Transactional watermarking

• US 6,915,481 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2000
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation, Multimedia Watermarking, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cognicity, Inc.
• Inventors: Swanson, Mitchell D., Zhu, Bin, Tewfik, Ahmed
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUDWIG, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US09/481,758
• Time in Patent Office: 2,002 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 380/201, 380/200, 705/57, 705/6, 705/78, 705/26, 715/500.1
• US Class Current: 715/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0071 using multiple or alternating watermarks

Abstract

Transactional watermarking is disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving an original multimedia content source. The original multimedia content source may have already had a watermark added thereto. The method watermarks at least a portion of the source at least two times, each time with a different watermark to generate a different watermarked version of the original multimedia content source. A final watermarked content source is then generated by utilizing the different watermarked versions of the content source. One particular version of the watermarked content source may be selected as the final watermarked content source; at least a portion of at least two of the different watermarked versions of the watermarked content source may be combined to generate the final watermarked content source; etc.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for transactional watermarking comprising:

receiving an original multimedia content source;

watermarking at least a portion of the original multimedia content source at least two times, each time with a different watermark to generate a different watermarked version of the original multimedia content source, wherein said watermarking includes watermarking at least a portion of the original multimedia content source a first time with a not-registered watermark to generate a not-registered watermarked version of the original multimedia content source and watermarking at least a portion of the original multimedia content source a second time with a registered watermark to generate a registered watermarked version of the original multimedia content source;

generating a final watermarked content source by utilizing the different watermarked versions of the original multimedia content source; and

generating a new final watermarked content source by substituting at least a portion of the final watermarked content source with a corresponding at least a portion of at least one of the different watermarked versions of the original multimedia content source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a final watermarked content source comprises selecting one of the different watermarked versions of the original multimedia content source as the final watermarked content source.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for the original multimedia content source; and

,

in response to receiving the request, sending the final watermarked content source.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a request to register the original multimedia content source with a user; and

,

in response to receiving the request, sending the new final watermarked content source.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein watermarking at least a portion of the original multimedia content source a second time with a registered watermark to generate a registered watermarked version of the original multimedia content source comprises utilizing a registered watermark specific to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a final watermarked content source comprises selecting the not-registered watermarked version of the original multimedia content source as the final watermarked content source.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating a new final watermarked content source comprises substituting at least a portion of the not-registered watermarked version of the original multimedia content source with a corresponding at least a portion of the registered watermarked version of the original multimedia content source.

8. A computer-implemented method for transactional watermarking comprising:

receiving an original multimedia content source;

watermarking at least a portion of the original multimedia content source at least two times, each time with a different watermark to generate a different watermarked version of the original multimedia content source, wherein said watermarking includes watermarking at least a portion of the original multimedia content source a first time with a no-copy-restriction watermark to generate a no-copy-restriction watermarked version of the original multimedia content source and watermarking at least a portion of the original multimedia content source a second time with a no-copy-allowed watermark to generate a no-copy-allowed watermarked version of the original multimedia content source; and

generating a final watermarked content source including selecting one of the different watermarked versions of the original multimedia content source as the final watermarked content source.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein watermarking at least a portion of the original multimedia content source at least two times further comprises watermarking at least a portion of the original multimedia content source a third time with a copy-once-restriction watermark to generate a copy-once-restriction watermarked version of the original multimedia content source.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein selecting one of the different watermarked versions of the original multimedia content source as the final watermarked content source comprises selecting one of the no-copy-restriction watermarked version, the no-copy-allowed watermarked version, and the copy-once-restrict watermarked version as the final watermarked content source based on a predetermined access level.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a request for the original multimedia content source, the request including a message specific to the request; and

,

in response to receiving the request, sending the final watermarked content source.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein generating a final watermarked content source comprises combining at least a portion of at least two of the different watermarked versions of the original multimedia content source based on the message specific to the request.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein generating a final watermarked content source comprises selecting one of the different watermarked versions of the original multimedia content source as the final watermarked content source.

14. A computer-implemented method for transactional watermarking comprising:

receiving an original multimedia content source;

watermarking at least a portion of the original multimedia content source at least two times, each time with a different watermark to generate a different watermarked version of the original multimedia content source, wherein said watermarking includes watermarking at least a portion of the original multimedia content source a first time with a binary-zero watermark to generate a binary-zero watermarked version of the original multimedia content source and watermarking at least a portion of the original multimedia content source a second time with a binary-one watermark to generate a binary-one watermarked version of the original multimedia content source; and

generating a final watermarked content source including combining at least a portion of at least two of the different watermarked versions of the original multimedia content source.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein combining at least a portion of at least two of the different watermarked versions of the original multimedia content source comprises combining at least a portion of the binary-zero watermarked version with at least a portion of the binary-one watermarked version.

16. The method of claim 14, initially comprising:

receiving a non-watermarked version of the original multimedia content source; and

,

watermarking the non-watermarked version of the original multimedia content source with a source watermark to generate the original multimedia content source.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a request for the original multimedia content source, the request including a message specific to the request; and

,

in response to receiving the request, sending the final watermarked content source.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein generating a final watermarked content source comprises combining at least a portion of at least two of the different watermarked versions of the original multimedia content source based on the message specific to the request.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein generating a final watermarked content source comprises selecting one of the different watermarked versions of the original multimedia content source as the final watermarked content source.