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US 7,607,017 B2Granted
Embedding data in material
AssigneeSony United Kingdom Limited
InventorsJason Charles Pelly, Stephen Mark Keating
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of transferring information signals representing still images, video audio and/or other data comprises sending, the information signals to a recipient apparatus or “viewer” 10 from a server 2 via a network 12. Data indicative of whether or not further data is to be embedded in the information signals is also sent either with the signals or separately. The further data is embedded in the information signals at the viewer 10 in dependence upon the indicative data. The further data is perceptible in the information signals as to degrade them.
Claims49
A method, comprising:
- sending from a source apparatus to a recipient apparatus information signals and data indicative of whether or not further data is to be embedded in the information signals at the recipient apparatus,
- storing the information signals without the further data embedded therein at the recipient apparatus,
- embedding the further data in the information signals at the recipient apparatus in dependence upon the indicative data;
- wherein the further data, when embedded in the information signals, is perceptible,
- determining, by the source apparatus, whether a user of the recipient apparatus complies with at least one predetermined rule governing access to the information signals,
- resending, when it is determined that the user has complied with the at least one predetermined rule, the indicative data from the source apparatus without resending the information signals, the resent indicative data indicating that the further data is not to be embedded in the information signals at the recipient apparatus,
- setting the indicative data to allow the user the access to the information signals without the embedded further data if the user complies with the at least one predetermined rule, and
- making the stored information signals available to the user without the further data embedded therein.
5 more elements
A system for providing information signals, the system comprising:
- one or more servers;
- and
- one or more client(s) linked to the server(s) by a data transmission network,
- the server(s) being configured to:
- apply digital rights management to the information signals to protect the information signals against unauthorised access thereto and to allow access thereto at the client(s) according to digital rights defined by the digital rights management,
- send to the client(s) indicative data indicating whether or not further data is to be embedded in the information signals at the client(s),
- determine whether a user of the client(s) complies with at least one predetermined rule governing access to the information signals,
- resend, when it is determined that the user has complied with the at least one predetermined rule, the indicative data without resending the information signals from the one or more servers, the resent indicative data indicating that the further data is not to be embedded in the information signals at the client(s), and
- set the indicative data to allow the user the governed access to information signals stored at the client(s) without the embedded further data if the user complies with the at least one predetermined rule;
- and the client(s) being configured to:
- store the information signals without the further data embedded therein,
- dependent on the indicative signal, embed the further data in the information signals before providing the information signals to the user(s), and
- allow the access to the information signals according to the digital rights,
- wherein the further data, when embedded in the information signals, is perceptible.
11 more elements
An apparatus for processing information signals protected by digital rights management techniques, the apparatus comprising:
- a digital rights management module configured to receive the information signals and data indicative of whether or not further data is to be embedded in the information signals at the apparatus, and to conditionally release the information signals from a memory of the apparatus to a user, the conditional release being without embedding the further data if the user complies with at least one predetermined rule;
- and
- an embedder configured to embed the further data in the information signals before the conditional release to the user dependent on the indicative data, the indicative data being re-received by the apparatus without a re-reception of the information signals, when it is determined that the user has complied with the at least one predetermined rule, the re-received indicative data indicating that the further data is not to be embedded in the information signals at the apparatus, wherein the embedder is configured to embed the further data, which is perceptible to the user, in the information signals.
An apparatus for sending information signals to a corresponding receiver, the apparatus comprising:
- a module configured to apply digital rights management techniques to the information signals to protect the signals from unauthorised access thereto and to provide a recipient user conditional access to the information signals at the corresponding receiver;
- a data producer configured to produce indicative data indicating whether or not further, perceptible, data is to be embedded in the information signals at the corresponding receiver, the apparatus being configured to send, to the corresponding receiver, the indicative data and data defining a configuration of the further, perceptible, data to be embedded in the information signals, and
- a determining unit configured to determine whether the recipient user complies with at least one predetermined rule governing the conditional access to the information signals and to resend the indicative data without sending the information signals, to provide the recipient user the conditional access to the information signals without the embedded further, perceptible, data if the recipient user complies with the at least one rule.
A method implemented with an embedding apparatus, the method comprising:
- receiving information signals and data indicative of whether further data is to be embedded in the information signals at the embedding apparatus;
- re-receiving the indicative data at the embedding apparatus without a re-reception of the information signals, when a user has complied with at least one predetermined rule, the re-received indicative data indicating that the further data is not to be embedded in the information signals;
- conditionally releasing the information signals from a memory to the user, the information signals being released without the further data embedded when the user complies with the at least one predetermined rule;
- and
- embedding, with the embedding apparatus, the further data in the information signals before the conditional release, dependent on the indicative data, the further data being perceptible to the user when the further data is embedded in the information signals.
2 more elements
A method implemented by a rights management apparatus, comprising:
- applying, with the rights management apparatus, digital rights management techniques to information signals to protect the information signals from unauthorised access thereto and to provide a recipient user conditional access to the information signals;
- producing, using the rights management apparatus, indicative data indicating whether further, perceptible, data is to be embedded in the information signals;
- sending the indicative data and data defining a configuration of the further, perceptible, data;
- determining, at the rights management apparatus, whether the recipient user complies with at least one predetermined rule governing the conditional access to the information signals;
- and
- resending, using the rights management apparatus, the indicative data without sending the information signals, to provide the recipient user the conditional access to the information signals without the further, perceptible, data being embedded in the information signals, when the recipient user complies with the at least one rule.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.