Content monitoring

• US 20020059580A1
• Filed: 07/19/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Oostveen, Job Cornelis, Kalker, Antonius Adrianus Cornelis Maria
• Granted Patent: US 7,168,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/785 using colour or luminescence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0028 Adaptive watermarking, e.g. Human Visual System [HVS]-based watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0065 Extraction of an embedded watermark; Reliable detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/14 for monitoring programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/50 characterised by the use of watermarks

Abstract

A method and arrangement are disclosed for distributing multimedia content such that that the actual distribution of said content can be monitored in an efficient and reliable manner. The invention combines the extensiveness of feature extraction and the robustness of watermarking. Characteristic features of the content, e.g. luminance distribution, are extracted (11) to constitute a signature (SIG) of the content. In addition, a watermark is embedded (12) having a payload representing an index (ID) in a database (10) in which the content to be monitored is stored. The watermark serves as an index for limiting the database search needed for monitoring the signatures.

Claims

1. A method of distributing media content, comprising the steps of extracting features of said media content, storing a signature representing said features in a section of a database, embedding a watermark in said media content indicative of said section of the database, and distributing the watermarked media content.

2. A method of monitoring distribution of media content, comprising the steps of receiving said media content, detecting a watermark in said media content indicative of a section of a database, extracting features of said media content, and searching a signature representing said features in said section of the database.

3. A system for distributing media content, comprising means for extracting features of said media content, means for storing a signature representing said features in a section of a database, means for embedding a watermark in said media content indicative of said section of the database, and means for distributing the watermarked media content.

4. A system for monitoring distribution of media content, comprising means for receiving said media content, means for detecting a watermark in said media content indicative of a section of a database, means for extracting features of said media content, and means for searching a signature representing said features in said section of the database.