn't want to go there. Doesn't want to live there. They feel they're too young," Scott Ellis said, Government Relations Director for the Mid-America Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Ellis completely supports the Oklahoma Medical Foster Home Act which was signed into law by Governor Fallin last week.
It allows the Veterans Administration to start recruiting caregivers to offer their own homes to veterans who need round-the-clock care.
"Where they have one person caring for them and they can go in the living room at watch TV and still be part of that home atmosphere," Ellis said.
Injured veteran Alphonso Lopez loves the idea.
"It's better to boost up somebody's self-esteem," he said. "Let them know that there's somebody out there that really cares and they're not alone."
The author of Senate Bill 1210, Sen. Frank Simpson (R-Dist.14), read about the program working in other states.
He was inspired by testimonials from soldiers in other states who made the switch from nursing homes to medical foster homes.
"It has not only helped their spiritual well-being but has also helped their physical well-being, and they just tend to thrive better in a home setting," he said.
The veteran pays the caregiver directly and the contract fee is based on the level of care needed.
So far, nearly 1,100 soldiers nationwide have benefitted from the program.
Ellis said the Oklahoma Veterans Administration has staff ready to start inspecting homes and certify caregivers.
Anyone interested in the program should contact the V.A.


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Shrimp Or Crawfish Etouffee
15 Oct 2009
The Shrimp Or Crawfish Etouffee is one of my favorite seafood preparations that can be served as a side dish. Prepared with veggies and seafood, the Shrimp Or Crawfish Etouffee are best served on get together and parties.
|1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs)
|All purpose flour
|1 1⁄2 Tablespoon
|Chopped celery
|3⁄4 Cup (12 tbs)
|Chopped green pepper
|3⁄4 Cup (12 tbs)
|Chopped onion
|3⁄4 Cup (12 tbs)
|Peeled shrimp/1 pound uncooked crawfish tails
|1 Pound, uncooked
|To Taste
|Black pepper
|To Taste
|To Taste
|Chopped green onion tops
|1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
|Chopped fresh parsley
|1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
|Hot cooked rice
|2 Cup (32 tbs)
Melt butter in a large skillet.
Add flour and lightly brown it.
Add celery, green pepper and onion; cook until tender, stirring occasionally.
Add shrimp or crawfish tails.
Cover and cook 15 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
Add salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.
Add onion tops and parsley.
Simmer a few minutes, covered, to blend seasonings.
Serve with with rice.
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Shrimp Or Crawfish Etouffee Recipe


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Originally written on Mets360.com | Last updated 4/5/13
The Mets rotation was supposed to be fronted by veterans Johan Santana and free agent addition Shaun Marcum to begin the season, but things are not going according to plan. Santana is done for the season and will likely never pitch a game again for the team and the Mets still don't have an accurate read on what is wrong with Marcum. The number two starter – who was signed to a $4 million deal in the off-season – has discomfort in both his right shoulder and neck and was examined by team doctors at Citi Field on Thursday. The Mets have changed their diagnosis of Marcum's injury twice since mid-March and are still unsure of what is bothering the pitcher. Marcum will not be available to pitch against the Marlins on Sunday, which means the Mets need an arm in the rotation. "Lucky" Aaron Laffey will get the call for the team. He's earned this nickname because he always seems to be floating around in a team's organization at the most opportune time. Injuries occur and Laffey is waiti...
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For Most Tlds (7791 of 49379 sites) Whoisguard (7803 of 49399 sites) Dynamic Dns (8153 of 50661 sites) Report Spam (9229 of 52003 sites) Domain Transfer (47345 of 137417 sites) Features (68755 of 179748 sites) Welcome To (89178 of 280068 sites)
Debonaircricket.com WebBoar Website Analysis
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Location(s): Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center
Department: Cardiovascular Medicine
Abnormal Heart Rhythms, Amyloidosis, Angina, Antiphospholipid Syndrome, Aorta Disease, Aortic Aneurysms, Aortic Regurgitation
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University of Illinois College of Medicine
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For the past twenty-five years, no one has been better at revealing secrets than Oprah Winfrey. On what is arguably the most influential show in television history, she has gotten her guests—often the biggest celebrities in the world—to bare their love lives, explore their painful pasts, admit their transgressions, reveal their pleasures, and explore their demons. In turn, Oprah has repeatedly allowed her audience to share in her own life story, opening up about… (plus)
Editeur: Crown Archetype (13 avril 2010)
Format: EPUB
Nombre de pages: 544 pages
Taille du fichier: 5,55 Mo
Protection: DRM
Langue: Anglais


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Zack McMillin's Daily Dish: Major champs praise "tricky" Southwind as warmup for Open
Nobody will confuse the Tournament Players Club at Southwind for a U.S. Open caliber track, but there is a sense here that those playing in Memphis this week will benefit in their preparations for next week's major championship.
Before getting to Memphis on Saturday, FESJC defending champion Harris English got a preview of Pinehurst No. 2, the North Carolina course hosting next week's Open. English has been playing in Memphis since Sunday and sees some advantages to preparing here.
"It's going to be a good warmup for what we are going to see at Pinehurst," English said. "This golf course, you've got to be very accurate coming off the tee and you've got to be very accurate coming into greens and we are going to see that next week. I guess a lot of people playing this week are really trying to get ready for the U.S. Open.
Phil Mickelson focused his entire 2014 schedule on giving himself the best chance to win the U.S. Open and become the sixth person to capture the career grand slam. His round in Wednesday's pro-am convinced him he made the right choice in committing to play in Memphis again.
"I love this golf course as a preparation for next week," Mickelson said. "The areas around the greens, which are critical next week at Pinehurst, are very similar here. You have the low cut bermuda grass where the grain cuts into you ... delicate tough little chip shots you've got to work on. It's really a wonderful place to get ready for next week and I'm really glad I'm here."
Graeme McDowell, the 2010 U.S. Open champion, had great praise for Southwind's conditions, especially the greens, and compared it to thinking-man courses on the European tour.
"It's a really tricky, hard golf course," he said.
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Explore the Entrepreneurship.org Resource Center to find resources. Designed with entrepreneurs in mind, our resource center allows you to find materials to grow great ideas.
Entrepreneurs are a busy lot, and the busiest startup owners may take shortcuts when interviewing job candidates. But failing to ask the right questions in such situations could cost your business plenty.
