Process of and system for seamlessly embedding executable program code into media file formats such as MP3 and the like for execution by digital media player and viewing systems

• US 7,188,186 B1
• Filed: 09/03/1999
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated), Josslyn M Meyer
• Original Assignee: Josslyn Motha Meyer, Thomas W. Meyer
• Inventors: Meyer, Josslyn Motha, Meyer, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue, Larry D.
• Application Number:
  US09/389,942
• Time in Patent Office: 2,741 Days
• Field of Search: 717/167, 705/14, 705/15, 709/206, 709/231
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/029 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32154 Transform domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32277 Compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording

Abstract

A novel process and system for flexibly adding supplemental digital program content such as, for example, transactional advertising content, games, polls, contests, interactive music videos, and e-commerce content generally and the like, into pre-prepared digital media files, such as an MP3 audio file or the like, for playback by digital playback apparatus, wherein the pre--prepared media file is modified by embedding therein executable code representing such supplemental program content, and enabling the playback apparatus to decode and execute the presentation of the supplemental program material as an addition to the playback of the pre-prepared media file content.

Claims

1. A process for supplementing pre-prepared media digital audio file content to be performed by a digital playback apparatus with supplemental digital program content constituting a supplemental media file selected from the group consisting of interactive and traditional advertising, merchandising materials, e-commerce solicitations and messages, polls, complete video games, interactive music and audio/video programs, and complete computer programs, that comprises, preparing such supplemental digital program content in the form of executable code representing said supplemental media file;

and embedding the executable code representing said supplemental media file into the pre-prepared media audio file for execution by the playback apparatus supplementary to the playback of the pre-prepared media audio file content, wherein the media audio file is an MPEG audio file containing an MP3 audio stream, and wherein the executable code is encoded in private data packets for the insertion and embedding of new private data packets into the existing MPEG file.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the media audio file has not been pre-prepared to contain such executable code, and the code is seamlessly embedded in the media audio file as supplemental digital program sequences of executable code representing said supplemental media file.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the media digital file program content is selected from the group consisting of audio, video, image, 3-D, database information and combinations.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein the sequences of executable code are prepared in a computer program format.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the sequences of executable code are prepared from the group consisting of computer-programmed Java class files, Macromedia Shockwave, Flash, binary executables, byte codes, Visual Basic and Java Script.

6. The process of claim 4 wherein the program content of said sequences of executable code is selected as one or more of graphic, interactive, and e-commerce content.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein said program content includes one or more of advertising, transactional advertising, interactive music, videos, and e-commerce.

8. The process of claim 3 wherein the media file has been pre-prepared to comprise audio program format and the embedded executable code is prepared to provide image supplementation.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the embedding in the media file is effected at predetermined time intervals.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the execution of the code is synchronized with the playback of the media files.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein said embedding of the executable code into the media file is effected seamlessly.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein a checksum is used during the execution of the code at the playback, to verify that the embedded executable code has-been-extracted correctly.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein the embedding is effected by steganographic techniques.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the encoding of the executable code in the media audio file is effected by one of low-bit encoding and frequency-domain low-bit encoding.

15. The process of claim 1 wherein, in the encoding process, the executable code is unsynchronized from synchronization bytes of the audio stream and encapsulated in ID3v2 format before insertion at the beginning of the MP3 audio stream from the audio file.

16. The process of claim 13 wherein the executable code is transformed into a bit stream and inserted and embedded at selected locations in the media audio file identified as locations of minor changes to the media audio file content.

17. The process of claim 1 wherein prior to the encoding embedding of the executable code into the media audio file, the media audio file is subjected to a digital watermarking process.

18. A system for flexibly adding supplemental digital program content representing a supplemental media file selected from the group consisting of interactive and traditional advertising, merchandising materials, e-commerce solicitations and messages, polls, complete video games, interactive music and audio/video programs, and complete computer programs to the playback of a pre-prepared media digital audio file by digital playback apparatus, comprising, means for modifying the pre-prepared media audio file to embed sequences of executable code therein representing such supplemental program content media file;

means provided in the digital playback apparatus for decoding the embedded code representing said supplemental media file during playback of the modified media audio file at the digital playback apparatus, and, in addition to means for playing back the pre-prepared content of the media audio file, means provided at the digital playback apparatus responsive to the decoding for also presenting thereat the supplemental program content embedded media file, wherein the media audio file is an MPEG audio file containing an MP3 audio stream, and wherein, in the encoding process, means is provided for inserting executable code bits at the end of the audio file data in each audio frame to encode ancillary data.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the modifying means comprises means for unsynchronizing the executable code from synchronization bytes of said audio stream and encapsulating the code in ID3v2 format before insertion at the beginning of the MP3 audio stream from the audio file.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein said program content includes one or more of advertising, games, polls, contests, interactive music, videos and e-commerce.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the executable code sequences are selected to contain one or more of graphic, interactive and e-commerce program content.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the MPEG audio file is recompressed to ensure room for executable code at the end of the frames.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein the modifying means comprises steganographic coding means and wherein means is provided for transforming the executable code into a bit stream and for inserting and embedding bits at selected locations in the media audio file, identified as locations of minor changes to the media audio file content.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein means is provided, operable prior to the encoding-embedding of the executable code into the media audio file, for subjecting the media file to a digital watermarking process.

25. A process for supplementing pre-prepared media digital audio file content to be performed by a digital playback apparatus with supplemental digital program content constituting a supplemental media file selected from the group consisting of interactive and traditional advertising, merchandising materials, e-commerce solicitations and messages, polls, complete video games, interactive music and audio/video programs, and complete computer programs, that comprises, preparing such supplemental digital program content in the form of executable code representing said supplemental media file;

and embedding the executable-code representing said supplemental media file into the pre-prepared media audio file for execution by the playback apparatus supplementary to the playback of the pre-prepared media audio file content, wherein the media audio file is an MPEG audio file containing an MP3 audio stream, and wherein, in the encoding process, executable code bits are inserted at the end of the audio file data in each audio frame to encode ancillary data.

26. The process of claim 25 wherein the MPEG audio file is recompressed to ensure room for executable code at the end of the frames.

27. A system for flexibly adding supplemental digital program content representing a supplemental media file selected from the group consisting of interactive and traditional advertising, merchandising materials, e-commerce solicitations and messages, polls, complete video games, interactive music and audio/video programs and complete computer programs that comprises, preparing such supplemental to the playback of a pre-prepared media digital audio file by digital playback apparatus, comprising, means for modifying the pre-prepared media audio file to embed sequences of executable code therein representing such supplemental program content media file;

means provided in the digital playback apparatus for decoding the embedded code representing said supplemental media file during playback of the modified media audio file at the digital playback apparatus; and

, in addition to means for playing back the pre-prepared a content of the media audio file, means provided at the digital playback apparatus responsive to the decoding for also presenting thereat the supplemental program content embedded media file, wherein the media audio file is an MPEG audio file containing an MP3 audio stream, and wherein means is provided for encoding the executable code in private data packets for the insertion and embedding of new private data packets into the existing MPEG file.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the pre-prepared media audio file is an MP3 file and the executable code is seamlessly embedded therein and prepared to provide supplemental program content selected from the group consisting of transactional advertising, games, polls, contests, interactive music videos and e-commerce.