Using steganographic encoded information with maps

• US 20050276440A1
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Lofgren, Neil E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,184,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/00 Photogrammetry or videogrammetry, e.g. stereogrammetry; Photographic surveying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0061 Embedding of the watermark in each block of the image, e.g. segmented watermarking

Abstract

A map depicts a plurality of different locations. Steganographic encoding is embebbed in first and second map areas. Steganographic encoding in each area conveys an identifier that is associated with its respective map area. Different encoded identifiers are used to link to information pertaining various different locations depicted in the map.

Claims

1. A method of accessing information from a map, said map depicting a first geolocation including first steganographic encoding therein, and a second, different geolocation including second, different steganographic encoding therein, said method comprising:

obtaining first optical scan data associated with the first area and second optical scan data associated with the second area;

decoding the first steganographic encoding from the depicted first geolocation, wherein the first steganographic encoding encodes a first plural-bit identifier that is associated with the first geolocation, wherein said decoding the first steganograhic encoding yields the first plural-bit identifier;

decoding the second steganographic encoding from the depicted second geolocation, wherein the second steganographic encoding encodes a second plural-bit identifier that is associated with the second geolocation, wherein said decoding the second steganograhic encoding yields the second plural-bit identifier;

using the first plural-bit identifier to access first information pertaining to the first geolocation; and

using the second plural-bit identifier to access second information pertaining to the second geolocation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first plural-bit identifier and the second plural-bit identifier comprises geo-coordinates.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first plural-bit identifier and the second plural-bit identifier comprises a database index.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first steganographic encoding and the second, different steganographic encoding differ in regards to their payloads.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the map comprises at least one of an image and graphic.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first information and second information comprise different information.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the map depicts one or more roads.

8. A method of accessing information from a map, said map depicting a first geolocation including first steganographic encoding therein, and a second, different geolocation including second, different steganographic encoding therein, wherein the first steganographic encoding encodes a first plural-bit identifier that is associated with the first geolocation and the second steganographic encoding encodes a second plural-bit identifier that is associated with the second geolocation, said method comprising:

receiving data corresponding to at least one of the first geolocation and the second geolocation;

analyzing the data to obtain at least one of the first plural-bit identifier and the second plural-bit identifier; and

using the obtained identifier to access information pertaining to its respective geo location.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of the first plural-bit identifier and the second plural-bit identifier comprises geo-coordinates.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of the first plural-bit identifier and the second plural-bit identifier comprises a database index.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the first steganographic encoding and the second, different steganographic encoding differ in regards to their payloads.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the map comprises one or more images.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the map comprises one or more graphics.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the map depicts one or more roads.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the map depicts one or more geological structures.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein the map depicts one or more man-made structures.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein the first steganographic encoding and second steganographic encoding each comprise digital watermarking.

18. The method of claim 8 wherein the map comprises third, different steganographic encoding.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the third, different steganographic encoding conveys a map identifier.

20. A computer readable medium including executable instructions stored thereon, said instructions comprising instructions to carry out the method of claim 8.