Image management system and methods using digital watermarks

• US 20040046774A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Lofgren, Neil E., Patterson, Philip R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• 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 1/3232 Robust embedding or watermarking
• 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 2201/3252 Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3254 Orientation, e.g. landscape or portrait; Location or order of the image data, e.g. in memory

Abstract

The present invention relates to image management systems and methods. In one implementation we provide a method to provide geo-location feedback corresponding to an image area selected by a user. A digital watermark embedded in the selected image area is decoded, and the decoded digital watermark includes or points to geo-location information associated with the selected image location. In another implementation we provide an alert engine to notify a network station that information associated with a digital watermark identifier is available.

Claims

1. A method of providing geo-location feedback for an area depicted in an image, the feedback being provided through a computerized system, the computerized system comprising a display, a user pointer, electronic processing circuitry, memory and software instructions stored in memory for execution on the electronic processing circuitry, the instructions including digital watermark decoding instructions, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying the image on the system display;

identifying an image area pointed to by the user pointer;

decoding a digital watermark embedded in the image area pointed to by the user pointer; and

providing geo-location feedback via the system display based at least in part on the decoded digital watermark.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user pointer comprises at least one of a mouse and touch-screen display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the geo-location feedback comprises geo-coordinates associated with the image area pointed to by the user pointer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the digital watermark embedded in the image area comprises the geo-coordinates.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the digital watermark comprises an identifier to access a data record including the geo-coordinates.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the image comprises a plurality of digital watermarks, with each image area including a different digital watermark embedded therein.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the geo-location feedback is provided via a graphical user interface displayed by the system display.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the feedback comprises an audio clip.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the feedback comprises a multimedia presentation.

10. A method of providing geo-location feedback for an area depicted in an image, the image comprising a plurality of image areas, with each of the image areas including a different digital watermark component embedded therein, wherein each of the different digital watermark components comprises, or points to, geo-location information associated with its respective image area, said method comprising the steps of:

decoding each of the digital watermark components, and registering the digital watermark components with their respective spatial image area location;

displaying the image;

determining a spatial image area selected by a user;

determining the digital watermark component associated with the selected spatial image area; and

providing geo-location feedback for the selected spatial image area based at least in part on the digital watermark component associated with the selected spatial image area.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the digital watermark component associated with the selected spatial image area comprises geo-coordinates for the selected spatial image area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the selected spatial image area is selected by at least one of a mouse cursor and a selection via a touch-screen display.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the digital watermark points to a data record including geo-coordinates for the selected spatial image area.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the geo-location feedback is provided via a user interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the feedback comprises an audio clip.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the feedback comprises a multimedia presentation.

17. A method of providing geo-location feedback for an area depicted in an image, the image comprising a digital watermark component redundantly embedded therein, wherein the digital watermark component includes an identifier that is associated with a data record including a plurality of geocoordinates that are spatially registered to the image, said method comprising the steps of:

decoding the digital watermark component to obtain the identifier;

determining a relative image position for a selected image area;

providing the identifier for use in accessing the data record;

determining which of the plurality of geocoordinates in the accessed data record corresponds to the selected image area through reference to at least the relative image position; and

providing the determined geocoordinates as feedback.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the relative image position comprises a vertical and a horizontal image distance from predetermined image point to the selected image area.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the relative image position comprises an image offset from a predetermined image point to the selected image area.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the image offset comprises a pixel distance from the predetermined point to the selected image area.

21. A method of redundantly embedding information in an image comprising the steps of:

embedding first information in the image at a first resolution; and

redundantly embedding the first information in the image a second, different resolution;

wherein the embedded first information at the first resolution is lost or degraded when viewing the image at the second resolution, but is retrievable at the second, different resolution.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the embedding of the first information is limited so as to correspond to a predetermined area in the image.

23. A method of registering an image captured from an aerial platform in an image registry, the image comprising a digital watermark embedded therein, the digital watermark comprising an identifier, said method comprising the steps of:

storing the image in the registry so as to be retrievable based on the identifier;

automatically searching computer databases for information associated with the identifier; and

upon finding additional information that is associated with the identifier, associating the additional information with the image via the digital watermark identifier.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the identifier comprises a geo-location associated with an area depicted in the image.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the additional information comprises information associated with the geo-location associated with the area depicted in the image.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the identifier comprises a key word, and said searching comprises providing the key word to a search engine associated with the computer databases.

27. A method of operating a network filter, the network comprising a plurality of network nodes, the network filter to help manage images each including an identifier embedded therein in the form of a digital watermark, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring image traffic to a particular network node, a first image being identified through decoding a digital watermark including a first identifier that is embedded within the first image;

determining additional information associated with the first image based at least in part on the first identifier; and

notifying the network node of the presence of the additional information.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the additional information comprises a recently captured image corresponding to the first image, the recently captured image comprising a second identifier that is associated with the first identifier.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first identifier and the second identifier represent geo-coordinates.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of:

upon receipt of a request, providing information associated with the request, wherein the request comprises an image identifier.

31. A method of scheduling an alert to announce the presence of available information associated with an image, wherein the image includes a digital watermark embedded therein, the digital watermark comprising an identifier, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving from a network terminal the identifier, wherein the network terminal has previously decoded the digital watermark in the image to obtain the identifier;

monitoring data records associated with the identifier; and

upon identifying updated information associated with the identifier, sending a message to the network computer announcing the availability of the updated information.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said monitoring step comprises decoding digital watermarks from data stored in the data records.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the identifier comprises geo-location information. 34. The method of claim 31, wherein the updated information comprises aerial imagery.