Remote Watermarking Encrypted Video Bitstreams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for protecting media programs from unauthorized copying lack effective means to identify and prosecute illegal copies made using customer equipment like DVRs and STBs, especially when these devices are used for remote transmission and storage, and they are not compatible with existing encryption schemes.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for watermarking media programs that allows the remote receiver's identity to be determined by generating alternate versions of the media program, which are visually and aurally indistinguishable, and substituting these versions in a pattern traceable to the receiver, while maintaining compatibility with encryption schemes used for media protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If digital watermarking is applied to media programs before distribution, then copyright protection is improved, but the ability to identify specific customer equipment (DVRs, STBs) that make illegal copies cannot be determined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the watermarking process into two distinct phases: pre-distribution watermarking at the headend and post-reception watermarking at the customer premises. The headend embeds a first watermark in the incoming signal, then generates and transmits alternate versions with different watermarks. The customer equipment selectively substitutes these alternate versions, creating a composite signal containing multiple watermarks. This segmentation allows both copyright protection and receiver identification to be achieved through separate watermark layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to watermarking by transmitting multiple alternate versions of the media program over time, each containing a different watermark. The customer equipment selectively substitutes these versions based on a pattern that encodes the receiver's identity. This transforms the watermarking system from a static single-watermark approach to a dynamic multi-watermark system where the watermark information evolves over time and carries additional identification data.
2Productivity
If media programs are transmitted remotely to increase theatrical release viewership, then revenue is improved, but copyright protection against unauthorized copying deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary watermarking at the headend before the signal is transmitted to customer premises. The headend embeds a first copyright protection watermark in the incoming media program signal, and then generates multiple alternate versions with different watermarks before transmission. This preliminary action ensures that copyright protection is established before the signal reaches customer equipment, preventing unauthorized copying even as the signal is distributed remotely for increased viewership.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a feedback mechanism where watermarks embedded in the transmitted signal are used to trace and identify the specific receiver that creates unauthorized copies. The system transmits watermarked signals to multiple receivers, and if piracy occurs, the watermark information provides feedback that identifies the source receiver, enabling targeted enforcement and continued protection of revenue streams.
3Reliability
If encryption schemes are applied to protect media programs on DVRs and STBs, then copyright protection is improved, but the ability to embed and detect watermark information deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges watermarking and encryption functions into a unified system. The headend embeds watermarks in the media program signal, then encrypts the signal for transmission to customer equipment. The customer equipment decrypts the signal, selectively substitutes alternate versions containing different watermarks, and re-encrypts the composite signal for storage or further transmission. This merging ensures that watermark information is preserved throughout the encryption/decryption process while maintaining strong copyright protection.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus for remote watermarking of a media program is disclosed. The method inserts a pattern of substituted second versions of media program portions that are invisible to the viewer, into reproduced copies of the media program. The method permits the watermarking of encrypted media programs.