WO2004081753A2

WO2004081753A2 - Digitized movie processing apparatus and method

Info

Publication number: WO2004081753A2
Application number: PCT/US2004/007431
Authority: WO
Inventors: Elyse Roberts; Wayne Kurzeja
Original assignee: Digi-Flicks International, Inc.
Priority date: 2003-03-11
Filing date: 2004-03-11
Publication date: 2004-09-23
Also published as: WO2004081753A3; CA2521085A1

Abstract

At least part of a movie is provided in digital form via a digital memory media (13). A digital data handler (12) can access this content and/or facilitate subsequent processing of such content only in response to receipt of an enabling control signal. A verification and authorization unit (11) operably couples to this digital data handler and provides the enabling control signal in response to itself receiving an authorization signal from a remote authorization authority (15). Pursuant to one embodiment, the verification and authorization unit obtains information from the digital memory media and uses this information as part of requesting authorization from the remote authority. Pursuant to one embodiment, the verification and authorization unit further obtains information from a secondary source (such as a smart card (14)) and uses this information as well to effect the authorization process.

Description

DIGITIZED MOVIE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates generally to movie distribution.

Background

[0002] The presentation of a movie to an audience at a theater venue is well understood in the art. Traditionally a film version of the movie, typically comprising multiple reels, is physically transported to the theater. That film version is then presented to the audience using a corresponding projector that passes a powerful light through the film to project an image of the film onto a viewing screen. At the same time the projector processes embedded data in the film to recover a corresponding audio portion of the movie and renders that information audible in synchronism with the visual presentation.

[0003] In such a prior art approach, at least the video portion of the movie comprises analog information. With recent technological developments, of course, such analog content is readily digitized to permit conversion of such analog information into corresponding digital information. In other instances, such video information may be captured, in the first instance, as digital information rather than on film. In either case, the digitized version of the video information can be stored or otherwise edited and processed using powerful digital techniques and platforms. In many cases, however, such digitized versions of a movie are eventually rendered in analog form to facilitate distribution to and presentation in theaters in accord with traditional practice in this regard.

[0004] Many practitioners find fault with such a process. In particular, film versions of a movie are subject to wear and degradation through environmental exposure, abuse, and even through ordinary use and presentation. By contrast, digital versions can be protected to at least some degree against such abuse through various error protection schemes and the like such that, as a general principle, these digital versions are often viewed as being relatively immune to the kinds of wear and degradation that one expects with film. [0005] Because of these and other potential benefits, the industry has made some steps towards facilitating and supporting full digital presentation of movies. This includes digital projectors that can convert a digitized version of a movie into a projectable image ι suitable for use with a movie theater screen and distribution schemes to provide the digitized movie content to the theater. The latter issue poses a particularly critical issue for many industry participants. Just as the relative durability of a digital version of a movie serves to protect that movie during the distribution and presentation process, it also ensures that copies, authorized or not, will also be of first rate quality. Content piracy and counterfeiting constitutes an unfortunate and essentially ubiquitous problem for the entertainment industry and movies are no exception.

[0006] Various schemes have been proposed to attempt to assure the security of a digitized movie during, for example, transmission of that content to a given authorized movie presentation venue. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, these schemes tend to fall short in one respect or another. The movie owner, distributor, and theater operator all desire a mechanism and process that will effectively facilitate the security of a movie while also not presenting undue burdens or requirements on any of the participants. Secure systems often tend to pose requirements regarding behaviors and/or equipment that are perceived as being unacceptable to the participants. Similarly, friendly and/or less costly systems are perceived as providing an unaeeeptably low level of security.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the digitized movie processing apparatus and method described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

[0008] FIG. 1 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

[0009] FIG. 2 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; [0010] FIG. 3 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; and

[0011] FIG. 4 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

[0012] Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the relative dimensions, scale, or positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is usually accorded to such terms and expressions by those skilled in the corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where other specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

Detailed Description

[0013] Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, at least a portion of a movie in digital form is provided to a predetermined location and authorization as corresponds to that portion of the movie is then received. This received authorization then facilitates automatic enabling of the processing of at least this portion of the movie to thereby facilitate presentation of the movie to an audience.

