Abstract: There is described a method of monitoring a peer-to-peer network. The method comprises: (i) monitoring network traffic between a first peer and the peer-to-peer network so as to identify a first subset of peers in the peer-to-peer network; and (ii) preventing the first peer from communicating with at least one peer in the first subset of peers to thereby cause the first peer to communicate with at least one further peer in the peer-to-peer network so as to enable identification of the at least one further peer.

Abstract: A method for identifying an object within a video sequence, wherein the video sequence comprises a sequence of images, wherein the method comprises, for each of one or more images of the sequence of images: using a first neural network to determine whether or not an object of a predetermined type is depicted within the image; and in response to the first neural network determining that an object of the predetermined type is depicted within the image, using an ensemble of second neural networks to identify the object determined as being depicted within the image.

Abstract: A method of facilitating a device to obtain a version of an item of content. For each section of the item of content, a content distribution system is arranged to provide one or more versions of that section. At least one section includes a plurality of differently watermarked versions of that section. A request for a section of the item of content is received. If the requested section is a section for which the content distribution system is arranged to provide a plurality of differently watermarked versions of that section, a particular version is identified based on an identifier of the device and a response a response containing an indication of the particular version of the requested section is provided to the device. The response is arranged to cause the device to request the particular version of the requested section from a corresponding location on the content distribution system.

Abstract: A method for identifying an object within a video sequence, wherein the video sequence comprises a sequence of images, wherein the method comprises, for each of one or more images of the sequence of images: using a first neural network to determine whether or not an object of a predetermined type is depicted within the image; and in response to the first neural network determining that an object of the predetermined type is depicted within the image, using an ensemble of second neural networks to identify the object determined as being depicted within the image.

Abstract: There is described a method for a first software application to access a secured software application on a computing device. The first software application is not configured to interface with the secured software application. The computing device includes an interfacing application configured to interface with the secured software application. The method comprises the first software application interfacing with the interfacing application to thereby cause the interfacing application to access the secured software application. The first software application is configured to interface with the interfacing application. There is also described a method of generating an encrypted version of an image using a library of pre-encrypted blocks of data, the same content encryption key having been used to encrypt each of the pre-encrypted blocks of data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for providing content to a particular recipient device of a plurality of recipient devices. Copies of one or more content elements of the content are generated and one or more of the copies are modified to obtain modified copies of the content elements. The content elements, including the one or more modified copies of the content elements, are stored in a storage. Selection information is transmitted to the particular recipient device in response to a request for providing the content. The selection information prescribes to the recipient device the modified copy to be retrieved by the recipient device for substantially each content element for which a modified copy is available.

Abstract: A method for identifying an object within a video sequence, wherein the video sequence comprises a sequence of images, wherein the method comprises, for each of one or more images of the sequence of images: using a first neural network to determine whether or not an object of a predetermined type is depicted within the image; and in response to the first neural network determining that an object of the predetermined type is depicted within the image, using an ensemble of second neural networks to identify the object determined as being depicted within the image.

Abstract: There is described a method of monitoring a peer-to-peer network. The method comprises: (i) monitoring network traffic between a first peer and the peer-to-peer network so as to identify a first subset of peers in the peer-to-peer network; and (ii) preventing the first peer from communicating with at least one peer in the first subset of peers to thereby cause the first peer to communicate with at least one further peer in the peer-to-peer network so as to enable identification of the at least one further peer.

Abstract: Computer-implemented systems, methods, and computer-readable media for selecting a sequence of content parts from polymorphic content of an audiovisual presentation based on at least one profile of a user include receiving content information associated with polymorphic content, receiving profile information of a user, and selecting for rendering, from amongst the alternative content parts, a sequence of content parts from the polymorphic content based on at least a portion of the profile information.

Abstract: There is described a method for a first software application to access a secured software application on a computing device. The first software application is not configured to interface with the secured software application. The computing device includes an interfacing application configured to interface with the secured software application. The method comprises the first software application interfacing with the interfacing application to thereby cause the interfacing application to access the secured software application. The first software application is configured to interface with the interfacing application. There is also described a method of generating an encrypted version of an image using a library of pre-encrypted blocks of data, the same content encryption key having been used to encrypt each of the pre-encrypted blocks of data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for watermarking in a content providing system having multiple parties. A first party system selects a first party watermark by selecting a watermarked copy of at least one first content element of the content elements. A second party system selects a second party watermark by selecting a watermarked copy of at least one second content element, different from the at least one first content element, of the content elements. Watermarked content is delivered to an end user device, the watermarked content containing the watermarked copy for the first content element selected by the first party system and the watermarked copy for the second content element selected by the second party system such that the watermarked content contains the first party watermark and the second party watermark.