For entrepreneurs running growth companies, one major challenge is providing affordable health care coverage for employees. Most important, costs continue to rise for many key prescription drugs. This article provides practical strategies entrepreneurs can use to provide prescription drug coverage for their teams and help lower their companies' overall health care costs.
In this Collection overview article, this entrepreneur and director argues boards of directors are critical success factors in fast-growing companies. This expert debunks a set of common misconceptions many entrepreneurs have about boards and outlines why an entrepreneur should build one.
Building a workforce for a healthcare business can be tough for entrepreneurs on a tight budget. Read about creating an internship program in a small business.
A growing economy constantly creates new job opportunities in new sectors, but also displaces and even destroys existing jobs. The workforce in an entrepreneurial economy must always evolve as well. Government efforts to protect jobs are often misguided, hindering growth and new job creation. Pro-growth workforce rules should instead focus on developing worker skills, allowing maximum hiring and layoff flexibility, and focus adjustment efforts on getting displaced workers into new jobs as soon as possible. Small firms employ half of all private sector employees and create 60-80 percent of net new jobs in the U.S., according to the SBA. Labor rules are one of the largest barriers to entrepreneurial ventures. The World Bank's cross-country comparison of labor regulations shows lower job creation where workplace rules are more rigid. Labor rules must move beyond the early 20th century framework of management versus labor and encourage new firm formation as well as a dynamic, not static, worker.
When considering the optimal number of founders for any new entrepreneurial adventure, the calculus extends well beyond simple formulas seemingly supported by observations of startup cohorts within specific industries. Famous technology twosomes that come to mind include David Packard and William Hewlett of Hewlett-Packard, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak of Apple, Paul Allen and Bill Gates of Microsoft, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google. In these examples, it is widely observed that these buddy teams complemented each other well in the early formative years of their companies.
Chasing an entrepreneurial dream can be an all-consuming effort. Particularly in those crucial early days of a startup, founders seem to eat, sleep and breathe their businesses. This naturally occurring tunnel vision has a purpose, of course, allowing entrepreneurs to give their business babies the time and attention they need to mature. But this heads-down mode is not without its drawbacks, one of which is neglecting to stay up on current events--particularly the happenings that can impact the entrepreneurs who are inadvertently paying no attention to them.
In today's extremely tight labor market, small-company employers must approach hiring just as they approach selling. To lure able and enthusiastic candidates, the author writes, a CEO should consider such steps as contacting reluctant candidates personally, offering equity compensation to augment salaries, and sending welcoming gifts like fruit baskets. Of particular note is a discussion of factors the author says "count" in the sales-whoops!-the hiring process.
Specialized or technical advice or skills not closely related to your company's core objectives can often be handled effectively by outside contractors. Typically less expensive that hiring full-time staff, potential outsource services should be carefully considered with these topics in mind: expertise, experience, proposals, and attitude.
Lately, there's been a lot of talk about these people we call millennials. Namely, the current generation, Generation Y, those "entitled, narcissists who still live with their parents", according to Keith Wagstaff. From complimentary to derisive, countless writers have deemed it their duty to predict exactly what this generation will add or (as most reports warn) detract from our current society. But the truth is, nothing has been said about the "Me, me, me generation" that hasn't been said about every generation before them.
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Palm Springs seems to have the reputation for being some lavish spa destination for the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. And it is. But it's also for regular Joes like you and us.
It's a desert city where spa treatments and massages are plentiful, as is horse-riding, golf, biking, hiking, resort pools and palm trees.
The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs (there are also Ace establishments in New York, Seattle and Portland) was once the Howard Johnson Hotel, which was built back in 1965. Now though, it's typically Ace – understated but oh-so-cool.
You can have a massage, you can go to a wellness class, you can swim in the luxe pool and look up at the desert sky. But you know we're mostly interested in their restaurant, right? A lot of the food is sourced locally, with a lot of the specialties (coffee, cheese and bacon – trifecta!) produced by respected local businesses.
If that all sounds a little too tame for you, keep in mind that the Ace throws big parties during Coachella, Gay Pride Week and the White Party.
More here.


text:
A method of communicating from a transmitter to a receiver over a communication medium. For the transmitter, the method includes the step of formatting data into a data stream to be communicated across the communications medium. This data stream comprises a plurality of headers (PACK HEADER). Moreover, for each of the plurality of headers, the method performs two steps. First, the method modifies information encoded by the header by performing a bitwise logical operation between selected bits of the header (B) with a predetermined bit pattern (A). Second, the method transmits the plurality of headers on to the communications medium. For the receiver, the method includes the step of receiving the plurality of headers from the communications medium. Additionally, for each of the received headers, the receiver recovers the information encoded by the header.
1. An information package medium including a transponder, comprising:
means for storing a plurality of data quantities, wherein each of the plurality of data quantities comprises a set of scrambled bits; and
a plurality of machine-readable scramble code numbers (Scramble_Pattern_ID), wherein each of the plurality of machine-readable scramble code numbers corresponds to one of the plurality of data quantities and indicates a manner of descrambling the corresponding one of the plurality of data quantities;
the plurality of scramble code numbers are stored sequentially in the transponder;
each of the plurality of machine-readable scramble code numbers indicates a manner of descrambling the corresponding one of the plurality of data quantities by indicating a pattern for reordering the set of bits in the corresponding one of the plurality of data quantities;
the plurality of scramble code numbers are transmitted in sequence by the transponder and used as indexes to a look-up-table whose output is a plurality of descrambled patterns used in descrambling the corresponding plurality of scrambled data quantities; and
wherein the plurality of data quantities comprises a first plurality of data quantities;
and further comprising means for storing a second plurality of data quantities, wherein each of the second plurality of data quantities comprises a set of bits; and
wherein each of the plurality of machine-readable scramble codes further corresponds to each of one of the first plurality of data quantities and one of the second plurality of data quantities and indicates a same manner of descrambling both the corresponding one of the first plurality of data quantities and the corresponding one of the second plurality of data quantities; and
the plurality of machine-readable scramble codes are repeated in the same order after the plurality of machine-readable scramble codes have all been used to descramble data quantities.
