Method and apparatus to protect media existing in an insecure format

• US 7,127,744 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2001
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Levy, Kenneth L
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Hosuk
• Application Number:
  US09/801,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20010037456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,057 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/200, 380200-204, 380 54- 55, 705 50- 51, 705 57- 59, 382/100, 386/94, 726 26- 27, 726 30- 33
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0071 using multiple or alternating watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0064 for copy protection or copy management, e.g. CGMS, copy only once, one-time copy
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00884 involving a watermark, i.e. a barely perceptible transformation of the original data which can nevertheless be recognised by an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 the copy protection signal being a watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

The present invention provides methods, systems and apparatus to manage processing of video content. In one implementation, a method of managing processing of video content is provided. The video content includes picture data representing picture elements to be rendered for display to a user. The embedded data is conveyed along with the video content. The method includes: (a) examining the embedded data for rights data, wherein the rights data is carried by a header; (b) only if the rights data is missing, examining the embedding data for protect data that is contained within the picture data; and (c) if the rights data is missing and the protect data is present, then limiting processing of the video content. Other implementations are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method of managing processing of video content, the video content including picture data representing picture elements to be rendered for display to a user, and including data conveyed along with the picture data but not representing picture elements to be rendered for display to a user, the method including:

(a) examining the data for copy control data, wherein the data comprises a header;

(b) only if the copy control data is missing, examining the picture data for a steganographic signal; and

(c) if the copy control data is missing, and the steganographic signal is present, then limiting processing of the video content.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the copy control data represents one of a plurality of states, the states comprising at least:

i) copy once;

ii) copy freely;

iii) copy no more; and

iv) copy never.

3. A method of managing processing of video content, the video content including picture data representing picture elements to be rendered for display to a user, and including a first watermark and a second watermark, the method including:

(a) examining the video content for the first watermark to obtain copy control data, wherein the first watermark comprises a header;

(b) examining the picture data for a second watermark, wherein the picture data is examined for the second watermark only when the copy control data is missing; and

(c) if the copy control data is missing, and the second watermark is present, then limiting processing of the video content.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the copy control data represents one of a plurality of states, the states comprising al least:

i) copy once;

ii) copy freely;

iii) copy no more; and

iv) copy never.

5. A method of managing processing of video content, the video content including picture data representing picture elements to be rendered for display to a user, where embedded data is conveyed along with the video content, the method including:

(a) examining the embedded data for rights data, wherein the rights data is carried by a header;

(b) only if the rights data is missing, examining the embedded data for protect data that is contained within the picture data; and

(c) if the rights data is missing and the protect data is present, then limiting processing of the video content.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein relative to detection of the protect data, the rights data is more efficient to detect.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the rights data can be separated from the video content during video processing.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the protect data is visible when the picture elements are rendered for the user.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the protect data is generally imperceptible when the picture elements are rendered for the user.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein relative to the rights data, the protect data is more robust to removal with video processing.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein relative to the rights data, the protect data is more complex to detect.

12. The method of claim 5 wherein the protect data is either present or absent.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the protect data is robust to removal with video processing, and the rights data is efficient to detect relative to the protect data.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the rights data includes copy control states, and the copy control states represent one of a plurality of states, the states comprising at least:

i) copy once;

ii) copy no more; and

iii) copy never.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the copy control states further represent:

iv) copy freely.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the video content comprises a viewable, non-encrypted format.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the method is performed during a process of loading the video content to a remote location.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the remote location comprises portable media, and the limiting processing of the video content comprises blocking loading of the video content to the portable media.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the rights data includes copy control states, and the copy control states represent one of a plurality of states, the states comprising at least:

i) copy once;

ii) copy no more; and

iii) copy never.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the video content comprises a viewable, non-scrambled format.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the method is performed during a process of loading the video content to a remote location.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the remote location comprises portable media, and the limiting processing of the video content comprises blocking loading of the video content to the portable media.

23. The method of claim 12 wherein the rights data comprises multi-bits and carries different information than the protect data.

24. The method of claim 5 wherein the rights data includes copy control states, and the copy control states represent one of a plurality of states, the states comprising at least:

i) copy once;

ii) copy no more; and

iii) copy never.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the copy control states further represent:

iv) copy freely.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the copy control states further represent:

iv) copy freely.

27. The method of claim 5 wherein the video content comprises a viewable, non-scrambled format.

28. The method of claim 5 wherein the method is performed during a process of loading the video content to a remote location.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the remote location comprises portable media, and the limiting processing of the video content comprises blocking loading of the video content to the portable media.

30. The method of claim 5 wherein the rights data and protect data carry different information.

31. The method of claim 5 wherein the protect data is contained within the picture data through steganographic embedding.