Steganographically encoded video, and related methods

• US 20060133645A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Levy, Kenneth L., Rhoads, Geoffrey B., McKinley, Tyler J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,577,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/21 for multiple purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/333 Watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• 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 19/18 Constructional details
• 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 20/341 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 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0028 Adaptive watermarking, e.g. Human Visual System [HVS]-based watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0053 Embedding of the watermark in the coding stream, possibly without decoding; Embedding of the watermark in the compressed domain
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• 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 17/26 : for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• 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 20/00086 : Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00884 : involving a watermark, i.e. a barely perceptible transformation of the original data which can nevertheless be recognised by an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 : embedded in audio data
• 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 1/3216 : 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 1/32251 : in multilevel data, e.g. greyscale or continuous tone data
• 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 1/32352 : 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 19/20 : using video object coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/467 : characterised by the embedded information being invisible, e.g. watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 : the copy protection signal being a watermark
• 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 21/8358 : 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 2201/3225 : 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 2201/3233 : of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• 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 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

The present invention relates to data hiding and steganographically encoding video with auxiliary information. In one implementation, a method is provided including: receiving video including picture portions and out-of-band information conveyed along with the video, wherein the picture portions of the video including auxiliary data hidden therein, with the auxiliary data being hidden in at least some of the picture portions of the video through alterations manifested by an increase in values associated with certain video picture portions, and a decrease in values associated with certain other video picture portions, and wherein the auxiliary data and the out-of-band information cooperatively convey copy control information associated with the video; obtaining at least some of the copy control information; and controlling copying of the video through reference to the at least some of the copy control information. Additional methods and systems are also provided.

Claims

1. A machine-readable media comprising instructions stored thereon, said instructions comprising instructions to:

read a steganographic signal encoded into a video signal or in an audio track accompanying the video signal, where the steganographic signal comprises information regarding a video object in the video signal;

obtain a user selection of the video object; and

carry out an action associated with the video object information, wherein the video signal includes steganographic information for at least two different video objects in the video signal, and the steganographic information associates the video objects with object actions or information.

2. The machine-readable media of claim 1 wherein the audio track includes steganographic information for at least two different video objects appearing in at least one same frame of the video signal, and wherein the steganographic information associates the video objects with object specific actions or information.

3. The machine-readable media of claim 1 wherein the steganographic signal is encoded into the video signal through alterations of data representing the video signal or the audio track accompanying the video signal.

4. The machine-readable media of claim 3 wherein the steganographic signal is encoded through digital watermarking.

5. A machine-readable media comprising instructions stored thereon, said instructions comprising instructions to:

steganographically encode substantially imperceptible auxiliary information about a video object into a video signal; and

associate the video object information with an action, where the action is performed in response to user selection of the video object through a user interface while the video signal is rendered, wherein the object information is encoded in a pre-recorded video object, which forms part of the video signal.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the pre-recorded video object is composited with video frames to form the video signal.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the pre-recorded video object is composited with at least one other video object to form the video signal, where the video objects are each steganographically encoded with object specific information.

8. A system for creating watermark enabled video objects comprising:

an encoder for encoding a watermark in a video sequence or accompanying audio track corresponding to a video object or objects in the video sequence; and

a database system for associating the watermark with an action or information such that the watermark is operable to link the video object or objects to a related action or information during playback of the video sequence.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the watermark is operable to link a corresponding video object to an action or information when a user selects the video object during playback of the video sequence.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the encoder encodes a video object with a watermark and composites the encoded video object with another video signal to create the video sequence.

11. A system for processing a watermark enabled video object in a video signal comprising:

a watermark decoder for decoding a watermark carrying object specific information from the video signal and linking object specific information to an action or information; and

a rendering system for rendering the action or information.

12. The system of claim 11 including a user interface for enabling a user to select a watermark enabled video object during playback of the video signal.

13. The system of claim. 12 wherein the user interface includes the rendering system for rendering the action or information of the selected video object.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the user interface is in a separate device from the watermark decoder.

15. The system of claim 11 including a network interface for communicating information decoded from a watermark to a remote device, which in response to the information, links the information to an action or additional information about a video object.

16. A method comprising:

obtaining video including picture portions and out-of-band information conveyed along with the video;

obtaining auxiliary data that is to be hidden within the video;

receiving data related to at least some human perceptible attributes of the video;

altering the video to include the auxiliary data by changing at least some data representing the picture portions in accordance with elements of the data related to at least some human perceptible attributes of the video to reduce perceptibility of the auxiliary data when hidden in the video, thereby yielding the encoded video,

wherein the auxiliary data and the out-of-band information cooperatively convey copy control information regarding the video.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the copy control information, once obtained, controls a consumer electronics device.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said altering employs steganographic encoding.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said altering employs digital watermarking.

20. The method of claim 16 in which the data related to at least some human perceptible attributes of the video helps to adapt encoding of the picture portions of the video, to reduce visible distortion of the video.

21. The method of claim 16 in which said altering is manifested in the video as an increase in luminance of certain video picture portions, and as a decrease in luminance of certain other video picture portions.

22. A method comprising:

receiving video including picture portions and out-of-band information conveyed along with the video, wherein

the picture portions of the video include auxiliary data hidden therein, with the auxiliary data being hidden in at least some of the picture portions of the video through alterations manifested by an increase in values associated with certain video picture portions, and a decrease in values associated with certain other video picture portions, and wherein

the auxiliary data and the out-of-band information cooperatively convey copy control information associated with the video;

obtaining at least some of the copy control information; and

controlling copying of the video through reference to the at least some of the copy control information.

23. The method of claim 23 wherein the values represent luminosity.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the values represent pixel information.