Web Server Media File Segmentation for Browser-Only Playback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to effectively protect media files from unauthorized playback and downloading, allowing users to freely view and distribute copyrighted content without compensation to the copyright owners.
Innovation Solution
A web server system that modifies media files to prevent normal playback and includes scripts to facilitate rendering in web browsers, using methods such as file corruption, file splitting, and content position scrambling, ensuring the media files are only playable within a web browser and not downloadable in a usable form.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If media files are made playable in standard web browsers, then accessibility and ease of operation improve, but unauthorized playback and downloading become possible
Solution Approach 1:
The media file is divided into multiple segments that are streamed sequentially. Each segment is a separate playable unit, but the complete media content cannot be obtained through a single download action, preventing unauthorized full playback while maintaining browser-based accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
A server-side script acts as an intermediary between the user and the media content. The script controls the delivery of media segments, enforcing playback restrictions and preventing direct downloading of complete media files while allowing legitimate browser-based viewing.
2Ease of operation
If complete media files are made downloadable, then ease of operation improves, but copyright protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The media file is divided into multiple segments that are streamed sequentially. Each segment is a separate playable unit, but the complete media content cannot be obtained through a single download action, preventing unauthorized full playback while maintaining browser-based accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The media delivery system dynamically serves content based on playback progress. The system adapts the delivery mechanism to provide segments in real-time during legitimate playback while preventing complete file downloads, balancing user convenience with copyright protection.
3Reliability
If media files are modified to prevent normal playback, then copyright protection improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The media file is divided into multiple segments that are streamed sequentially. Each segment is a separate playable unit, but the complete media content cannot be obtained through a single download action, preventing unauthorized full playback while maintaining browser-based accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The media delivery system modifies delivery parameters rather than fundamentally altering the media format. By changing how content is segmented and delivered through standard web protocols, the system achieves protection without requiring complex proprietary playback infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
Program code in a Web page hosted by a server and/or in server side code executed by the server is specially configured so that a modified media file whose source is embedded in the Web page and which is streamed by the server is properly playable only in browsers of media devices accessing the Web page. Thus, if a copy of the modified media file is downloaded to the media device or otherwise procured, the user of the media device is unable to properly play the downloaded copy by using a conventional media player. Further, if the downloaded copy is shared on a file sharing network, users of the file sharing network that download copies from the media device are also unable to properly play their downloaded copies by using conventional media players.