Metadata management and generation using perceptual features

• US 10,346,462 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2015
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Tony F, Calhoon, Sean, Reed, Alastair M
• Primary Examiner(s): Bechtel, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US14/617,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20150154231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/41 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32149 Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32352 Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and systems to improve network searching for watermarked content. In some implementations we employ keyword searching to narrow the universe of possible URL candidates. A resulting URL list is searched for digital watermarking. A system is provided to allow customer input. For example, a customer enters keywords or network locations. The keywords or network locations are provided to a watermark-enabled web browser which accesses locations associated with the keywords or network locations. Some implementations of the present invention employ a plurality of distributed watermark-enabled web browsers. Other aspects of the invention provide methods and system to facilitate desktop searching and automated metadata gathering and generating. In one implementation a digital watermark is used to determine whether metadata associated with an image or audio file is current or fresh. The metadata is updated when it is out of date. Watermarks can also be used to link to or facilitate so-called on-line “blogs” (or online conversations).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

searching one or more device directories for imagery or audio files;

upon discovering an imagery or audio file, analyzing the imagery or audio file for a digital watermark embedded therein;

recovering the digital watermark embedded in the imagery or audio file;

obtaining metadata from the imagery or audio file, wherein the metadata is generated through image pattern recognition;

creating a first file including watermark information and metadata from the digital watermark, wherein the watermark information and the metadata include an extensible markup language (XML) tag;

indexing, using a computerized search tool, a second file comprising an HTML file, the second file created from the first file;

receiving, from a user, one or more keywords associated with the digital watermark, wherein the one or more keywords represents a visible pattern;

searching the indexed second file for content corresponding to the visible pattern;

identifying content that matches the visible pattern; and

decoding, responsive to identifying content matches the visible pattern, using at least one electronic processor, the digital watermark steganographically encoded in visual or audio data samples of the content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a reporting location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the reporting location comprises analyzing the decoded watermark to determine the reporting location, wherein the digital watermark comprises the reporting location.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the at least one electronic processor is inactive for a predetermined period of time, wherein the content is received after the at least one electronic processor is inactive for the predetermined period of time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a multimedia file associated with the digital watermark from a remote computing system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving the one or more keywords associated with the digital watermark comprises analyzing the multimedia file for metadata, wherein the metadata comprises the one or more keywords.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing the content for metadata; and

determining the metadata includes at least one of the one or more keywords, wherein the analyzing the content from the network locations for the digital watermark is done responsive to the determining the metadata includes at least one of the one or more keywords.

8. A system comprising:

one or more electronic processors having programmed instructions to;

search one or more device directories for imagery or audio files;

upon discovering an imagery or audio file, analyze the imagery or audio file for a digital watermark embedded therein;

recover the digital watermark embedded in the imagery or audio file;

obtain metadata from the imagery or audio file, wherein the metadata is generated through image pattern recognition;

create a first file including watermark information and metadata from the digital watermark, wherein the watermark information and the metadata include an extensible markup language (XML) tag;

index a second file comprising an HTML file, the second file created from the first file;

receive, from a user, one or more keywords associated with the digital watermark, wherein the one or more keywords represents a visible pattern;

search the indexed second file for content corresponding to the visible pattern;

identify content that matches the visible pattern; and

decode, responsive to identifying content matches the visible pattern, using at least one electronic processor, the digital watermark steganographically encoded in visual or audio data samples of the content.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors determine a reporting location.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein to determine the reporting location the one or more processors analyze the decoded watermark to determine the reporting location, wherein the digital watermark comprises the reporting location.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors determine the at least one electronic processor is inactive for a predetermined period of time, wherein the content is received after the at least one electronic processor is inactive for the predetermined period of time.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors receive a multimedia file associated with the digital watermark from a remote computing system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors analyze the multimedia file for metadata, wherein the metadata comprises the one or more keywords.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors further:

analyze the content for metadata; and

determine the metadata includes at least one of the one or more keywords, wherein the analyzing the content for the digital watermark is done responsive to the determining the metadata includes at least one of the one or more keywords.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to search one or more device directories for imagery or audio files;

instructions to, upon discovering an imagery or audio file, analyze the imagery or audio file for a digital watermark embedded therein;

instructions to recover the digital watermark embedded in the imagery or audio file;

instructions to obtain metadata from the imagery or audio file, wherein the metadata is generated through image pattern recognition;

instructions to create a first file including watermark information and metadata from the digital watermark, wherein the watermark information and the metadata include an extensible markup language (XML) tag;

instructions to index, using a computerized search tool, a second file comprising an HTML file, the second file created from the first file;

instructions to receive, from a user, one or more keywords associated with the digital watermark, wherein the one or more keywords represents a visible pattern;

instructions to search the indexed second file for content corresponding to the visible pattern;

instructions to identify content that matches the visible pattern; and

instructions to decode, responsive to identifying content matches the visible pattern, using at least one electronic processor, the digital watermark steganographically encoded in visual or audio data samples of the content.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to determine a reporting location.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions to determine the reporting location further comprise instructions to analyze the decoded watermark to determine the reporting location, wherein the digital watermark comprises the reporting location.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to determine the at least one electronic processor is inactive for a predetermined period of time, wherein the content is received from the network locations after the at least one electronic processor is inactive for the predetermined period of time.