Film fingerprinting
AssigneeThomson Licensing
InventorsMark Alan Schultz, Roy Osawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A technique for film marking includes coding a print identifier into a binary-coded serial number; identifying particular frames (bit frames) that will be used to convey the bits (binary digits) of the binary-coded serial number and marking these bit frames in accordance with the particular bit values of the binary-coded serial number. The presence of a predefined mark on a bit frame is representative of a binary digit having a value of one, while the absence of the predefined mark on a bit frame is representative of a binary digit having a value of zero.
Claims13
A method for marking a copy of a movie, the method comprising:
- associating a binary-coded serial number with the copy;
- selecting frames of the copy for designation as bit frames;
- and,
- marking the bit frames of the copy in accordance with the binary-coded serial number;
- wherein the binary-coded serial number comprises a number of binary digits, the value of each of which is conveyed by a respective one of the bit frames.
A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing a movie, the movie comprising:
- a first number of frames, where each frame represents portions of the movie;
- and
- a second number of frames, where each frame represents portions of the movie and wherein the second number of frames represents a binary-coded serial number for use in identifying this copy of the movie;
- wherein the binary-coded serial number comprises a number of binary digits, the value of each of which is conveyed by a respective one of the second number of frames;
- wherein the binary digits of the second number of frames are marked for computer controlled reading;
- and,
- wherein one of the second number of frames represents a particular value of a binary digit when a predefined marking pattern is present on the frame and wherein one of the second number of frames represents the other value of the binary digit when a predefined marking pattern is not present on the frame.
Apparatus for use in marking a copy of a movie, the apparatus comprising:
- means for coding a print identifier into a binary-coded serial number;
- and
- means for marking frames of the copy in accordance with the binary-coded serial number;
- wherein the binary-coded serial number comprises a number of binary digits;
- and
- wherein the means for marking marks a corresponding number of bit frames such that each bit of the binary-coded serial number is represented on a respective bit frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.