Apparatus for and a method of downloading media content

• US 8,155,315 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Solutions Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Solutions Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Reckless, Jonny Boyd
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olion, Brian
• Application Number:
  US11/340,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20070174639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,266 Days
• Field of Search: 713/193, 380/217
• US Class Current: 380/217
• 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 20/00847 wherein the usage restriction is defined by a licence file
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00869 wherein the remote server can deliver the content to a receiving device
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85406 involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format

Abstract

A data file reproduction system has a data file supplying apparatus that extracts video data and audio data from a received data file, compresses the extracted video and audio data and produces a compressed data file containing the compressed audio and video data together with meta data or navigation data determined from the received data file for enabling navigation of the original data file. The compressed data file is then copy-protected. Upon request, the copy-protected compressed data file is communicated to a reproduction apparatus. The reproduction apparatus decompresses the compressed audio and video data of the received copy-protected compressed data file, encodes the decompressed audio and video data and produces a copy-protected reconstituted data file containing the encoded audio and video data together with the meta or navigation data determined from the copy-protected compressed data file, so enabling navigation of the copy-protected reconstituted data file in the same manner as the original data file.

Claims

1. A data file reproduction system comprising a compressed data file supplying apparatus and at least one reproduction apparatus, wherein

the data file supplying apparatus comprises a receiver and a data compressor, the receiver operable to receive a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) format data file comprising audio data, video data and meta data, the meta data for enabling navigation of the DVD format data file, the DVD format data file playable by a DVD player, the data file compressor comprising:

a video data extractor operable to extract video data from video data packs of the received DVD format data file;

an audio data extractor operable to extract audio data from audio data packs of the received DVD format data file;

a video data compressor operable to compress the extracted video data into compressed video data packs by using a first compression format that is not lossless, wherein each compressed video data pack includes video data from more than one video data pack of the received DVD format data file and includes at least one flag or marker indicating a location and original size of one of the received video data packs;

an audio data compressor operable to compress the extracted audio data into compressed audio data packs by using a second compression format that is not lossless and different than the first compression format, wherein each compressed audio data pack includes audio data from more than one audio data pack of the received DVD format data file;

a meta data determiner operable to determine meta data from the received DVD format data file, wherein the meta data further includes a mapping between video and audio data packs in the received DVD format file and the compressed video and audio data packs, and is sufficient to reconstitute the video data packs of the received DVD format file, including insertion of padding data;

a data assembler operable to produce a compressed data file in a DVD-like proprietary format containing the compressed audio and video data packs together with non-compressed reconstituting meta data to facilitate reconstitution of the received DVD format data file from the compressed data file and the non-compressed meta data determined from the received DVD format data file for enabling navigation of the reconstituted DVD format data file;

a copy protector operable to copy protect the compressed data file; and

a non-volatile data storage which stores the copy-protected compressed data file

a communicator operable to communicate the copy-protected compressed data file to a remote reproduction apparatus over a network, and wherein

the at least one reproduction apparatus comprises a communicator operable to request the copy-protected compressed data file from the supplying apparatus and a data producer comprising;

a video data decompressor operable to decompress compressed video data packs of the requested copy-protected compressed data file supplied by the supplying apparatus;

an audio data decompressor operable to decompress compressed audio data packs of the requested copy-protected compressed data file supplied by the supplying apparatus;

a video data encoder operable to encode the decompressed video data packs in DVD format;

an audio data encoder operable to encode the decompressed audio data packs in DVD format;

a meta data determiner operable to determine the meta data from the requested copy-protected compressed data file supplied by the supplying apparatus; and

a data assembler operable to produce a copy-protected reconstituted DVD format data file using the non-compressed reconstituting meta data, wherein the copy-protected reconstituted DVD format data file contains the DVD format encoded audio and video data packs together with the non-compressed determined meta data for enabling navigation of the copy-protected reconstituted DVD format data file.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the supplying apparatus also comprises a data encrypter operable to encrypt the copy-protected compressed data file to generate an encrypted data file before communication to a reproduction apparatus, wherein the supplying apparatus communicator is operable to communicate a decryption key to the reproduction apparatus and the reproduction apparatus comprises a data decrypter operable to decrypt the requested encrypted data file using the decryption key communicated by the supplying apparatus communicator.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reproduction apparatus includes a compressed data file play enabler operable to enable a DVD format data file player of the reproduction apparatus to play the reconstituted DVD format data file.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one reproduction apparatus includes a data file recorder operable to record the reconstituted DVD format data file on a recording medium.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the supplying apparatus comprises an authoriser operable to specify whether the reproduction apparatus is authorised to produce a copy-protected reconstituted DVD format data file and the data assembler of the at least one reproduction apparatus is operable to produce the copy-protected reconstituted DVD format data file only in the event that the authoriser indicates that the reproduction apparatus is authorised to produce the copy-protected reconstituted DVD format data file.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reproduction apparatus includes an authenticator operable to authenticate the data assembler of the reproduction apparatus and to permit production of a copy-protected reconstituted DVD format data file only in the event that the authenticator authenticates the data file assembler.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the supplying apparatus comprises a license manager operable to specify whether a user of a reproduction apparatus is to have a license or permission to produce a copy-protected data file and to provide the reproduction apparatus with permission to produce the copy-protected data file only in the event that the user has the license or permission to produce the copy-protected data file.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the copy protector is operable to add subversive data for copy protecting the compressed data file.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the video data extractor is operable to decode MPEG 2 video data packs and the audio data extractor is operable to decode DVD format audio data packs.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the video data compressor is operable to compress the decoded video data packs to MPEG 4 format and the audio data compressor is operable to compress the decoded audio data packs to WMA format.

