Method and devices for distributing media contents and related computer program product
A method of distributing media content over networks where content is shared includes coupling downloading metadata, which is accessed to start downloading media contents from the network, with semantic metadata representative of the semantic information associated with at least one of the content, and with source metadata indicative of the source of the media content. At least one of the semantic and the source metadata may be made accessible without downloading, even partially, the media content. A digital signature may also be applied to the metadata to enable the verification that, at reception, the metadata is intact and has not been subjected to malicious tampering.
1. A method of distributing media content over a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, the media content having downloading metadata associated therewith to be accessed to start downloading of the media content from the P2P network, the method comprising:
extracting semantic metadata from the media content, the semantic metadata describing contents of the media content;
coupling the semantic metadata and source metadata indicative of a source of the media content to the downloading metadata;
permitting access to the downloading metadata and to the semantic metadata and the source metadata coupled to the downloading metadata, the semantic metadata and the source metadata being accessible without downloading the media content;
computing a hash of the downloading metadata and the semantic metadata and the source metadata coupled to the downloading metadata;
ciphering a result of the hash to generate a digital signature based upon a private key of a user; and
checking integrity of the coupled metadata based upon the generated digital signature.
2. The method of, claim 1 further comprising generating the digital signature as a function applied to the hash.
3. A method of distributing media content over a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, the media content having downloading metadata associated therewith to be accessed to start downloading of the media content from the P2P network, the method comprising:
extracting semantic metadata from the media content, the semantic metadata describing contents of the media content;
coupling the semantic metadata and source metadata indicative of a source of the media content to the downloading metadata;
computing a hash of the downloading metadata and the semantic metadata and the source metadata coupled to the downloading metadata;
ciphering a result of the hash to generate a digital signature based upon a private key of a user; and
checking integrity of the coupled metadata based upon the generated digital signature.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising generating the digital signature as a function applied to the hash.
5. A device for distributing media content over a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, the media content having downloading metadata associated therewith to be accessed to start downloading of the media content from the P2P network, the device comprising:
a microprocessor executing
a semantic extractor configured to extract semantic metadata from the media content, the semantic metadata describing contents of the media content, and
at least one coupling module configured to couple the downloading metadata to the semantic metadata and source metadata indicative of a source of the media content;
at least one digital signature module configured to
apply a hash function to the downloading metadata and the semantic metadata and the source metadata coupled to the downloading metadata, and
cipher a result of the applied hash function to generate a digital signature based upon a private key of a user; and
a check module configured to check integrity of the coupled metadata based upon the generated digital signature.
6. The device of claim 5 , further comprising
a downloading engine executed by said microprocessor, coupled to said check module, and configured to download the media content based upon the integrity check.
7. The device of claim 6 , further comprising a deciphering module executed by said microprocessor, coupled to said check module, and configured to decipher the digital signature.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein said check module is configured to check the integrity by comparing the deciphered digital signature with a result of the applied hash function.
9. A device for distributing media content over a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, the media content having downloading metadata associated therewith to be accessed to start downloading of the media content from the P2P network, and also having semantic metadata associated therewith, the semantic metadata describing the contents of the media content, the device comprising:
a microprocessor executing
at least one coupling module configured to couple the downloading metadata to the semantic metadata and source metadata indicative of a source of the media content,
at least one digital signature module configured to apply a hash function to the downloading metadata and the semantic metadata and the source metadata coupled to the downloading metadata and cipher a result of the hash to generate a digital signature based upon a private key of a user, and
a check module configured to check integrity of the coupled metadata based upon the generated digital signature.
10. The device of claim 9 , further comprising
a downloading engine executed by said microprocessor, coupled to said check module, and configured to download the media content based upon the integrity check.
11. The device of claim 10 , further comprising a deciphering module executed by said microprocessor, coupled to said check module, and configured to decipher the digital signature.
12. The device of claim 11 wherein said check module is configured to check the integrity by comparing the deciphered digital signature with a result of the applied hash function.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for distributing media content over a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, the media content having downloading metadata associated therewith to be accessed to start downloading of the media content from the P2P network, the computer executable instructions being configured to:
extract semantic metadata from the media content, the semantic metadata describing contents of the media content;
couple the semantic metadata and source metadata indicative of a source of the media content to the downloading metadata;
permit access to the downloading metadata and to the semantic metadata and the source metadata coupled to the downloading metadata, the semantic metadata and the source metadata being accessible without downloading the media content;
compute a hash of the downloading metadata and the semantic metadata and the source metadata coupled to the downloading metadata;
cipher a result of the hash to generate a digital signature based upon a private key of a user; and
check integrity of the coupled metadata based upon the generated digital signature.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured to generate the digital signature as a function applied to the hash.
15. A method of distributing media content over a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, the media content having downloading metadata associated therewith to be accessed to start downloading of the media content from the P2P network, the method comprising:
extracting semantic metadata from the media content, the semantic metadata describing contents of the media content;
coupling the semantic metadata to the downloading metadata;
computing a hash of the downloading metadata and the semantic metadata coupled to the downloading metadata;
ciphering a result of the hash to generate a digital signature based upon a private key of a user; and
checking integrity of the coupled metadata based upon the generated digital signature.
16. A method of distributing media content over a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, the media content having downloading metadata associated therewith to be accessed to start downloading of the media content from the P2P network, the method comprising:
coupling source metadata indicative of a source of the media content to the downloading metadata;
computing a hash of the downloading metadata and the source metadata coupled to the downloading metadata;
ciphering a result of the hash to generate a digital signature based upon a private key of a user; and
checking integrity of the coupled metadata based upon the generated digital signature.