CONTENT IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT IN CONTENT DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS

• US 20100306257A1
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Levy, Kenneth L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• 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 21/8405 represented by keywords

Abstract

Peer-to-peer file sharing and uploading of content to content server systems is increasing in popularity on the Internet. Content signals can be edited and combined with other content programming, and or altered in ways that make it difficult to identify using conventional techniques. Content identification based on content fingerprints is used to retrieve related metadata, which in turn, is used to manage use of the content signal in content distribution systems. The content signal is uploaded to a computer within a network of computers in the content distribution system. A content fingerprint of the content signal is computed and sent to a database to look up related metadata. The metadata is received and used to manage use of the content signal in the content distribution system based on the metadata. This can include blocking uploading or rendering of audio or video, controlling streaming of audio or video, linking to a licensing server, which provides usage control rules, etc.

Claims

1. In a content distribution system, a method comprising:

receiving a content signal uploaded to a computer within a network of computers in the content distribution system;

computing a content fingerprint of the content signal;

sending the content fingerprint to a database to look up related metadata;

receiving metadata from the database

managing use of the content signal in the content distribution system based on the metadata.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein managing use includes determining from the metadata whether the content signal is allowed to be shared through the content distribution system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein managing use comprises determining whether to allow uploading of the content signal to the content distribution system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein managing use comprises linking to a licensing server that provides licensing information or usage control rules for the content signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the managing comprises searching for and returning a list of files related to the content signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the managing comprises managing streaming of audio or video to a computer.

7. Computer readable media on which is stored instructions, which when executed by one or more programmed processors, performs the method of claim 1.