Digital Watermarking Applications

Abstract

The disclosure relates generally to digital watermarking applications. One claim recites a method comprising: obtaining identifying information for a party seeking attribution for content to be distributed; using a programmed processor, digital watermarking the content with the identifying information; and associating an attribution action with the identifying information in a data repository; in which the attribution action is triggered when a rendering device decodes the digital watermarking and obtains the identifying information during a transaction, in which performing the attribution action does not occur when the content includes limited functionality for initial evaluation but said performing the royalty payment action does occur when the content is purchased or enabled for longer evaluation relative to the initial evaluation. Other claims and combinations are provided as well.

1 . A method comprising:
 obtaining identifying information for a party seeking attribution for content to be distributed;   using a programmed processor, digital watermarking the content with the identifying information; and   associating an attribution action with the identifying information in a data repository;   in which the attribution action is triggered when a rendering device decodes the digital watermarking and obtains the identifying information during a transaction, in which performing the attribution action does not occur when the content includes limited functionality for initial evaluation but said performing the royalty payment action does occur when the content is purchased or enabled for longer evaluation relative to the initial evaluation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 2  in which said programmed processor is associated with a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the attribution action comprises a payment action comprising determining a percentage of revenue that corresponds to an amount of times the content undergoes a transaction. 
     
     
         4 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more electronic processors to perform the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         5 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more electronic processors to perform the method of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus comprising:
 electronic memory for storing identifying information associated with a party seeking attribution for content; and   an electronic processor programmed for:
 digital watermarking the content with the identifying information; and 
 associating an attribution action with the identifying information in a data repository; in which the attribution action is triggered when a rendering device decodes the digital watermarking and obtains the identifying information during a transaction, in which performing the attribution action does not occur when the content includes limited functionality for initial evaluation but said performing the royalty payment action does occur when the content is purchased or enabled for longer evaluation relative to the initial evaluation. 
   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the apparatus is associated with a peer-to-peer file-sharing network.