Abstract: Computer-implemented systems, methods, and computer-readable media for selecting a sequence of content parts from polymorphic content of an audiovisual presentation based on at least one profile of a user include receiving content information associated with polymorphic content, receiving profile information of a user, and selecting for rendering, from amongst the alternative content parts, a sequence of content parts from the polymorphic content based on at least a portion of the profile information.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for providing a data stream comprising a plurality of content elements. At least one of two or more copies of a first content element of the data stream has been watermarked with a different watermark. The method includes watermarking at least one of two or more copies of a second content element with a different watermark. In a rendering order of the data stream, the second content element is at an interval equal to or greater than a watermark interval from the first content element. The watermark interval is set to be sufficiently long so that the output quality of the rendered data stream can either completely recover or at least return to a predetermined acceptable level following the watermarking of the copies of the first content element before watermarking the copies of the next content element.

Abstract: A method of facilitating a device to obtain a version of an item of content, wherein, for each of a plurality of sections of the item of content, a content distribution system is arranged to provide one or more versions of that section, wherein there is at least one section for which the content distribution system is arranged to provide a plurality of differently watermarked versions of that section, the method comprising: receiving, from the device, a request for a section of the item of content, wherein the request also comprises an identifier of the device; if the requested section is a section for which the content distribution system is arranged to provide a plurality of differently watermarked versions of that section: identifying, based on the identifier of the device, a particular version out of the plurality of differently watermarked versions of the requested section; and providing the device with a response to the request, wherein the response contains an indication of the particular version of th

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for providing a data stream comprising a plurality of content elements. At least one of two or more copies of a first content element of the data stream has been watermarked with a different watermark. The method includes watermarking at least one of two or more copies of a second content element with a different watermark. In a rendering order of the data stream, the second content element is at an interval equal to or greater than a watermark interval from the first content element. The watermark interval is set to be sufficiently long so that the output quality of the rendered data stream can either completely recover or at least return to a predetermined acceptable level following the watermarking of the copies of the first content element before watermarking the copies of the next content element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for watermarking in a content providing system having multiple parties. A first party system selects a first party watermark by selecting a watermarked copy of at least one first content element of the content elements. A second party system selects a second party watermark by selecting a watermarked copy of at least one second content element, different from the at least one first content element, of the content elements. Watermarked content is delivered to an end user device, the watermarked content containing the watermarked copy for the first content element selected by the first party system and the watermarked copy for the second content element selected by the second party system such that the watermarked content contains the first party watermark and the second party watermark.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for providing content to a particular recipient device of a plurality of recipient devices. Copies of one or more content elements of the content are generated and one or more of the copies are modified to obtain modified copies of the content elements. The content elements, including the one or more modified copies of the content elements, are stored in a storage. Selection information is transmitted to the particular recipient device in response to a request for providing the content. The selection information prescribes to the recipient device the modified copy to be retrieved by the recipient device for substantially each content element for which a modified copy is available.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved adaptive streaming solution wherein an optimal receiver strategy is created and stored in a client device for controlling the adaptive streaming of digital content. In various embodiments, the optimal receiver strategy data is a result of solving a stochastic decision problem using a mathematical model based on a Markov Decision Process and using as an input to the mathematical model one or more properties of an encoder and an beforehand estimation of an available bandwidth of a packet switched network and/or variation characteristics of the available bandwidth over time of the packet switched network, wherein the properties comprise at least one of an encoder type identification and a mathematical model of a decoder input buffer used by the encoder.

Abstract: A method of producing encoded video data (DV) comprises the steps of: collecting video data (VS), producing a tag (T) identifying the collected video data, encoding the collected video data so as to produce at least two sets of encoded data (BL, EL1) representing different video quality levels, and attaching the tag (T) to each set of encoded video data. The tag is preferably unique and may be derived from the collected video data.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a scalable video application by modeling it as a Markov decision process. The model is based on measuring the relative progress of the application, where relative progress is the difference between the allocated CPU budget for processing a frame and the actual CPU cycles used in processing a frame. The control strategy is based on the number of levels most recently decoded and the maximum levels that can be decoded for the next frame based on the number of received layers (the maximum quality level) and the budgeted CPU time. The object is to smooth quality transitions between frames by developing a quality level control strategy that minimizes both the number of deadline misses (frame not fully decoded) and the number of quality level changes, while maximizing the quality level. The fewer the number of quality level changes, the smoother the image viewed.