Methods and systems employing digital content

• US 8,126,200 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2009
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W
• Application Number:
  US12/506,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 709/217, 709/219, 705/26.7, 705/319, 455/3.04, 455/3.06, 455/414.2
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/10 Usage protection of distributed data files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/16 Copy protection or prevention
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A portable device for use with audio or visual content (e.g., an MP3 player-like device, or a camera-enabled device) is equipped with one or more features/capabilities, including: a user interface through which a consumer can instruct that content be delivered to a different consumer'"'"'s device, the ability to derive identifiers from content and take action(s) based thereon, the ability to count playbacks of content; and/or the ability to interact with remote web services. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving input from a first consumer, through a user interface of a computing device, wherein the input relates to particular content and identifies a destination device;

deriving, using a processor, a content identifier from data representing human-perceptible attributes of the particular content; and

sending the content identifier from the computing device to the destination device, wherein the content identifier is used by the destination device to request and receive content-related information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination device is associated with a second consumer, different than the first.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sending comprises sending data corresponding to the second consumer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content identifier is used to receive from a remote system distinct from the computing device the content-related information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising deriving the content identifier by a digital watermark decoding operation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising deriving the content identifier by a fingerprint calculation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the content identifier comprises an object identifier by which both the content, and a distributor thereof, can be identified.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising initiating a purchase transaction through the sending, and sharing with the distributor a part of proceeds from the purchase transaction.

9. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive input from a first consumer related to particular content, wherein the input identifies a destination device;

derive a content identifier from data representing human-perceptible attributes of the particular content; and

send the content identifier to the destination device, wherein the content identifier is used by the destination device to request and receive content-related information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the destination device is associated with a second consumer, different than the first.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to send data corresponding to the second consumer.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to derive the content identifier by a digital watermark decoding operation.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to derive the content identifier by a fingerprint calculation.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the content identifier comprises an object identifier by which both the content, and a distributor thereof, can be identified.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive input from a first consumer related to particular content, wherein the input identifies a destination device;

instructions to derive a content identifier from data representing human-perceptible attributes of the particular content; and

instructions to send the content identifier to the destination device, wherein the content identifier is used by the destination device to request and receive content-related information.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the destination device is associated with a second consumer, different than the first.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions to send data corresponding to the second consumer.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions to derive the content identifier by a digital watermark decoding operation.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions to derive the content identifier by a fingerprint calculation.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the content identifier comprises an object identifier by which both the content, and a distributor thereof, can be identified.