2. The information package medium of
3. The information package medium of
4. The information package medium of
5. The information package medium of
6. The information package medium of
7. A method of communicating from a transmitter to a receiver over a communications medium, comprising the steps of:
in the transmitter, the steps of:
reading a plurality of scrambled data quantities from an information package medium having a transponder, wherein each of the plurality of data quantities comprises a set of bits;
reading a plurality of machine-readable scramble code numbers (Scramble_Pattern_ID) sequentially from the transponder, wherein each of the plurality of machine-readable scramble code numbers corresponds to one of the plurality of data quantities and indicates a manner of descrambling the corresponding one of the plurality of scrambled data quantities;
formatting the plurality of data quantities and the plurality of scramble code numbers into a data stream to be communicated across the communications medium; and
transmitting the data stream on to the communications medium; in the receiver, the steps of:
receiving the data stream from the communications medium;
decoding the data stream in order to recover the plurality of scramble-code numbers;
using the scramble-code numbers as indexes to a look-up-table whose output is a plurality of descrambled patterns used in descrambling the corresponding plurality of scrambled data quantities; and
wherein the plurality of data quantities comprises a first plurality of data quantities;
wherein the data stream comprises a first data stream;
and further comprising, in the transmitter, the steps of:
reading a second plurality of data quantities from the information package medium, wherein each of the second plurality of data quantities comprises a set of bits;
formatting the second plurality of data quantities into a second data stream to be communicated across the communications medium;
transmitting the second data stream on to the communications medium;
wherein each of the plurality of machine-readable scramble codes further corresponds to each of one of the first plurality of data quantities and one of the second plurality of data quantities and indicates a same manner of descrambling both the corresponding one of the first plurality of data quantities and the corresponding one of the second plurality of data quantities; and
the plurality of machine-readable scramble codes are repeated in the same order after the plurality of machine-readable scramble codes have all been used to descramble data quantities.
8. The method of
9. The method of
and further comprising the step of, in the receiver, receiving the data stream; and
wherein the receiver performs the descrambling step.
10. The method of
11. The method of
12. The method of
wherein the information package medium further comprises a transponder;
and further comprising the step of in the transmitter, sending an interrogation signal to the transponder; and
wherein the step of reading the plurality of machine-readable scramble codes comprises receiving the plurality of machine-readable scramble codes in response to the interrogation signal.
13. The method of
14. The method of
15. The method of
and further comprising, responsive to the interrogation signal, transmitting an RF signal with the transponder representing the plurality of machine-readable scramble codes; and
wherein the step of receiving the plurality of machine-readable scramble codes comprises receiving the RF signal representing the plurality of machine-readable scramble codes.
16. The method of
17. The method of
18. The method of
19. The method of
20. The method of
determining whether the information package is currently located in the transmitter; and
responsive to determining that the information package has been removed from the transmitter, prohibiting the data quantities from being written from the transmitter on to the communications medium.
21. The method of
22. The method of
23. The method of
This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. �119(e)(1), of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/048,266, filed Jun. 2, 1997, entitled "Data Protection System," having as its inventors Vishal Markandey, Alan Wetzel, Fred Shipley, Roy Edenson, Ryan Middleton, and William Cammack, and incorporated herein by this reference.
Not Applicable.
The present embodiments relate generally to data communications security and, more particularly, to a layered data protection system which provides secured communications over the IEEE 1394-1995 High Performance Serial Bus (hereinafter, "the 1394 bus").
With the advent of the '1394 Bus, it is anticipated and indeed an exciting expectation that much larger and faster data capabilities will soon be implemented in numerous computer-controlled applications Such applications currently contemplate various consumer implementations, likely supporting various data formats, including DVD (originally identified as "Digital Video Disc" but now more often called "Digital Versatile Disc" because it can be used to store computer data as well as video), digital VCR ("D-VCR"), digital satellite system, digital television (DTV), and possibly others. With these capabilities, however, there arises a heightened concern on behalf of the creators and owners of the data to protect it as it passes along the system on the 1394 bus. The present embodiments are directed to such issues.
A key factor in achieving an effective implementation of any or all of the components of the present embodiments as well as other data protection systems is the elimination of data in-the-clear on any accessible interfaces. The value of having robustly encrypted data on a digital interface such as the 1394 interface will be completely negated if the unencrypted form of that data is also available at some other accessible location. This leads to two conclusions which may be implemented using the preferred embodiments discussed later: (1) The data should be encrypted before leaving the original source equipment, such as internally in a DVD drive or the Network Interface Module in a set top box; and (2) The data should stay encrypted until it is received within the destination equipment, such as a TV or monitor.
These goals are relatively easy to achieve for traditional closed-box, non-modifiable consumer electronic equipment, but are significantly more difficult to achieve for a personal computer (PC). In this latter case the PC equipment is designed to be easily opened and modified with changeable cards or modules having standardized interfaces such as the ISA and PCI busses, or the advanced graphics port. Allowing data in-the-clear to travel over any of these busses or interfaces leaves a tempting opportunity for black market add-ons which may tap into the data stream for recording and subsequent playback and reproduction.
In view of the above, there arises a need to address the increase in protection of data to be communicated, or while being communicated, over the '1394 bus, and this need should be balanced in terms of other resource issues such as the cost and complexity of the protection structure and methods, as well as the likelihood of a wrongdoer overcoming the protection provided by such structure and methods.
In one embodiment, there is a method of communicating from a transmitter to a receiver over a communications medium. For the transmitter, the method includes the step of formatting data into a data stream to be communicated across the communications medium. This data stream comprises a plurality of headers. Moreover, for each of the plurality of headers, the method performs two steps. First, the method modifies information encoded by the header by performing a bitwise logical operation between selected bits of the header with a predetermined bit pattern. Second, the method transmits the plurality of headers on to the communications medium. For the receiver, the method includes the step of receiving the plurality of headers from the communications medium. Additionally, for each of the received headers, the receiver recovers the information encoded by the header.
In another embodiment, there is provided an information package medium. The package medium comprises means for storing a plurality of data quantities. Each of the plurality of data quantities comprises a set of bits. The package medium further comprises a plurality of machine-readable scramble codes, and each of the plurality of machine-readable scramble codes corresponds to one of the plurality of data quantities and indicates a manner of descrambling the corresponding one of the plurality of data quantities.
Other circuits, systems, and methods are also disclosed and claimed.
