Embedding watermark components during separate printing stages

• US 20030025423A1
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Marc D., Hawes, Jonathan L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,039,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/100
• 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 2201/0065 Extraction of an embedded watermark; Reliable detection
• 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 1/32304 Embedding different sets of additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32309 in colour image data
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to embedding a document with multiple watermark components at different printing stages. A document is preprinted to include a first digital watermark component. The document is then reprinted, perhaps with a lower quality printer, to include a second digital watermark component. In some cases the first component provides an orientation signal that is useful when trying to detect the second component. In other cases the first and second components are related or otherwise used to determine the authenticity of the document. In still other cases, the first and second watermark components carry information useful in determining the type of document, watermark-embedding hints and/or personal or serialized data.

Claims

1. A method of applying serialized data to a document, said method comprising:

providing a first digital watermark component including orientation information;

embedding the first digital watermark component in first print data, and applying the embedded first print data to a document using a first printing process;

providing a second digital watermark component including a payload; and

embedding the second digital watermark component in second print data, and applying the embedded second print data to the document using a second printing process, wherein the first printing process and the second printing process are separate printing processes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first print process provides relatively higher printing as compared to the second printing process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the payload comprises information that is unique to a bearer of the document.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the payload comprises serialization information that uniquely identifies the document.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first digital watermark component further comprises an identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifier and the payload are related.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the embedded second print data printed on the document is in alignment with the embedded first print data as printed on the document, whereby the second digital watermark component can be read from the document by first detecting the orientation information and using the orientation information to help detect the second digital watermark component.

8. A method of digitally watermarking a document that is to receive printing during at least a first printing stage and during a second printing stage, wherein the first printing stage and the second printing stage are separate printing stages, and wherein the first printing stage applies fixed information to the document and the second printing stage applies personalized information to the document, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first digital watermark component;

embedding the first digital watermark component in the fixed information, and applying the embedded fixed information to the document during the first printing stage;

providing a second digital watermark component; and

embedding the second digital watermark component in the personalized information, and applying the embedded personalized information to the document during the second printing stage.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first digital watermark comprises an indication that a second digital watermark component is embedded in the document.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first digital watermark component comprises a decryption or decoding key to decrypt or decode the second digital watermark component.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first digital watermark component comprises information pertaining to the embedding location or watermark protocol of the second digital watermark component.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first digital watermark component comprises a link to a data record, the data record comprising information pertaining to at least one of a type of document, a watermark embedding, and document areas including a low probability of including watermark information.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the second digital watermark component comprises information that personalizes the document.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the second digital watermark component comprises information that serializes the document.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the first printing stage utilizes a relatively high quality printing process when compared to the second printing stage.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the second printing stage utilizes a relatively fast printing process when compared to the first printing stage.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein the first digital watermark component comprises orientation information, and the second stage printing is printed in alignment with the first stage printing so that detection of the second digital watermark component can rely on the orientation information.