ASSOCIATING RIGHTS TO MULTIMEDIA CONTENT

• US 20080209502A1
• Filed: 04/11/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motion Picture Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motion Picture Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Seidel, Craig H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method and software to implement a method comprising receiving digital content such as multimedia content, and either ascertaining whether at least a part of the digital content has previously been associated with one or more matched referenced works or searching a store of fingerprint data of referenced works for a match. The searching includes determining a fingerprint of at least part of the digital content, e.g., multimedia content; and searching the store of fingerprint data of referenced works for a match. In the case that is has been ascertained that the work has previously been associated, or the searching has produced a match to one or more matched referenced works, associating association data to the one or more matched referenced works. Ownership data to the matched referenced works is included in the association such that use of the digital content can take into account such ownership rights. The associating of the association data is carried out in a secure manner.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving digital content;

one of ascertaining whether at least a part of the digital content has previously been associated with one or more matched referenced works or searching a store of fingerprint data of referenced works for a match, the searching including;

determining a fingerprint of at least part of the digital content; and

searching the store of fingerprint data of referenced works for a match; and

in the case that is has been ascertained that the work has previously been associated, or the searching has produced a match to one or more matched referenced works, associating association data to the one or more matched referenced works,

wherein ownership data to the matched referenced works is included in the association such that use of the digital content can take into account such ownership rights.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the digital content includes multimedia content.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the digital content includes game software.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the searching for a match produces a match for content that has been modified.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the searching for a match produces a match for content that has been modified by at least one of editing, distorting, re-coding, mixing with other media, or compositing.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associating of the association data is carried out in a secure manner.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the determining the fingerprint includes determining a secure hash.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the determining the fingerprint includes determining a fingerprint of one or more human-perceptible features.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associating includes attaching the association data with the received digital content.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associating includes attaching a reference to the association data with the received digital content.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the reference to the association data includes an indication of the location of the association data.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

adding one or more policies.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the one or more policies are added to the association data.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

in the case that more than one policy applies to the digital content, resolving any conflicts in policy applicable to the digital content.

15. A method comprising:

receiving digital content;

determining a fingerprint the digital content; and

storing the determined fingerprint in a store of fingerprinted works that is searchable, such that an unknown work can be searched by fingerprint in the store in order to associate association data with the unknown work in the case that the search produces a match to one or more matched works, wherein the association data includes rights information or a reference thereto, and wherein the associating is carried out in a secure manner.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the digital content includes multimedia content.

17. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the digital content includes game software.

18. A method comprising:

receiving digital content;

ascertaining whether association data including ownership data has previously been associated to the received digital content;

in the case it is ascertained that there has not been association data including ownership data previously associated, searching for matches of one or more referenced works; and

in the case that the search results in one or more matched referenced works, forming association data including ownership data, and associating the formed association data to the received digital content.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the digital content includes multimedia content.

20. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the digital content includes game software.

21. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein, the ascertaining includes:

locally ascertaining whether association data including ownership data has previously been associated; and

in the case the locally ascertaining ascertains that there has not been association data including ownership data previously associated, generating an associable reference of the received digital content, and submitting the associable reference to a remote service to remotely ascertain whether association data including ownership data has previously been associated, and

wherein the searching for matches and the forming association data is carried out remotely.

22. A computer-readable medium configured with instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause carrying out a method comprising:

receiving digital content;

one of ascertaining whether at least a part of the digital content has previously been associated with one or more matched referenced works or searching a store of fingerprint data of referenced works for a match, the searching including;

determining a fingerprint of at least part of the digital content; and

searching the store of fingerprint data of referenced works for a match; and

in the case that is has been ascertained that the work has previously been associated or the searching has produced a match to one or more matched referenced works, associating association data to the one or more matched referenced works,

wherein ownership data to the matched referenced works is included in the association such that use of the digital content can take into account such ownership rights.

23. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the digital content includes multimedia content.

24. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the digital content includes game software.

25. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the associating of the association data is carried out in a secure manner.