Private Token Watermarking for Anonymous Content Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital content distribution systems face challenges in preventing unauthorized distribution while maintaining user privacy, as centralized identifier systems can compromise anonymity and are vulnerable to data leakage and unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
The use of private tokens generated on playback devices, embedded in digital content, allows for anonymous tracking and remediation of unauthorized distribution, enabling enforcement actions without revealing device identities, using a decentralized approach that includes a remediation server broadcasting enforcement messages to devices that match the token.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If centralized identifier systems are used to track digital content distribution, then piracy tracing capability is improved, but user privacy and data security are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the identifier system into decentralized private tokens generated and stored locally on individual playback devices. Each device has its own private token that is not shared with any central authority, eliminating the single point of failure and privacy vulnerability inherent in centralized systems while maintaining the ability to trace piracy through the distributed token network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces watermarks as an intermediary mechanism that carries private token information through the content distribution chain. Instead of directly exposing device identifiers, the system embeds watermarks containing token data within the digital content itself, allowing traceability without direct identification of the source device.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If device identifiers are embedded in digital content for tracking, then unauthorized distribution detection is improved, but security vulnerability to unauthorized access increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary embedding of watermarks containing private token information into digital content before distribution. This preliminary action ensures that traceability data is already in place within the content, enabling detection of unauthorized distribution without requiring additional security infrastructure or exposing sensitive device identifiers during the tracking process.
3Reliability
If centralized databases store device identifier mappings, then piracy enforcement capability is improved, but system security and privacy protection are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the centralized database architecture by segmenting identifier storage across multiple independent playback devices. Each device independently stores its own private token without relying on a central repository, thereby removing the security vulnerability of centralized data storage while maintaining enforcement capability through distributed verification of watermarked content.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for preserving privacy in distribution of content using private tokens in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of anonymously tracking a digital content and remediating unauthorized distribution includes generating a private token including an identifier distinguishable from tokens generated by other playback devices and the association with the playback device is not shared, receiving a portion of content, embedding a digital watermark in the content, where the digital watermark includes the private token, detecting an unauthorized copy of the content, extracting the digital watermark from the unauthorized copy of the content, broadcasting an enforcement message containing the private token to the playback devices, receiving the enforcement message, and performing an enforcement action on the playback device in response, where only a playback device that generated the private token responds.