Media program viewership measurement using blockchains
A method, apparatus, and system for measuring consumption of content data having content for serially presentation is presented. The method comprises generating n random numbers, where n>0, generating a first value P 1 at least in part from a cryptographic function of the n random numbers, publishing the first value P 1 to a smart contract associated with a blockchain, embedding consumption monitoring data comprising the n random numbers in different temporal locations of the content data and transmitting the content data to a client device for consumption. A client device extracts each of the n random and transmits the extracted n random numbers to the smart contract associated with the blockchain. A smart contract verifies that the n random numbers match the embedded n random numbers and executes a transaction of the smart contract.
1. A method of measuring consumption of serially-presented content data, comprising:
embedding consumption monitoring data in different temporal locations of the content data, the consumption monitoring data comprising random values by:
generating n random numbers, where n>0; and
embedding the consumption monitoring data comprising the n random numbers in the different temporal locations of the content data;
transmitting the content data to a client device for consumption;
generating a first value P 1 at least in part from a cryptographic function of the n random numbers; and
publishing the first value P 1 to a smart contract associated with a blockchain; and wherein the client device:
extracts the n random numbers only after a portion of the content data associated with a temporal location of the associated random numbers has been consumed; and
transmits the extracted n random numbers to a smart contract associated with a blockchain;
wherein the smart contract:
verifies that the transmitted extracted n random numbers match the embedded random numbers from the published first value P 1 and a second value P 2 generated from the extracted n random numbers; and
executes a transaction of the smart contract only if the n transmitted extracted random numbers match the n embedded random numbers.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cryptographic function is a hash of a combination of the n random numbers.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the combination of the n random numbers is one of
an exclusive OR of the n random numbers;
a bitwise OR of the n random numbers;
a bitwise AND of the n random numbers; and
a concatenation of the n random numbers.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the serially presented content data comprises a transport stream including packets having an adaptation field; and
each of the n random numbers are embedded as private data of the adaptation field.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the serially presented content is coded chunks according to an HLS protocol, and one of the n random number is included in each chunk.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extracted n random numbers are transmitted only after all of the n random numbers associated with the content have been extracted.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extracted n random numbers are securely transmitted.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the consumption monitoring data further comprises a unique identifier of the content.
9. A system for measuring consumption by at least one client device of serially-presented content data with embedded consumption monitoring data in different temporal locations of the content data, the consumption monitoring data comprising n random numbers, comprising a client device that:
extracts the n random numbers only after a portion of the content data associated with a temporal location of the associated random number has been consumed; and
transmits the extracted n random numbers to a smart contract associated with a blockchain;
wherein the smart contract:
verifies that the transmitted extracted n random numbers match the embedded n random numbers from a cryptographic function of the n random numbers and a published first value P 1 and a second value P 2 generated from the extracted n random numbers; and
executes a transaction of the smart contract only if the transmitted extracted n random numbers match the embedded n random numbers.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the cryptographic function is a hash of a combination of the n random numbers.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the combination of the n random numbers is one of
an exclusive OR of the n random numbers;
a bitwise OR of the n random numbers;
a bitwise AND of the n random numbers; and
a concatenation of the n random numbers.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the serially presented content data comprises a transport stream including packets having an adaptation field; and
each of the n random numbers are embedded as private data of the adaptation field.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the serially presented content is coded chunks according to an HLS protocol, and one of the n random number is included in each chunk.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the extracted n random numbers are transmitted only after all of the n random numbers associated with the content have been extracted.
15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the extracted n random numbers are securely transmitted.
16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the consumption monitoring data further comprises a unique identifier of the content.