[0014] This overall approach is suitable for use with a variety of information delivery processes. For example, the entire movie (or some portion thereof) can be delivered in digitized form using a wireless transmission pathway and/or by use of an overland physical delivery mechamsm. In a preferred approach, different portions of the movie are delivered to the predetermined location using a plurality of differing information delivery processes. Such parsing, of course, will render it more difficult to successfully obtain a complete copy of the digitized version of the movie while in transit as a complete version cannot be obtained via a single action or interception. [0015] Pursuant to some embodiments, a least a portion of the digitized movie is delivered using a physical digital memory media. So embodied, the request for authorization can be conditioned upon the availability and presence of this physical digital memory media. This approach, too, can aid in preventing a digitized version of the movie from being inappropriately divulged to an unauthorized party or process.

[0016] Pursuant to yet other embodiments, authorization can further be predicated upon obtaining expected information from another information-bearing platform such as, for example, a smartcard that is venue-specific, movie-specific, or the like. For example, authorization can be at least partially conditioned upon a comparison of information from such a secondary information-bearing platform with information retrieved from the physical digital memory media. So configured, the requisite processing of the digital information comprising the movie cannot be effected without assurances that a proper authorized copy of the movie is present with a properly authorized party. Again, such an approach can significantly aid in preventing inappropriate processing of the digital information by an unauthorized party.

[0017] Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 , various embodiments of an apparatus 10 suitable and sufficient to facilitate these teachings will first be described (though it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are but some of many possible platforms that may be envisioned to compatibly comport with the processes set forth herein, and that these particular described embodiments are to be viewed as being illustrative of the possibilities rather than as an exhaustive listing).

[0018] A preferred embodiment of this apparatus 10 will comprise a verification and authorization unit 11 having an authorization output interface that operably couples to a digital data handler 12. The digital data handler 12 in turn responds to the verification and authorization unit 11 and further has a movie data interface adapted and configured to receive a digital memory media 13. In a preferred embodiment, the digital memory media 13 has at least a portion of a movie stored therein and as will be discussed in more detail below. In a preferred embodiment, the verification and authorization unit 11 further comprises an interface to a remote authorization authority 15. The latter serves to provide an authorization signal as corresponds to the movie that is at least partially stored in the digital memory media 13 (and again, further details will be provided below). [0019] So configured, the apparatus 10 can use the digital data handler 12 to process digital data that comprises at least a part of a movie (as retrieved from the digital memory media 13) in response to the verification and authorization unit 11 receiving an appropriate verification signal from the remote authorization authority 15. For example, the apparatus 10 can be co-located with or otherwise can be disposed to service the needs of a movie theater. Using an appropriate communications link (such as a wired or wireless data modem) the verification and authorization unit 11 can communicate with a remotely located remote authorization authority 15 (the latter can be physically disposed virtually anywhere as may be convenient to the authority ^"that supports and governs the operability of the remote authorization authority 15). In a preferred embodiment this communication comprises a data communication (as versus, for example, human speech) and serves to facilitate a request for authorization as sourced by the verification and authorization unit 11 and a responsive authorization grant as sourced by the remote authorization authority 15.

[0020] Pursuant to some embodiments, the verification and authorization unit 11 can further comprise a smart card interface to permit operable coupling to or with one or more smart cards 14. Smart cards are well understood in the art and typically comprise a credit card styled platform having one or more active circuit elements (such as digital memory and/or digital processing capability). So configured, additional information regarding, for example, the movie as corresponds to the digital memory media 13, the movie theater being serviced by the apparatus 10, and/or the remote authorization authority 15 (to name a few) can be provided to the verification and authorization unit 11. Such a configuration will support a variety of useful embodiments and approaches. As one illustration, the verification and authorization unit 11 can comprise a comparison unit that compares at least some data from a smart card 14 against information as obtained from the digital memory media. Upon determining that the information from these two sources correspond to one another in at least one predetermined fashion (for example, by confirming that the data is identical or is otherwise complementary in some appropriate fashion), this comparison unit can then provide some or all of such information to the remote authorization authority 15 as part of presenting an authorization request.

