System for distribution of recorded content

• US 7,363,497 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Getlivemusic Com
• Original Assignee: Immediatek, Inc.
• Inventors: Ferguson, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nalven; Andrew L
• Application Number:
  US09/620,572
• Time in Patent Office: 2,833 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/201, 705/75, 382/232, 380/236, 380/237
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• 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 20/00891 embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence

Abstract

A method and system to acquire, digitize, store, and deliver live content, such as music, to an end user via a network. The system can capture live content directly into a portable audio format which can be encoded at various levels of resolution into a file. The encoded file can then be transported over a network to a network distributor who can then sell the encoded file to end users. The system can also insert a digital watermark into each user file which can contain the user information, the copyright information, and a unique serial number for future verification and copy protection. The digital watermark can survive file or format conversion.

Claims

1. A method for capturing and distributing live content over a network comprising the steps of:

capturing signals of a live performance;

converting said signals to a digital format using a first sampling rate and a first resolution;

encoding said digitally formatted signals into a portable file at a second sampling rate and a second resolution wherein said second resolution is greater than said first resolution, a first data block is inserted into said added resolution, said second sampling rate is greater than said first sampling rate, a second data block is inserted into said added samples, and a first digital watermark comprises said first data block and said second data block; and

each time a song or act is completed, closing said portable file and transporting said portable file over a network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving said portable file;

publishing said portable file for use by an end user;

converting said portable file to a format selected by said end user; and

transporting said converted file to said end user.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of:

inserting a second digital watermark into said converted file prior to transporting said file to said end user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said second digital watermark is inserted by a brute force insertion method, a subtle insertion method or an invisible insertion method.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said second watermark comprises a digital signature for said portable file as a whole that identifies said end user.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said second digital watermark does not degrade playback of said portable file.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said portable file is published on a CD.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said format selected by said end user is a WAV format, a MP3 format, a sdII format or a Real Audio format.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of transporting said converted file to said end user comprises the step of burning said converted file onto a CD, or downloading said converted file to a computer, memory or MP3 player.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of encoding said digitally formatted signals into a portable file comprises the steps of:

converting said digitally formatted signals into a combined signal;

storing said combined signal;

converting said stored combined signal into a plurality of digital signals; and

converting said plurality of digital signals into said portable file at said second sampling rate and said second resolution.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said plurality of digital signals are time-synchronized and locked.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said plurality of digital signals can be extracted from said portable file for future editing or mixing or mastering.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said first watermark identifies said live performance.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said first sampling rate is greater than 44,100 samples per second and said first resolution is greater than 16 bits per sample; and

said second sampling rate is at least 96,000 samples per second and said second resolution is at least 24 bits per sample.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

said first sampling rate is approximately 96,000 samples per second and said first resolution is 24 bits per sample; and

said second sampling rate is between 120,000 and 128,000 samples per second and said second resolution is 32 bits per sample.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein:

said first sampling rate is approximately 128,000 samples per second and said first resolution is 32 bits per sample; and

said second sampling rate is approximately 160,000 samples per second and said second resolution is 40 bits per sample.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said added resolution comprises approximately 8 bits per sample; and

said added samples comprises approximately 32,000 samples per second.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said first data block comprises a repeating code sequence; and

said second data block comprises a digital signature.

19. An analog signal capture and converting device comprising:

a capture device which receives a plurality of analog signals and converts said analog signals to a plurality of digital signals at a first sampling rate and a first resolution;

a multiplexor connected to said capture device for converting said plurality of digital signals into a combined signal;

a processing unit connected to said multiplexor via a single connector for converting said combined signals to a plurality of time-synchronized and locked digital signals; and

a plurality of digital signal processors connected to said processing unit for each of said plurality of time-synchronized and locked digital signals for directing said signals, wherein at least one of said signals from said plurality of digital signal processors is converted into a portable file at a second sampling rate and a second resolution wherein said second resolution is greater than said first resolution, a first data block is inserted into said added resolution, said second sampling rate is greater than said first sampling rate, a second data block is inserted into said added samples, and a first digital watermark comprises said first data block and said second data block.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said multiplexor and said processing unit are in different physical locations.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein said first digital watermark comprises two or more levels of verification.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein said two or more levels of verification comprise:

a repeating code sequence encoded in said first data block; and

a digital signature encoded in said second data block.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein said first digital watermark does not degrade playback of said portable file.

24. A system for capturing and distributing live content over a network comprising:

a capture system for capturing live content, for converting a plurality of analog signals into a plurality of digital signals using a first sampling rate and a first resolution, for converting said plurality of digital signals into a combined signal, and for transporting said combined signal to a processing and storage system via a single connector;

wherein said processing and storage system stores said combined signal, converts said combined signal back to said plurality of digital signals, converts said plurality of digital signals into a portable file, and closes said portable file each time a song or act is completed;

wherein said plurality of digital signals are converted into said portable file at a second sampling rate and a second resolution wherein said second resolution is greater than said first resolution, a first data block is inserted into said added resolution, said second sampling rate is greater than said first sampling rate, a second data block is inserted into said added samples, and a first digital watermark comprises said first data block and said second data block; and

wherein said portable file is transported over a network to a server.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said portable file is published for use by a plurality of end users.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said portable file is published on a CD.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein a second digital watermark is inserted into said portable file prior to transport to said end user.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said second digital watermark is inserted by a brute force insertion method, a subtle insertion method or an invisible insertion method.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein said second digital watermark does not degrade playback of said portable file.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein said each of said plurality of end users receives said portable file with a unique second digital watermark.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein said portable file is converted to a WAV format, a MP3 format, a sdII format or a Real Audio format.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein said first digital watermark comprises two or more levels of verification.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said two or more levels of verification comprise:

a repeating code sequence encoded in said first data block; and

a digital signature encoded in said second data block.

34. A method for capturing and distributing live content over a network comprising the steps of:

capturing signals of a live performance;

converting said signals to a digital format using a sampling rate greater than 44,100 samples per second and a resolution greater than 16 bits per sample;

encoding said digitally formatted signals into a portable file at approximately 32,000 samples per second higher than said sampling rate and approximately 8 bits per sample higher than said resolution, a first data block is inserted into said added resolution, a second data block is inserted into said added samples, and a first digital watermark comprises said first data block and said second data block;

each time a song or act is completed, closing said portable file and transporting said portable file over a network;

publishing said portable file for use by an end user;

converting said portable file to a format selected by said end user;

inserting a second digital watermark that identifies said end user into said converted file; and

transporting said converted file to said end user.