Steganographic messaging through imagery

• US 20010010730A1
• Filed: 02/02/2001
• Published: 08/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1993
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Application Number:
  US09/776,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20010010730A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06253 for a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0064 Geometric transfor invariant watermarking, e.g. affine transform invariant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0081 whereby both original and watermarked images are required at decoder, e.g. destination-based, non-blind, non-oblivious
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0034 using watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 : Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 : embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0662 : with particular pseudorandom sequence generator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 : with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 : Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00005 : relating to image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00037 : Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state H04N1/00031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 : remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00846 : based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00875 : Inhibiting reproduction, e.g. by disabling reading or reproduction apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 : embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3216 : using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 : Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32208 : involving changing the magnitude of selected pixels, e.g. overlay of information or super-imposition H04N1/32219, H04N1/32224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32251 : in multilevel data, e.g. greyscale or continuous tone data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32288 : Multiple embedding, e.g. cocktail embedding, or redundant embedding, e.g. repeating the additional information at a plurality of locations in the image
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 : Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 : of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 : Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24876 : Intermediate layer contains particulate material [e.g., pigment, etc.]

Abstract

Imagery is steganographically encoded with message data to serve a variety of purposes. For example, a photograph can be embedded with a message that identifies a corresponding record in a database, where the database record details information relating to the photograph (e.g., the photographer'"'"'s name or address). Photocollages can be formed of plural photographic images, each encoded with a different steganographic message. Medical imagery can be embedded with steganographic messages, e.g., to aid in authentication of the images.

Claims

1. A method of creating a photocollage, including:

providing plural photographic images;

encoding each of the photographic images with a different steganographic message;

the steganographic messages serving to associate with each photographic image, information corresponding thereto; and

printing the encoded photographic images on a common page.

2. The method of

claim 1

in which the information comprises data identifying a person associated with the corresponding photographic image.

3. The method of

claim 2

in which the person is a photographer of the photographic image.

4. The method of

claim 1

in which each message identifies a corresponding record in a database, each record including information specific to a corresponding photographic image.

5. The method of

claim 1

in which the steganographic message conveys plural digital bits of information.

6. The method of

claim 1

in which at least one of the steganographic messages is dispersed across the corresponding photographic image, rather than being localized in a limited portion.

7. The method of

claim 1

in which each steganographic message is encoded in accordance with pseudo-random noise data.

8. The method of

claim 1

in which each of the photographic images comprises pixels, and the encoding changes the luminance of a majority of the pixels of each photographic image.

9. A computer storage medium having stored thereon computer instructions for performing the method of

claim 1

.

10. A photocollage produced by the method of

claim 1

.

11. A storage medium having represented thereon a photocollage, the photocollage comprising:

plural photographic images, each embedded with a different steganographic message;

the steganographic messages serving to associate with each photographic image, information corresponding thereto.

12. The invention of

claim 11

in which the information comprises data identifying a person associated with the corresponding photographic image.

13. The invention of

claim 12

in which the person is a photographer of the photographic image.

14. The invention of

claim 11

in which each message identifies a corresponding record in a database, each record including information specific to a corresponding photographic image.

15. The invention of

claim 11

in which the steganographic message conveys plural digital bits of information.

16. The invention of

claim 11

in which at least one of the steganographic messages is dispersed across the corresponding photographic image, rather than being localized in a limited region thereon.

17. The invention of

claim 11

in which each steganographic message is encoded in accordance with pseudo-random noise data.

18. A method comprising encoding a photograph with a steganographic message, the message serving to identify a corresponding record in a database, the database record detailing information relating to the photograph.

19. The method of

claim 18

in which the message comprises an index number.

20. The method of

claim 18

in which the information relating to the photograph includes information identifying a person associated with the photograph.

21. The method of

claim 20

in which the person is a photographer of the photographer.

22. The method of

claim 18

in which the information relating to the photograph includes contact information, such as an address.

23. The method of

claim 18

in which the steganographic message conveys plural digital bits of information.

24. The method of

claim 18

in which the steganographic message is dispersed across the photograph, rather than being localized in a limited portion.

25. The method of

claim 18

in which the steganographic message is encoded in accordance with pseudo-random noise data.

26. The method of

claim 18

in which the photograph comprises pixels, and the encoding changes the luminance of a majority of the pixels.

27. The method of

claim 18

in which the steganographic message is a code pre-exposed on emulsion media, onto which media a photographic image is later exposed.

28. A computer storage medium having stored thereon computer instructions for performing the method of

claim 18

.

29. A photograph produced in accordance with the method of

claim 18

.

30. A storage medium, such as paper, film, or computer storage media, the storage medium having represented thereon a photograph, characterized in that the photograph is encoded with a steganographic message, the message serving to identify a corresponding record in a database, the database record detailing information relating to the photograph.

31. The invention of

claim 30

in which the message comprises an index number.

32. The invention of

claim 30

in which the information relating to the photograph includes information identifying a person associated with the photograph.

33. The invention of

claim 32

in which the person is a photographer of the photographer.

34. The invention of

claim 30

in which the information relating to the photograph includes contact information, such as an address.

35. The invention of

claim 30

in which the steganographic message conveys plural digital bits of information.

36. The invention of

claim 30

in which the steganographic message is dispersed across the photograph, rather than being localized in a limited portion.

37. The invention of

claim 30

in which the steganographic message is encoded in accordance with pseudo-random noise data.

38. The invention of

claim 30

in which the photograph comprises pixels, and the encoding changes the luminance of a majority of the pixels.

39. The invention of

claim 30

in which the steganographic message is a code pre-exposed on emulsion media, onto which media a photographic image is later exposed.

40. A storage medium, such as film or computer storage media, having represented thereon a medical image embedded with a steganographic message, the message aiding in authentication of the medical image.

41. The invention of

claim 40

in which the message aids in protecting the medical image against undetected tampering.

42. The invention of

claim 40

in which the steganographic message is dispersed across the medical image, rather than being localized in a limited portion.

43. The invention of

claim 40

in which the steganographic message is encoded in accordance with pseudo-random noise data.

44. The invention of

claim 40

in which the medical image comprises pixels, and the encoding changes the luminance of a majority of the pixels.