[0021] Pursuant to some embodiments, the digital data handler 12 will further operably couple 16 to a data decryption unit 17. The latter can serve to decrypt encrypted portions of the digitized movie. The decrypted movie can then be provided to, for example, a digital projector 18. Data decryption units and digital projectors are both well understood in the art and further description will not be provided here except where pertinent to a given embodiment.

[0022] In a preferred approach the digitized movie data will be both compressed (in accordance with well understood prior art technique to facilitate reduced storage and/or transmission bandwidth requirements) and encrypted (in accordance with well understood prior art technique to further secure the digitized movie information from unauthorized access or usage). In such a case, and further pursuant to a preferred approach, when using a data decryption unit 17, the linkage 16 between the latter and the digital data handler 12 can comprise:

- a link 16A that couples a compressed encrypted movie data output of the digital data handler 12 to a first input of the data decryption unit 17 (i.e., an input suitably configured and adapted to compatibly receive compressed encrypted data);

- a link 16B that couples an opened compressed encrypted movie output of the data decryption unit 17 to an opened compressed encrypted movie data input of the digital data handler 12; and

- a link 16C that couples an uncompressed encrypted movie data output of the digital data handler 12 to a second input of the data decryption unit 17 (i.e., an input suitably configured and adapted to compatibly received uncompressed but encrypted digitized movie data information).

[0023] So configured, the digital data handler 12 and the data decryption unit 17 can inter-operate with one another to facilitate accessing, decompressing, and decrypting authorization-protected, compressed, encrypted digital data that represents at least a part of a movie. Such interoperation can actually serve to help protect the security of the movie content as both platforms are necessary in an interdependent process to ultimately express the movie in viewable and presentable form.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the data decryption unit 17 will further comprise an unencrypted movie data output that operably couples to the digital projector 18. In a most preferred approach, this coupling will comprise a direct connection (i.e., without other intervening elements, platforms, or processes). Such direct linkage may tend to further reduce the potential for unauthorized access to the digitized version of the movie in unencrypted form.

[0025] Such apparatus elements can be realized in a variety of ways as may best suit the needs or requirements of a given context or application. For example, it may be desirable to configure these elements as discrete physical entities (as is otherwise suggested by the illustration provided in FIG. 1). Or, it may be desirable to integrate at least some of the described functionality into a common shared platform. The digital memory media 13 can be any presently known or hereafter developed media including integrated or physically distributed memory, alterable or unalterable memory, volatile or persistent memory, optically-based memory, electro-magnetically-based memory, and so forth. In one embodiment the digital memory media comprises a Digi-Pod as offered by Digi-Flicks.

[0026] Pursuant to one embodiment, the digital memory media 13 serves to retain one or more complete movies (including both video and audio portions thereof). This digital memory media 13 can be provided, for example, by the remote authorization authority 15 and/or another party via a secure delivery mechanism (such as a trusted overland courier service). If desired, and as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,633,982 (entitled "Method and Process for Managing Ultra Secure Electronic Distribution of Digital Movies to Commercial Exhibitors" and as fully incorporated herein by this reference), only a portion of a given movie (or movies) are provided via the use of such a digital memory media 13 with at least some other part of the movie (audio and/or video) provided to the theater venue and the digital data handler 12 via another means (such as, for example wireless transmissions as facilitated via satellite-based communications as are otherwise well understood in the art).

[0027] Regardless of which of these many approaches is adopted for use in a given setting, the digital data handler 12 requires authorization from the verification and authorization unit 11 to effect necessary processing of at least a portion of the digitized movie information and the verification and authorization unit 11 in turns requires authorization from the remote authorization authority. Referring now to FIG. 2, an overall process 20 to effect such authorization and processing will be described.

