ContentGuard Awarded a New Patent Covering the Secure Rendering of Digital Content; Invention Improves Security for Documents, Images, Audio, Video, or Any Other Digital Content

Business Wire, May 22, 2001

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 22, 2001

ContentGuard, Inc., a leading provider of comprehensive, flexible Digital Rights Management (DRM) solutions, today announced that it has been awarded U.S. Patent No. 6,233,684, titled "System for Controlling the Distribution and Use of Rendered Digital Works through Watermarking." The priority date of the patent is February 28, 1997.

The patented invention covers the inclusion of watermark information in digital content when the content is rendered through a printer (trusted printing), audio player, video player, computer screen or other types of rendering systems.

An advantage of the invention is that it enhances content protection by providing persistent watermark information into rendered content during the rendering process. The watermarking protection described in the invention can be layered with other forms of watermarking and associated with the same digital content. The combination of watermarking and other DRM technologies provides excellent information identification, usage tracking and content protection tools for the content owners and content providers in the digital age.

ContentGuard's patent portfolio includes very early foundation patents in DRM based on research originally developed at Xerox Corporation's Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). Patent 6,233,684 continues to complement the already robust patent portfolio in the areas of DRM and trusted systems.

Readers are advised that the patented invention mentioned here is described in simple language. The description is not meant to cover all aspects and interpretations of the inventions and disclosures in the patent document. The description is not intended for any legal interpretations, scope analysis, or evaluation of its claims or specifications.

About ContentGuard

ContentGuard, Inc., launched in April 2000, is the catalyst for the revolution in eContent(TM). The company offers digital rights management (DRM) solutions designed to encourage Internet distribution of digital content such as eBooks, music, and business reports. ContentGuard's cross-platform technology, based on research originally developed at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), and suite of services allow content owners and distributors to manage their intellectual property, track usage, prevent unauthorized access and enable a range of business models for user consumption. With operations in Bethesda, MD and El Segundo, CA, the company's key relationships include Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Xerox Corporation (NYSE:XRX) and Accenture. For more information, please visit www.contentguard.com.

Note to Editors: ContentGuard and the phrase "the catalyst for the revolution in eContent" are trademarks of ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. All other company and product trademarks are the property of their respective owners.