System and Method for Monitoring Content

• US 20090013414A1
• Filed: 07/02/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imagine Communications Limited (Gores Broadcast Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ripcode Incorporated (Gores Broadcast Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Washington, Richard G., Hall, Clifford L. III
• Granted Patent: US 8,627,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]

Abstract

A method for processing media files includes receiving a request to download a first media file and, in response to receiving the request, generating a first signature that describes a first characteristic of the first media file. The method also includes determining whether the first signature matches any of a first plurality of stored signatures. The method also includes generating a second signature that describes a second characteristic of the first media file in response to determining that the first signature matches one of the first plurality of stored signatures. Additionally the method includes determining whether the second signature matches any of a second plurality of stored signatures and, in response to determining that the second signature matches one or more of the second plurality of stored signatures, denying the request to download the first media file.

Claims

1. A method for processing media files, comprising:

receiving a request to download a first media file wherein the media file comprises video data;

in response to receiving the request, generating a first signature that describes a first characteristic of video data contained in the first media file;

generating a second signature based on the first media file, wherein the second signature describes a second characteristic of the first media file;

determining whether the first signature matches any of a first plurality of stored signatures, wherein the first plurality of stored signatures each describe the first characteristic of video data from a different media file; and

in response to determining that the first signature matches one or more of the first plurality of stored signatures;

determining whether the second signature matches any of a second plurality of stored signatures, wherein the second plurality of stored signatures each describe the second characteristic of a different media file; and

in response to determining that the second signature matches one or more of the second plurality of stored signatures, denying the request to download the first media file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

generating the first signature comprises generating a plurality of signatures that describe first characteristics of video data in different portions of a first media file; and

determining whether the first signature matches any of a first plurality of stored signatures comprises;

calculating a quantity of the generated signatures that match any of a first plurality of stored signatures describing the first characteristics of one or more media files; and

determining whether the quantity is greater than a threshold value.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

counting a number of requests to download media files that are denied during a predetermined period of time;

determining that the number of denied requests exceeds a predetermined maximum; and

in response to determining that the number of denied requests exceeds the predetermined maximum, increasing the threshold value.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

counting a number of stored signatures that are processed without being detected during a predetermined period of time;

determining that the number of undetected signatures exceeds a predetermined maximum; and

in response to determining that the number of undetected signatures exceeds the predetermined limit, decreasing the threshold value.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting the threshold value based on a network traffic level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving the request to download the first file comprises receiving an internet protocol (IP) packet from a remote device over a packet-based network, wherein the IP packet comprises a request to download the first file; and

further comprising;

transmitting the first file to the remote device over the packet-based network in response to determining that the first signature does not match any of the first plurality of stored signatures.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first signature comprises:

decoding video data included in the first media file based on a first codec;

generating a first signature that describes a first characteristic of the decoded video data; and

further comprising;

encoding the decoded video data based on a second codec in response to determining that the first signature does not match any of the first plurality of stored signatures; and

transmitting the encoded video data to a remote device.

8. A method for processing media files, comprising:

a transcoder operable to;

receive a request to download a first media file wherein the media file comprises video data;

in response to receiving the request, generate a first signature that describes a first characteristic of video data contained in the first media file; and

generate a second signature based on the first media file, wherein the second signature describes a second characteristic of the video data contained in the first media file; and

a signature server operable to;

determine whether the first signature matches any of a first plurality of stored signatures, wherein the first plurality of stored signatures each describe the first characteristic of video data from a different media file; and

in response to determining that the first signature matches one or more of the first plurality of stored signatures;

determine whether the second signature matches any of a second plurality of stored signatures, wherein the second plurality of stored signatures each describe the second characteristic of a different media file; and

in response to determining that the second signature matches one or more of the second plurality of stored signatures, deny the request to download the first media file.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the signature server is further operable to:

generate the first signature by generating a plurality of signatures that describe first characteristics of video data in different portions of a first media file; and

determine whether the first signature matches any of a first plurality of stored signatures by;

calculating a quantity of the generated signatures that match any of a first plurality of stored signatures that describe the first characteristics of one or more media files; and

determining whether the quantity is greater than a threshold value.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the signature server is further operable to:

count a number of requests to download media files that are denied during a predetermined period of time;

determine that the number of denied requests exceeds a predetermined maximum; and

in response to determining that the number of denied requests exceeds the predetermined maximum, increase the threshold value.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the signature server is further operable to:

count a number of stored signatures that are processed without being detected during a predetermined period of time;

determine that the number of undetected signatures exceeds a predetermined maximum; and

in response to determining that the number of undetected signatures exceeds the predetermined limit, decrease the threshold value.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the signature server is further operable to adjust the threshold value based on a network traffic level.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the transcoder is operable to receive the request to download the first file by receiving an internet protocol (IP) packet from a remote device over a packet-based network, wherein the IP packet comprises a request to download the first file; and

the signature server is further operable to transmit the first file to the remote device over the packet-based network in response to determining that the first signature does not match any of the first plurality of stored signatures.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the transcoder is operable to generate the first signature by:

decoding video data included in the first media file based on a first codec;

generating a first signature that describes a first characteristic of the decoded video data; and

wherein the transcoder is further operable to;

encode the decoded video data based on a second codec in response to the signature server determining that the first signature does not match any of the first plurality of stored signatures; and

transmit the encoded video data to a remote device.

15. Logic encoded on a computer readable medium, the logic comprising code operable, when executed, to:

receive a request to download a first media file wherein the media file comprises video data;

in response to receiving the request, generate a first signature that describes a first characteristic of video data contained in the first media file;

generate a second signature based on the first media file, wherein the second signature describes a second characteristic of the video data contained in the first media file

determine whether the first signature matches any of a first plurality of stored signatures, wherein the first plurality of stored signatures each describe the first characteristic of video data from a different media file; and

in response to determining that the first signature matches one or more of the first plurality of stored signatures;

initiate generation of a second signature based on the first media file, wherein the second signature describes a second characteristic of the video data contained in the first media file;

determine whether the second signature matches any of a second plurality of stored signatures, wherein the second plurality of stored signatures each describe the second characteristic of a different media file; and

in response to determining that the second signature matches one or more of the second plurality of stored signatures, deny the request to download the first media file.

16. The logic of claim 15, wherein the code is further operable to:

generate the first signature by generating a plurality of signatures that describe first characteristics of video data in different portions of a first media file; and

determine whether the first signature matches any of a first plurality of stored signatures by;

calculating a quantity of the generated signatures that match any of a first plurality of stored signatures that describe the first characteristics of one or more media files; and

determining whether the quantity is greater than a threshold value.

17. The logic of claim 16, wherein the code is further operable to:

count a number of requests to download media files that are denied during a predetermined period of time;

determine that the number of denied requests exceeds a predetermined maximum; and

in response to determining that the number of denied requests exceeds the predetermined maximum, increase the threshold value.

18. The logic of claim 16, wherein the code is further operable to:

count a number of stored signatures that are processed without being detected during a predetermined period of time;

determine that the number of undetected signatures exceeds a predetermined maximum; and

in response to determining that the number of undetected signatures exceeds the predetermined limit, decrease the threshold value.

19. The logic of claim 16, wherein the code is further operable to adjust the threshold value based on a network traffic level.

20. The logic of claim 15, wherein the code is operable to:

receive the request to download the first file by receiving an internet protocol (IP) packet from a remote device over a packet-based network, wherein the IP packet comprises a request to download the first file; and

the code is further operable to transmit the first file to the remote device over the packet-based network in response to determining that the first signature does not match any of the first plurality of stored signatures.