[0028] Using a platform as described above (or such other platform as may otherwise serve to facilitate the following processes), a movie (or at least one or more portions thereof) is provided 21 in digital form to a predetermined location (such as, but not limited to, a movie theater). In a typical application, this movie (or movie portion(s)) is being provided to facilitate presentation of the movie to an audience. In a prefeπed embodiment the movie (or portion(s)) are so provided in encrypted digital form using an encryption technique (or techniques) of choice. If desired, different encryption algorithms (or encryption keys) can be employed to encrypt different portions of the movie. It would also be possible to encrypt audio portions of the movie in a different manner than video portions of the movie. Also in a preferred embodiment, the movie (or movie portion(s)) are also provided in compressed form (using any of a variety of presently known or hereafter developed data compression techniques as desired and/or as appropriate to the needs of a given application).

[0029] This process 20 contemplates providing the movie (or movie portion(s)) to the predetermined location by providing at least a portion of the movie in a digital form using at least a first information delivery process (such as, but not limited to, delivery of a physical digital memory media that contains at least a part of the at least a portion of the movie using a courier or delivery service of choice). This process 20 will also accommodate and include providing other portions of the movie (and/or duplicate or partially duplicate portions of the movie) to the predetermined location using at least a second information delivery service. Pursuant to one approach, the second information delivery service and the first information delivery service are substantially identical (for example, different portions of a movie can be delivered using two physically separate digital memory media platforms). Pursuant to another approach, the second information delivery service and the first information delivery service are different from one another (for example, the first information delivery service can comprise an overland courier delivery of digital memory media while the second information delivery service can comprise transmission of some portion of the movie using a communication network (such as but not limited to a wireless transmission pathway).

[0030] This process 20 then provides for receiving 22, at the predetermined location, authorization as coπesponds to the movie (or movie portion(s)) as was provided to the predetermined location. This authorization can be as general or as parsed and specific as may be suitable and appropriate to meet the needs of a given situation. For example, such an authorization can comprise an overall authorization to permit the predetermined location to effect a presentation of the coπesponding movie without any other attendant conditions. More typically, however, it may be desired to condition the authorization with one or more specific conditions. For example, authorization can be provided with respect to (or otherwise conditioned with respect to) one or more of:

- a particular version of the movie to present (such as a version having a particular rating, included or deleted scenes, included or deleted trailers, and so forth);

- a particular time to present the movie;

- a particular day to present the movie;

- a particular window of time within which to present the movie;

- a particular number of times the movie may be presented;

- a particular language to use when presenting the movie (either as the audio track or as sub-titles); to name a few.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, such authorization occurs in response to a request for authorization. For example, a verification and authorization unit 11 as described above can transmit a request for authorization (via, for example, a modem connection) to a corresponding remote authorization authority 15 as also described above. To illustrate, and referring momentarily to FIG. 3, transmission of such an authorization request 30 can be based, at least in part, upon first determining 31 whether at least first information has been obtained. Such first information can comprise, for example, information that is obtained, at least in part, from a delivery platform as was used to provide at least a portion of the movie to the predetermined location (in, for example, a digital memory media 13 as described above). Such information can be any information as may serve to identify or authenticate a particular version of a movie, the predetermined location, or the like. In the absence of this first information the process ends. Upon receiving this first information (for example, by extracting such information from a digital memory media 13 as is docked to the digital data handler 12 described earlier), however, the process continues.

[0032] Pursuant to one approach, the process can also detect 32 when second information has been obtained. To illustrate, and again referring to embodiments presented earlier, this second information can be elicited from an independent second platform (such as a smartcard 14) and again can comprise information regarding the movie, the intended recipient, or any other information as may be useful or helpful in a given setting to facilitate these processes and to provide the requisite assurances.

