Routing networks for use with content linking systems

• US 8,045,756 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Hein, William C. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso; Jose L
• Application Number:
  US12/826,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20100329506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 382/306, 235/494, 356/71, 340/5.6, 340/5.86, 348/460, 358/3.28, 380/42, 380/51, 380/54, 380/200, 380232-234, 380/247, 380/255, 380276-285, 705/44, 705/58, 704/273, 707/9, 707/101, 713/168
• 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. A method comprising:

receiving a routing request to route a requesting device to a content registry, wherein the content registry is distributed among plural computers;

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 a 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 at least in part based on a 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 system comprising:

a content registry stored in a distributed network of computers at different locations, wherein the content registry is configured to provide an association between identifying information for a content object and information about the content object, wherein the content registry includes processors for receiving identifying information discerned by a processor from perceptual information of an electronic audio or image signal obtained from a content object, and wherein the content registry determines associated information about the content object; and

a router configured to receive a routing request to route a requesting device to the content registry, and configured to route 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 at least in part based on a 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 comprising:

obtaining identifying information, using a processor, 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, wherein the information is associated with the electronic audio or image signal in the content registry based on the identifying information discerned by the 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 at least in part based on a 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 having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

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, wherein the information is associated with the electronic audio or image signal in the content registry based on the identifying information from the perceptual content of the electronic audio or image signal.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the routing is 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, wherein the routing is performed at least in part based on a content identification type selected from among plural content identification systems.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the operation further comprise:

causing load balancing to be performed among the plural computers based on information about the content identification type.