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a data communications system in which various of the present embodiments may be implemented;
FIG. 2 illustrates a 1394 packet used for digital data protection in accordance with an invention embodiment;
FIG. 3 illustrates the data protection information which is sent in a bundle of fifty 1394 isochronous packets;
FIG. 4 illustrates the basic structure of a program stream;
FIG. 5 illustrates a compressed data protection scheme in accordance with an inventive embodiment;
FIG. 6 illustrates the basic structure of a transport stream;
FIG. 7 illustrates a packaged data protection scheme in accordance with an inventive embodiment; and
FIG. 8 illustrates a 1394 packet used for packaged data protection in accordance with the scheme illustrated in FIG. 7.
The present embodiments relate to a data protection system that can be used to protect digital data (e.g., digital video, digital audio, etc.) transmitted on the IEEE 1394-1995 High Performance Serial Bus. The description of the preferred embodiments which follow addresses, among other things, the areas of data encryption, key exchange, authentication, and copy control information (CCI).
By way of introduction, a system implementing each of the aspects of the preferred embodiments is a layered data protection system, which is based on differing levels of protection for various types of digital data. For purposes of the preferred embodiments, the types of digital data to be transmitted over a 1394 interface are divided into the following three groups, listed here in order from the specific to the general: (a) packaged data, that is, data stored on some type of medium or "package", e.g., digital versatile disk (DVD) and digital video cassette for a digital video cassette recorder (D-VCR); (b) transmitted compressed data, e.g., transmitted packaged data which has been compressed, or other transmitted data including data relating to a (i) digital satellite system or (ii) digital television (DTV) broadcasts; and (c) digital data, e.g., compressed data plus uncompressed data, such as computer data and medical data. In the preferred embodiment the protection of any of these three groups of data may be nested, that is, a specific data type may be protected according to a first methodology for that data type, and then combined with a general data type such that both the general data and the specific data are further protected according to a second methodology.
By way of further introduction to the data protection approach of the preferred embodiments, protection is introduced here in an order in reverse relative to the preceding introduction of the three types of data protected. In this regard and starting with digital data, a base layer of the data protection system is provided for all digital data delivery over the 1394 interface. This base layer is grounded on the use of standard, well-known cryptographic techniques including Data Encryption Standard and Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange algorithms. A second layer of protection, specific to compressed data delivery over the 1394 interface, is also disclosed and scrambles a synchronization pattern in the data by performing a logical operation with a multiple bit signal, where in the preferred embodiment the multiple bit signal is taken from a clock. Finally, a third layer of protection is disclosed for packaged data delivery over the 1394 interface, where a data scrambling pattern is included as part of the information stored by the package. Each of these aspects is further detailed by the following Figures and the discussion thereof.
FIG. 1 provides an overview of the preferred approach for the first, or base layer of the data protection system of the present invention, which is used for digital data protection. The incoming data is encrypted using a 56-bit key Data Encryption Standard DES) algorithm in Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) mode. See Data Encryption Standard, FIPS Pub 46, U.S. Department of Commerce/National Bureau of Standards, January 1977, and DES Modes of Operation, FIPS Pub 81, U.S. Department of Commerce/National Bureau of Standards, December 1980, hereby incorporated herein by reference.
A new DES key is used for encryption/decryption every 50 (or some other agreed to number) 1394 isochronous packets. Keys are generated using the ANSI X9.17 key generation standard, as described in ANSI X9.17 (Revised), "American National Standard for Financial Institution Key Management (Wholesale)," American Bankers Association, 1985, hereby incorporated herein by reference. Keys may be 56 bits, with 8 parity bits added to provide a final key of 64 bits. In order to provide authentication capability, the Digital Signature Standard (DSS), as described in FIPS PUB 186, U.S. Department of Standards/National Institute of Standards and Technology, May 1994, is used, and hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The encrypted data, digital signature and key values, as well as copy control information (CCI) are time multiplexed into the 1394 data transmission stream using a packet format scheme which is more fully described below. At the receiver, these components are demultiplexed and decrypted. The decrypted digital signature value is authenticated using DSS. If the authentication fails, appropriate action is taken.
Data encryption in the preferred embodiment of the data protection system may be implemented using the Data Encryption Standard (DES). First published as a U.S. encryption standard in 1977, this algorithm has been used for a wide range of applications and has endured as a secure method for data protection. DES encrypts 64-bit blocks of data using a 64-bit session key (56 randomly generated bits plus 8 parity bits) to produce a 64-bit encrypted result. DES provides methods for different modes of operation. For encrypting blocks of data two modes are specified in the DES standard, a first being the Electronic Codebook (ECB) and a second being Cipher Block Chaining (CBC). Each is discussed below.
With ECB, each 64-bit block of data is encrypted using the same 64-bit key. This can lead to possible security problems, since the same input block will produce the same encrypted block. To avoid this, the preferred embodiment mode of operation for encryption is CBC.
With CBC, each input data block is exclusive ORed with the previously encrypted block before it is subjected to encryption. For the first block of data, a randomly generated 64-bit initialization vector (IV) is used for this exclusive OR operation. For additional information on DES, see the above-referenced and incorporated Data Encryption Standard, FIPS Pub 46, and DES Modes of Operation, FIPS Pub 81.
In the event that a residual block, i.e., a block with less than 64 bits, must be encrypted, a method for processing that short block must be implemented. In the preferred embodiment the method for processing the residual block is as follows, and is described in Bruce Schneier, "Applied Cryptography," John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1993, hereby incorporated herein by reference:
(a) Assume the short block consists of N bits, where N<64.
(b) The previously encrypted full 64-bit block is encrypted a second time.
(c) The N least significant bits of the encrypted output are exclusive ORed with the short block to produce the final encrypted block.
Data authentication in the preferred embodiment of the data protection system may be implemented through the Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-1) and the Digital Signature Standard (DSS). With SHA-1, N blocks of unencrypted data are hashed into a unique 160-bit value called a message digest. DSS is then used to sign the hash data. DSS operation is divided into three parts:
a) Public and private data generation. DSS generates 4 values which can be public information:
p: a 640-bit prime value. This value is greater than or equal to 512 and less than or equal to 1024 bits and must be a multiple of 64;
q: a prime divisor of p-1 (160 bits);
g: value calculated from p, q, and a random value h (see the above-noted and incorporated FIPS PUB 186, U.S. Department of Standards/National Institute of Standards and Technology, May 1994) (160 bits);
y: public key (640 bits);
x: private key (640 bits); and
k: random number 0<k<q.
