Method and devices for video processing rights enforcement

• US 20090013189A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Lefebvre, Frederic, Morvan, Michel, Durand, Alain
• Granted Patent: US 8,453,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/40 in video content extracting overlay text G06V20/62; video retrieval G06F16/70; processing of video elementary streams in video servers H04N21/234; processing of video elementary streams in video clients H04N21/44
• 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 20/00166 involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier, e.g. music or software
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0055 wherein license data is encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91328 the copy protection signal being a copy management signal, e.g. a copy generation management signal [CGMS]
• 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 21/4627 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 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• 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 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

A system for protection against unauthorized modifications of digital content, in particular image content, in which a content processing system retrieves content, a fingerprint for the content and at least one modification limit expressing authorized modifications to the content. The content may then be modified, but before saving or exportation is allowed, a second fingerprint is calculated, and the difference between the fingerprints is compared with the at least one modification limit. If the difference is within the allowed bounds, then saving or exportation is allowed; if not, it is prevented. Also provided are a method and a content consumer device performing essentially the same steps before allowing rendering of the content.

Claims

1. A method for detecting modifications to digital content, the method comprising at a device the steps of:

receiving the digital content,

receiving a first fingerprint calculated for the digital content,

receiving at least one limit value for the digital content; and

calculating a modification value expressing modifications made to the digital content, the value being based on a present version of the digital content and the first fingerprint;

comparing the modification value with the at least one limit value to detect if any modifications to the digital content is within the limits set by the at least one limit value.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of modifying the digital content to produce modified content, wherein, in the calculating step, the present version of the digital content is the modified content.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of exporting the digital content only if it is detected that any modifications to the digital content is within the limits set by the at least one limit value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modification value is calculated based on a second fingerprint calculated for the present content and the first fingerprint.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the calculation uses a function chosen from the group of:

L1 norm, L2 norm, and inter-correlation.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital content comprises at least one image.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the digital content comprises video content.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of erasing the digital content if it is detected that any modifications to the digital content is without the limits set by the at least one limit value (MP).

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein exporting the digital content comprises an action chosen from the group of:

sending the digital content, saving the digital content, and rendering the digital content.

10. A device for detecting modifications to digital content, the device comprising:

at least one input interface adapted to receive;

the digital content,

a first fingerprint calculated for the digital content, and

at least one limit value for the digital content; and

a processor adapted to;

calculate a modification value expressing modifications made to the digital content, the value being based on a present version of the content and the first fingerprint; and

compare the modification value with the at least one limit value to detect if any modifications to the digital content is within the limits set by the at least one limit value.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising at least one output interface adapted to export the digital content, and wherein the processor is adapted to export the digital content via the at least one output interface only after detecting that any modifications to the digital content is within the limits set by the at least one limit value.

12. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processor is adapted to calculate the modification value based on the first fingerprint and a second fingerprint calculated on the present digital content.

13. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one input interface comprises a reader for a portable security module.

14. A device for sending digital content, comprising:

a processor adapted to calculate a fingerprint for the digital content, and at least one limit value expressing the limit of allowed modifications to the digital content; and

at least one interface adapted to output the digital content, the fingerprint for the digital content, and the at least one limit value.