Digital media methods

• US 8,160,968 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Agwumezie, Charles C
• Application Number:
  US12/143,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20080319859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 705/75, 705/77, 725/22, 725/52, 325/380
• US Class Current: 705/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1063 Personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1078 Logging; Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0248 Avoiding fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

Many digital media methods are detailed. In one, consumers are provided incentives for viewing commercials. In another, charges for entertainment content are assessed based on the percentage actually rendered to a consumer. Signature data can be derived from the advertisements and entertainment content to implement such methods. A variety of other features and arrangements are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

rendering visual information at a content receiving device;

decoding, using a processor, a digital watermark from the rendered visual information on a periodic basis, wherein the digital watermark is generally imperceptible to a human viewer of the visual information;

collecting, using a processor, a series of decoded digital watermarks from the rendered visual information; and

determining, using a processor a length of rendered visual information based on the series of decoded digital watermarks.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the visual information is entirely rendered; and

printing a receipt if the visual information is entirely rendered.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assessing a charge based upon the length of rendered visual information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the receipt is a coupon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual information is 2D visual information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each digital watermark in the series of digital watermarks comprises a frame number or a time stamp.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a last digital watermark in the series of digital watermarks comprises a length of visual information.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein a last digital watermark in the series of digital watermarks comprises a length of visual information, wherein determining if the visual information is entirely rendered comprises:

calculating a rendering time based in part upon a length of the periodic basis and the number of digital watermarks in the series of digital watermarks; and

comparing the calculated rendering time with the length of visual information in the last digital watermark.

9. A content receiving device comprising:

a processor programmed to;

process visual information;

decode a digital watermark from the rendered visual information on a periodic basis, wherein the digital watermark is generally imperceptible to a human viewer of the visual information;

collect a series of decoded digital watermarks from the rendered visual information;

determine a length of processed visual information based on the series of decoded digital watermarks;

determine if the visual information is entirely processed; and

send a receipt to a printer if the visual information is entirely processed.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the receipt is a coupon.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein each digital watermark in the series of digital watermarks comprises a frame number or a time stamp.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein a last digital watermark in the series of digital watermarks comprises a length of visual information.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein a last digital watermark in the series of digital watermarks comprises a length of visual information, wherein to determine if the visual information is entirely processed the processor is further configured to:

calculate a processed time based in part upon a length of the periodic basis and the number of digital watermarks in the series of digital watermarks; and

compare the calculated processed time with the length of visual information in the last digital watermark.

18. The content receiving device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to assess a charge based upon the length of rendered visual information.

14. An article of manufacture including a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

rendering visual information;

decoding a digital watermark from the rendered visual information on a periodic basis, wherein the digital watermark is generally imperceptible to a human viewer of the visual information;

collecting a series of decoded digital watermarks from the rendered visual information;

determining a length of rendered visual information based on the series of decoded digital watermarks;

determining if the visual information is entirely rendered; and

providing a receipt to a printer if the visual information is entirely rendered.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the receipt is a coupon.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein each digital watermark in the series of digital watermarks comprises a frame number or a time stamp.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein a last digital watermark in the series of digital watermarks comprises a length of visual information, wherein determining if the visual information is entirely rendered comprises:

calculating a rendering time based in part upon a length of the periodic basis and the number of digital watermarks in the series of digital watermarks; and

comparing the calculated rendering time with the length of visual information in the last digital watermark.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the operations comprise assessing a charge based upon the length of rendered visual information.