The values of p, q, g, and y are public; x and k are private values and must be kept secret.
b) Signature generation. This digitally signs a hash value (created with SHA-1) using the transmitter's private key. Two 160-bit values are produced, r and s. These r and s values will be sent in the isochronous packets.
c) Signature verification. The receiver computes the hash value and sends it through the verification stage of DSS along with the received digital signature and the transmitter's public key. The verification portion of DSS gives a "yes" or "no" answer to signify if the signature is verified.
When a new device is plugged into the 1394 bus, a bus reset occurs. At this point, new values for DSS are generated and the public values (p, q, g, and y) are sent to the new receiver over the asynchronous channel (in addition to the Diffie-Hellman key exchange). The p, q, g, and y values do not have to be encrypted.
Lastly with respect to FIG. 1, note that various of its aspects may be included in different components of a 1394 system. For example, recall it was earlier discussed in the Background Of The Invention section of this document that certain considerations should be made with respect to certain components to avoid data in-the-clear accessible interfaces. Thus, for video information, one approach is putting the destination 1394 interface port plus the decryption, decompression, etc., circuitry into the PC monitor. Such an approach, however, is a significant shift from present architectural models, although it is similar in some ways to that of a TV set. A more acceptable solution for PCs may to put the destination 1394 port on the graphics card along with the decryption, decompression and graphics processing hardware. Even with all the components on a single card there could still be opportunities for an enterprising pirate to solder on his own connectors to access the in-the-clear data, although that would clearly be more difficult than tapping into a well defined bus or interface. Implementation of the functions into a single integrated circuit would further reduce the opportunities for piracy, although it would not entirely eliminate it. For other types of data, still other considerations may be involved. In any event, it is contemplated that one skilled in the art may implement various of the functionality discussed in this document in various of the different components which connect to the 1394 bus.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the 1394 isochronous packet structure for implementing the data protection system of the preferred embodiment. One quadlet, a 32-bit value, of the isochronous packet is reserved as the data protection system header. The number of DES encrypted data blocks carried per isochronous packet is a function of the data rate of the application divided by the 1394 isochronous packet rate of 8 Kbit/sec. For example, a stream of 11.08 Mbit/sec of user data flowing into a track buffer can be completely carried by an isochronous packet containing 22 DES encrypted data blocks, equivalent to 1,408 bits or 176 bytes. The number of DES encrypted blocks carried per packet can be adjusted as needed depending on the specific application requirements.
The data protection system packet format of FIG. 2 is a variation of the Common Isochronous Packet (CIP) format that has been developed for carrying MPEG-2 transport packet video data over the 1394 interface. Development of the CIP format was initiated by members of the 1394 Trade Association, fine tuned and formally documented by the HD-DVC Consortium, HD Digital VCR Conference, "Specifications of Consumer-Use Digital VCRs using 6.3 mm magnetic tape" (the Bluebook), Part 1"General Specifications for Consumer-Use Digital Interface," December 1995, hereby incorporated herein by reference, and is now internationally standardized as IEC 61883. For DVD application, since the DVD system uses MPEG-2 program stream packets having a different length than the 188-byte transport packets, a new definition for the CIP format is necessary.
Some specific items of the presently defined CIP format for the 188-byte Motion Picture Engineering Group (MPEG) transport stream packets are not compatible with the larger DVD 2,048-byte "pack" which is a subelement of a program stream packet. If the data block size (DBS) is assumed to be the 64-bit DES encrypted data block, then the fraction number (FN), quadlet padding count (QPC), and data block counter (DBC) will need new definitions. In addition, the format ID (FMT) value for MPEG needs to be clarified that it is for the MPEG transport stream in addition to adding a new value to indicate the 2,048-byte DVD programs stream packet.
Various elements of the data protection system of the preferred embodiment, such as copy control information (CCI), encryption keys, initialization vectors for CBC mode operation of DES, and hash values, are transmitted in the data protection system header. These values are transmitted in a time multiplexed manner, taking advantage of the fact that they are needed periodically rather than continuously to keep the amount of 1394 bandwidth allocated to their transmission at a minimum.
The data protection system processes transmission of data in bundles of, by way of illustration, 50 isochronous packets. New session keys and initialization vectors are used for every bundle, and are randomly generated by the transmitter. SHA-1 is used only for the first 40 isochronous packets and the results are transmitted, resulting in the following sequence of operations:
(a) The transmitter hashes the first 40 packets;
(b) It then computes a digital signature using its private key and the hash value, where this digital signature equals the r and s values;
(c) r and s are transmitted to the receiver in the 41-50 isochronous packets;
(d) The receiver hashes the same 40 packets;
(e) The receiver receives r and s; and
(f) The receiver uses r, s, the hash value, and the transmitter's public key and runs the verification portion of DSS with these values.
FIG. 3 illustrates which pieces of the data protection system information will be transmitted for each of the packets in a bundle, where recall that in the present example a bundle includes 50 isochronous packets.
Details of various elements of encryption information transmitted in the data protection system header are summarized in Table 1, below:
In packets number 1-36, the data protection system header will contain the copy control information bits as shown in the following Table 2:
Upon receipt of the 50th isochronous packet, the receiver compares the message digests to ensure that the data is coming from a legitimate source. The receiver will also reset the DES implementation so that the newly received key and initialization vector can be used on the next isochronous packet.
The remaining 27 bits of the quadlet used in part as illustrated in Table 2 may be reserved for future enhancements of the CCI as well as other information. Specifically, although 56-bit key length is defined for DES, key length has been a source of ongoing debate in cryptographic circles. A weaker variation of DES, having a 40-bit key length has been used in some applications. Also, as technology becomes more powerful, more sophisticated cryptanalysis techniques may be developed that may compromise 56-bit DES. To ensure future extensibility to greater key lengths and provide facility to use other new algorithms that may be developed, part of the data protection system header quadlet may be reserved for such information as shown in the following Table 3, for example:
The second layer of the data protection scheme of the present invention is specific to compressed data to be transmitted over the 1394 system. Compressed data is available in packet form, with associated packet headers. By way of introduction, the protection scheme is based on modifying the packet header contents with 1394 clock information and transmitting this modified header information. Unless the receiver is synchronized with the transmitter clock and configured to recognize the modified header, it will be unable to derive the original header information to use the compressed data stream. An additional measure of protection is provided by randomly varying the modification of header information with 1394 clock information.
