Method for increasing the functionality of a media player/recorder device or an application program

• US 8,769,297 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, SHIN HON
• Application Number:
  US10/658,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,949 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/189, 380/9, 380/54, 380/51, 380/52, 380/55
• US Class Current: 713/189
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1418 the inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06253 for a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0034 using watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 : by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 : Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 : Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00007 : Time or data compression or expansion audio compression based on psychoacoustics G10L19/00; data processing for reproducing audio data at different playback speeds G10L21/04; video compression H04N19/00; data compression per se H03M7/30
• 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 20/00144 : involving a user identifier, e.g. a unique customer ID
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00195 : using a device identifier associated with the player or recorder, e.g. serial numbers of playback apparatuses or MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 : embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 : using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/84 : combined with power distribution network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 : which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/50 : characterised by the use of watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 : for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 : using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00005 : relating to image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00037 : Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state H04N1/00031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 : remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 : from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• 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 1/3216 : using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 : Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32219 : involving changing the position of selected pixels, e.g. word shifting, or involving modulating the size of image components, e.g. of characters H04N1/32224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32229 : with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected regions of the image H04N1/32213 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32261 : in binary data H04N1/32256 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32304 : Embedding different sets of additional information
• 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 21/23892 : involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 : sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 : involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 : for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• 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 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 : of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 : of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 : of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3239 : using a plurality of different authentication information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method is provided for utilizing a title signal contained in digital data through a comparison of the title signal to a player signal stored in a player device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving audio or video data, at a player device, via a communications connection, wherein the audio or video data includes a digital watermark that encodes a device ID and a reference to a remote database from which additional data related to the audio or video data can be retrieved;

decoding, at the player device, the watermark to extract the device ID and the reference to the remote database;

determining to restrict playback of the audio or video data based at least on the device ID;

playing back the audio or video data, by the player device, based on the determination; and

retrieving, using the reference to the remote database, the additional data from the remote database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital watermark further encodes a use restriction corresponding to the audio or video data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the digital watermark to an identifier of the player device; and

performing an operation, by the player device, based on the comparison.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the operation comprises at least one of usage-control of the audio or video data or device-control of the player device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the identifier comprises at least one of a serial number or a registered owner.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital watermark further encodes a copy protection payload having a number of bits, and wherein the device ID is a portion of the watermark unused by the payload.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital watermark is included in the audio or video data such that the digital watermark varies throughout at least a portion of the audio or video data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein restricting playback comprises degrading playback of the audio or video data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference to the remote database comprises a unique identifier key corresponding to a record of the remote database.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference to the remote database comprises a URL of the remote database.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding a playback effect to the audio or video data based on a playback parameter for the audio or video data, wherein the watermark further encodes the playback parameter, and wherein the playback effect includes at least one of applying an equalization of the audio data, applying an echo to the audio data, applying a reverb to the audio data, and adjusting a color space of the video data.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive audio or video data, at a player device, via a communications connection, wherein the audio or video data includes a digital watermark that encodes a device ID and a reference to a remote database from which additional data related to the audio or video data can be retrieved;

instructions to decode, at the player device, the watermark to extract the device ID and the reference to the remote database;

instructions to determine whether to restrict playback of the audio or video data based at least on the device ID;

instructions to play back the audio or video data, by the player device, based on the determination; and

instructions to retrieve, using the reference to the remote database, the additional data from the remote database.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the digital watermark further encodes a use restriction corresponding to the audio or video data.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising:

instructions to compare the digital watermark to an identifier of the player device; and

instructions to perform an operation, by the player device, based on the comparison.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operation comprises at least one of usage-control of the audio or video data or device-control of the player device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the identifier comprises a serial number or a registered owner.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the digital watermark further encodes a copy protection payload having a number of bits, and wherein the device ID is a portion of the watermark unused by the payload.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the digital watermark is included in the audio or video data such that the digital watermark varies throughout at least a portion of the audio or video data.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein restricting playback comprises degrading playback of the audio or video data.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a player device configured to;

receive audio or video data, via a communications connection, wherein the audio or video data includes a digital watermark that encodes a device ID and a reference to a remote database from which additional data related to the audio or video data can be retrieved;

decode the watermark to extract the device ID and the reference to the remote database;

determine whether to restrict playback of the audio or video data based at least on the device ID;

play back the audio or video data based on the determination; and

retrieve, using the reference to the remote database, the additional data from the remote database.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the digital watermark further encodes a use restriction corresponding to the audio or video data.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the player device is further configured to:

compare the digital watermark to an identifier of the player device; and

perform an operation, by the player device, based on the comparison.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the operation comprises at least one of usage-control of the audio or video data or device-control of the player device.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the identifier comprises a serial number or a registered owner.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the digital watermark further encodes a copy protection payload having a number of bits, and wherein the device ID is a portion of the watermark unused by the payload.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the digital watermark is included in the audio or video data such that the digital watermark varies throughout at least a portion of the audio or video data.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein restricting playback comprises degrading playback of the audio or video data.