How Video Files Use Digital Signatures for Security
This patent describes a system where a display device checks for a valid digital signature within video files to ensure they are authentic and secure before allowing them to play.
Original patent title: “Video files with embedded digital signatures for data security and authentication, related systems and methods”
This patent describes a system where a display device checks for a valid digital signature within video files to ensure they are authentic and secure before allowing them to play. Granted in 2026.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a display assembly that includes a processing device connected to both a media player and an electronic display. When the media player sends a video file to be shown on the display, the processing device acts as a gatekeeper. It specifically checks the incoming video file for a valid digital signature. Only if this digital signature is found and verified as valid will the processing device permit the video file to be played on the electronic display. For example, if a smart TV (the processing device) receives a movie file from a connected streaming box (the media player), it will first verify the movie's digital signature. If the signature is legitimate, the movie plays; otherwise, the TV blocks it.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover security systems that protect non-video files, such as audio-only tracks, images, or text documents.
- Does not cover security measures for video files that do not rely on embedded digital signatures for authentication.
- Does not cover systems where the digital signature verification occurs solely on the media player before the file is sent to the display assembly.
- Does not cover scenarios where a video file is allowed to play even if its digital signature is invalid or missing, perhaps with a warning.
- Does not cover physical security features for display devices or media players.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The clever part is making the display assembly's processing device mandatorily verify an embedded digital signature in a video file before allowing playback, ensuring content integrity at the final point of consumption.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Smart TVs
Streaming media players
Digital cinema projectors
Secure video conferencing systems
Content protection in video game consoles
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent matters for ensuring the authenticity and integrity of digital video content. It helps prevent the playback of tampered or unauthorized video files, which is crucial for content creators, distributors, and users. This technology could be important for protecting copyrighted material and preventing the spread of malicious content through video platforms.
Filed
January 17, 2025
Granted
September 15, 2026
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ are constantly seeking ways to secure their content. Smart TV manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, and Sony, along with streaming device makers like Roku and Apple, are likely to integrate similar security features into their display assemblies and media players. Content protection and Digital Rights Management (DRM) solution providers also operate in this space.
Market impact
This patent aims to strengthen content security at the playback stage, potentially reducing piracy and unauthorized content distribution. If widely adopted, it could become a standard feature for secure video playback, influencing how content is delivered and consumed across various display devices. It could also encourage content creators to embed robust digital signatures in their media.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a display assembly that includes a processing device connected to both a media player and an electronic display. When the media player sends a video file to be shown on the display, the processing device acts as a gatekeeper. It specifically checks the incoming video file for a valid digital signature. Only if this digital signature is found and verified as valid will the processing device permit the video file to be played on the electronic display. For example, if a smart TV (the processing device) receives a movie file from a connected streaming box (the media player), it will first verify the movie's digital signature. If the signature is legitimate, the movie plays; otherwise, the TV blocks it.
The clever bit
The clever part is making the display assembly's processing device mandatorily verify an embedded digital signature in a video file before allowing playback, ensuring content integrity at the final point of consumption.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover security systems that protect non-video files, such as audio-only tracks, images, or text documents.
- Does not cover security measures for video files that do not rely on embedded digital signatures for authentication.
- Does not cover systems where the digital signature verification occurs solely on the media player before the file is sent to the display assembly.
- Does not cover scenarios where a video file is allowed to play even if its digital signature is invalid or missing, perhaps with a warning.
- Does not cover physical security features for display devices or media players.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$17K – $54K
Midpoint $34K · 18.3 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Cite this patent
(2026). How Video Files Use Digital Signatures for Security (U.S. Patent No. 12,739,131). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12739131/video-files-with-embedded-digital-signatures-for-data-security-and
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
Embed
Add this patent to your site
Drop this plain-English patent card into any blog post or article — free, no signup. It always links back to the full breakdown here.
<div data-patentlens-widget data-patent-number="US12739131"></div> <script src="https://patentbrief.org/embed.js" async></script>
Stay in the loop
Get a weekly digest of new patents.
One email per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Keep exploring
Related patents you should know
US 4683195 · 1987
How to Make Billions of Copies of a DNA Segment
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a method to rapidly create many copies of a specific piece of DNA or RNA, enabling its detection and analysis.
Cetus Corp
US 8697359 · 2014
How to Edit Genes in Human Cells Using an Engineered CRISPR System
This patent describes an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system for precisely cutting DNA in eukaryotic cells to change how genes work, opening the door for gene editing in complex organisms.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
US 7657849 · 2010
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone.
Apple Inc
US 4733665 · 1988
How Doctors Implant a Permanent Stent Using a Balloon
This patent describes the method for placing a permanent, expandable wire mesh tube inside a blood vessel or other body tube using a balloon-tipped catheter to widen it and keep it open.
Expandable Grafts Partnership
US 4965188 · 1990
How to Make Many Copies of a DNA Piece with Heat
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method, a technique to make millions of copies of a specific DNA segment using a heat-resistant enzyme and repeated temperature changes.
Cetus Corp
US 4235871 · 1980
How to Encapsulate Active Materials in Lipid Bubbles Efficiently
This patent describes a method for trapping biologically active substances inside tiny, multi-layered fat bubbles called liposomes, using a specific water-in-oil emulsion and gel-forming process to improve how much material gets captured.
Individual
Semantically similar
You might also find these interesting
US 9934408 · 2018 · Wistaria Trading Ltd
How a Local Server Decides to Save or Degrade Digital Content
US 7404202 · 2008 · Line 6 Inc
How External Hardware Keys Secure Digital Purchases and Downloads
US 9264471 · 2016 · Google Technology Holdings LLC
How Digital Media Streams Are Automatically Tagged and Organized
US 8887212 · 2014
Device for Receiving and Processing TV Signals from Cables and Wireless Sources
More to explore
More in Consumer Electronics
US 7657849 · 2010 · Apple Inc
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
US 7479949 · 2009 · Apple Inc
How Touchscreens Understand Your Finger Swipes and Scrolls
US 4528643 · 1985 · FPDC Inc
How Stores Make Custom Products On-Demand with Remote Approval
US 7469381 · 2008 · Apple Inc
How Touchscreens Show and Snap Back When You Scroll Past an Edge
New to patents?
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Video Files Use Digital Signatures for Security cover?
This patent describes a system where a display device checks for a valid digital signature within video files to ensure they are authentic and secure before allowing them to play.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 15, 2046, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent matters for ensuring the authenticity and integrity of digital video content. It helps prevent the playback of tampered or unauthorized video files, which is crucial for content creators, distributors, and users. This technology could be important for protecting copyrighted material and preventing the spread of malicious content through video platforms.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover security systems that protect non-video files, such as audio-only tracks, images, or text documents.
Patent monitoring