The present application relates to systems, methods, and computer-readable media for deterring video piracy. In aspects, a light source generates an infrared (IR) light spectrum that is projected onto a surface, such as a movie theatre screen. The IR light spectrum may form an watermark that is invisible to members of the audience that are viewing video content projected onto the surface, but that obfuscates at least a portion of video content captured by video recording device that is being used to capture a recording of the video content projected onto the surface. In aspects, a frequency of the IR light spectrum emitted by the light source may be periodically modified to make it more difficult to filter out the watermark.

A video displaying method. The method includes applying a first frequency modulation in time domain on an original video thereby obtaining a first modulated video; applying a second frequency modulation in spatial domain on the first modulated video thereby obtaining a second modulated video including a first invisible-light image; and displaying the second modulating video with a corresponding frame rate. A time-domain frequency of the first invisible-light image is in a first range unrecognizable by a naked eye and recognizable by a video recorder. A spatial-domain frequency of the first invisible-light image is in a second range unrecognizable by the naked eye and recognizable by a video recorder.

Motion pictures or other digital media content can be encoded with visible, yet obscured, digital codes that can be optically detected by a camera or other automated image processing device. If a code is recognized in captured media content, further capture, playback and/or distribution can be halted, as desired. Because the code is visible (albeit hidden) in the digital imagery itself, capture by another camera or other optical device will not typically negate the usefulness of the code. That is, the code is visibly present within the imagery itself, so subsequent capture of the video imagery will also capture the code, thereby allowing for detection and/or prevention.

Disclosed is a display apparatus in which each pixel corresponds to at least one light-emitting element. The display apparatus includes a display including a plurality of pixels, a driver configured to drive a plurality of light-emitting elements constituting the plurality of pixels, and a processor configured to control the driver to drive the plurality of light-emitting elements based on a first pulse width modulation signal having a duty corresponding to a grayscale of an input image, and to control the driver to drive light-emitting elements constituting a specific pixel, among the plurality of pixels, using a second PWM signal having a duty corresponding to the grayscale of the input image, wherein a frequency of the first PWM signal is different from a frequency of the second PWM signal.

Methods and systems described herein generate content that quickly cycles between different-colored frames at a rapid rate that may be imperceptible to human viewers. The human eye tends to blend nearby frames together, so that a human viewer will see a full color spectrum even though only a single color is displayed at any given time. The video display may repeatedly cycle between individual color frames, thus providing video content that appears normal to a human viewer. However, a video recording device may capture only some of the color frames. Therefore, the video recorded by video recording devices may include undesirable color flicker or other color artifacts, which may deter unauthorized copying.

We present a method for hiding images in synthetic videos and reveal them by temporal averaging. We developed a visual masking method that hides the input image both spatially and temporally. Our masking approach consists of temporal and spatial pixel by pixel temporal variations of the frequency band coefficients representing the image to be hidden. These variations ensure that the target image remains invisible. In addition, by applying a temporal expansion function derived from a dither matrix, we allow the video to carry a visible message that is different from the hidden image. The image hidden in the video can be revealed by software averaging, or with a camera, by long exposure photography. The method finds applications in the secure transmission of digital information.

Described herein are systems and methods for displaying screenshot-proof content. In one embodiment, a method of protecting a digital content from capture by a screen capture operation of a user device comprises: receiving, by the user device, the digital content; converting a format of the digital content into a content-protected format; streaming the digital content from a local content server implemented on the user device to a local content client implemented on the user device; and causing the user device to display the digital content.

Methods and systems described herein generate content that quickly cycles between different-colored frames at a rapid rate that may be imperceptible to human viewers. The human eye tends to blend nearby frames together, so that a human viewer will see a full color spectrum even though only a single color is displayed at any given time. The video display may repeatedly cycle between individual color frames, thus providing video content that appears normal to a human viewer. However, a video recording device may capture only some of the color frames. Therefore, the video recorded by video recording devices may include undesirable color flicker or other color artifacts, which may deter unauthorized copying.

Systems and methods for authenticating a digital file are provided. The systems and methods may operate independently or supplement existing copy protection systems, such as CSS, and help make them more robust. The digital file may be stored on a computer readable medium such as a physical disc, digital content downloaded from the Internet, or any other suitable digital content. In some aspects, the systems and methods described herein include identifying media content stored in a digital file that needs to be authenticated, and subsequently reading suitably chosen media blocks in encrypted (and unencrypted) form from the digital file for comparison with corresponding blocks (e.g., stored in a database) obtained from a genuine copy. The digital file will be authenticated only in the case of a successful match.

The invention provides a method for impeding making a useful copy with an optical recording device of video content displayed on a screen, wherein the method comprises displaying the video content on the screen, illuminating with ambience light of an ambience light source the screen, the ambience light comprises light having a wavelength in the visible part of the spectrum, wherein the ambience light is controlled as function of the video content, and wherein the ambience light is intensity modulated with an intensity modulation having an intensity modulation frequency selected from the range of 40 Hz to 500 Hz.