While this technique can, in general, be used with any compressed data form, details are presented here for the currently prevalent MPEG compression, as it is used in various applications such as DVD, digital video broadcast (DVB) and DTV. Generalization for other future compression techniques is also disclosed. This technique also may be adapted to other uncompressed data formats, but the details tend to be somewhat dependent on the specifics of those other formats, and are not necessary to an understanding to this second level of the protection scheme of the present invention.
MPEG data streams can be program streams for DVD, or transport streams for broadcast applications such as DTV or DVB. The basic structure of a program stream is shown in FIG. 4, consisting of consecutive pack headers and packs, with each pack consisting of program elementary stream (PES) packets containing PES header and payload.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first 32 bits of the pack header are modified using 1394 system clock valuens. This region of the pack header corresponds to a field in the header referred to as pack_start_code. Scrambling this data ensures that a decoder will be unable to find the start location of the corresponding pack unless the descrambling operation is performed correctly. More specifically, in a 1394 network, each node with isochronous service has a 32-bit cycle time register, and for the present document this register is referred to as the CYCLE_TIME register. The low-order 12 bits of this register are a modulo 3,072 count which increments once every 24.576 MHz clock period, the next 13 higher order bits count 8 KHz cycles, while the highest 7 bits count seconds. Additionally, the cycle master copies the time stamp in its CYCLE_TIME register to the CYCLE_TIME register in each of the isochronous nodes with the cycle start packet, synchronizing all nodes within a constant phase difference. This functionality is further augmented as described below to modify the pack header.
FIG. 5 illustrates in greater detail a bitwise logical operation which is performed by the preferred embodiment to modify the first 32 bits of the pack header using the 1394 system clock values as introduced above. By way of example, assume that the common cycle time register value of the network is designated as 1394_Cycle_Time_Clock, which in FIG. 5 is shown as providing a signal A. Next, assume that the first 32 bits of the pack header provide a signal shown in FIG. 5 as B. Then, in the preferred embodiment, the following bitwise exclusive OR operations of Table 4 are performed to achieve this layer of data protection:
The above Table 4 first illustrates a value of C which, from FIG. 5, is appreciated as the actual information transmitted by the transmitter on to the 1394 medium. Thus, the value of C represents a first bitwise exclusive OR operation between the common cycle time register value 1394_Cycle_Time_Clock and corresponding bits in the pack header information. Table 4 further illustrates a value of D which, from FIG. 5, is appreciated as the information after it is received and assuming it is properly decoded according to the preferred embodiment. More specifically, in the preferred embodiment, such a receiver also performs a bitwise exclusive OR operation, where the operation is between the pack header information C received from the 1394 medium (i.e., after it has been through the first bitwise exclusive OR operation) and again the corresponding bits from the common cycle time register value 1394_Cycle_Time_Clock. Because this second bitwise exclusive OR operation is with the same pattern as was the first bitwise exclusive OR operation (i.e., 1394_Cycle_Time_Clock) , then the resulting signal D will be the same as the original signal B, that is, the original pack header information is therefore recovered by the receiver.
In the preferred embodiment, the functionality described above with respect to Table 4 is accomplished through the use of two registers. In this regard, recall it was earlier stated that each of the isochronous nodes includes a CYCLE_TIME register, and the cycle master copies its time stamp value of 1394_Cycle_Time_Clock to each of these registers. Thus, this CYCLE_TIME register constitutes a first register for accomplishing the present functionality. However, the present inventors recognize that the 1394_Cycle_Time_Clock value in each node's CYCLE_TIME register is thereafter changed, such as when it is incremented each 40 nanoseconds thereafter by the system clock frequency of 24.576 MHz. Accordingly, to achieve the earlier-described bitwise operation, it is desired that a copy of the original 1394_Cycle_Time_Clock value be maintained. Since this time is changed, then a receiver of a packet may have a different value in its CYCLE_TIME register than the sender had when it transmitted the packet. In this regard, therefore, in the preferred embodiment a second register, referred to in this document as a CYCLE_START_TIME register, is added to the 1394 link layer controller of each node. The CYCLE_START_TIME register stores the exact value of the cycle_time_data received in the cycle start packet, that is, it stores a copy of the 1394_Cycle_Time_Clock value, which reflects the time at which the present cycle started. Moreover, in the preferred embodiment, the CYCLE_START_TIME register is different from the existing 1394_CYCLE_TIME register in that it is not incremented by the 24.576 MHz system clock. As a result, both the transmitting and receiving node have a same stored indication of the 1394_Cycle_Time_Clock value and, thus, both the first and second bitwise operations of Table 4 may be performed in view of that value. In addition, in the preferred embodiment the value stored in the CYCLE_START_TIME register cannot be accessed by a register read from either the system or the 1394 bus, or from anything outside the integrated circuit chip that includes the register (e.g., a local computer or processor bus). Thus, the 1394_Cycle_Time_Clock value is inaccessible to a pirate who may attempt to obtain that value to provide an unauthorized bitwise operation to locate the proper timing for an incoming signal. Lastly, note that the recovery of the pack or TP header is preferably implemented in hardware within the special 1394 link layer controller. Triggering of this operation is keyed to the t-code reserved for copy protected data, plus the identifiers for MPEG or other compressed data formats.
Given the above, note further that although it is possible for a pirating application to read the receiving node's CYCLE_TIME register after the beginning of an isochronous cycle, it will have been incremented by the local 24.576 MHz clock, giving an incorrect value for processing the pack header. This is a consequence of the time required to process the cycle start interrupt, plus the crossing of clock synchronization boundaries between the system processor and the 1394 link layer controller. To further increase the likelihood of a pirate's corrupting the pack header data with the incremented 1394 cycle time register value, the ordering of the bits of the value of the1394_Cycle_Time_Clock, which is in the new CYCLE_START_TIME register, may be reversed. In other words, the present inventive scope contemplates either the earlier-described selected bits, or other possible rearrangement of the time value bits as well.
In another aspect of the preferred embodiment, an approach similar to that just described relating to protecting a program stream also can be used for MPEG transport stream data protection. The basic structure of a transport stream is shown in FIG. 6, consisting of 188-byte packets, where each packet consists of a 4-byte transport packet (TP) header, followed by PES header and data. In this embodiment, a bitwise logical operation performed on MPEG_System_Clock_Reference for program streams is performed here on the TP header.
