Data transmitting apparatus, contents distribution apparatus, contents distribution system, digital contents distribution method and data storage apparatus

• US 20030191941A1
• Filed: 08/29/2002
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Fujii, Yukio, Fujikawa, Yoshifumi, Iwagaki, Taruhi, Terada, Koichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,337,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• 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 1/32325 the embedded data being visible
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes

Abstract

A technique for distributing digital contents capable of effectively protecting copyrights and the like on the basis of invisible electronic watermark information and electronic watermark information is to be provided. On the sending side, additional information including copyright-related information is embedded into digital contents in advance as invisible electronic watermark information, while on the receiving side, additional information as the embedded invisible electronic watermark information is decoded and extracted as visible watermark information, the extracted information is embedded again into the digital contents, and the additional information is distributed or outputted as visible information together with the digital contents.

Claims

1. A data transmitting apparatus comprising:

a means for inputting digital contents;

a means for encoding additional information as invisible electronic watermark information and embedding the encoded information into said digital contents; and

a means for outputting the digital contents into which said invisible electronic watermark information is embedded.

2. A contents distributing apparatus for visibly arranging additional information on digital contents and distributing the contents, comprising:

a receiver means for receiving a first information signal consisting of the digital contents in which additional information is embedded as invisible electronic watermark information;

a decoding means for decoding the additional information as invisible electronic watermark information embedded into said received first information signal and extracting it as visible watermark information; and

a visible watermark information superimposing means for superimposing the extracted visible watermark information into the digital contents to form a second information signal;

said contents distribution apparatus distributing said additional information as visible information together with said digital contents.

5. The contents distribution apparatus, according to claim 2, wherein said additional information is either right owner information or information on viewing/listening restriction.

3. A contents distributing apparatus for visibly arranging additional information on digital contents and distributing the contents, comprising:

a receiver means for receiving a first information signal consisting of the digital contents in which additional information is embedded as invisible electronic watermark information;

a decoding means for decoding the additional information as invisible electronic watermark information embedded into the received first information signal and extracting it as visible watermark information;

a visible watermark information superimposing means for superimposing the extracted visible watermark information into the digital contents to form a second information signal; and

a selector means for selecting and outputting said first information signal or second information signal,

said contents distribution apparatus distributing said additional information as visible information together with said digital contents.

6. The contents distribution apparatus, according to claim 3, wherein said additional information is either right owner information or information on viewing/listening restriction.

4. A contents distributing apparatus for visibly arranging additional information on digital contents and distributing the contents, comprising:

a receiver means for receiving a first information signal consisting of the digital contents in which additional information is embedded as invisible electronic watermark information;

a memory means for storing digital contents in the received information signal;

a decoding means for decoding the additional information as invisible electronic watermark information embedded into said received information signal and extracting it as visible watermark information;

a visible watermark information superimposing means for superimposing the extracted visible watermark information into the digital contents read out of said memory means to form a second information signal, and

a means for outputting the second information signal,

said contents distribution apparatus distributing said additional information as visible information together with said digital contents.

7. The contents distribution apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein said additional information is either right owner information or information on viewing/listening restriction.

8. A contents distribution system for distributing digital contents, comprising:

a transmitting means for encoding additional information as invisible electronic watermark information, embedding the encoded information into said digital contents and transmitting the digital contents with the additional information to a network as a first information signal; and

a distributing means for receiving said first information signal from the network, decoding the additional information as the embedded invisible electronic watermark information, extracting it as visible watermark information, superimposing it again into the digital contents to form a second information signal, and transmitting the signal,

the contents distribution system distributing the digital contents with the additional information visibly arranged thereon.

9. A data storage apparatus capable of visibly arranging additional information on digital contents and outputting the digital contents of this arrangement, comprising:

an input means for receiving a first information signal consisting of digital contents in which additional information is embedded as invisible electronic watermark information;

a memory means for storing the digital contents in the received information signal;

a decoding means for decoding the additional information as invisible electronic watermark information embedded in said received information signal and extracting it as visible watermark information;

a visible watermark information superimposing means for superimposing the extracted visible watermark information into the digital contents read out of said memory means to form a second information signal; and

an output means for outputting the second information signal,

wherein said input means and said output means are configured as an interface of a file system, and are capable of outputting said additional information as visible information together with said digital contents.

10. A digital contents distribution method of visibly arranging additional information on digital contents and distributing the digital contents of this arrangement,

said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first information signal consisting of the digital contents in which the additional information is embedded as invisible electronic watermark information;

decoding the additional information as invisible electronic watermark information embedded in the received information signal and extracting it as visible watermark information; and

superimposing the extracted visible watermark information into the digital contents to form a second information signal,

wherein said additional information is distributed as visible information together with said digital contents.

11. A digital contents distribution method of visibly arranging additional information on digital contents and distributing the digital contents of this arrangement,

said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first information signal consisting of the digital contents in which the additional information is embedded as invisible electronic watermark information;

decoding the additional information as invisible electronic watermark information embedded in the received first information signal and extracting it as visible watermark information;

superimposing the extracted visible watermark information into the digital contents to form a second information signal; and

selecting and outputting said first information signal or second information signal,

wherein said additional information is distributed as visible information together with said digital contents.

12. A digital contents distribution method of visibly arranging additional information on digital contents and distributing the digital contents of this arrangement,

said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first information signal consisting of the digital contents in which the additional information is embedded as invisible electronic watermark information;

storing the digital contents in the received information signal;

decoding the additional information as invisible electronic watermark information embedded in the received information signal and extracting it as visible watermark information;

superimposing the extracted visible watermark information into the digital contents read out of said memory means to form a second information signal; and

outputting the second information signal;

wherein said additional information is distributed as visible information together with said digital contents.