Optical content modulation for visual copyright protection

1. A method for visual copyright protection comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting content;

(b) inputting light from a light source;

(c) selecting a disruptive light modulating pattern based upon a criterion, said disruptive light modulating pattern configured to redistribute light temporally within a frame, said criterion being how said pattern is perceived by an IRD and a human differently, and said criterion further including selecting said pattern for the purpose of one of the following:

(i) inserting a watermark;

(ii) inserting a human perceivable image;

(iii) inserting a non-human perceivable image;

(iv) creating a disruption effect; and

(v) creating disruption effects containing motion;

(d) modulating a light array, having at least one element, using said inputted content and said disruptive light modulating pattern, said light array comprising a multitude of light arrays;

(e) projecting said light onto said light array producing a modulated light beam; and

(f) outputting said modulated light beam.

2. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 1 , further including the step of projecting said modulated light beam onto a surface.

3. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 1 , wherein said disruptive light modulating patterns can modulate each element differently.

4. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 1 , further including the step of splitting said light.

5. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 1 , further including the step of inputting at least one of the following from an external source:

(a) said criterion; and

(b) said disruptive light modulating pattern.

6. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 1 , wherein said disruptive light modulating pattern interlaces disruptive content with nondisruptive content, said disruptive content being interlaced at a rate too fast for a human to perceive.

7. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 1 , wherein said disruptive light modulating pattern is a multitude of disruptive modulating patterns, each of said multitude of disruptive light modulating patterns modulating at least one of said elements.

8. A method for visual copyright protection according to claim 1 , wherein said disruptive light modulating pattern is a multitude of sequenced disruptive light modulating patterns.

9. An apparatus for visual copyright protection comprising:

(a) a light source capable of producing light;

(b) a light array, having at least one element, capable of acting on said light to produce a modulated light beam; and

(c) a disruption processor configured to modulate said light array using at least one disruptive light modulating pattern and inputted content, said disruption processor being a primary disruption processor and said primary disruption processor further including a multitude of supporting disruption processors, said at least one disruptive light modulating pattern selected using a criterion, said disruptive light modulating pattern configured to redistribute light temporally within a frame, said criterion being how said pattern is perceived by an IRD and a human differently, and said content is one of the following:

(1) analog data;

(2) digital data; and

(3) a combination of digital and analog data.

10. An apparatus for visual copyright protection according to claim 9 , wherein said disruption processor further uses disruption data.

11. An apparatus for visual copyright protection according to claim 9 , wherein said light array has at least one of the following characteristics:

(a) a reflective characteristic; and

(b) a translucent characteristic.

12. An apparatus for visual copyright protection according to claim 9 , wherein said light array is one of the following:

(a) a liquid crystal display;

(b) MEMS DMD;

(c) I-DLA;

(d) a cathode ray tube; and

(e) a retinal display.

13. An apparatus for visual copyright protection according to claim 9 , wherein said disruption processor introduces at least one of the following into said content:

(a) a disruption watermark component;

(b) a disruption frequency component; and

(c) a multitude of disruption frequency components.

14. An apparatus for visual copyright protection according to claim 9 , wherein said at least one disruptive light modulating pattern is a multitude of disruptive light modulating patterns that are varied temporally.

15. An apparatus for visual copyright protection according to claim 9 , wherein said at least one disruptive light modulating pattern is a multitude of disruptive light modulating patterns that are varied spatially.

16. An apparatus for visual copyright protection according to claim 9 , wherein said criterion is based upon a dynamic analysis of said content.

17. An apparatus for visual copyright protection according to claim 9 , wherein said criterion is preassociated with said content.

18. An apparatus for visual copyright protection according to claim 9 , wherein said disruption processor is configured to modulate said light array to generate at least one of the following:

(a) a dark color;

(b) a random pattern;

(c) a logo;

(d) a copyright notice;

(e) a spot;

(f) geometric shape; and

(g) characters.