Apple exploring 'particle gun' based wireless authentication
A new patent application from Apple describes a new, secure method of digital rights management that would identify the authenticity of a device based on the unique physical emission properties of a "particle gun."
The application, entitled "System and Method for Authentication Based on Particle Gun Emissions," was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week. It states that current DRM methods for authentication, but by their nature they can lack security.
"Allowing initial information to be recovered from final information is a major flaw in cryptography systems since the objective of cryptographic systems is to protect the initial information," the application reads. "Many authentication systems exist. Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an improved way to perform authentication, such that it is impossible to extract initial information from final information."
Apple's solution would employ a particle gun, which would send an emission with unique physical properties to a receiver which would be able to verify the authenticity. The receiver would then generate a second value, and compare it with the first.
"Generating the first and second values is based at least in part on input data that provides physical emission properties of the particle gun including at least one of initial speed, electromagnetic fields, mass, electronic charge and time," it says. "The method of authenticating based on physical particle gun emissions makes it difficult to recover initial input from output values."
The application describes the particle gun as a device with a pair of conductive plates that generate two separate, independent and uniform electromagnetic fields.
The physical properties of the particles generated would be calculated based on time, mass, initial velocity, electromagnetic field intensity, and the orientation of the particles when they leave the gun. These properties would allow both the sender and receiver to create an identical "secret" code that would be extremely difficult to crack, ensuring security.
Made public this week, the application was first filed by Apple on Dec. 1, 2008. The invention is credited to Augustin J. Farrugia, Mathieu Ciet, and Pierre Betouin.
The application, entitled "System and Method for Authentication Based on Particle Gun Emissions," was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week. It states that current DRM methods for authentication, but by their nature they can lack security.
"Allowing initial information to be recovered from final information is a major flaw in cryptography systems since the objective of cryptographic systems is to protect the initial information," the application reads. "Many authentication systems exist. Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an improved way to perform authentication, such that it is impossible to extract initial information from final information."
Apple's solution would employ a particle gun, which would send an emission with unique physical properties to a receiver which would be able to verify the authenticity. The receiver would then generate a second value, and compare it with the first.
"Generating the first and second values is based at least in part on input data that provides physical emission properties of the particle gun including at least one of initial speed, electromagnetic fields, mass, electronic charge and time," it says. "The method of authenticating based on physical particle gun emissions makes it difficult to recover initial input from output values."
The application describes the particle gun as a device with a pair of conductive plates that generate two separate, independent and uniform electromagnetic fields.
The physical properties of the particles generated would be calculated based on time, mass, initial velocity, electromagnetic field intensity, and the orientation of the particles when they leave the gun. These properties would allow both the sender and receiver to create an identical "secret" code that would be extremely difficult to crack, ensuring security.
Made public this week, the application was first filed by Apple on Dec. 1, 2008. The invention is credited to Augustin J. Farrugia, Mathieu Ciet, and Pierre Betouin.
Comments
Wow. That'd be really big as not only a solution to brokering mass media, but as a stand alone product in itself for all kinds of authentication applications.
Scary!
"The application describes the particle gun as a device with a pair of conductive plates that generate two separate, independent and uniform electromagnetic fields.
Nice, have they considered the side effects of using this "revolutionary" device?
Can electromagnetic fields (EMF) from power lines, home wiring, airport and military radar, substations, transformers, computers and appliances cause brain tumors, leukemia, birth defects, miscarriages, chronic fatigue, headaches, cataracts, heart problems, stress. nausea, chest pain, forgetfulness, cancer and other health problems?
Numerous studies have produced contradictory results, yet some experts are convinced that the threat is real.
Dr. David Carpenter, Dean at the School of Public Health, State University of New York believes it is likely that up to 30% of all childhood cancers come from exposure to EMFs. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns "There is reason for concern" and advises prudent avoidance".
Martin Halper, the EPA's Director of Analysis and Support says "I have never seen a set of epidemiological studies that remotely approached the weight of evidence that we're seeing with EMFs. Clearly there is something here."
http://www.mercola.com/article/emf/emf_dangers.htm
Here's a novel idea. Price the materials reasonably, trust your customer, and don't try to gouge them.
Of course that will never happen, thus they will always try to charge for the material every-time a new media comes out or charge per device. It is that moronic "White Album" mentality that fuels casual piracy anyway.
Edit: So is Steve going to do another open letter declaring that he and Apple are back in favor of DRM now?
The iPhaser? Great. I'd like one installed fore and aft on my truck.
That made my day.
Nice, have they considered the side effects of using this "revolutionary" device?
Can electromagnetic fields (EMF) from power lines, home wiring, airport and military radar, substations, transformers, computers and appliances cause brain tumors, leukemia, birth defects, miscarriages, chronic fatigue, headaches, cataracts, heart problems, stress. nausea, chest pain, forgetfulness, cancer and other health problems?
Numerous studies have produced contradictory results, yet some experts are convinced that the threat is real.
Dr. David Carpenter, Dean at the School of Public Health, State University of New York believes it is likely that up to 30% of all childhood cancers come from exposure to EMFs. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns "There is reason for concern" and advises prudent avoidance".
Martin Halper, the EPA's Director of Analysis and Support says "I have never seen a set of epidemiological studies that remotely approached the weight of evidence that we're seeing with EMFs. Clearly there is something here."
http://www.mercola.com/article/emf/emf_dangers.htm
This is what happens when people read Wired.
Yup, I said, WTF!?
Agreed. I don't have the slightest idea what this is article is talking about, and I doubt anyone at AI does either, or they would have included some sort of paraphrasing of the application, rather than just quoting opaque text.
Agreed. I don't have the slightest idea what this is article is talking about, and I doubt anyone at AI does either, or they would have included some sort of paraphrasing of the application, rather than just quoting opaque text.
OMG - does nobody understand elementary particle physics any more??
This is what happens when people read Wired.
Reading wired causes cancer?
Nice, have they considered the side effects of using this "revolutionary" device?
Can electromagnetic fields (EMF) from power lines, home wiring, airport and military radar, substations, transformers, computers and appliances cause brain tumors, leukemia, birth defects, miscarriages, chronic fatigue, headaches, cataracts, heart problems, stress. nausea, chest pain, forgetfulness, cancer and other health problems?
Numerous studies have produced contradictory results, yet some experts are convinced that the threat is real.
You can also be run over by a truck on the way home from work.
Despite of all those horrors you mention, our life expectancy is 75 years. Compare that with the 30 something of non-techological civilisations. I'll have EMF eyes shut!
Reading wired causes cancer?
loL, this patent is nothing more that a tiny device inside the hardware, I mean tiny so the EMF will be equally tiny. Unless you live directly exposed to it 20 to 30 years.... Apple hardware has a long live but not so long.