Five Apple patents have appeared at the US Trademark and Patent Office. Here’s a summary of each.
Patent number 20100100212 involves efficient techniques for modifying audio playback rates. Improved techniques for modifying a playback rate of an audio item (e.g., an audio stream) are disclosed. As a result, the audio item can be played back faster or slower than normal. The improved techniques are resource efficient and well suited for audio items containing speech. The resource efficiency of the improved techniques make them well suited for use with portable media devices, such as portable media players. The inventors are Aram Lindahl and Joseph Mark Williams.
Patent number 20100098350 is for a blur computation algorithm. The proposed algorithm accomplishes a blur of an image using fragment programs on a GPU. Alternatively, the blur may be computed on a CPU through emulation or directly programmed. Modifications of the program are possible that accomplish motion blur, zoom blur, radial blur, and various other forms of blur that vary across an image computed for the purpose of simulating depth-of-field. The inventor is Mark Zimmer.
Patent number 20100100947 involves a scheme for authenticating without a password exchange. Aspects relate to systems and methods implementing a scheme allowing a Verifier (V) to authenticate a Prover (P). The scheme comprises pre-sharing between V and P a graph of nodes. Each node is associated with a polynomial. V sends P data comprising data for selecting a polynomial of the graph, such as traversal data for proceeding from a known node to another node, a time interval, and a number k. P uses the time interval in an evaluation of the polynomial. P then uses the evaluation as a .lamda. in a Poisson distribution, and determines a value related to a probability that a number of occurrences of an event equals k. P sends the determined value to V. V performs a similar determination to arrive at a comparison value. P authenticates V if the separately determined values match, or otherwise meet expectations. The process can be repeated to increase confidence in authentication. The inventors are Mathieu Ciet, Michael L. Crogan, Augustin J. Farrugia and Nicholas T. Sulllivan.
Patent number 2010098244 is for a system and method for stream/block cipher with internal random states. It involves systems, methods, and computer readable-media for performing data encryption and decryption using a stream or block cipher with internal random states. The method includes splitting the input data into a predetermined number of blocks and processing each block. The processing includes creating sub-blocks, permuting the sub-blocks, replacing bytes using a lookup table, rotating bits, performing expansion and combining sets of bits. The element of randomness employed in this process allows for the same input to yield the same output, with differing internal states. The inventors are Mathieu Ciet, Augustin J. Farrugia and Filip Toma Paun.
Patent number 2010098255 involves a system and method for a derivation function for a key per page. It involves systems, methods and computer-readable media to perform data encryption and decryption using a derivation function to obtain a key per page of data in a white-box environment. The method includes sharing a master key with the sender and receiver, splitting the input data into blocks and sub-blocks, and utilizing a set of keys and a master key to derive a page key. In another aspect of this disclosure, the key validation and shuffling operations are included. This method allows for the derivation of a key instead of storing a predetermined key, thus maintaining system security in a white-box environment. The inventors are Mathieu Ciet, Augustin J. Farrugia and Filip Toma Paun.