Enhanced copy protection of proprietary material employing multiple watermarks

• US 20020126842A1
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marking Object Virtualization Intelligence, LLC
• Original Assignee: Macrovision Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Hollar, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,931,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/201
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00905 multiple watermarks used in combination
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23892 involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467

Abstract

A method and apparatus for distributing proprietary material employs multiple watermarks embedded in the proprietary material for enhanced copy protection. A first watermark is to be processed by programmable and non-programmable devices configured to process the first watermark for copy protection of the proprietary material. If a programmable device eliminates the first watermark so that unauthorized copies of the proprietary material can be made, then non-programmable devices configured to process a second watermark as well as the first watermark look for and process the second watermark for copy protection of the proprietary material upon their failure to detect the first watermark.

Claims

1. A method for distributing proprietary material employing multiple watermarks for enhanced copy protection, comprising:

embedding a first watermark in proprietary material, wherein said first watermark is to be processed by programmable and non-programmable devices configured to process said first watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material; and

embedding a second watermark in said proprietary material, wherein said second watermark is to be processed by non-programmable devices configured to process said second watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material in the event that said first watermark is not detected, thereby providing enhanced copy protection of said proprietary material.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said proprietary material includes video content.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said proprietary material includes audio content.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said proprietary material includes picture content.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said proprietary material includes text content.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said programmable devices comprise personal computers.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said non-programmable devices comprise consumer electronic devices.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising embedding a third watermark in said proprietary material, wherein said third watermark is to be processed by non-programmable devices configured to process said third watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material in the event that said first watermark is not detected, thereby providing enhanced copy protection of said proprietary material.

9. An apparatus for distributing proprietary material employing multiple watermarks for enhanced copy protection, comprising:

means for embedding a first watermark in proprietary material, wherein said first watermark is to be processed by programmable devices and non-programmable devices configured to process said first watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material; and

means for embedding a second watermark in said proprietary material, wherein said second watermark is to be processed by non-programmable devices configured to process said second watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material in the event that said first watermark is not detected.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said proprietary material includes video content.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said proprietary material includes audio content.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said proprietary material includes picture content.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said proprietary material includes text content.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said programmable devices comprise personal computers.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said non-programmable devices comprise consumer electronic devices.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising means for embedding a third watermark in said proprietary material, wherein said third watermark is to be processed by non-programmable devices configured to process said third watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material in the event that said first watermark is not detected.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said proprietary material includes video content.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said proprietary material includes audio content.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said proprietary material includes picture content.

21. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said proprietary material includes text content.

22. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said programmable devices comprise personal computers.

23. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said non-programmable devices comprise consumer electronic devices.

24. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said proprietary material has a third embedded watermark that is to be processed by non-programmable devices configured to process said third watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material in the event that said first watermark is not detected.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein said proprietary material includes video content.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein said proprietary material includes audio content.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein said proprietary material includes picture content.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein said proprietary material includes text content.

30. The method according to claim 25, wherein said programmable devices comprise personal computers.

31. The method according to claim 25, wherein said non-programmable devices comprise consumer electronic devices.

32. The method according to claim 25, wherein said processing said first watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material, comprises denying a copy request for said proprietary material if said first watermark includes a no-copy indication.

33. The method according to claim 25, wherein said processing said second watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material, comprises denying a copy request for said proprietary material if said second watermark includes a no-copy indication.

34. The method according to claim 25, further comprising determining whether said proprietary material is stored on a recordable medium.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein said processing said first watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material, comprises:

if said proprietary material is stored on a non-recordable medium, then complying with a play request for said proprietary material; and

if said proprietary material is stored on a recordable medium and said first watermark is detected to have a no-copy indication, then denying a play request for said proprietary material.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein said processing said second watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material, comprises:

if said proprietary material is stored on a non-recordable medium, then complying with a play request for said proprietary material; and

if said proprietary material is stored on a recordable medium and said second watermark is detected to have a no-copy indication, then denying a play request for said proprietary material.

38. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said proprietary material includes video content.

39. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said proprietary material includes audio content.

40. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said proprietary material includes picture content.

41. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said proprietary material includes text content.

42. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said programmable devices comprise personal computers.

43. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said non-programmable devices comprise consumer electronic devices.

44. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said means for processing said first watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material, comprises means for denying a copy request for said proprietary material if said first watermark includes a no-copy indication.

45. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said means for processing said second watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material, comprises means for denying a copy request for said proprietary material if said second watermark includes a no-copy indication.

46. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said means for processing said first watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material, comprises:

means for complying with a play request for said proprietary material if said proprietary material is stored on a non-recordable medium; and

means for denying a play request for said proprietary material if said proprietary material is stored on a recordable medium and said first watermark is detected to have a no-copy indication.

47. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said means for processing said second watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material, comprises:

means for complying with a play request for said proprietary material if said proprietary material is stored on a non-recordable medium; and

means for denying a play request for said proprietary material if said proprietary material is stored on a recordable medium and said second watermark is detected to have a no-copy indication.

17. An apparatus for distributing proprietary material employing multiple watermarks for enhanced copy protection, comprising a computer readable medium having proprietary material with embedded first and second watermarks, wherein said first watermark is to be processed by programmable and non-programmable devices configured to process said first watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material, and said second watermark is to be processed by non-programmable devices configured to process said second watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material in the event that said first watermark is not detected.

25. A method for processing proprietary material employing multiple watermarks for enhanced copy protection, comprising:

searching for a first watermark embedded in proprietary material;

if said first watermark is detected, then processing said first watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material;

if said first watermark is not detected, then searching for a second watermark in said proprietary material; and

if said second watermark is detected, then processing said second watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material.

37. An apparatus for processing proprietary material employing multiple watermarks for enhanced copy protection, comprising:

means for searching for a first watermark in proprietary material, and processing said first watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material if said first watermark is detected; and

means performed if said first watermark is not detected, for searching for a second watermark in said proprietary material, and processing said second watermark for copy protection of said proprietary material if said second watermark is detected.