System and method for conveying session information for use in forensic watermarking
Methods for providing content session information using a content manager, streaming server, and one or more watermarking devices are disclosed. A content asset is also disclosed. The content asset may include content. In addition, the content asset may include a content data field having forensic watermark information, e.g. session or identifying information. In one aspect, the content asset is compressed and the compressed content asset has one or more pre-processed candidate watermark locations. In this aspect, the forensic watermark information may be extracted, e.g. by a watermarking device, from the content data field and included in the one or more pre-processed candidate watermark locations.
1. A method for providing content, comprising:
receiving a request from a subscriber terminal for a content asset;
initiating a content session at a server to provide the content asset to the subscriber terminal;
inserting identifying information indicative of the content session in a content data field of the content asset, the identifying information including information indicative of a unique subscriber account associated with authorized access to the content asset;
extracting the identifying information from the content data field; and
inserting the identifying information into a candidate watermark location of the content asset.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compressed data stream comprises a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Single Program Transport Stream (SPTS).
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content data field comprises a PSI table.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the PSI table comprises a Program Map Table (PMT).
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the PSI comprises a registration descriptor, a private data indicator descriptor or a user private descriptor.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the registration descriptor contains a format_identifier that indicates the presence of the identifying information.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein a flag in the registration descriptor is updated when information about the streaming session is changed.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the private data indicator descriptor includes a private_data_indicator that indicates the presence of the identifying information.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
extracting the identifying information from the candidate watermark location to identify the unique subscriber account.
10. A method for providing watermarking, comprising:
receiving during a streaming session a content asset having pre-processed candidate watermark locations and a content data field, the content data field comprising identifying information for insertion in at least one of the pre-processed candidate watermark locations, the identifying information including information indicative of a unique subscriber account associated with authorized access to the content asset;
extracting the identifying information from the content data field;
inserting the identifying information into a pre-processed candidate watermark location of the content asset; and
streaming the content asset with the inserted identifying information to a subscriber terminal.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the compressed data stream comprises a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Single Program Transport Stream (SPTS).
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the content data field comprises a PSI table.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the PSI table comprises a Program Map Table (PMT).
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the PSI comprises a registration descriptor, a private data indicator descriptor or a user private descriptor.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the registration descriptor contains a format_identifier that indicates the presence of the identifying information.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein a flag in the registration descriptor is updated when information about the streaming session is changed.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the private data indicator descriptor includes a private_data_indicator that indicates the presence of the identifying information.
18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
extracting the identifying information from the candidate watermark location to identify the unique subscriber account.
19. An apparatus for providing content comprising:
a content manager configured to receive a request from a subscriber terminal for a ent asset; and
a content server configured to initiate a content session to provide the content asset to the subscriber terminal and insert identifying information indicative of the content session in a content data field of the content asset, the identifying information including information indicative of a unique subscriber account associated with authorized access to the content asset and being configured for insertion into a candidate watermark location of the content asset by a watermark insertion device.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the content asset is provided in a compressed data stream comprising a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Single Program Transport Stream (SPTS).
21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the content data field comprises a PSI table.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the PSI table comprises a Program Map Table (PMT).
23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the PSI comprises a registration descriptor, a private data indicator descriptor or a user private descriptor.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the registration descriptor contains a format_identifier that indicates the presence of the identifying information.
25. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein a flag in the registration descriptor is updated when information about the streaming session is changed.
26. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the private data indicator descriptor includes a private_data_indicator that indicates the presence of the identifying information.
27. An apparatus for providing watermarking comprising:
a watermark insertion device configured to
receive during a streaming session a content asset having pre-processed candidate watermark locations and a content data field, the content data field comprising identifying information for insertion into at least one of the pre-processed candidate watermark locations, the identifying information including information indicative of a unique subscriber account associated with authorized access to the content asset;
extract the identifying information from the content data field; and
insert the identifying information into at least one of the pre-processed candidate watermark locations of the content asset.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the content asset is provided in a compressed data stream comprising a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Single Program Transport Stream (SPTS).
29. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the content data field comprises a PSI table.
30. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the PSI table comprises a Program Map Table (PMT).
31. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the PSI comprises a registration descriptor, a private data indicator descriptor or a user private descriptor.
32. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the registration descriptor contains a format_identifier that indicates the presence of the identifying information.
33. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein a flag in the registration descriptor is updated when information about the streaming session is changed.
34. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the private data indicator descriptor includes a private_data_indicator that indicates the presence of the identifying information.