11. A data file supplying apparatus comprising a receiver and a data file compressor, the receiver operable to receive a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) format data file comprising audio data, video data and navigation data, the navigation data for enabling navigation of the DVD format data file, the DVD format data file playable by a DVD player, the data file compressor comprising:

a video data extractor operable to extract video data from video data packs of the received DVD format data file;

an audio data extractor operable to extract audio data from audio data packs of the received DVD format data file;

a video data compressor operable to compress the extracted video data into compressed video data packs by using a first compression format that is not lossless, wherein each compressed video data pack includes video data from more than one video data pack of the received DVD format data file and includes at least one flag or marker indicating a location and original size of one of the received video data packs;

an audio data compressor operable to compress the extracted audio data into compressed audio data packs by using a second compression format that is not lossless and different than the first compression format, wherein each compressed audio data pack includes audio data from more than one audio data pack of the received DVD format data file;

a navigation data determiner operable to determine navigation data from the received DVD format data file;

a assembler operable to produce a compressed data file in a DVD-like proprietary format containing the compressed audio and video data together with non-compressed reconstituting meta data for reconstituting the received DVD format data file from the compressed data file and the non-compressed navigation data for navigating the reconstituted DVD format data file, wherein the meta data includes a mapping between video and audio data packs in the received DVD format file and the compressed video and audio data packs, and is sufficient to reconstitute the video data packs of the received DVD format file, including insertion of padding data;

a copy protector operable to copy protect the compressed data file;

a non-volatile data storage which stores the copy-protected compressed data file; and

a communicator operable to communicate the copy-protected compressed data file over a network to a remote apparatus.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising an authoriser operable to specify whether the remote apparatus is authorised to receive the compressed data file and to allow the communicator to communicate the compressed data file only in the event that the remote apparatus is to be so authorised.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising an license determiner operable to specify whether the remote apparatus is authorised to produce a copy-protected reconstituted DVD format data file and to authorise production by the remote apparatus of the copy-protected reconstituted DVD format data file only in the event that the remote apparatus is to be so authorised.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a data encrypter operable to encrypt a compressed data file before communication to the remote apparatus, the communicator being operable to communicate a decryption key to the remote apparatus separately from the encrypted compressed data file.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the copy protector is operable to add subversive data for copy protecting the compressed data file.

16. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the video data extractor is operable to decode MPEG 2 video data packs and the audio data extractor is operable to decode DVD format audio data packs.

17. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the video data compressor is operable to compress the decoded video data packs to MPEG 4 format and the audio data compressor is operable to compress the decoded audio data packs to WMA.

19. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second compression format is Ogg Vorbis or Windows Media Audio, and the first compression format is MPEG4 or DIVX.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing the copy-protected compressed data file produced by the method of claim 11.

18. A method of supplying a copy-protected compressed data file, the method comprising:

receiving a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) format data file comprising audio data, video data and meta data, the meta data for enabling navigation of the DVD format data file, the DVD format data file playable by a DVD player;

extracting video data from video data packs of the received DVD format data file;

extracting audio data from audio data packs of the received DVD format data file;

compressing the extracted video data into compressed video data packs by using a first compression format that is not lossless, wherein each compressed video data pack includes video data from more than one video data pack of the received DVD format data file and includes at least one flag or marker indicating a location and original size of one of the received video data packs;

compressing the extracted audio data into compressed audio data packs by using a second compression format that is not lossless and different than the first compression format, wherein each compressed audio data pack includes audio data from more than one audio data pack of the received DVD format data file;

determining meta data from the received DVD format data file;

producing a compressed data file in a DVD-like proprietary format containing the compressed audio and video data together with non-compressed reconstituting meta data to facilitate reconstitution of the received DVD format data file from the compressed data file and the non-compressed meta data for enabling navigation of the reconstituted DVD format data file, wherein the meta data includes a mapping between video and audio data packs in the received DVD format file and the compressed video and audio data packs, and is sufficient to reconstitute the video data packs of the received DVD format file, including insertion of padding data;

copy protecting the compressed data file;

storing the copy-protected compressed data file in a non-volatile data storage; and

transmitting the copy-protected compressed data file over a network to a remote apparatus with reproduction conditions that specify whether the remote apparatus is to be allowed to reconstitute a copy-protected version of the DVD format data file.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the second compression format is Ogg Vorbis or Windows Media Audio, and the first compression format is MPEG4 or DIVX.