Digital Watermarking Maps and Signs, and Related Navigational Tools

• US 20080123154A1
• Filed: 07/23/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Brundage, Trent, Lofgren, Neil
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/3.28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0042 Fragile watermarking, e.g. so as to detect tampering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0071 using multiple or alternating watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0061 Embedding of the watermark in each block of the image, e.g. segmented watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• 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 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Maps and/or signs are embedded with plural-bit data in the form of digital watermarks. In one implementation, an apparatus is provided to read two or more digital watermarks embedded within a map. Each of the two or more digital watermarks includes location information for a respective map location. The two or more digital watermarks are embedded through alterations to data representing the map; the alterations are generally imperceptible to a human observer of the map. The apparatus includes: a global positioning system receiver to determine a physical location of said apparatus; an input to receive data corresponding to at least a portion of the respective map area; a processor or electronic processing circuitry to extract the location information from the input data and to correlate the physical location with the extracted location information; and an output to output an indication of a relative correlation between the physical location and watermark location information. Other implementations are provided and claimed as well.

Claims

1. An apparatus to read two or more digital watermarks embedded within a map, each of the two or more digital watermarks includes location information for a respective map location, the two or more digital watermarks are embedded through alterations to data representing the map, the alterations are generally imperceptible to a human observer of the map, said apparatus comprising:

a global positioning system receiver to determine a physical location of said apparatus;

an input to receive data corresponding to at least a portion of the respective map area;

a processor or electronic processing circuitry to extract the location information from the input data and to correlate the physical location with the extracted location information; and

an output to output an indication of a relative correlation between the physical location and watermark location information.

2. A method comprising:

accessing a database comprising information;

retrieving a subset of the database information;

storing the retrieved subset of database information in a handheld computing device, the handheld device including an input device;

capturing a portion of a map by the input device, the portion including at least one digital watermark hidden therein through alterations to data representing the portion, the alterations being generally imperceptible to a human observer of the portion of the map, the digital watermark including map location information;

in the handheld computing device, determining which of the retrieved subset of the database information corresponds to the map location information; and

providing corresponding retrieved subset database information as feedback.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising wirelessly accessing the database.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the database information includes at least one of road directions, restaurant information, store or restaurant promotions, coupons, tourist information, historical information, zoo information, amusement park information, rest-stop information, road conditions, road work information or detour information.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the feedback comprises at least one of visual feedback, audible feedback, text feedback, graphical user interface feedback, laser pointer illumination or a printed document.

6. A road or informational sign having plural bit data steganographically encoded thereon in the form of a digital watermark, the data comprising a unique identifier, the steganographic encoding being introduced to the sign through alterations to data representing at least a portion of the sign, the alterations being generally imperceptible to a human observer of the sign, the unique identifier conveying a location of the sign or information associated with the sign.

7. The sign according to claim 6 wherein the information conveys a message including one of a speed limit, directions, location of an establishment or seating information.

8. The sign according to claim 6 wherein the information includes an index into a database, the database comprising data records.

9. The sign according to claim 8, wherein a data record within the database comprises at least one of a speed limit, directions, location of an establishment, Java applets, lodging vacancy, menu, hours of operation, tourist information, HTML code, URL page, IP address, or seating information.

10. A method comprising:

capturing an image of a road or informational sign;

extracting a digital watermark from the captured image, the watermark including plural-bit data, the digital watermark being introduced to the sign through alterations to data representing at least a portion of the sign, the alterations being generally imperceptible to a human observer of the sign; and

outputting a response in accordance with the plural-bit data.

11. The method according to claim 10 further comprising interrogating a database with the plural-bit data to locate a corresponding web page address.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the response comprises displaying a web page associated with the web page address.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising accessing a file associated with the plural-bit data, the file including one of audio, video or text data.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the response comprises rendering the audio, video or text data.