Patent attributes
The present invention relates generally to audio and video processing, e.g., with digital watermarking. One claim recites an apparatus including: electronic memory for buffering data representing audio or video, and an electronic processor. The electronic processor is programmed for: (i) controlling receipt of data representing audio or video, the data representing audio or video comprising at least two digital watermark layers, the first watermark layer comprising a content identifier which uniquely identifies the content, and the second watermark layer comprising a distributor identifier which identifies a distributor or distribution channel associated with the content; and (ii) embedding a third watermark layer in the audio or video, in which the third watermark layer is embedded through alterations to data representing audible portions of the audio or through alterations to data representing video picture elements of the video, and in which each of the first watermark layer, the second watermark layer and the third digital watermark layer are embedded in the audio or video content with different watermark protocols or different watermark keys. Of course, other claims are provided as well.