Appeal No. 2004-1316 Page 2
Application No. 09/241,276
for electronic distribution. Many providers of content have tens of thousands of titles in
their portfolio. Having a single master sound recording available on several different
formats simultaneously (e.g., CD, tape, and "MiniDisc") is also common. In addition, a
single format can have a master sound recording re-mastered or re-mixed for different
distribution channels. (Id. at 5-6.)
According to the appellants, providers often need to use old recording formats to
select the correct master sound recordings and have these sound recordings
reprocessed and encoded for release. Manually searching databases of titles, artists,
and sound recordings is laborious and subject to human error. (Id. at 6.) Manually
setting encoding parameters such as equalization levels and dynamic ranges also can
be burdensome. (Id. at 7.)
Accordingly, the appellants' invention automatically retrieves from a database
"metadata" associated with digital content. Such automated retrieval, assert the
appellants, "decreases the time and cost that are necessary to prepare the digital
content for distribution." (Appeal Br. at 2-3.) The invention further includes a
"watermarker," an encoder, or an "encrypter" for processing the digital content.
(Id. at 3.)
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