Analysis of copy protected content and user streams

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processing system including at least one processor, cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:

• obtaining a first stream of audio and video data from a first user device, wherein the first stream of audio and video data comprises a lower-resolution version of a second stream of audio and video data that is transmitted over a content distribution network from a server operated by a media service provider to the first user device for consumption by a user of the first user device, and wherein the second stream of audio and video data is encrypted using a high-bandwidth digital content protection protocol;
• performing an analysis technique on the first stream of audio and video data in order to extract audio and video artifacts from which content of the first stream of audio and video data is inferred;
• deriving a signature marker from the audio and video artifacts;
• and
• sending the signature marker to the first user device,
• wherein the processing system is part of a network service provider device, different from the first user device and from the server operated by the media service provider, and wherein the network service provider device lacks authorization to receive the second stream of audio and video data.

An apparatus comprising:

• a processing system including at least one processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
• obtaining a first stream of audio and video data from a first user device, wherein the first stream of audio and video data comprises a lower-resolution version of a second stream of audio and video data that is transmitted over a content distribution network from a server operated by a media service provider to the first user device for consumption by a user of the first user device, and wherein the second stream of audio and video data is encrypted using a high-bandwidth digital content protection protocol;
• performing an analysis technique on the first stream of audio and video data in order to extract audio and video artifacts which from which content of the first stream of audio and video data is inferred;
• deriving a signature marker from the audio and video artifacts;
• and sending the signature marker to the first user device,
• wherein the processing system is part of a network service provider device, different from the first user device and from the server operated by the media service provider, and wherein the network service provider device lacks authorization to receive the second stream of audio and video data.