Method and system for detecting violation of intellectual property rights of a digital file

Abstract

A computer-based method and system for detecting violation of intellectual property rights of a digital file, comprising, in a distribution channel, digitally sending or streaming the file from a sending party to a receiving party, adding a watermark to the digital file at the sending party prior to sending or streaming the file, wherein the watermark comprises an identifier of the sending and receiving party(s), as well as a unique file ID. In one embodiment, the party is informed about user and/or customer behavior, and can take precautions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for detecting violation of intellectual property rights of a digital file, comprising:
 in a distribution channel, digitally sending a digital file from a sending party to a receiving party; and   adding a watermark to the digital file at the sending party prior to sending, streaming, playing, or viewing the file;   repeating the sending and adding steps for subsequent sending and receiving parties in the distribution channel, wherein the identities of the subsequent sending and receiving parties are added to the watermark;   searching a network for content infringing intellectual property rights of the digital file;   scanning the infringing content for watermarks;   when a watermark is found, determining the party in the distribution channel that has last legally received the content;   identifying one or more likely unauthorized senders of the digital file;   taking precautions or actions against a party that has leaked or offered the illegal content; and   notifying a user that the property rights of the digital file have been violated,   wherein the watermark comprises an identifier that identifies the receiving party; and   wherein the watermark identifier further comprises an identifier that identifies one or more of the sending party and the digital file.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 as a first step in the method, marking the digital file with a unique ID.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a sending party removes a prior watermark. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein subsequently added watermarks are laid over a non-watermarked part of the digital file. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the identifier comprises an indication of a level in the distribution channel. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the identifier is a unique identifier. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the identifier comprises one or more of the IP address, the user ID, the MAC address, and the IMEA address of the receiving party. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the watermarking is performed real-time. 
     
     
         9 . A method for preventing violation of intellectual rights of a digital file, comprising:
 adding a watermark to a digital file at a sending party prior to sending, streaming, playing, or viewing the digital file;   repeating the adding step for subsequent sending parties, wherein the identities of subsequent sending and receiving parties are added to the watermark;   searching a network for content infringing intellectual property rights of the digital file;   scanning the infringing content for watermarks;   when a watermark is found, determining the party in the distribution channel that has last legally received the content;   identifying one or more likely unauthorized senders of the digital file; and   implementing measures to stop the unauthorized distribution of the digital file,   wherein the watermark comprises an identifier of the sending party.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , the method further comprising removing a previously added watermark. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , the method further comprising replacing the digital file without the watermark. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , the method further comprising adding a watermark in a part of the digital file where no watermark was available yet. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9 , the method further comprising use of local or hosted applications, each application configured to run in the distribution channel of the digital file, wherein the local applications are further configured for communication with a central server application. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein adding a watermark comprises use of a plugin. 
     
     
         15 . A system for detecting violation of digital media property rights, comprising:
 one or more processors configured to add a watermark to a digital media;   a database for storing watermarks to be added to digital media;   a communications network for transmitting the digital media from a sending party to a receiving party;   wherein a software application executing on the one or more processors repeats the transmitting step for subsequent sending and receiving parties, wherein the identities of the subsequent sending and receiving parties are added to the watermark of the digital media;   wherein a software application executing on the one or more processes searches the network for content infringing intellectual property rights of the digital file and scans found infringing content for watermarks;   wherein a software application executing on the one or more processors determines whether the receiving party is authorized to receive the digital media;   wherein a software application executing on the one or more processors identifies one or more likely unauthorized senders of the digital file;   wherein a software application executing on the one or more processors implements precautions or actions against the identified unauthorized senders; and   a communications device notifying a user that the property rights of the digital media have been violated.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a computer, provide for the detection of the violation of intellectual property rights of a digital file, wherein the instructions are provided for:
 adding a watermark to a digital file at a sending party prior to distributing the digital file;   storing, onto a database, the added watermark;   transmitting the watermarked digital file from the sending party to a receiving party, wherein the watermark comprises an identifier of the receiving party;   repeating the transmitting step for subsequent sending and receiving parties, wherein the identities of the subsequent sending and receiving parties are added to the watermark;   searching the watermark database for occurrences of unauthorized distribution of the digital file;   for each occurrence of unauthorized distribution of the digital file; identifying the last authorized recipient of the digital file in the distribution channel;   identifying one or more likely unauthorized distributors of the digital file; and   implementing measures against the identified unauthorized distributors to stop the unauthorized distribution of the digital file.   
     
     
         17 . The medium according to  claim 16 , wherein such measures comprise one or more of notification of the owner of the digital file, closing distribution channels to the one or more likely unauthorized distributors, imposing financial costs on the one or more likely unauthorized distributors, and notification to the one or more likely unauthorized distributors. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the watermark identifier includes the identities of all sending parties and receiving parties of the digital file, and wherein the distribution of the digital file can be traced with the contents of the watermark. 
     
     
         19 . The medium according to  claim 16 , wherein the instructions further provide for:
 for each sending party of the digital file, adding an identifier of the sending party to the watermark; and   for each receiving party of the digital file; adding an identifier of the receiving party to the watermark, wherein   the content of the watermark provides for tracing the distribution of the digital file.