Real-time, distributed, transactional, hybrid watermarking method to provide trace-ability and copyright protection of digital content in peer-to-peer networks

• US 20020168082A1
• Filed: 03/07/2001
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ravi Razdan
• Original Assignee: Ravi Razdan
• Inventors: Razdan, Ravi
• Application Number:
  US09/799,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20020168082A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• 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: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• 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 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A method of enabling real-time watermarking of digital works prior to distribution of digital work. The method entails maintaining a central repository of fingerprint meta-data of digital works so that upon a request for insertion of watermark in a digital work, the watermarking application communicates with the central repository and receives fingerprint meta-data which provides information regarding where to insert said watermarks. The method also enables a method of extraction of watermarks based on fingerprint meta-data. Furthermore, the fingerprint meta-data can be utilized to search for digital works of similar characteristics and to block digital works that are illegal copies of the digital work.

Claims

1. A method of enabling real-time watermarking of digital work(s) prior to distribution to third party(ies), the method comprising providing a remote system configured to communicate via a computer network and designed to coordinate collection and transmission of Meta-Data, and extraction of watermarks from a digital work, the method further comprising a step of providing a software application that is tethered to the remote system and is capable of analyzing a digital work to determine its Meta-Data and insert watermarks in a digital work prior to distribution.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the application knows where to insert watermarks in a digital work based on Meta-Data it receives from a remote system or a local cache which houses Meta-Data of digital works.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the application is capable of reading a digital file, determining the most robust, strong, dense areas of digital work.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the watermark application records the coordinates of the areas of the watermark.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the watermark application relays the Meta-Data of digital work to remote system and/or stores Meta-Data in its cache.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the remote system comprises at least one database system to store Meta-Data regarding various digital works residing at different points of presence.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote system comprises a web-enabled watermark extraction method.

8. A method of watermarking digital works in real-time and instantaneously comprising:

accessing fingerprint meta-data from database or local cache upon request to watermark; and

watermark digital work based on the fingerprint meta-data before delivery.

9. A real-time watermark analysis method comprising:

reading a file containing digital work;

determining the areas of the file that are the strongest, most powerful and robust;

recording the coordinates of the areas that are strongest, most powerful and robust;

passing this information to remote system which houses such information; and

storing the information collected in cache if digital work is often requested.

10. A real-time watermark insertion method comprising:

receiving watermark to insert;

receiving the fingerprint meta-data of digital work;

searching the file containing digital work for areas indicated by fingerprint meta-data; and

inserting the watermarks in those regions.

11. A real-time watermark extraction method comprising:

receiving a digital file suspected of being an illegal copy;

receiving the fingerprint meta-data for the digital work;

searching for the file containing the original work for areas that are strong and powerful based on fingerprint meta-data;

extracting the watermarks from those regions; and

displaying the extracted watermark or electronically communicating the violation of copyright or lack thereof.

12. A method of enabling real-time search of digital works that bear similar characteristics based on the meta-data of the digital work comprising:

accessing the meta-data of a given digital work;

searching in the meta-data database for digital works that are similar to the characteristics of the given digital work; and

displaying the results of the search or electronically communicating the results of the search.

13. A method of enabling real-time blocking of distribution of digital works suspected to be unauthorized copies comprising:

computing the meta-data of given digital work(s) on the client or a peer in a peer-to-peer network;

receiving a list of digital works that may need to be blocked along with their meta-data;

searching in the meta-data database for digital works that match the characteristics of the given work(s);

generating a list of digital works that should be blocked that match the given digital work; and

displaying and/or electronically communicating to client or peer in peer-to-peer network the list of digital works that should be blocked from further distribution.