Traffic authentication of audio and video programming provided over a computer network

摘要

A viewer traffic authentication method provides authenticated information about audio or video program traffic over a computer network (16) from a media server (12). The method includes generating by using viewer traffic authentication software (30) on the media server a secure viewer traffic log (32) of media traffic information relating media files transmitted or requested from the media server. The secure viewer traffic log is secure (e.g., encrypted or digitally signed) with regard to the operator of the media server. The secure viewer traffic log is transmitted to a viewer traffic authentication server (34) that is operated by a party other than the operator of the media server. A report (84) is then generated by the viewer traffic authentication server from the secure viewer traffic log received at the viewer traffic authentication server summarizing viewer traffic at the media server.