Thomson Multimedia Unveils Copy Protection Proposal Designed To Provide Additional Layer Of Digital Content Security

SmartRight Technology Complements And Improves Existing Systems To Protect Digital Content From Illicit Access And Redistribution

6-Jun-01

Responding to calls for additional copy protection security from content owners and content providers concerned about the potential unlimited distribution of digital content over the Internet, Thomson Multimedia (Paris Sicovam: 18453, NYSE: TMS) has unveiled the SmartRight system - a new method of robust content protection that could easily operate as a secure layer to supplement less complete current solutions. Thomson multimedia provides a wide range of technologies, systems, finished products, and services to consumers and professionals of the entertainment and media industries. Utilizing a system of ""smart cards"" to ensure renewability in case of a hack, the Thomson SmartRight system is designed to operate on its own, and its architecture makes it feasible to work with other copy protection systems. Thomson multimedia will be ready to study and promote interoperability with other systems. As designed, the SmartRight system would be global and could be used in digital video applications in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. With SmartRight, content is always kept scrambled in the consumer's personal home network until it is displayed or played on a presentation device. Descrambling is done by a removable security module, or ""smart card,"" that is attached to the presentation device. This simple method provides end-to-end encryption security. The development of Thomson multimedia's new SmartRight technology was disclosed last week at the Los Angeles meeting of the Copy Protection Working Group (CPTWG), an inter-industry committee that meets regularly with representatives from various consumer electronics, computer, and entertainment companies. Content owners can easily select options that allow consumers to ""View Only,"" to ""Copy For My Personal Network,"" or to ""Freely Copy"" encrypted content. The SmartRight system will enforce these rules within the home network, and will also enable any business model implemented by conditional access or digital rights management systems providers, thus creating new digital businesses, and new opportunities for consumers to access and enjoy content. Copying material for a personal network - according to content ownersí associated rules - offers a new dimension in rights management, giving the consumer the ability to share recorded content with other devices in the home - or portable devices - but restricting the redistribution of that content outside the consumer's own personal network of products. ""We do expect that consumers will want to do in their digital living room what they already do today in an analog environment. They'll want to record their favorite shows, time-shift, store copies for future viewing, and share that content with other devices in their own home. All of these functionalities will be part of the SmartRight system, as will technology preventing unauthorized redistribution of digital content,"" said Jean-Charles Hourcade, Senior Vice President, Research and Innovation at Thomson Multimedia. ""With the most recent meeting of the Copy Protection Working Group, Thomson multimedia has started meetings with interested players to gain supporters for the SmartRight concept. We view a SmartRight layer as the perfect complement to other systems like 5C and DVI that Thomson is also reviewing for potential support. But these other systems have their limitations. The addition of SmartRight would be a smart decision for both the content community and for consumers,"" said Hourcade. For more information about Thomson Multimedia, visit www.thomson-multimedia.com.

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