Method and system for controlling video media

• US 9,342,662 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Media Rights Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Media Rights Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Risan, Hank, Fitzgerald, Edward Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUONG, ALAN H
• Application Number:
  US10/941,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20050078944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,263 Days
• Field of Search: 725/25, 725/30, 725/31, 725/26, 705/51, 705/57, 705/55, 705/56, 705/59, 386/94, 726/27
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; 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 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2585 Generation of a revocation list, e.g. of client devices involved in piracy acts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25858 involving client software characteristics, e.g. OS identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4351 involving reassembling additional data, e.g. rebuilding an executable program from recovered modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44236 Monitoring of piracy processes or activities protecting computer platforms against harmful, malicious or unexpected behaviour or activities using intrusion detection and counter measures G06F21/566; computer virus detection and handling G06F21/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

A method and system for controlling video input media is described. The method includes receiving video media via a video media input device. The video media input device is communicatively coupled with and operable in conjunction with the electronic device. The method further includes monitoring a data path within the electronic device associated with the video media. The monitoring is performed by a compliance mechanism communicatively coupled with and operable in conjunction with the electronic device. The method further includes preventing the video media from reaching a usage mechanism via the data path, the usage mechanism communicatively coupled with the electronic device. The usage mechanism is able to create an environment in which the video media can be used in an unauthorized manner. The preventing performed by the compliance mechanism is done when usage of the video media with the usage mechanism violates a usage restriction applicable to the video media.

Claims

1. A method for controlling unauthorized usage of video media accessible via an electronic device, said method comprising:

receiving an instance of video media via a video media input device, said video media input device communicatively coupled with said electronic device;

diverting a commonly used data path of said electronic device associated with said video media to a controlled data path distinctly different from the commonly used data path, the controlled data path monitored by a compliance mechanism communicatively coupled with said electronic device for every instance of said video media;

determining whether an indicator is imbedded within a data stream of said video media, said indicator for indicating a usage restriction applicable to said video media, said determining performed by said compliance mechanism;

when no indicator is embedded, providing said video media to a video media player operable on said electronic device;

when said indicator is embedded, determining whether said compliance mechanism can ensure said electronic device uses said video media in a manner compliant with said usage restriction;

when said compliance mechanism cannot ensure compliance with said usage restriction, said compliance mechanism disrupting said data stream from reaching said video media player;

when said compliance mechanism can ensure compliance with said usage restriction, determining if said compliance mechanism can assert control over said video media player such that said video media is utilized by said video media player as defined by said usage restriction;

when said compliance mechanism can assert control over said video media player, providing said video media to said video media player; and

when said compliance mechanism cannot assert control over said video media player, diverting said video media from said video media player to a custom video media player configured to comply with said usage restriction, said custom video media player distinctly different from said video media player.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining said indicator is a broadcast flag imbedded in said data stream of said video media.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining said indicator is a watermark imbedded in said data stream of said video media.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said disrupting said data stream from reaching said video media player comprises:

preventing said data stream from reaching said video media player.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said custom video media player is selected from the group essentially consisting of:

a capturing application, a capturing device, a rendering application, a rendering device, a storing application, a storing device, a reproducing application, a reproducing device, a media output application, and a media output device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said disrupting said data stream from reaching said video media player comprises:

degrading the data stream of said video media such that a user of said electronic device would be deterred from an unauthorized use of said video media.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said usage restriction is a licensing agreement as defined by a copyright holder of the video media.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said usage restriction is a regulatory requirement defined by a media governing entity.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said receiving further comprises:

receiving a video media type, said video media type appropriate for said video media input device, said video media type selected from the group consisting essentially of;

a high definition television (HDTV) transmission, a digital television (DTV) transmission, a digital satellite video media transmission, a digital cable television transmission, and a digital video feed.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing computer implementable instructions for causing a computer system to perform a method for controlling unauthorized usage of video media accessible via said computer system, said method comprising:

receiving an instance of video media via a video media input device, said video media input device communicatively coupled with said computer system;

diverting a commonly used data path of said computer system associated with said video media to a controlled data path distinctly different from the commonly used data path, the controlled data path monitored by a compliance mechanism communicatively coupled with said computer system for every instance of said video media;

determining whether an indicator is imbedded within a data stream of said video media, said indicator for indicating a usage restriction applicable to said video media, said determining performed by said compliance mechanism;

when no indicator is embedded, providing said video media to a video media player operable on said computer system;

when said indicator is embedded, determining whether said compliance mechanism can ensure said computer system uses said video media in a manner compliant with said usage restriction;

when said compliance mechanism cannot ensure compliance with said usage restriction, said compliance mechanism disrupting said data stream from reaching said video media player;

when said compliance mechanism can ensure compliance with said usage restriction, determining if said compliance mechanism can assert control over said video media player such that said video media is utilized by said video media player as defined by said usage restriction;

when said compliance mechanism can assert control over said video media player, providing said video media to said video media player; and

when said compliance mechanism cannot assert control over said video media player, diverting said video media from said video media player to a custom video media player configured to comply with said usage restriction, said custom video media player distinctly different from said video media player.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein said method further comprises:

determining said indicator is a broadcast flag imbedded in said data stream of said video media.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein said method further comprises:

determining said indicator is a watermark imbedded in said data stream of said video media.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein said disrupting said data stream from reaching said video media player comprises:

preventing said data stream from reaching said video media player.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein said custom video media player is selected from the group essentially consisting of:

a capturing application, a capturing device, a rendering application, a rendering device, a storing application, a storing device, a reproducing application, a reproducing device, a media output application, and a media output device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein said disrupting said data stream from reaching said video media player comprises:

degrading the data stream of said video media such that a user of said computer system would be deterred from an unauthorized use of said video media.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein

said usage restriction is a licensing agreement as defined by a copyright holder of the video media.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein

said usage restriction is a regulatory requirement defined by a media governing entity.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein said receiving further comprises:

receiving a video media type, said video media type appropriate for said video media input device, said video media type selected from the group consisting essentially of;

a high definition television (HDTV) transmission, a digital television (DTV) transmission, a digital satellite video media transmission, a digital cable television transmission, and a digital video feed.