Protection of internet delivered media
View Patent ↗Program code in a Web page hosted by a server and/or in server side code executed by the server is specially configured so that a modified media file whose source is embedded in the Web page and which is streamed by the server is properly playable only in browsers of media devices accessing the Web page. Thus, if a copy of the modified media file is downloaded to the media device or otherwise procured, the user of the media device is unable to properly play the downloaded copy by using a conventional media player. Further, if the downloaded copy is shared on a file sharing network, users of the file sharing network that download copies from the media device are also unable to properly play their downloaded copies by using conventional media players.
1. A method for protecting a media file, the method comprising:
splitting the media file into a plurality of media files;
generating a web page including a video tag that indicates a source for a first one of the plurality of media files;
generating code to automatically render in sequence the plurality of media files in a web browser accessing the web page;
updating the video tag included in the web page to indicate a source for a next one of the plurality of media files; and
generating a script using AJAX that is included in the web page so that the video tag is updated without reloading the web page in the browser.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the generating of the code comprises generating server side code residing on a server hosting the web page.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the media file comprises a plurality of scenes and the splitting of the media file comprises splitting the media file into the plurality of media files so that a first media file of the plurality of media files begins with a first scene of the plurality of scenes and each of the others of the plurality of media files begins at a transition between a corresponding pair of the plurality of scenes.
4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a modified first media file by inserting playable dummy data followed by non-playable corrupt data before a first media file of the plurality of media files; and
recording the starting position of the first media file in the modified first media file.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the generating of the web page comprises generating the web page so that the video tag indicates a source for the modified first media file, and the generating of the code uses the recorded starting position to skip the inserted non-playable corrupt data in the modified first media file while automatically rendering the modified first media file and the rest of the plurality of media files in the web browser accessing the web page.
6. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:
generating another modified media file by inserting playable dummy data followed by non-playable corrupt data before another media file in the plurality of media files; and
recording the starting position of the another media file in the another modified media file.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the generating of the web page comprises generating the web page so as to include another video tag indicating a source for the another modified media file, and the generation of the code comprises generating code used to skip the inserted non-playable corrupt data in the modified another media file using the recorded starting position of the another media file.
8. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the insertion of the playable dummy data comprises inserting dummy data of sufficient duration that the media player recognizes the dummy data as being playable.
9. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the insertion of the non-playable corrupt data comprises inserting corrupt data that the media player cannot play.
10. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the generating of the code comprises generating script included on the web page.