Watermark Systems and Methods

• US 20070183623A1
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Brundage, Trent, Paul, Indraneel, Hannigan, Brett, Carr, J., McKinley, Tyler, Seder, Phillip, Rodriguez, Tony, Perry, Burt
• Granted Patent: US 8,750,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1063 Personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6272 by registering files or documents with a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• 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

Abstract

A number of novel watermarking applications, and improvements to watermarking methods, are disclosed. Included are techniques for encoding printed circuit boards and street signs with watermarks, deterring credit card fraud and controlling software licensing using watermarks, registering collectibles via watermarks, encoding the margins of printed pages with watermarks, and using watermarks to convey extra information in video by which fidelity of the rendered video may be improved. One particular arrangement is a method in which a PDA, wristwatch, or other portable device with a display screen presents a pattern that includes a machine-readable identifier. This image is sensed by a separate device, such as a webcam or a camera-equipped cell phone. The sensing device can then take an action based on the identifier. In some arrangements, the action is personalized to the user.

Claims

1. A method of marking product packaging, comprising:

printing on the packaging using a first, visible ink;

printing over at least some of said first ink using a second ink, said second ink fluorescing when exposed to ultraviolet light;

wherein said second ink is printed in a pattern encoding first digital data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second ink is printed in a pattern encoding a digital watermark.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first, visible, ink forms artwork having second digital data steganographically encoded therein.

4. The method of claim 2 in which the second digital data is different than the first digital data.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the printing with the first ink includes depositing a flood of black ink.

6-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A method of interacting with a multi-function portable device conveyed by an individual user, the device including a screen displaying a pattern, the method comprising the acts:

using a camera-equipped system to sense said displayed pattern and to produce output data corresponding thereto;

decoding plural-bit information from said output data; and

taking an action based at least in part on said decoded plural-bit information, wherein said action is personalized in accordance with said individual user.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said action is personalized in accordance with personalization data introduced by said system.

15. The method of claim 13 that comprises:

transmitting said decoded information to a data structure, together with data associated with said user that is provided by said system;

obtaining corresponding information from said data structure; and

taking an action based at least in part on said corresponding information, wherein said action is personalized in accordance with said individual user through use of said data provided by said system.

16. The method of claim 13 that comprises:

obtaining corresponding information related to said decoded information from a data structure; and

taking an action based at least in part on said corresponding information.

17. The method of claim 16 that includes:

obtaining corresponding information related to said decoded information from a remote data structure; and

transmitting said corresponding information to said system.

18. The method of claim 16 that includes using said corresponding information to link to a web address, and taking an action using information from said web address.

19. The method of claim 13 in which said system comprises a camera-equipped cell phone, said cell phone sensing said displayed pattern.

20. The method of claim 13 in which said decoding comprises decoding digital watermark information from said pattern.

21. The method of claim 13 in which said decoding comprises decoding barcode information from said pattern.

22. A method of interacting with an optical sensor-equipped system that senses a pattern presented thereto, and takes an action based thereon, the method comprising the acts:

generating a pattern having a particular relation to an individual user;

displaying said pattern on a screen associated with a multi-function portable device, said device being conveyed by said individual user; and

presenting said displayed pattern to the system;

wherein the action taken by said system is personalized in accordance with said user.

23. The method of claim 22 that includes generating a pattern that encodes information associated with said individual user.

24. The method of claim 22 that includes generating a pattern that includes a picture of said individual.

25. The method of claim 22 that includes generating a pattern that includes information identifying said individual.

26. The method of claim 22 that includes, at a first time, generating and displaying a first pattern on said screen of said user-conveyed multi-function portable device and presenting same to said system, and at a second time, generating and displaying a different, second pattern on said screen and presenting same to said system, wherein at least one of said patterns has a particular relation to said individual user.

27. The method of claim 26 that includes changing between said first and second patterns responsive to user control.

28. The method of claim 22 that includes displaying said pattern on a display screen associated with a personal digital assistant (PDA) conveyed by said individual user.

29. The method of claim 22 that includes displaying said pattern on a screen associated with a multi-function portable device worn on a wrist of an individual user.

30. A method comprising the acts:

displaying a pattern on a screen associated with a multi-function portable device, said device being conveyed by an individual user;

using a camera-equipped system to sense said displayed pattern from the user-conveyed portable device, and to produce output data corresponding thereto;

decoding plural-bit information from said output data; and

taking an action based at least in part on said decoded plural-bit information, wherein said action is personalized in accordance with said individual user.