[0033] Next, the process confirms 33 the obtained information. When only the first information is required, this step can comprise such actions as confirming the source, validity, and/or outward compatibility or conformance of the information as compared against some predetermined standard. When obtaining both the first information and the second information, other possibilities exist. For example, such confirmation can comprise determining whether the first information and the second information match in some predetermined way. This can comprise a one-for-one comparison (as when comparing data that is fully or partially expected to be identical to one another) or other mechanisms for correlating data (for example, when the second information comprises check sums that correlate to information content in the first information).

34] Pursuant to one approach, after such confirmation and authorization, a record of each showing date and time is transmitted to the remote authorization authority. Exhibition data as generated for all exhibitors can then be retained by the authorization authority for retrieval, computation, auditing, and billing purposes.

[0035] Upon properly confirming the information using the information and analysis process and criteria of choice, the process then effects transmission 34 of the authorization request to a remote authorization authority.

[0036] An alternative to the above would comprise having the verification and authorization unit collect such information but to then send it without pre-analysis to the remote authorization authority. So configured, the latter could then conduct the same kinds of tests and/or comparisons to ascertain independently the apparent validity of the predetermined location's possession and requested usage of the corresponding movie(s).

[0037] Returning again to FIG. 2, the process 20 then automatically enables processing 23 of the at least a portion of the movie to facilitate presentation of the movie to an audience in response to receiving the authorization from the remote authority. Such processing can comprise opening, decompressing, and/or decrypting the digital data that comprises the coπesponding movie information. In a prefeπed embodiment such processing will typically occur in real or near real time such that presentation of the movie can occur without the need to buffer or otherwise store (and possibly render more available to unauthorized access) the movie data in a clear and readily accessible and copyable format).

[0038] Pursuant to one approach (and referring now to FIG. 4), such automated process enablement 23 can comprise providing 41 the movie in encrypted and compressed digital form from a digital data handler to a data decryption unit (wherein the movie in such form is otherwise extracted by the digital data handler from a coπesponding digital memory media and/or such other content sources as may be applicable). The data decryption unit can then open the movie (in accordance with well known prior art technique) and provide 42 an opened (but still encrypted and compressed) version of the data back to the digital data handler. The latter can then apply the appropriate decompression techniques to decompress the movie data and then provide 43 a decompressed (but still encrypted) version of the movie back to the data decryption unit. The latter can then decrypt the encrypted data to yield a fully opened, decompressed, and decrypted stream of digital data that coπesponds to the authorized movie. In a prefeπed approach the movie is never left in an unencrypted or decompressed state. Instead, the unit decrypts and decompresses the digital data as needed and then expunges that data upon displaying/playing the audio/video content.

[0039] So configured, a movie can be provided to a presentation venue (such as but not limited to a commercial theater) in a manner that greatly enhances, rather than jeopardizes, the security of the movie. Presentation of the movie can be as controlled as may be desired to not only control access to the data (to thereby facilitate some control over the ease with which an unauthorized copy may be made) but to also control use of the movie content by the authorized and intended recipient.

[0040] Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.

Claims

We claim:

1. A method comprising:

- providing at least a portion of a movie in digital form to a predetermined location;

- receiving, at the predetermined location, authorization as coπesponds to the at least a portion of the movie;

- automatically enabling processing of the at least a portion of a movie to facilitate presentation of the movie to an audience in response to receiving the authorization.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing at least a portion of a movie in digital form to a predetermined location further comprises providing the at least a portion of a movie in a digital form using at least a first information delivery process.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein providing at least a portion of a movie in digital form to a predetermined location further comprises providing a second portion of the movie in digital form to the predetermined location using a second information delivery process.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of the second portion of the movie is different from the at least a portion of a movie.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first delivery process is different from the second delivery process.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first delivery process comprises delivery of a physical digital memory media that contains at least part of the at least a portion of a movie.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the second delivery process comprises transmitting at least a part of the second portion of the movie using a communication network.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the communication network includes a wireless transmission pathway.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving, at the predetermined location, authorization as coπesponds to the at least a portion of the movie further comprises:

