How a Local Server Decides to Save or Degrade Digital Content
A system that checks if incoming digital files are authentic, fake, or unknown, and then either saves them, rejects them, or lowers their quality accordingly.
Original patent title: “Secure personal content server”
A system that checks if incoming digital files are authentic, fake, or unknown, and then either saves them, rejects them, or lowers their quality accordingly. Granted to Wistaria Trading Ltd in 2018 with 20 claims and 5 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a Local Content Server (LCS) that acts as a gatekeeper for digital media. When the server receives encrypted or scrambled content, a 'domain processor' inspects it for specific markers of authenticity. If the content is verified as authentic, it is stored in its original form. If the content is flagged as lacking authenticity, the server refuses to store it. If the content is ambiguous—meaning it has no clear authenticity markers—the server automatically degrades the quality of the file before saving it, ensuring that unauthorized or unverified media is less useful.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover systems that lack a mechanism for degrading content quality when authenticity is unknown.
- Does not cover general-purpose network routers that do not perform content-specific authenticity checks.
- Does not cover the specific encryption algorithms used to scramble the data.
- Does not cover content that is received in an unencrypted or unscrambled format.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation is the 'degrade' step for ambiguous content. Instead of a binary choice between allowing or blocking, it creates a middle ground that discourages the use of unverified media by reducing its fidelity.
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
Digital set-top boxes for cable or satellite television
Secure media storage gateways in home entertainment networks
Content distribution nodes for subscription-based media services
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology addresses the challenge of managing digital rights in distributed environments where content might come from unverified sources. It provides a technical framework for automated content moderation and security at the edge of a network, which is critical for protecting intellectual property in media distribution systems.
Filed
May 30, 2017
Granted
April 3, 2018
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
The technology is primarily relevant to companies involved in digital rights management (DRM) and secure media hardware, such as major cable providers and manufacturers of home media gateways. Wistaria Trading Ltd holds the patent, but the concepts are widely implemented by firms building secure, closed-loop media ecosystems.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the technical standards for conditional access systems, which are essential for preventing piracy in premium content distribution. By defining a clear logic for handling unverified data, it helps manufacturers build devices that comply with strict content protection requirements from media studios.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a Local Content Server (LCS) that acts as a gatekeeper for digital media. When the server receives encrypted or scrambled content, a 'domain processor' inspects it for specific markers of authenticity. If the content is verified as authentic, it is stored in its original form. If the content is flagged as lacking authenticity, the server refuses to store it. If the content is ambiguous—meaning it has no clear authenticity markers—the server automatically degrades the quality of the file before saving it, ensuring that unauthorized or unverified media is less useful.
The clever bit
The innovation is the 'degrade' step for ambiguous content. Instead of a binary choice between allowing or blocking, it creates a middle ground that discourages the use of unverified media by reducing its fidelity.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover systems that lack a mechanism for degrading content quality when authenticity is unknown.
- Does not cover general-purpose network routers that do not perform content-specific authenticity checks.
- Does not cover the specific encryption algorithms used to scramble the data.
- Does not cover content that is received in an unencrypted or unscrambled format.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
16/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
13/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
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
$78K – $250K
Midpoint $156K · 11.0 yr remaining · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
20 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Berry, M. W., & Moskowitz, S. A. (2018). How a Local Server Decides to Save or Degrade Digital Content (U.S. Patent No. 9,934,408). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9934408/windows-information-protection
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How a Local Server Decides to Save or Degrade Digital Content cover?
A system that checks if incoming digital files are authentic, fake, or unknown, and then either saves them, rejects them, or lowers their quality accordingly.
Who owns patent US 9934408?
Wistaria Trading Ltd owns this patent, granted in 2018.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on April 3, 2038, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 9934408 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 5 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology addresses the challenge of managing digital rights in distributed environments where content might come from unverified sources. It provides a technical framework for automated content moderation and security at the edge of a network, which is critical for protecting intellectual property in media distribution systems.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover systems that lack a mechanism for degrading content quality when authenticity is unknown.
Patent monitoring