Blocking of Unlicensed Audio Content in Video Files on a Video Hosting Website

Abstract

A system, method and various software tools enable a video hosting website to automatically identified unlicensed audio content in video files uploaded by users, and initiate a process by which the user can replace the unlicensed content with licensed audio content. An audio replacement tool is provided that enables the user to permanently mute the original, unlicensed audio content of a video file, or select a licensed audio file from a collection of licensed audio, and insert the selected in place of the original audio. Where a video file includes unlicensed audio, the video hosting website provides access to video files to a client device, along with an indication to the client device to mute the audio during playback of the video.

1 . A computer-implemented method for storing video files on a video hosting website, the video files containing audio content, the method executed by a computer and comprising:
 receiving a video file uploaded from a user at a video hosting website, the video file including audio content;   determining whether the audio content included in the video file is an unlicensed audio content owned by a content owner other than the user that uploaded the video file;   responsive to the audio content being an unlicensed audio content, determining the content owner's unlicensed use policy; and   responsive to the unlicensed use policy, storing the video file with an indication to implement the unlicensed use policy upon playback.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the unlicensed use policy describes muting the audio of the video upon playback. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the unlicensed use policy describes sharing revenue associated with the playback with the content owner. 
     
     
         4 . A video hosting website, comprising:
 an ingest server computer system configured to receive an uploaded video file from a client device of a user, the video file containing audio content;   a rights management computer system configured to:
 receive the uploaded video file; 
 determine whether the audio content included in the video file is an unlicensed audio content belonging to a content owner other than the user that uploaded the video file; 
 determine the content owner's unlicensed use policy; and 
 store the video file with an indication to implement the unlicensed use policy upon playback. 
   
     
     
         5 . The video hosting website of  claim 4 , wherein the unlicensed policy describes muting the audio of the video file upon playback. 
     
     
         6 . The video hosting website of  claim 4 , wherein the unlicensed policy describes sharing revenue with the content owner. 
     
     
         7 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable code, the code when executed by a computer processor performs operations comprising:
 receiving a video file uploaded from a user at a video hosting website, the video file including audio content;   determining whether the audio content included in the video file is an unlicensed audio content owned by a content owner other than the user that uploaded the video file;   responsive to the audio content being an unlicensed audio content, determining the content owner's unlicensed use policy;   responsive to the unlicensed use policy, storing the video file with an indication to implement the unlicensed use policy upon playback.   
     
     
         8 . The computer program product of  claim 7 , wherein the unlicensed use policy describes muting the audio of the video upon playback. 
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 7 , wherein the unlicensed use policy describes sharing revenue with the content owner associated with the playback.