System and method for securing content ratings

Abstract

A system and a method secure content ratings by providing rating value information for a multimedia file which is based on, corresponds to and/or is associated with media, content and/or information in the multimedia file. A content fingerprint of the multimedia file is combined with the rating value information to form, to create, to generate and/or to produce full rating information for the multimedia file. A source of the rating value information digitally signs the full rating information to form, to create, to produce, to construct and/or to generate a rating information digital certificate for distribution with the multimedia file or separately from the multimedia file. Users add user rating information and/or change the metadata of the multimedia file without altering and/or without changing the rating value information, the content fingerprint, the full rating information and/or the rating information digital certificate of the multimedia file. Users submit rating information to a source of the rating value information which forms, creates, produces, generates and/or updates the rating value information associated with the multimedia file.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a black box diagram of a system for securing content ratings in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a black box diagram of a system for digitally certifying rating information of a multimedia file in an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A system for securing a content rating, the system comprising: a media provider connected to a network by a first terminal;a first database connected to the first terminal wherein the first database stores a multimedia file to be transmitted via the network wherein metadata and the content rating are associated with the multimedia file; anda second terminal connected to the network wherein the second terminal receives an encoded version of the content rating via the network wherein the encoded version of the content rating has a digital certificate that prevents modification of the content rating as the content rating is transmitted to the first terminal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the content rating is stored in the first database.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the content rating is transmitted by the media provider to the second terminal via the network.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising: a public key that validates the digital certificate.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising: a rating authority that transmits the content rating to the second terminal via the network.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising: a filter program associated with the second terminal wherein the filter program blocks consumption of the multimedia file based on the content rating.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising: a digital signature transmitted to the second terminal wherein the digital signature indicates a rating authority that generated the content rating.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein approval of the content rating by the second terminal causes the media provider to transmit the multimedia file to the second terminal.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the metadata has the content rating.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the content rating is transmitted with a condensed form of the multimedia file.

11. A system for securing a content rating for a first user and a second user, the system comprising: a rating authority that generates the content rating;a media provider connected to a first terminal;a first database connected to the first terminal wherein the first database stores a multimedia file transmitted by a network wherein metadata and the content rating are associated with the multimedia file; anda second terminal connected to the first terminal by the network wherein the second terminal receives the multimedia file from the first terminal wherein the second terminal receives the content rating wherein the first user consumes the multimedia file on the second terminal and generates user rating information wherein the user rating information is transmitted to the rating authority.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the rating authority validates an identity of the user generating the user rating information.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the rating authority updates the content rating based on the user rating information.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprising: a digital signature generated by the rating authority for transmitting the content rating to the second terminal wherein the digital signature indicates that the content rating is not modified by a third party.

15. The system of claim 11 further comprising: a third terminal connected to the first terminal wherein the rating authority transmits the content rating and the user rating information to the third terminal.

16. A method for securing a content rating, the method comprising the steps of: connecting a first terminal to a network;transmitting a multimedia file and the content rating to the first terminal via the network wherein the content rating is generated by a rating authority;generating a user content rating using the first terminal;transmitting the user content rating to the rating authority;updating the content rating based on the user content rating; andtransmitting the content rating to a second terminal.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of: transmitting the content rating from the rating authority to the first terminal.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of: transmitting the content rating with the multimedia file to the first terminal via the network.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of: encoding the content rating with a key system that prevents modification of the content rating as the content rating is transmitted to the first terminal.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of: transmitting the content rating with a condensed version of the multimedia file to the first terminal.