Steganographic Encoding Methods and Apparatus

• US 20090232352A1
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Carr, J. Scott, Seder, Phillip Andrew, Lofgren, Neil E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0064 Geometric transfor invariant watermarking, e.g. affine transform invariant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain

Abstract

The presently claimed invention relates generally to steganographic encoding. One claim recites a method including: obtaining data representing a first graphic; utilizing a multi-purpose computer processor configured for steganographically data hiding to hide a signal in the data representing the first graphic; obtaining a copy of the first graphic including a steganographically hidden signal therein; storing the copy of the first graphic in electronic memory or integrated circuitry. A steganographically hidden signal in the data representing the first graphic and the steganographically hidden signal in the copy of the first graphic are related. Of course, other combinations are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining data representing a first graphic;

utilizing a multi-purpose computer processor configured for steganographically data hiding to hide a signal in the data representing the first graphic;

obtaining a copy of the first graphic including a steganographically hidden signal therein;

storing the copy of the first graphic in electronic memory or integrated circuitry, and

a steganographically hidden signal in the data representing the first graphic and the steganographically hidden signal in the copy of the first graphic are related.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the single comprises a plural-bit payload.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data representing the first graphic comprises a transform domain representation.

4. A programmed computing device storing instructions in memory, said instructions are executable by said programmed computing device to perform the acts of claim 1.

5. A computer readable media comprising instructions stored thereon to cause a multi-purpose computer processor to perform the acts of claim 1.

6. A method comprising:

obtaining a signal representing audio or video;

utilizing a configured multi-purpose electronic processor to transform the signal into frequency domain coefficients representing the signal;

determining a key based on information that is uniquely associated with a user or user account,

utilizing the key to identify frequency domain coefficients representing the signal;

utilizing a configured multi-purpose electronic processor to alter identified frequency domain coefficients to carry an auxiliary signal in a steganographic manner.

7. A programmed computing device storing instructions in memory, said instructions are executable by said programmed computing device to perform the acts of claim 6.

8. A computer readable media comprising instructions stored thereon to cause a multi-purpose computer processor to perform the acts of claim 6.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the auxiliary signal comprises a plural-bit message.

10. An apparatus comprising:

an input for obtaining a signal representing audio or video;

a multi-purpose electronic processor configured to;

i. transform the signal to obtain frequency domain coefficients representing the signal;

ii. determine a key based on information that is uniquely associated with a user or user account,

iii. utilize the key to identify frequency domain coefficients representing the signal; and

iv. alter identified frequency domain coefficients to carry an auxiliary signal in a steganographic manner.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the auxiliary signal comprises a plural-bit message.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 in which said multi-purpose electronic processor is operating to perform at least one function recited in claim 10.