Securing and controlling access to digital data

1 . A method of securing digital data, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of input from an input device, wherein said input device is not a keyboard;

determining a security-code based on said plurality of input; and

securing said digital data by said security-code.

2 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said digital data is stored as or in a digital media asset.

3 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said plurality of input is movement input by a user into said input device.

4 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said security-code comprises one or more security-keys and each of said security-keys includes one or more of the following:

a value, and

a direction associated with direction of said plurality of input.

5 . A method as recited in claim 3 , wherein said security-code comprises a sequence of one or more security-keys and each of said security-keys includes one or more of the following:

a value, and

a direction associated with direction of said movement.

6 . A method as recited in claim 3 , wherein said movement is rotational movement.

7 . A method as recited in claim 6 ,

wherein said rotational movement is left or right rotational movement, and

wherein said determining of a security-code comprises: determining at least partly based on said left or right movement one or more security-keys that collectively represent said security-code.

8 . A method as recited in claim 7 , wherein each of said security-keys includes one or more of the following:

a value, and

a left or right direction associated with the direction of movement to reach said value.

9 . A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein said value is a number, one or more text characters, or an icon.

10 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said security-code comprises one or more security-keys.

11 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein securing said digital data comprises one or more of the following:

encrypting content associated with said digital data using at least a portion of said security-code as an encryption key, and

locking access to said digital data using at least a portion of said security-code as a lock.

12 . A method as recited in claim 11 ,

wherein said digital data is stored as or in a digital media asset, and

wherein said digital media asset is a digital file, a list identifying a collection of digital files, a collection of digital files, a digital media-player, a menu, a menu item, or an executable program.

13 . A method of securing digital data, said method comprising:

receiving, from an input device, rotational movement input by a user of said input device;

determining a security-code based on said rotational movement; and

securing said digital data by said security-code.

14 . A method as recited in claim 13 ,

wherein said digital data is stored as or in a digital media asset, and

wherein said digital media asset is a digital file, a list identifying a collection of digital files, a collection of digital files, a digital media-player, a menu, a menu item, or an executable program.

15 . A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein securing said digital media asset comprises one or more of the following:

encrypting content associated with said digital media asset using at least a portion of said security-code as an encryption key, and

locking access to said digital media asset using at least a portion of said security-code as a lock.

16 . A method as recited in claim 15 ,

wherein said rotational movement is left or right rotational movement, and

wherein said determining of a security-code comprises:

mapping said left or right rotational movement to left or right rotation of a virtual circle, wherein said virtual includes a plurality of security-keys which are arranged in a determined spatial relationship with each other.

17 . A method as recited in claim 15 , wherein each security-key includes one or more of the following:

a value, and

a left or right direction associated with the direction of movement to reach said value.

18 . A method as recited in claim 17 ,

wherein said value is a number, and

wherein said security-code includes one or more numbers.

19 . A method as recited in claim 17 , wherein said security-code is a sequence of numbers which are separated by left or right direction, thereby representing a combination-lock similar to a mechanical combination-lock.

20 . A method as recited in claim 19 , further comprising:

displaying one or more security-codes; and

receiving a selection that identifies

21 . A device for securing digital data, wherein said device is capable of:

receiving a plurality of input from an input device, wherein said input device is not a keyboard;

determining a security-code based on said plurality of input; and

securing said digital data by said security-code.

22 . A device as recited in claim 20 , wherein said device includes said input device.

23 . A device as recited in claim 21 , wherein securing said digital data comprises one or more of the following:

encrypting content associated with said digital data using at least a portion of said security-code as an encryption key, and

locking access to said digital data using at least a portion of said security-code as a lock.

24 . A device as recited in claim 22 ,

wherein said digital data is stored as or in a digital media asset, and

wherein said digital media asset is a digital file, a list identifying a collection of digital files, a collection of digital files, a digital media-player, a menu, a menu item, or an executable program.

25 . A device for securing digital data, wherein said device is capable of:

receiving rotational movement input;

determining a security-code based on said rotational movement; and

securing said digital data by said security-code.

26 . A device as recited in claim 25 , wherein said device is a media-player.

27 . A device as recited in claim 24 ,

wherein said device is a media-player, and

wherein said rotational movement is left or right rotational movement,

wherein said determining of a security-code comprises:

mapping said left or right rotational movement to left or right rotation of a virtual circle, wherein said virtual includes a plurality of security-keys which are arranged in a determined spatial relationship with each other.

28 . A portable media-player, comprising:

memory suitable for storing digital data;

an input configured to receive rotational movement input by a user of said media-player;

a display configured to display data; and

at least one processor which can access digital data stored in said memory and determine a security-code based on rotational movement input by said user into said input.

29 . A portable media-player as recited in claim 28 , wherein said at least one processor is further capable of:

displaying said security-code on said display, and

securing or controlling access to said media-player or digital data based on said security-code.

30 . A portable media-player as recited in claim 29 , wherein said digital data is a digital file, a list identifying a collection of digital files, a collection of digital files, a menu, a menu item, or an executable program.

31 . A portable media-player as recited in claim 28 , wherein said determining a security-code based on rotational movement comprises:

determining a security-key based on left or right rotational movement received by said input;

displaying said security-key on said display;

determining whether said security-key has been selected by said user;

determining said security-code based on said security-key when said determining determines that said security-key has been selected.

32 . A portable media-player as recited in claim 31 , wherein said determining of a security-key based on left or right rotational movement comprises:

left or right rotating a virtual circle which is divided into a plurality of keys, thereby determining a security-key based on the rotational movement input by said user.

33 . A portable media-player as recited in claim 30 , wherein said security-code is a sequence of numbers which are separated by left or right direction, thereby representing a combination-lock similar to a mechanical combination-lock.

34 . A computer readable medium including at least computer program code for securing digital data, said method comprising:

computer program code for determining a security-code based on a plurality of input which is entered into an input device, wherein said input device is capable of receiving movement as input; and

computer program code for securing said digital data by said security-code.

35 . A method of controlling access to digital data that has been secured by a security-code, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of input from an input device, wherein said input device is not a keyboard;

determining an input-code based on said plurality of input; and

controlling access to said secured digital data based on said input code.

36 . A method as recited in claim 35 , wherein said controlling access comprises one or more of the following:

using said input-code to decrypt said secured digital data; and

comparing at least a potion of said input-code to at least a portion of said security-code.

37 . A method as recited in claim 35 , wherein said plurality of input include rotational movement input by a human.

38 . A method of securing or controlling access to a device that can store digital data, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of input from an input device, wherein said input device is not a keyboard;

determining a security-code based on said plurality of input; and

securing or controlling access to said device based on said security-code.

39 . A method as recited in claim 38 ,

wherein said device is a media player, and

wherein said plurality of input includes rotational movement.

40 . A method as recited in claim 39 , wherein said security-code represents a number that includes one or more digits.

41 . A device capable of storing digital data, wherein said device is further capable of:

receiving a plurality of input from an input device, wherein said input device is not a keyboard;

determining a security-code based on said plurality of input; and

securing or controlling access to said device or digital data associated with said device based on said security-code.

42 . A device as recited in claim 41 , wherein said securing or controlling access comprises one or more of the following:

securing access to digital data stored by or in said device;

securing access to, a menu or an access mechanism, for accessing said device or accessing digital data stored by or in said device.

controlling access to digital data stored by or in said device; and

controlling access to a menu or an access mechanism for accessing said device or digital data stored by or in said device.