Watermarking system for tracking digital content

Abstract

A method is provided for tracking digital content received at a first device. According to the method, a first watermark is embedded in the digital content. The first watermark includes information for identifying a user of the first device and/or information for identifying a licensee of the digital content. The digital content is received from a content provider at the first device. In some embodiments, the first device is an end user device and the embedding is performed by this end user device. In other embodiments, the embedding is performed a source of the digital content, a copyright owner of the digital content, or the content provider.

1 . A computer readable medium encoded with a program for tracking digital content received at a first device, the program comprising instructions for performing the steps of:
 embedding a first watermark in the digital content, the first watermark including at least one of information for identifying a user of the first device and information for identifying a licensee of the digital content; and   receiving from a content provider the digital content at the first device.   
   
   
       2 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 1 , wherein in the receiving step, the digital content received at the first device includes a second watermark for identifying at least one of a source of the digital content, a copyright owner of the digital content, and the content provider. 
   
   
       3 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first watermark includes information for identifying the user of the first device comprising at least one of a user ID, a name of the user, and a transaction ID. 
   
   
       4 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the embedding step includes the sub-steps of:
 receiving watermarking instructions at the first device; and   executing the watermarking instructions on the first device so as to embed the first watermark in the digital content.   
   
   
       5 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the embedding step is performed by one of a source of the digital content, a copyright owner of the digital content, and the content provider. 
   
   
       6 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the program further comprises instructions for performing the step of sending from the first device a request to download the digital content or a purchase request to purchase or license the digital content. 
   
   
       7 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first watermark further includes usage conditions for the digital content. 
   
   
       8 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the program further comprises instructions for performing the step of reading the first watermark each time the digital content is used in order to enforce the usage conditions. 
   
   
       9 . A computer readable medium encoded with a program for tracking digital content received at a first device, the program comprising instructions for performing the steps of:
 causing a first watermark to be embedded in the digital content, the first watermark including at least one of information for identifying a user of the first device and information for identifying a licensee of the digital content; and   sending the digital content from a content provider to the first device.   
   
   
       10 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 9 , wherein in the sending step, the digital content sent to the first device includes a second watermark for identifying at least one of a source of the digital content, a copyright owner of the digital content, and the content provider. 
   
   
       11 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the first watermark includes information for identifying the user of the first device comprising at least one of a user ID, a name of the user, and a transaction ID. 
   
   
       12 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the causing step comprises sending watermarking instructions to the first device for execution by the first device to embed the first watermark in the digital content. 
   
   
       13 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the embedding step is performed by one of a source of the digital content, a copyright owner of the digital content, and the content provider. 
   
   
       14 . A method for tracking digital content received at a first device, said method comprising the steps of:
 embedding a first watermark in the digital content, the first watermark including at least one of information for identifying a user of the first device and information for identifying a licensee of the digital content; and   receiving from a content provider the digital content at the first device.   
   
   
       15 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein in the receiving step, the digital content received at the first device includes a second watermark for identifying at least one of a source of the digital content, a copyright owner of the digital content, and the content provider. 
   
   
       16 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the first watermark includes information for identifying the user of the first device comprising at least one of a user ID, a name of the user, and a transaction ID. 
   
   
       17 . The method as defined in  claim 14 ,
 wherein the first device is an end user device, and   the embedding step is performed by the end user device.   
   
   
       18 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the embedding step is performed by one of a source of the digital content, a copyright owner of the digital content, and the content provider. 
   
   
       19 . An apparatus comprising:
 a watermarker for embedding a first watermark in digital content, the first watermark including at least one of information for identifying a receiver of the digital content and information for identifying a licensee of the digital content; and   a transmitter for one of receiving the digital content from a content provider and sending the digital content to the receiver of the digital content.   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the digital content received by the receiver of the digital content includes a second watermark for identifying at least one of a source of the digital content, a copyright owner of the digital content, and the content provider. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the first watermark includes information for identifying the receiver of the digital content comprising at least one of a user ID, a name of the receiver, and a transaction ID. 
   
   
       22 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 19 ,
 wherein the transmitter receives the digital content from the content provider,   the transmitter also receives watermarking instructions, and   the watermarker executes the watermarking instructions so as to embed the first watermark in the digital content.   
   
   
       23 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 19 ,
 wherein the watermarker embeds the first watermark in the digital content and then the transmitter sends the digital content to the receiver of the digital content.