Multimedia messaging method and system using watermarks

• US 20060031297A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Zuidema, Edwin
• Application Number:
  US10/512,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20060031297A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/204 UMTS; GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• 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 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 : e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64784 : Data processing by the network data processing in packet switching systems H04L12/56; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90; provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• 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: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A system for and method of controlling retransmission of a content item contained in a multimedia message. The method comprises: receiving the message containing the content item from a sender together with an identifier of an intended recipient of the message, processing the content item to detect the presence or absence of a watermark therein, if the absence of a watermark has been detected, *causing a watermark to be embedded in the content item, and* allowing retransmission of the message including the watermarked content item to the intended recipient, and otherwise controlling retransmission of the message including the content item to the intended recipient. Controlling may comprise e.g. charging a fee for the retransmission, restricting forwarding of the watermarked content item or disallowing the retransmission. The invention relates to the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). Basically, the invention proposes “tagging” the content transmitted in a multimedia message with a watermark before sending it to the recipient. Preferably, such tagging is done in the store-and-forward component of the system. In the system as described above this would be the MMS 120.

Claims

1. A method of controlling retransmission of a content item contained in a multimedia message, the message originating with a sender which received the content item from a provider, comprising:

receiving the message containing the content item from the sender together with an identifier of an intended recipient of the message,

processing the content item to detect the presence or absence of a watermark therein,

if the absence of a watermark has been detected,

causing a watermark to be embedded in the content item, and

allowing retransmission of the message including the watermarked content item to the intended recipient,

and otherwise controlling retransmission of the message including the content item to the intended recipient.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which controlling retransmission comprises allowing retransmission of the message including the watermarked content item to the intended recipient and billing the sender a premium price.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which controlling retransmission comprises allowing retransmission of the message including the watermarked content item to the intended recipient and recording details regarding the retransmission.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which controlling retransmission comprises restricting retransmission of the message.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, in which restricting retransmission comprises disallowing retransmission of the message.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, in which restricting retransmission comprises allowing retransmission of the message but disallowing retransmission of the content item.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4, in which retransmission is conditional upon approval by a provider of the content item.

10. A computer program product arranged for causing a processor to execute the method of claim 1.

8. A system arranged for controlling retransmission of a content item contained in a multimedia message, the message originating with a sender which received the content item from a provider, comprising:

receiving means for receiving the message containing the content item from the sender together with an identifier of an intended recipient of the message,

watermark detecting means for processing the content item to detect the presence or absence of a watermark therein, and for signaling to conditional retransmitting means the presence or absence of a watermark,

the conditional retransmitting means being arranged for, conditional upon receiving a signal indicating the absence of a watermark,

activating watermarking means for embedding a watermark in the content item, and

activating retransmitting means for retransmitting the message including the watermarked content item to the intended recipient,

and for otherwise controlling retransmission of the message including the content item to the intended recipient.

9. A media transcoding system, arranged for transcoding content items in a multimedia message to a format suitable for an intended recipient, comprising the system of claim 8.