Media-independent document security method and apparatus

• US 20040005093A1
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1995
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Application Number:
  US10/374,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20040005093A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/232
• 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 1/0028 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 1/0057 Compression invariant watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0064 Geometric transfor invariant watermarking, e.g. affine transform invariant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0064 for copy protection or copy management, e.g. CGMS, copy only once, one-time copy
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0065 Extraction of an embedded watermark; Reliable detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0083 whereby only watermarked image required at decoder, e.g. source-based, blind, oblivious
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• 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 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: 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 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• 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 1/32149 : Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32154 : Transform domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• 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 1/32229 : 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 1/32288 : 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 1/32299 : using more than one embedding method
• 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 1/34 : for coin-freed systems ; Pay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 : involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23892 : involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 : for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44236 : Monitoring of piracy processes or activities protecting computer platforms against harmful, malicious or unexpected behaviour or activities using intrusion detection and counter measures G06F21/566; computer virus detection and handling G06F21/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 : involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 : of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 : of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/323 : for tracing or tracking, e.g. forensic tracing of unauthorized copies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 : of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 : of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3246 : of data relating to permitted access or usage, e.g. level of access or usage parameters for digital rights management [DRM] related to still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 : data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3284 : for error correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 : Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing media-independent security for a document is provided. In one embodiment, a method includes inputting image data corresponding to an interpretable image displayable by a display device in an interpretable format to be readily interpretable by a user; inputting security data corresponding to security information; creating, in a first medium, a document including a substantive portion; and a security portion inseparable from the substantive portion. The method further includes transferring the document into a second medium; decoding symbols into binary security data representing the security information; and outputting the binary security data in a format retrievable to be interpretable as the security information.

Claims

1. A method for media-independent security for a document, the method comprising:

inputting image data corresponding to an interpretable image displayable by a display device in an interpretable format to be readily interpretable by a user;

inputting security data corresponding to security information;

creating, in a first medium, a document comprising;

a substantive portion; and

a security portion inseparable from the substantive portion;

transferring the document into a second medium;

decoding symbols into binary security data representing the security information; and

outputting the binary security data in a format retrievable to be interpretable as the security information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein decoding further comprises:

transforming the symbols into a bit map;

capturing a target pattern;

synchronizing reading;

orienting in accordance with a direction indicated by the target pattern; and

reading the symbols.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the target pattern is comprised of a selected number of the symbols arranged in a pre-designated pattern.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein inputting comprises:

scanning a hardcopy of the document into a scanning device;

creating a bit map of the document; and

storing the bit map in a memory device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the security image is comprised of binary symbols copied in a pattern.

16. The method of claim 2 wherein the target pattern is comprised of a number of elements arranged in a pre-designated pattern.

6. A memory device effective to store a media-independent security code and an associated document processable by a document processor, the memory device comprising:

a first block storing an executable, loadable to run on a computer as a document processor application;

a second block storing substantive data corresponding to information in a document presentable in a format interpretable directly by a user;

a third block storing security data independent but inseparable from the substantive data; and

a fourth block storing a security executable, loadable to process the security data and to include the security data in the document independently of the medium in which the document is represented.

7. The memory device of claim 6 wherein the security executable comprises instructions operable to program a computer to provide output data effective to produce a security image in the document in a security format rendering the security image uninterpretable by a viewer interpreting the document.

8. The memory device of claim 6 further comprising a rendering buffer storing output data comprising the substantive data and security data combined in a buffer format to be transmitted to an output device.

9. The memory device of claim 8 wherein the buffer format is effective to output to the output device the output data in a transfer format effective to control the output device to output in the document a substantive image corresponding to the substantive data and directly interpretable by a viewer visually inspecting the document, and to output a security image corresponding to the security data and uninterpretable by the viewer.

10. The memory device of claim 8 wherein the rendering buffer stores background data combined with the security data and effective to include the security data in a background image output by the output device in the document.

11. The memory device of claim 8 wherein the rendering buffer stores watermark data combined with the security data and effective to include the security data in a watermark image.

12. The memory device of claim 6 further comprising a pattern block comprising pattern encoding data for encoding the security data in a security image to be output in the document by an output device.

13. The memory device of claim 12 wherein the pattern block further comprises palette data corresponding to the pattern encoding data, and effective to present to a user for selection by a user, a plurality of encoding patterns corresponding the encoding data.

14. The memory device of claim 6 wherein the memory device is comprised of a plurality of storage devices adapted to receive data.

15. The memory device of claim 6 further comprising security code data corresponding to security codes obscured in a pattern unrecognizable to a user, synchronizing data to synchronize a reader to recognize the pattern, symbol interpretation data to enable the processor to read the pattern to produce a binary code, decoding data to enable the processor to decode the binary code into characters recognizable by a user.