- transmitting a request for authorization.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein transmitting a request for authorization further comprises transmitting the request for authorization only after obtaining information as coπesponds to the at least a portion of a movie.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein transmitting the request for authorization only after obtaining information as coπesponds to the at least a portion of a movie further comprises transmitting the request for authorization only after obtaining information as coπesponds to the at least a portion of a movie, which information is obtained, at least in part, from a delivery platform as was used to provide at least a portion of the movie to the predetermined location.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein transmitting the request for authorization only after obtaining information as coπesponds to the at least a portion of a movie further comprises transmitting the request for authorization only after obtaining information as coπesponds to the at least a portion of a movie from both the delivery platform and from an independent second platform.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the independent second platform comprises a smartcard.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein transmitting the request for authorization only after obtaining information as coπesponds to the at least a portion of a movie from both the delivery platform and from an independent second platform further comprises transmitting the request for authorization only after obtaining information as coπesponds to the at least a portion of a movie from both the delivery platform and from an independent second platform and confirming that information from both the delivery platform and the independent second platform match in a predetermined way.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving, at the predeteπnined location, authorization as coπesponds to the at least a portion of the movie further comprises receiving authorization with respect to at least one of:

- a particular version of the movie to present;

- a particular time to present the movie;

- a particular day to present the movie;

- a particular window of time within which to present the movie;

- a particular number of times the movie may be presented;

- a particular language to use when presenting the movie.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein providing at least a portion of a movie in digital form to a predetermined location further comprises the at least a portion of a movie in encrypted digital form.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein automatically enabling processing of the at least a portion of a movie to facilitate presentation of the movie to an audience in response to receiving the authorization further comprises decrypting the at least a portion of the movie to facilitate presentation of the movie to an audience.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein decrypting the at least a portion of the movie to facilitate presentation of the movie to an audience further comprises decrypting, substantially in realtime, the at least a portion of the movie to facilitate presentation of the movie to an audience.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein decrypting the at least a portion of the movie to facilitate presentation of the movie to an audience further comprises only providing a decrypted version of the movie substantially directly to a digital projector.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein providing at least a portion of a movie in digital form to a predetermined location further comprises the at least a portion of a movie in encrypted and compressed digital form.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein automatically enabling processing of the at least a portion of a movie to facilitate presentation of the movie further comprises:

- providing the movie in encrypted and compressed digital form from a digital data handler unit to a data decryption unit;

- providing an opened version of the movie in encrypted and compressed digital form from the data decryption unit to the digital data handler unit;

- provided a decompressed version of the movie in encrypted digital form from the digital data handler unit to the data decryption unit.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein automatically enabling processing of the at least a portion of a movie to facilitate presentation of the movie further comprises decrypting the decompressed version of the movie in encrypted digital form using the data decryption unit.

23. An apparatus comprising:

- a verification and authorization unit having: an interface to a remote authorization authority that provides an authorization signal as coπesponds to a movie that is at least partially stored in a digital memory media; and

- an authorization output interface; a digital data handler that is operably coupled to the authorization output interface and responsive thereto and further having a movie data interface adapted and configured to receive the digital memory media.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the verification and authorization unit further comprises a smart card interface.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the verification and authorization unit further comprises comparison means for providing information obtained from a smart card that is operably coupled to the smart card interface and information obtained from the digital memory media to the interface to a remote authorization authority.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 and further comprising a data decryption unit that is operably coupled to a digital data movie output of the digital data handler.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein:

- the digital data handler has:

- a compressed encrypted movie data output operably coupled to a first input of the data decryption unit;

- an opened compressed encrypted movie data input operably coupled to an output of the data decryption unit; and

- an uncompressed encrypted movie data output operably coupled to a second input of the data decryption unit.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the data decryption unit further comprises an unencrypted movie data output that is operably coupled to a digital projector.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the unencrypted movie data output is directly connected to the digital projector.