Digital Content Usage Tracking via Provable Data Possession
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In the superdistribution model, tracking digital content usage across a wide range of users is challenging due to the lack of pre-established relationships between content providers and users, with existing methods being inaccurate, format-dependent, and vulnerable to false reporting, especially since users may transfer and play content across multiple devices without explicit interaction with the provider.
Innovation Solution
A novel content usage tracking scheme utilizing Provable Data Possession (PDP) to generate format-independent content identifiers, allowing client-side tracking programs to report usage information to the provider while verifying the authenticity of the data, thereby providing fine-grained and accurate tracking with minimal burden on the provider side and preventing malicious reporting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional content delivery methods are used, then content distribution is controlled and tracked, but the distribution range and speed are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the content into multiple format versions (encoded formats) and distributes them through different channels. Each segment can be independently tracked, allowing the system to maintain tracking accuracy even as content spreads rapidly through superdistribution networks. The segmentation enables parallel distribution paths that increase speed while preserving monitoring capabilities.
2Productivity
If superdistribution is implemented to enable wide and fast distribution, then distribution efficiency improves, but usage tracking becomes inaccurate and vulnerable to false reporting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where usage information is continuously collected from distributed content and reported back to the provider system. This feedback loop includes verification protocols that check the authenticity of usage reports, preventing false reporting while maintaining the efficiency of superdistribution. The system adjusts tracking based on feedback from multiple sources to improve precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary components (such as tracking agents or verification servers) that mediate between the distributed content and the provider system. These intermediaries verify usage information before it reaches the provider, preventing false reporting while allowing rapid distribution to continue uninterrupted.
3Adaptability or versatility
If format-dependent tracking methods are used, then tracking can be implemented with existing tools, but the tracking system cannot handle multiple content formats universally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal tracking mechanism that works across multiple content formats through encoded representations. Instead of creating separate tracking systems for each format, the invention uses a unified approach that can handle various formats (video, audio, text, etc.) through a common encoding scheme, reducing overall system complexity while increasing adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the tracking parameter from format-specific characteristics to format-independent features (such as embedded identifiers or cryptographic hashes). This parameter transformation allows the same tracking system to handle diverse content formats without increasing complexity, as the tracking mechanism operates on universal properties rather than format-specific ones.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for tracking the usage of digital content is provided. The method includes tracking the usage of at least one digital content by having a provider computer system prepare the content in an encoded format and allowing the provider computer system to distribute the content to a user computer system. The user computer system is made to generate at least one usage tracking message in response to the usage of the content by the user computer system in a uniform, fine-grained and format independent way. The user computer system is enabled to report the usage tracking message to the provider computer system. The provider computer system verifies the usage tracking message.