US5905505A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for copy protection of on-screen display of text
Assignee: Nytell Software LLC
•
Filing: 1996-09-13
•
Granted: 1999-05-18
•
Expires: 2016-09-13
Abstract
Abstract Method and system for preventing copying of textual images during display on a screen. The method includes randomly adding bits to the bitmapped background of the textual image to produce two random bitmapped textual images. The random bitmapped images are then alternately displayed on the screen so that the instantaneous display of the on screen textual images is unreadable. By a second method, the bits that form the bitmapped image of the text bits are randomly modified to produce a pair of random bitmapped texts. The random bit mapped text pairs are then alternately flickered on the display screen. Again, by this second method, the instantaneous display of the on screen textual images is unreadable. Although in both cases the instantaneous display is unreadable, the human eye averages the two different bitmapped images as they alternate on screen so that the text is human readable.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael E. Lesk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 21:37
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F21/00; G06F21/70; G06F21/82; G06F21/84; G06F2221/00; G06F2221/03; G06F2221/032
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
A medium for storing a program for displaying a selected image, said program: generating a first background random bitmap; generating a second background random bitmap; adding said first background to said selected image to create a first combined image; adding said second background to said selected image to create a second combined image; and displaying, alternately and in succession on a display device, said first combined image and said second combined image such that said selected image is recognizable to the human eye.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
83 words
A medium for storing a program for displaying a selected image, said program: generating a first background random bitmap; generating a second background random bitmap; adding said first background to said selected image to create a first combined image; adding said second background to said selected image to create a second combined image; and displaying, alternately and in succession on a display device, said first combined image and said second combined image such that said selected image is recognizable to the human eye.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The medium of claim 1 wherein said program further successively repositions said combined images relative to the screen of said display device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The medium of claim 1 wherein said medium is a magnetic storage medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The medium of claim 1 wherein said medium is an optical disk.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for preventing copying of an on-screen textual image having a bitmap background and bitmap text, the bitmap using two contrasting bits to represent the textual image, said method comprising the steps of: adding random bits to the background of the textual image to produce a first bitmapped textual image; adding random bits to the background of the textual image to produce a second bitmapped textual image; and alternately displaying said first bitmapped textual image and said second bitmapped image on the screen so that the instantaneous on screen image is unreadable.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for preventing copying of an on-screen textual image having a bitmap background and bitmap text, the bitmap using two contrasting bits to represent the textual image, said method comprising the steps of: adding random bits to the background of the textual image to produce a first bitmapped textual image; adding random bits to the background of the textual image to produce a second bitmapped textual image; and alternately displaying said first bitmapped textual image and said second bitmapped image on the screen so that the instantaneous on screen image is unreadable.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein said second bitmapped image is created by inverting said first bitmapped image.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 5 further comprising the step of wobbling said alternately displayed bitmapped textual images up and down on the screen.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 5 further comprising the step of encrypting said alternately displayed textual images before display to the user.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein the textual image is high contrast art.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein each of said background adding steps comprises the substeps of: randomly adding dark bits to a clear background bitmap image to produce a random bitmapped background; and logically OR-ing said random bitmapped background with the bitmapped text to produce said first and second bitmapped textual images.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 10 wherein bits from the bitmapped text are randomly removed to form random bitmapped text having half the textual information.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 10 wherein only one out of every four bits added is dark.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 12 wherein the dark bits are black and the clear background image is white.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 12 wherein the dark bits are red and the clear background image is green.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for preventing copying of an on-screen textual image having bitmapped text, the bitmap using a dark bit and a clear bit to represent the textual image, said method comprising the steps of: randomly modifying the bitmapped text to form a first bitmapped textual image; randomly modifying the bitmapped text to form a second bitmapped textual image; alternately flickering said second and first bitmapped textual images on a bitmapped background on the screen so that the instantaneous on screen is display unreadable.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for preventing copying of an on-screen textual image having bitmapped text, the bitmap using a dark bit and a clear bit to represent the textual image, said method comprising the steps of: randomly modifying the bitmapped text to form a first bitmapped textual image; randomly modifying the bitmapped text to form a second bitmapped textual image; alternately flickering said second and first bitmapped textual images on a bitmapped background on the screen so that the instantaneous on screen is display unreadable.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 15 wherein said random modification step further comprises the substep of randomly removing dark bits from the text bitmapped image to produce said first and second bitmapped textual images having half the textual information.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 16 wherein the bitmapped background comprises a clear bitmapped image.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 15 wherein said flickering step includes the substep of randomly adding dark bits to a clear background bitmap image to produce the bitmapped background.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 18 further comprising the step of wobbling said alternately flickered textual images up and down on the screen.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 18 wherein only one out of every four bits added is dark.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
64 words
A system for preventing copying of on screen bitmapped images having bitmapped text and a bitmapped background, said system comprising: a display device; a communications network; and a server having pairs of the bitmapped images that are to be displayed on said display device, each of said bitmapped image pairs being alternately transmitted by said server over said communications network to said display device.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
64 words
A system for preventing copying of on screen bitmapped images having bitmapped text and a bitmapped background, said system comprising: a display device; a communications network; and a server having pairs of the bitmapped images that are to be displayed on said display device, each of said bitmapped image pairs being alternately transmitted by said server over said communications network to said display device.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system according to claim 21 wherein said server further includes: means for randomly adding bits to the background of the bitmapped image to produce a random background bitmap; and means for logically OR-ing said random background bitmap with the bitmapped text.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system according to claim 22 wherein said server further includes: means for randomly removing bits from the bitmapped text to produce a random text bitmap; and means for alternately flickering random text bitmap pairs against a bitmap background.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system according to claim 23 wherein said server further includes means for slowly wobbling the text displayed to the user's screen up and down and encrypting the text displayed at the user.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4539585A
Cited
US4731743A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-05-17 | 2002-11-16 | 2003-05-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-05-17 | 2006-11-16 | 2007-05-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-05-17 | 2010-11-16 | 2011-05-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |