Apparatus and methods for inserting and detecting electronic watermark

• US 20010028715A1
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Published: 10/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Personal Computers, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Junya
• Granted Patent: US 7,051,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0028 Adaptive watermarking, e.g. Human Visual System [HVS]-based watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0065 Extraction of an embedded watermark; Reliable detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32229 with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected regions of the image H04N1/32213 takes precedence
• 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 2201/3233 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 2201/3281 Encryption; Ciphering

Abstract

A secure electronic watermark inserter. A picture analyzer 3 analyzes an input picture 101, and decides the insertion strength of the electronic water marking to be inserted, from one pixel of the input picture 101 to another, to output the insertion strength information 104 to an electronic watermark pattern inserter 1 and to a shifting information pattern inserter 2. The electronic watermark pattern inserter 1 inserts an electronic watermark pattern 105, stored in an electronic watermark pattern storage unit 4, into the input picture 101. The key information pattern inserter 2 inserts the key information pattern 106, stored in the key information pattern storage unit 5, into a picture to be processed 102, having the inserted electronic watermark pattern, in accordance with the insertion strength information 104, to output the resulting picture.

Claims

1. An electronic watermark inserter for inserting an electronic watermark pattern or patterns for identifying a furnisher of a picture or image, termed “

picture”

collectively, into data of said picture, said inserter comprising;

an electronic watermark pattern inserter for inserting previously generated key information pattern or patterns into a picture or pictures into which said electronic watermark pattern or patterns have been inserted and for transmitting the resulting picture or pictures.

2. The electronic watermark inserter as defined in

claim 1

wherein said key information patterns are arranged at preset intervals, and wherein, when inserted, said key information patterns are shifted in respective random directions.

3. The electronic watermark inserter as defined in

claim 1

further comprising:

picture analysis means for analysing an input picture for determining the insertion strength of said electronic watermark pattern into each pixel of said picture;

said electronic watermark pattern or patterns and said key information patterns being inserted in accordance with said insertion strength information.

4. The electronic watermark inserter as defined in

claim 2

further comprising:

picture analysis means for analysing an input picture for determining the insertion strength of said electronic watermark pattern into each pixel of said picture;

said electronic watermark pattern or patterns and said key information patterns being inserted in accordance with said insertion strength information.

5. An electronic watermark detector for detecting an electronic watermark pattern or patterns for specifying a furnisher for a picture or image, termed “

picture”

collectively, inserted into data of said picture, comprising;

means for detecting a key information pattern or patterns inserted into said data of the picture along with an electronic watermark pattern or patterns;

means for generating parameters required for detecting the electronic watermark pattern or patterns from the key information as detected; and

means for detecting said electronic watermark pattern or patterns from said picture based on the parameters generated in said parameter generating means.

6. The electronic watermark detector as defined in

claim 5

wherein the key information patterns comprise patterns that are arranged at a preset interval at the outset and that, when inserted, are shifted each in a random direction.

7. An electronic watermark system comprising;

an electronic watermark inserter for inserting an electronic watermark pattern or patterns for identifying a furnisher of a picture or image, termed “

picture”

collectively, into data of said picture, said inserter comprising;

an electronic watermark pattern inserter for inserting previously generated key information pattern or patterns into a picture or pictures into which said electronic watermark pattern or patterns have been inserted and for transmitting the resulting picture or pictures, and

an electronic watermark detector for detecting an electronic watermark pattern or patterns for specifying a furnisher for a picture or image, termed “

picture”

collectively, inserted into data of said picture, comprising;

means for detecting a key information pattern or patterns inserted into said data of the picture along with an electronic watermark pattern or patterns;

means for generating parameters required for detecting the electronic watermark pattern or patterns from the key information as detected; and

means for detecting said electronic watermark pattern or patterns from said picture based on the parameters generated in said parameter generating means.

11. The method as defined in

claim 7

further comprising:

a step of analysing an input picture or pictures for determining the insertion strength of said electronic watermark pattern or patterns per each pixel or section of said picture or pictures;

a step of inserting said electronic watermark pattern or patterns and said key information pattern or patterns in accordance with said insertion strength information.

8. A method for inserting an electronic watermark pattern or patterns for identifying a furnisher of a picture or image, termed “

picture”

collectively, into data of said picture, said method comprising the steps of;

(a) providing a key information pattern or patterns,

(b) inserting the previously provided key information pattern or patterns into a picture or pictures, into which an electronic watermark pattern or patterns have been inserted, and

(c) transmitting the resulting picture or pictures.

9. The method as defined in

claim 8

wherein said key information patterns are arranged at present intervals, and wherein, when inserted, said key information patterns are shifted in random directions, respectively.

10. The method as defined in

claim 8

further comprising:

a step of analysing an input picture or pictures for determining the insertion strength of said electronic watermark pattern or patterns per each pixel or section of said picture or pictures;

a step of inserting said electronic watermark pattern or patterns and said key information pattern or patterns in accordance with said insertion strength information.

12. A method for detecting an electronic watermark pattern for specifying a furnisher for a picture or image, termed “

picture”

collectively, inserted into data of said picture, comprising the steps of;

(a) detecting key information pattern or patterns inserted into said data of the picture or pictures along with said electronic watermark pattern or patterns;

(b) generating parameters required for detecting the electronic watermark pattern or patterns from the key information pattern or patterns as detected; and

(c) detecting said electronic watermark pattern or patterns from said picture or pictures based on the parameters generated.

13. The method as defined in

claim 12

wherein said key information patterns comprise patterns that are arranged at a present interval at the outset and that, when inserted, are shifted in a random direction, respectively.

14. An electronic watermark inserter for inserting an electronic watermark pattern or patterns for identifying a furnisher of a picture into data of said picture, said inserter comprising:

(a) an electronic watermark pattern inserter for inserting previously generated key information pattern into a picture or pictures into which said electronic watermark pattern has been inserted and for transmitting the resulting picture or pictures,

(b) means for providing said key information pattern in a predetermined specific arrangement of patterns, and

(c) means for shifting, upon insertion, said patterns in random directions, pattern by pattern.

15. The electronic watermark inserter as defined in

claim 14

further comprising:

a picture analysis unit analysing an input picture for determining the insertion strength of said electronic watermark pattern into each pixel of said picture;

said electronic watermark pattern and said key information pattern being inserted in accordance with said insertion strength information.

16. An electronic watermark detector for detecting an electronic watermark pattern for specifying a furnisher for a picture inserted into data of said picture, comprising:

(a) a key information pattern detecting unit detecting a key information pattern inserted into said data of the picture along with an electronic watermark pattern;

(b) a parameter generator generating parameters required for detecting the electronic watermark pattern from the key information as detected;

(c) a watermark pattern detector detecting said electronic watermark pattern from said picture based on the parameters generated in said parameter generator.

17. The electronic watermark detector as defined in

claim 16

wherein the key information pattern comprises patterns that are arranged at a present interval at the outset and that, when inserted, are shifted each in a random direction.

18. A method for inserting an electronic watermark pattern or patterns for identifying a furnisher of a picture or image, termed “

picture”

collectively, into data of said picture, said method comprising the steps of;

(a) providing a key information pattern or patterns;

(b) inserting the previously provided key information pattern or patterns into a picture or pictures, into which an electronic watermark pattern or patterns have been inserted;

(c) transmitting the resulting picture or pictures;

wherein said key information patterns are arranged at present intervals, and wherein, when inserted, said key information patterns are shifted in random directions, pattern by pattern.

19. The method as defined in

claim 18

further comprising:

a step of analysing an input picture or pictures for determining the insertion strength of said electronic watermark pattern or patterns per each pixel or section of said picture or pictures;

a step of inserting said electronic watermark pattern or patterns and said key information pattern or patterns in accordance with said insertion strength information.

20. A method for detecting an electronic watermark pattern for specifying a furnisher for a picture inserted into data of said picture, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting key information pattern or patterns inserted into said data of the picture or pictures along with said electronic watermark pattern or patterns;

(b) generating parameters required for detecting the electronic watermark pattern from the key information pattern as detected; and

(c) detecting said electronic watermark pattern from said picture based on the parameters generated,

wherein said key information pattern comprises patterns that are arranged at a present interval at the outset and that, when inserted, are shifted in a random direction, pattern by pattern.