Method for increasing the functionality of a media player/recorder device or an application program

• US 20040128514A1
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,769,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1418 the inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06253 for a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0034 using watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 : by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 : Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 : Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00007 : Time or data compression or expansion audio compression based on psychoacoustics G10L19/00; data processing for reproducing audio data at different playback speeds G10L21/04; video compression H04N19/00; data compression per se H03M7/30
• 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 20/00144 : involving a user identifier, e.g. a unique customer ID
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00195 : using a device identifier associated with the player or recorder, e.g. serial numbers of playback apparatuses or MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 : embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 : using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/84 : combined with power distribution network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 : which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/50 : characterised by the use of watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 : for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 : using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00005 : relating to image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00037 : Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state H04N1/00031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 : remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 : from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 : embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3216 : using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 : Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32219 : involving changing the position of selected pixels, e.g. word shifting, or involving modulating the size of image components, e.g. of characters H04N1/32224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32229 : with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected regions of the image H04N1/32213 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32261 : in binary data H04N1/32256 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32304 : Embedding different sets of additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32352 : Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence
• 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 21/42203 : sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 : involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 : for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 : of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 : of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 : of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3239 : using a plurality of different authentication information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method is provided for utilizing a title signal contained in digital data through a comparison of the title signal to a player signal stored in a player device.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing a title signal contained in digital data through a comparison of the title signal to a player signal stored in a player device, the method comprising the steps of:

downloading the digital data having the title signal via an Internet connection;

transferring the downloaded digital data to the player device;

detecting, at the player device, the title signal in the data;

comparing the title signal to the player signal; and

performing an action based upon the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital data is streaming audio or video data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the player signal is indicative of an attribute of the device, device user, data, or data owner.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the title signal is a watermark signal, or a subsignal thereof, encoded in the digital data, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

extracting the watermark signal from the digital data; and

decoding the watermark signal or subsignal thereof.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the watermark signal contains a copy protection subsignal of a predetermined number of bits, the title signal being a portion of the predetermined number of bits unused by the copy protection subsignal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is performed if the title signal matches the player signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the action is to inform the device user of the match and at least one consequence thereof.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the consequence is informing the user of the winning of a prize.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the digital data is digital video data.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the digital data is digital audio data.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the action is to inform the device user of the match and of the player signal.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the player signal is indicative of a device number.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of encoding the title signal in a time varying manner.

14. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of inputting the player signal to the player device prior to the comparing step.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein perfect matching between the title signal and player signal is necessary in order to perform the action.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein imperfect or approximate matching between the title signal and player signal is permitted in order to perform the action.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein the title signal and player signal contain at least two fields, each field comprising a group of bits, wherein matching of fields between the title signal and player signal is permitted in order to perform the action.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one title signal which when compared to the player signal evokes the performance of the action.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one title signal which when compared to the player signal evokes the performance of the action, is chosen to match at least one targeted demographic group.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is performed if the title signal matches the player signal and the action is to inform the device user of the match.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the player device is a personal computer and the transferring step comprises storing the downloaded data to a recordable medium readable by the player device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the detecting, comparing and performing steps are performed after the storing step is completed.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the detecting, comparing and performing steps are performed after the downloaded digital data is partially stored such that the title signal is available for use in the method before the storing step is completed.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the player device is a personal computer and at least the detecting step is performed in real time as the digital data is downloaded.

25. A method for utilizing a title signal contained in digital data through a comparison of the title signal to a player signal stored in, or available from, a personal computer, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the digital data having the title signal;

detecting, at the personal computer, the title signal in the data;

comparing the title signal to the player signal; and

performing an action based upon the comparison.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the action is performed if the title signal matches the player signal.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the action is to inform the personal computer user of the match and at least one consequence thereof.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the consequence is informing the user of the winning of a prize.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the action is to inform the personal computer user of the match and of the player signal.

36. The method of claim 25, wherein the player signal is embedded within the computer readable set of instructions.

37. The method of claim 25, wherein the detecting step comprises computing the player signal from the information available from the personal computer.

38. The method of claim 25, wherein the comparing step is performed by a subset of instructions contained within the computer readable set of instructions.

39. The method of claim 25, wherein the computer readable set of instructions represents an application program executable by the personal computer, wherein the personal computer has an operating system for launching the application, and wherein the detecting step is performed by the operating system.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the operating system also performs the comparing and/or performing steps.

41. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of expiring the player signal after a predetermined time such that it is no longer useful for comparison to the title signal.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of updating the player signal for comparison to the title signal.

30. A method for utilizing a title signal contained in a computer readable set of instructions through a comparison of the title signal to a player signal stored in, or available from, a personal computer, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the computer readable set of instructions having the title signal;

detecting the title signal in the computer readable set of instructions;

comparing the title signal to the player signal; and

performing an action based upon the comparison.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the action is performed if the title signal matches the player signal.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the action is to inform the personal computer user of the match and at least one consequence thereof.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the consequence is informing the user of the winning of a prize.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the action is to inform the personal computer user of the match and of the player signal.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the computer readable set of instructions having the title signal contained therein is provided to the personal computer by downloading via an Internet connection.

43. A method for utilizing a title signal contained in digital data to be input into a computer readable set of instructions through a comparison of the title signal to a player signal stored in, or available from, a personal computer, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the digital data having the title signal;

inputting the digital data to the computer readable set of instructions;

detecting the title signal in the digital data;

comparing the title signal to the player signal; and

performing an action based upon the comparison.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the action is performed if the title signal matches the player signal.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the action is to inform the personal computer user of the match and at least one consequence thereof.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the consequence is informing the user of the winning of a prize.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the action is to inform the personal computer user of the match and of the player signal.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein the computer readable set of instructions is a word processing application program and the digital data is a document read thereby.

49. A method for utilizing a title signal contained in digital data and a player signal stored in a player device, the method comprising the steps of:

encrypting the title signal using a private key;

detecting, at the player device, the title signal in the data;

decrypting the encrypted title signal using the player signal as the private key;

determining if the result of the decryption step results in the title signal; and

performing an action based upon the determination.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the action is performed if the result of the decryption results in the title signal.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the action is to inform the device user of the determination and at least one consequence thereof.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the consequence is informing the user of the winning of a prize.