METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING WATERMARK TO SUBSCRIBERS

• US 20090204726A1
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perftech Inc. (Perftech Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Perftech Inc. (Perftech Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Donzis, Lewis T., Baron, Peter W., Donzis, Henry M., Murphy, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00217 only involving computer data transmission protocols, e.g. SMTP, WAP or HTTP communication protocol aspects and techniques in packet data networks H04L69/00; network-specific arrangements or communication protocols supporting networked applications H04L67/00
• 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 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00464 using browsers, i.e. interfaces based on mark-up languages
• 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 1/32352 Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink

Abstract

A method for providing watermark to subscribers is provided. The method comprises observing a request for a first content from a subscriber, determining if the subscriber can receive a watermark, generating a second content comprising the watermark if the subscriber can receive a watermark, causing the subscriber to fetch the first content, and causing the subscriber to fetch the second content comprising the watermark overlaying the first content.

Claims

1. A method for providing watermark to subscribers comprising:

observing a request for a first content from a subscriber;

determining if the subscriber can receive a watermark;

generating a second content comprising the watermark if the subscriber can receive a watermark;

causing the subscriber to fetch the first content; and

causing the subscriber to fetch the second content comprising the watermark overlaying the first content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first content is a Webpage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the subscriber can receive the watermark comprises:

determining if the subscriber can receive the watermark based on a policy associated with the subscriber.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the policy is associated to an Internet protocol address of the subscriber.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the subscriber can receive a watermark comprises:

determining if a redirection of the first content can be issued to a Web browser of the subscriber.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the subscriber to fetch the second content comprising the watermark overlaying the first content comprises:

issuing at least one instruction to the Web browser for fetching the second content comprising the watermark.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a second content comprising the watermark comprises:

adding the watermark to the first content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a second content comprising the watermark comprises:

providing the watermark in a first frame;

providing instructions to fetch the first frame comprising the watermark; and

overlaying the watermark over the first content to form the second content.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein adding the watermark to the first content comprises:

merging the watermark into a same frame as the first content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the watermark is transparent and wherein the first content is displayed through the watermark in the second content.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the watermark comprises a hyperlink redirecting the subscriber to a third content upon the subscriber clicking on the hyperlink.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the watermark is positioned at a portion of the second content, wherein the portion is one of a top, bottom, left, right, and center portion.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the watermark remains in a same position between the first content and the second content.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first content becomes active in the second content upon the subscriber clicking on the watermark.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the watermark comprises a hyperlink taking precedent over another hyperlink in the first content.

16. A method for providing watermark to subscribers comprising:

receiving a request for a first content from a subscriber;

connecting to a destination server comprising the first content;

retrieving the first content from the destination server;

adding a watermark to the first content to form a second content; and

sending the second content to the subscriber.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first content is a Webpage and the second content is a watermarked Webpage comprising a watermark and the Webpage.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein adding a watermark to the first content to form a second content comprises:

building the watermarked Webpage comprising the watermark and the Webpage; and

substituting the Webpage with the watermarked Webpage.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein building the watermarked Webpage comprising the watermark and the Webpage comprises:

overlaying a first frame comprising the watermark over a second frame comprising the Webpage.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein connecting to a destination server comprising the first content comprises:

connecting to the destination server via an Internet protocol.

21. A system for providing watermark to subscribers comprising:

a data processing system utilized by a subscriber of Internet service, the data processing system comprises a Web browser for initiating a request for a first content;

a destination server communicably coupled to Internet service provider via Internet, the destination server comprises the first content; and

an Internet service provider comprising a consolidating and management device, a router, and a redirecting device, the Internet service provider communicably coupled to the data processing system and the destination server.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the router is operable to observe a request for a first content from a subscriber, and wherein the redirecting device is operable to determine if the subscriber can receive a watermark, generate a second content comprising the watermark if the subscriber can receive a watermark, cause the subscriber to fetch the first content and cause the subscriber to fetch the second content comprising the watermark overlaying the first content to the data processing system via the router.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

an addressing database communicably coupled to the consolidating and management device, the addressing database comprises information about the subscriber and at least one policy associated to an Internet protocol address of the subscriber.

24. A system for providing watermark to subscribers comprising:

a data processing system utilized by a subscriber of Internet service, the data processing system comprises a Web browser for initiating a request for a Webpage;

a destination server communicably coupled to Internet service provider via Internet, the destination server comprises the Webpage; and

a proxy server communicably coupled to the data processing system and the destination server, the proxy server comprising a composite Webpage comprising a watermark and the Webpage.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the proxy server is operable to receive a request for a first content from the data processing system, connect to the destination server comprising the first content, retrieve the first content from the destination server, add a watermark to the first content to form a second content, and send the second content to the data processing system.