Method, Apparatus, and System for Managing, Reviewing, Comparing and Detecting Data on a Wide Area Network

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a data management system, apparatus and process for uniquely identifying and protecting data. In preferred embodiments, the data management system comprises a data management server, a key generator, a source print generator and a source print detector. In some preferred embodiments, the data management system further comprises a data embedding system. Keys are created by the data management system for application to source files to create a fingerprint for the source file. The fingerprint is compared to unknown files to identify uses of the source file.

1 . A method for managing data, comprising:
 receiving a source file from a file owner for registration, the source file being received with preselected file information including ownership and file attribute information and having a sequence of source video frames each comprising a pixel matrix of source pixel elements, each of the source pixel elements being associated with a pixel color value;   providing a data key for the source video frames of the source file, said data key having a plurality of key elements each defining a pixel submatrix within the pixel matrix;   applying said data key to the source file to extract a plurality of source frame submatrices from a selected source video frame, each of said source frame submatrices comprising the source pixel elements in the selected source video frame that correspond with the pixel submatrix of a relevant key element;   determining an average source pixel color value for each of said source frame submatrices of the selected source video frame, said average source pixel color value comprising an average value of the pixel color values of the source pixel elements included in a relevant frame submatrix;   forming a data block that includes the file attribute information, encrypting said data block via an owner encryption key to form an encrypted data block, and embedding said encrypted data block into the source file to form a branded source file for distribution; and   storing the preselected file information, said average source pixel color values for the selected frame, and said data block in association with the source file,   wherein said receiving, said providing, said applying, said determining, said forming, and said storing each are performed via a processor-based data management system, and   wherein said owner encryption key permits the file owner to generate a user decryption key to enable an authorized file user to decrypt and view the file attribute information in the branded source file.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said receiving the source file includes receiving the source file with the source pixel elements being associated with a plurality of pixel color values;   wherein said determining said average source pixel color value comprises determining said average source pixel color value for each of the pixel color values; and   wherein said storing said average source pixel color values for the selected frame comprises storing said average source pixel color value for each of the pixel color values.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said receiving the source file includes receiving the source file with the source pixel elements comprising red-green-blue (RGB) pixel values. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said providing said data key includes defining a predetermined length and predetermined width for the pixel submatrix for each of the key elements. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said defining a predetermined length for the pixel submatrix comprises defining a uniform length for at least two of the pixel submatrices. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said defining a predetermined width for the pixel submatrix comprises defining a uniform width for at least two of the pixel submatrices. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a second data key for the source video frames of the source file, said second data key having a plurality of second key elements each defining a pixel submatrix within the pixel matrix,
 wherein said applying said data key to the source file includes said applying said second data key to the source file to extract a plurality of second source frame submatrices from the selected source video frame, said determining said average source pixel color value includes determining an average source pixel color value for each of said second source frame submatrices of the selected source video frame, and said storing said average source pixel color values for the selected frame includes storing said average source pixel color values for said second source frame submatrices of the selected source video frame.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising removing said data key for the source video frames of the source file. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said applying said data key to the source file includes extracting the plurality of source frame submatrices from an index video frame from the source file. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said applying said data key to the source file comprises extracting the plurality of source frame submatrices from each of a plurality of the source video frames;   wherein said determining said average source pixel color value comprises determining said average source pixel color value for each of the plurality of the source video frames; and   wherein said storing said average source pixel color values comprises storing said average source pixel color values for each of the plurality of the source video frames.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said forming said data block includes forming said data block that includes the ownership and file attribute information. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a potential file user can view the ownership information in the branded source file. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said encrypting said data block includes encrypting the ownership information, and wherein the authorized file user can decrypt and view the ownership information in the branded source file. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said receiving the source file comprises receiving intellectual property rights information with the preselected file information;   wherein said forming said data block comprises including the intellectual property rights information in said data block; and   wherein a potential file user can view the intellectual property rights information in the branded source file.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving the intellectual property rights information includes receiving the intellectual property rights information selected from a group consisting of patent information, copyright information, trademark information, licensing agreement information, and mandatory compliance information. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a target file, the target file having a sequence of target video frames each comprising a pixel matrix of target pixel elements, each of the target pixel elements being associated with a pixel color value;   applying said data key to the target file to extract a plurality of target frame submatrices from a selected target video frame, each of said target frame submatrices comprising the target pixel elements in the selected target video frame that correspond with the pixel submatrix of a relevant key element;   determining an average target pixel color value for each of said target frame submatrices of the selected target video frame, said average target pixel color value comprising an average value of the pixel color values of the target pixel elements included in a relevant frame submatrix;   comparing each of said average target pixel color value of the target file with a corresponding average source pixel color value of the source file to determine a correlation level between the target file and the source file;   comparing said correlation level with a predetermined correlation threshold; and   retrieving the ownership information to notify the file owner if said correlation level exceeds the predetermined correlation threshold,   wherein said receiving the target file, said applying said data key to the target file, said determining said average target pixel color value, said comparing each of said average target pixel color value of the target file with said corresponding average source pixel color value of the source file, said comparing said correlation level with the predetermined correlation threshold, and said retrieving the ownership information each are performed via the processor-based data management system.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said receiving the source file comprises receiving the predetermined correlation threshold with the preselected file information. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said receiving the target file includes searching an external computer system for copies of the source file and downloading a file from the external computer system, the downloaded file potentially comprising a copy of the source file and being downloaded as the target file. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said searching the external computer system includes searching a website provided by the external computer system via the Internet. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said searching the external computer system includes initiating the search for copies of the source file by providing a seed and continuing the search by following hypertext links identified during the search. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16 ,
 wherein said receiving the source file includes receiving the source file with the source pixel elements being associated with a plurality of pixel color values, said determining said average source pixel color value comprises determining said average source pixel color value for each of the pixel color values, and said storing said average source pixel color values for the selected frame comprises storing said average source pixel color value for each of the pixel color values; and   wherein said receiving the target file includes receiving the target file with the target pixel elements being associated with the plurality of pixel color values and said determining said average target pixel color value comprises determining said average source pixel color value for each of the pixel color values.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said receiving the source file and said receiving the target file each include receiving red-green-blue (RGB) pixel values as the plurality of pixel color values. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said applying said data key to the target file includes retrieving said data key from storage. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said comparing each of said average target pixel color value of the target file with said corresponding average source pixel color value of the source file includes retrieving said corresponding average source pixel color value from storage. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said comparing said correlation level with the predetermined correlation threshold includes retrieving the predetermined correlation threshold from storage. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said retrieving the ownership information comprises retrieving the ownership information from storage.