Kaleidescape, Inc.

Kaleidescope, Inc.

Daniel A Collens

Michael A Malcolm

Stephen Watson

Kevin Hui

Paul James Rechsteiner

A method of embedding information in digital content representing media streams. The method includes (1) selecting a set of locations within that digital content representing the media stream to embed information, (2) selecting a set of possible alterations to make at those locations, and (3) making a subset of the possible alterations. The set of locations and possible alterations is herein sometimes called a 'watermark.' The subset of actual alterations that are made is herein sometimes called a 'fingerprint.' The method determines a set of locations at which there are alternative versions of digital content representing the same media stream, such as one being the original and one being an alternative version of the same digital content, herein sometimes called the &#x201c;original movie&#x201d; and the &#x201c;alt-movie,&#x201d; or herein sometimes called the &#x201c;original block&#x201d; and the &#x201c;alt-block&#x201d; for a particular block in the digital content representing the media stream.

Watermarking and fingerprinting digital content using alternative blocks to embed information

Secure presentation of media streams includes encoding the media streams into digital content, encrypting a portion of that digital content, the portion being required for presentation, in which the encrypted version is substantially unchanged in formatting parameters from the clear version of the digital content. Selecting those portions for encryption so there is no change in distribution of the media stream: packetization of the digital data, or synchronization of audio with video portions of the media stream. When encoding the media stream into MPEG-2, refraining from encrypting information by which the video block data is described, packet formatting information, and encrypting the video block data using a block-substitution cipher. A block-substitution cipher can be used to encrypt each sequence of 16 bytes of video data in each packet, possibly leaving as many as 15 bytes of video data in each packet in the clear.

Secure presentation of media streams in response to encrypted digital content

Distributing information, including the steps of watermarking the digital content, distributing the digital content using a multi-source system, and partially fingerprinting digital content at each stage of moving information from a point of origin to the viewer. 'Adaptation' of the digital content to the recipient includes maintaining the digital content in encrypted form at each such intermediate device, including decrypting the digital content with a key unique to both the device and the specific movie, selecting a portion of the watermark locations into which to embed information, embedding fingerprinting information into those locations sufficient to identify the recipient, and encrypting the fingerprinted digital content with a new such key.

Parallel distribution and fingerprinting of digital content

A method of embedding information in digital content representing media streams. The method includes (1) selecting a set of locations within that digital content reprensenting the media stream to embed information, (2) selecting a set of possible alterations to make at those locations, and (3) making a subset of the possible alterations. The set of locations and possible alterations is herein sometimes called a 'watermark.' The subset of actual alterations that are made is herein sometimes called a 'fingerprint.' The method determines a set of locations at which there are alternative versions of digital content representing the same media stream, such as one being the original and one being an alternative version of the same digital content, herein sometimes called the &#x201c;original movie&#x201d; and the &#x201c;alt-movie,&#x201d; or herein sometimes called the &#x201c;original block&#x201d; and the &#x201c;alt-block&#x201d; for a particular block in the digital content representing the media stream.

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Waterloo, Canada

Daniel A Collens