System For Generating Fingerprints Based On Information Extracted By A Content Delivery Network Server

Abstract

A dynamic multimedia fingerprinting system is provided. A user requests multimedia content from a Web cache server that verifies that the user is authorized to download the content. A custom fingerprint specific to the user is generated and dynamically inserted into the content as the content is delivered to the user. The custom fingerprint can be generated on the Web cache server or at the content provider's server. The system allows a content provider to specify where the custom fingerprint is inserted into the content or where the fingerprint is to replace a placeholder within the content.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 receiving one or more messages from a client at a given server in a content delivery network (CDN) that has a set of interconnected servers distributed across one or more computer networks, the one or more messages including a request for content;   with the given server, extracting information from the one or more messages;   sending the information extracted from the one or more messages from the given server to a remote server that is external to the CDN, wherein the extracted information includes at least one of: a URL, a document name, a user identity, a cookie, an HTTP header, an IP address, and data posted from the client;   at the given server, receiving a fingerprint from the remote server in response to sending the extracted information, the fingerprint being based on at least some of the extracted information;   at the given server, receiving the requested content from the remote server or another server;   sending, from the given server, the fingerprint and the requested content to the client in response to the request for content.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the server from which the given server receives the requested content is associated with a content provider that uses the CDN for delivering content. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the extracted information includes data posted from the client. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the extracted information includes any of: a document name, a user identity and a cookie. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the fingerprint comprises a token. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the fingerprint comprises a license key. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the fingerprint comprises digital rights information. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the remote server that is external to the CDN is operated by a content provider that uses the CDN for delivering content. 
     
     
         21 . A system, comprising:
 a set of interconnected servers distributed across one or more computer networks and forming at least part of a content delivery network (CDN), each server in the set of servers comprising circuitry forming one or more processors and memory holding instructions for execution by the one or more processors;   a given server in the set of servers including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors will cause the given server to:
 receive one or more messages from a client, the one or more messages including a request for content; 
 extract information from the one or more messages; 
 send the information extracted from the one or more messages to a remote server that is external to the CDN, the remote server comprising circuitry forming one or more processors and memory holding instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, generate a fingerprint based on the extracted information and sends the fingerprint to the given server; 
 wherein the extracted information includes at least one of: a URL, a document name, a user identity, a cookie, an HTTP header, an IP address, and data posted from the client; 
   the given server further including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors will cause the given server to:
 receive the fingerprint from the remote server in response to sending the extracted information; 
 receive the requested content from the remote server or another server; 
 send the fingerprint and the requested content to the client in response to the request for content. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the server from which the given server receives the requested content is associated with a content provider that uses the CDN for delivering content. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the extracted information includes data posted from the client. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the extracted information includes any of: a document name, a user identity and a cookie. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the fingerprint comprises a token. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the fingerprint comprises a license key. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the fingerprint comprises digital rights information. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the remote server that is external to the CDN is operated by a content provider that uses the CDN for delivering content.