Routing Networks for Use With Content Linking Systems

• US 20100329506A1
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Hein, William C. III
• Granted Patent: US 8,045,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1063 Personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6272 by registering files or documents with a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• 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

Abstract

A method of linking a content object with a network resource presents a content object to a reader, discerns an identifier associated with the content object, transfers the identifier to an indexing system, and in response receives an internet address corresponding to the content object. To enhance the response of the indexing system, it includes multiple routers, which it selects based on location relative to the reader. For example, the method sends user location data to a master system, and in response, receives an address of an indexing system close to the user location.

Claims

1. In a content linking system comprising a content registry distributed among plural computers, a method of routing comprising:

receiving a routing request to route a requesting device to the content registry;

routing the requesting device to a selected one of the plural computers based at least in part on location of the selected computer relative to the requesting device; and

in the selected computer, associating an electronic audio or image signal with information about the electronic audio or image signal based on identifying information discerned by an electronic processor from perceptual information of the electronic audio or image signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing is performed at least in part based on a content identification type provided with the request.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing is performed in part on a requesting device based on content identification type selected from among plural content identification systems.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein load balancing is performed among the plural computers based on information about the content identification type.

5. A content linking system comprising:

a content registry stored in a distributed network of computers at different locations, the content registry providing an association between identifying information for a content object and information about the content object, the content registry including programmed electronic processors for receiving identifying information discerned by an electronic processor from perceptual information of an electronic audio or image signal obtained from a content object, and determining associated information about the content object;

a router for receiving a routing request to route a requesting device to the content registry and for routing the requesting device to a selected one of the plural computers in the content registry based at least in part on location of the selected computer relative to the requesting device.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the routing is performed at least in part based on a content identification type provided with the request.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the routing is performed in part on a requesting device based on content identification type selected from among plural content identification systems.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein load balancing is performed among the plural computers based on information about the content identification type.

9. A method of content linking comprising:

using a programmed electronic processor to obtain identifying information from perceptual content of an electronic audio or image signal;

sending a routing request to a router to route a requesting device to a content registry;

receiving a routing of the requesting device to a selected one of plural computers in the content registry based at least in part on location of the selected computer relative to the requesting device; and

from the selected computer in the content registry, receiving information about the electronic audio or image signal, where the information is associated with the electronic audio or image signal in the content registry based on the identifying information discerned by the programmed electronic processor from the perceptual content of the electronic audio or image signal.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the routing is performed at least in part based on a content identification type provided with the routing request.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the routing is performed in part on a requesting device based on content identification type selected from among plural content identification systems.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein load balancing is performed among the plural computers based on information about the content identification type.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon to cause an electronic processor to operate as follows:

obtaining identifying information from perceptual content of an electronic audio or image signal;

sending a routing request to a router to route a requesting device to a content registry;

receiving a routing of the requesting device to a selected one of plural computers in the content registry based at least in part on location of the selected computer relative to the requesting device; and

from the selected computer in the content registry, receiving information about the electronic audio or image signal, where the information is associated with the electronic audio or image signal in the content registry based on the identifying information discerned by the electronic processor from the perceptual content of the electronic audio or image signal.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 including instructions to cause the routing to be performed at least in part based on a content identification type provided with the routing request.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 including instructions to cause the routing to be performed in part on a requesting device based on content identification type selected from among plural content identification systems.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 including instructions to cause load balancing to be performed among the plural computers based on information about the content identification type.