The third level of the data protection system of the present invention, used for packaged digital media such as DVD or D-VCR, preferably utilizes an authenticating transponder embedded into the media (e.g., disk) and which can be "interrogated." A low cost and reliable solution to this scheme has been developed using a variation of an existing product developed by Texas Instruments Incorporated, called TIRIS™ (Texas Instruments Registration and Identification System). TIRIS comprises a flat passive RF semiconductor transponder package, which in the preferred embodiment is bonded or embedded to the data protected media package. In the preferred embodiment, this transponder package is interrogated, such as by a device having access to the data protected media package (e.g., a DVD player), and the response from the interrogation is used to unscramble data stored on the package. TIRIS is described in a great number of publications including U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,774, hereby incorporated herein by reference. The remainder of this section is couched in terms of DVD data protection but the technology is equally applicable to other packaged digital media such as D-VCR. In addition, while TIRIS remains the preferred method for identifying the manner of encoding as detailed below, other machine-readable techniques may be associated with the packaged medium as well.
In the preferred embodiment, compressed data to be stored on DVD is subjected to a scrambling process and then stored in the scrambled order on the DVD. More particularly, data corresponding to each pack is scrambled by interchanging the order of the various digital bits according to a scramble pattern such as shown below, and this scrambled pattern is stored on the DVD. The scramble pattern used changes from pack to pack in some random order, as shown below in Table 5 by way of example.
To further appreciate the illustration of Table 5, consider the top row of the table. First, the "input bit order" of the second column represents the normal ordering of the bits before they are scrambled and, hence, is shown in a customary ordering (i.e., 7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0). However, rather than storing the data on the package medium in this customary order, the data is instead scrambled into a different order. In this regard, the "output bit order" of the third column illustrates a corresponding scramble pattern showing how the customary ordering is re-arranged to a different order. Particularly, in the example of the second row of Table 5, the scramble pattern is 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7. Given this scrambled format and as detailed below, in response to information provided by the transponder which is provided with the package medium, ultimately this data is unscrambled, preferably by a receiver such that the order of these bits as interpreted by the receiving device is returned to the customary ordering of 7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0. In addition, recall it is earlier stated that the scramble pattern changes from pack to pack. In the example of Table 5, therefore, the second row illustrates a different scrambling order for a second data pack, and so forth for the rest of the Table.
In the preferred embodiment, the sequence of scramble patterns is repeated after n scramble patterns have been used. A suggested number of scramble patterns to use (value of n) is 256. Thus, the 257th pack is scrambled in the same manner as the 1st pack, the 258th pack is scrambled in the same manner as the 2nd pack, and so forth. The total number of such patterns possible for m bits of data is m!. For 8-bit data, the number of patterns is 8!=40,320. This is the total number of scramble patterns possible. Any given DVD/TIRIS combination may use n=256 of these patterns. Each possible scramble pattern is assigned a unique numerical code, referred to herein as Scramble_Pattern_ID. The sequence of codes corresponding to the sequence of scramble patterns used in a particular DVD is stored on the corresponding TIRIS. The TIRIS-based data protected transmission scheme is shown in FIG. 7.
Turning to FIG. 7, on the transmitter side, the scrambled data is read off the DVD, along with the corresponding Scramble_Pattern_ID from TIRIS. More specifically, therefore, the transmitter includes sufficient circuitry to interrogate the transponder on the DVD. Such circuitry is not shown in FIG. 7, but is readily ascertainable by one skilled in the art given the above-incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,774, and other references discussing TIRIS technology. In response to the interrogation, the transponder provides the sequence of stored Scramble_Pattern_IDs, so these may be thought of as a table having the variable n, introduced above, of these Scramble_Pattern_IDs. In a preferred implementation, a number of these table entries may be read off TIRIS as sequence of Scramble_Pattern_IDs on DVD spinup and stored in a buffer, since reading TIRIS during DVD play can be a problem due to RF interference from other parts of the system. Thus, in the example provided above where n equals 256, then either immediately prior to or at spinup the transmitter reads all 256 Scramble_Pattern_IDs into a buffer. The buffer may be a location in memory and, in the preferred embodiment, this information is only retained in memory while-the DVD (or other packaged medium) remains in place in the transmitter. Next, the scrambled data pack and corresponding Scramble_Pattern_ID are packaged into 1394 packets for transmission on to the 1394 medium. In the preferred embodiment, these 1394 packets are in the format shown in FIG. 8, where a quadlet-long data protection system header extension (shown as "DPS HEADER EXTENSION) is defined to accommodate the Scramble_Pattern_ID. For 8-bit data, since there can be a total of 40,320 unique scramble patterns, each unique pattern requires over 15 bits for representation. Using a quadlet to represent Scramble_Pattern_IDs ensures that all patterns can be uniquely represented for 8-bit data with room for extension to greater bit widths which may be used for future DVD data representation.
After being combined into 1394 packet form, the data is preferably encrypted and then transmitted on to the 1394 medium. Looking to FIG. 7 on the receiver side, the data is received from the 1394 medium and is decrypted and unpacked from 1394 packets according to the base layer digital data protection system explained earlier. The Scramble_Pattern_ID is used as an index into a look-up table (LUT) whose output is the corresponding descrambled pattern. This pattern is used to descramble the scrambled data.
As another aspect to the transmission and receipt of the Scramble_Pattern_IDs as just described, note that a system according to the preferred embodiment may further include an additional level of security for ensuring that genuine media data is being communicated across the 1394 bus. Specifically, the providers of packaged media have indicated concern that once data is available on the 1394 bus, a pirating device may be added to that bus to intercept or copy the data for unauthorized use. To eliminate or minimize this risk, in the preferred embodiment there are also periodic checks in connection with the TIRIS provided information to ensure that the original authentic packaged medium (e.g., the DVD with the TIRIS) is still in the transmitter (e.g., in the player for a DVD). In one implementation of this aspect, each time a new device is added to the 1394 bus then such a check occurs. More specifically, it is known under 1394 systems that a reset or other type of detection occurs when a new device is added to the 1394 bus. Thus, upon such an event, in the preferred embodiment there is an evaluation of whether the authentic packaged medium is still located in the transmitter. To implement this operation, recall it was stated above that the already-read scramble patterns are read from the TIRIS into a buffer memory, and that in the preferred embodiment this information is only retained in memory while the DVD (or other
(c) The next 64 most significant bits are extracted from DHKEY to produce a value for a DES initialization vector which will be referred to as IV1;
(d) KEY1 and IV1 are used by the transmitter to encrypt, using DES in CBC mode, the current session key;
(e) This encrypted key is then transmitted to the new receiver; and
(f) The new receiver decrypts the value which it will now use as a key for decrypting the isochronous packets.
