Content identification and management in content distribution networks

• US 8,099,403 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Levy, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleurantin, Jean B
• Application Number:
  US12/750,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20100306257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 707600-831, 709/217, 709/219, 713/167, 713/168, 713/176, 713/179, 382/100, 382/232, 380/287
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• 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: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• 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 21/8405 represented by keywords

Abstract

Peer-to-peer file sharing and uploading of content to content server systems is increasing in popularity on the Internet. Content signals can be edited and combined with other content programming, and or altered in ways that make it difficult to identify using conventional techniques. Content identification based on content fingerprints is used to retrieve related metadata, which in turn, is used to manage use of the content signal in content distribution systems. The content signal is uploaded to a computer within a network of computers in the content distribution system. A content fingerprint of the content signal is computed and sent to a database to look up related metadata. The metadata is received and used to manage use of the content signal in the content distribution system based on the metadata. This can include blocking uploading or rendering of audio or video, controlling streaming of audio or video, linking to a licensing server, which provides usage control rules, etc.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a content signal uploaded to a computer within a network of computers in a content distribution system;

computing a content fingerprint of the content signal, wherein the content fingerprint is derived from the content signal;

sending the content fingerprint to a database to access related metadata;

receiving related metadata from the database; and

managing use of the content signal in the content distribution system based on the related metadata, wherein managing use comprises determining from the metadata whether to permit sharing of the content signal throughout the content distribution system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein managing use comprises determining whether to allow uploading of the content signal to the content distribution system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein managing use comprises linking to a licensing server that provides licensing information or usage control rules for the content signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein managing use comprises searching for and returning a list of files related to the content signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein managing use comprises managing streaming of audio or video to a computer.

6. A tangible computer readable media on which is stored instructions, which if executed by one or more programmed processors, cause the one or more programmed processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving a content signal uploaded to a computer within a network of computers in a content distribution system;

computing a content fingerprint of the content signal, wherein the content fingerprint is derived from the content signal;

sending the content fingerprint to a database to access related metadata;

receiving metadata from the database;

managing use of the content signal in the content distribution system based on the metadata; and

determining from the metadata whether to permit sharing of the content signal throughout the content distribution system.

7. A system comprising:

a processor configured to compute a content fingerprint derived from a content signal; and

a database configured to store content fingerprint data and metadata associated with the content signal;

wherein data and metadata associated with the content signal is retrievable based on a search of content fingerprint data;

wherein the processor is further configured to manage use of the content signal in a content distribution system based on the metadata associated with the content signal retrieved from the database and to determine from the metadata whether to permit sharing of the content signal throughout the content distribution system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether to allow uploading of the content to the content distribution system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to communicate with a licensing server that provides licensing information or usage control rules for the content.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to search for and return a list of files related to the content.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to manage streaming of audio or video to a computer.