The key exchange mechanism will use the asynchronous communication capabilities of the 1394 interface. A standardized address and block of register space is assigned for this communications process.
Establishment and control of the connections between the receiving and transmitting devices may be performed using the Connection Management Procedures (CMP) defined in Clause 8 of the DVC "Bluebook" Part 1, on digital interface, hereby incorporated herein by reference. These are managed as point-to-point connections only; broadcast connections are not permitted. The CMP allows for multiple point-to-point connections to be made to one output plug, which provides for a multicast mode of operation.
In certain applications where authentication of new devices on the 1394 bus is required, such as when introducing a new device into the network, public key certificates will be used. When the devices are manufactured, each device has a 640-bit public/private key pair generated using the Digital Signature Standard method for key generation. The private key is used to sign the device's public key certificate. Each certificate contains a minimum of the following information fields shown in Table 6 and conforms to the syntax requirements of X.509 standard. packaged medium) remains in place in the transmitter. Accordingly, to achieve the later check following a reset, the preferred embodiment determines whether the scramble patterns are still valid in the memory. If not, the system concludes that the authentic packaged medium has been removed, and in response the data from that medium is prohibited from being communicated along the 1394 bus. On the other hand, if the scramble patterns are still stored and valid in the memory, then the data from the packaged medium may be properly communicated along the 1394 bus, and it may then be received and descrambled in the manner described above. Lastly, note that the immediately preceding additional check may occur at times other than at reset, and the evaluation of whether the packaged medium is still located in the transmitter may be achieved by other techniques (e.g., by causing the transponder to once again provide information or confirmation to the transmitter that the packaged medium is still located in the transmitter).
Having now explained the three levels of protection provided by a data protection system in accordance with the preferred embodiments, reference is now turned to the startup operation-and new device handling for a 1394 network configured to perform one or more of the data protection methodologies described above. When a new receiver device is introduced into the 1394 network, or when transmission is first initiated, the transmitter must provide the receiver with the current session key being used to encrypt the isochronous packets. This key transfer will occur using the asynchronous communication capabilities of 1394 as follows:
(a) At startup, the Diffie-Hellman algorithm, as described in Diffie, M. E. Hellman, "New Directions in Cryptography", IEEE Transactions on Information Theory IT-22 (1976), pg. 644-54, hereby incorporated herein by reference, is used between the transmitter and the new receiver to exchange a unique 512-bit key, called DHKEY;
(b) The 64 most significant bits are extracted from DHKEY to form a new key referred to as KEY1;
The device serial number is unique for each manufactured device. The manufacturer extension allows manufacturers to insert additional information for customization of the certificates. The digital signature is computed by hashing field numbers 1-5 (using SHA-1) then signing that hash value using DSS and the device's private key. When a new device is added to the 1394 bus, the asynchronous communication capabilities of the 1394 are used to send the device's certificate to the transmitter. The transmitter hashes the certificate and uses the public key and digital signature as input to the verification operations of DSS. If the DSS authentication fails, key exchange through Diffie-Hellman will not occur.
While details of overall system implementation cost, in terms of gate counts or software cycles, is not yet known, it is estimated that the data protection system as disclosed herein may be implemented at a cost suitable for consumer application. The approach of the present invention makes use of various well-known cryptography algorithms which are already available in various forms from various vendors:
DES algorithm implementation for encryption and decryption (DES engine) is available from a vendor as an approximately 4000 gate solution.
Diffie-Hellman is used for key exchange across the asynchronous communication mechanism of the 1394 interface. Since there are no hard real-time requirements for this, speed of computation is not a major issue. Implementation may be feasible on a midspeed microcontroller.
The random number generation is used in the transmitter and receiver for Diffie-Hellman and X9.17 key generation. The choice of a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) can be independent for the transmitter and receiver since they do not need to generate the same sequence of random numbers. Care must be taken, however, to choose a PRNG which is cryptographically strong. Some general considerations for the PRNG are:
(a) Seeds for the PRNG are created by using the system clock or some permutation of the system clock;
(b) Knowledge of previous bits of a PRNG sequence will not allow for prediction of future bits;
(c) No linear feedback shift register schemes should be implemented since it is possible to determine the feedback patterns; and
(d) Since PRNGs are inherently periodic, the period should be very large.
The data protection system may use a complex algorithm for the PRNG because there are no real-time requirements for number generation, other than the time requirement that new keys must be generated within the time frame of 50 isochronous packets bundle.
Possible implementations of pseudo-random number generators include the Blum/Micali algorithm, computational complexity O(n3), and the Blum/Blum/Shub algorithm, computational complexity O(n2), both of which are described in Bellare, S. Goldwasser, "Lecture Notes on Cryptography", Massachusetts Institute of Technology, July 1996, pg. 39-47, hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Having appreciated the above, one skilled in the art will understand that the data protection system of the present embodiments provides several advantages over systems of the prior art. For example, the present approach provides a range of data protection options, from general data protection for all digital data transmitted over the 1394 interface, to specific protection mechanism for packaged content such as DVD. As another example, the present approach introduces to 1394 communication cryptographic techniques that have been used in various forms in several other communication environments such as cable modems, ISDN, TCP/IP networks, Internet Privacy-Enhanced Mail (PEM), Smart Cards, and defense applications. As still another example, using the system disclosed herein, standard, well-known cryptographic techniques may be integrated with proprietary approaches. In this regard, the "strength" of a cryptographic technique is often determined by how well it stands the test of time, surviving various attack efforts. Standard techniques have proven success in this as testified by their prolific use in the application areas listed above. On the other hand, proprietary approaches are used where they provide specific strengths. As yet another example, the fact that elements of the preferred embodiment have widespread application in various communication environments ensures a broader demand base for the technology components, leading to low cost components availability from various competing vendors. Given these many examples, one skilled in the art will appreciate the scope and flexibility of the preferred embodiments. Moreover, while the present embodiments have been described in detail, various substitutions, modifications or alterations could be made to the descriptions set forth above without departing from the inventive scope which is defined by the following claims.
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