Method for Making an Assured Image

• US 20100021001A1
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vakxel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Certifi Media, Inc.
• Inventors: McComb, Robert J., Honsinger, Chris W., Jones, Paul W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,488,834 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0028 Adaptive watermarking, e.g. Human Visual System [HVS]-based 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0083 whereby only watermarked image required at decoder, e.g. source-based, blind, oblivious
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0201 whereby only tamper or origin are detected and no embedding takes place
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0202 whereby the quality of watermarked images is measured; Measuring quality or performance of watermarking methods; Balancing between quality and robustness
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/608 Watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

A method for producing an assured image acquires image data and segments the image data into one or more spatial regions. One or more quality measures is calculated from the image data that is within the one or more spatial regions. Secure assurance data is produced that is representative of the one or more quality measures and the image data. The secure assurance data is associated with the image data to produce the assured image.

Claims

1. A method for producing an assured image comprising:

a) acquiring image data;

b) segmenting the image data into one or more spatial regions;

c) calculating one or more quality measures from the image data that is within the one or more spatial regions;

d) producing secure assurance data that is representative of the one or more quality measures and the image data; and

e) associating the secure assurance data with the image data to produce an assured image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step d) further includes:

calculating a hash value of the image data;

combining the hash value of the image data and the one or more quality measures to produce assurance data; and

encrypting the assurance data to produce secure assurance data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the encrypting is performed using a private key of a public/private key pair.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the secure assurance data further includes unencrypted one or more quality measures.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step d) further includes:

combining the image data and the one or more quality measures to form combined image data and quality measures;

calculating a hash value of the combined image data and quality measures;

encrypting the hash value to produce an encrypted hash value; and

combining the one or more quality measures and the encrypted hash value to produce secure assurance data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the encrypting is performed using a private key of a public/private key pair.

7. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

f) comparing the quality measures to predetermined quality specification values; and

g) sending an alert signal if the quality specifications are not met by the quality measures.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein step g) further includes:

routing the digital image data to an exception handling process if the quality specifications are not met by the quality measures.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure assurance data further includes one or more quality measures that are computed from test target image data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the secure assurance data with the image data comprises:

forming a digital file from the image data, wherein the digital file includes an image header; and

storing the secure assurance data in the image header.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the secure assurance data with the image data comprises:

storing the secure assurance data in a database;

forming a digital file from the image data, wherein the digital file includes an image header and an image filename; and

incorporating a unique reference value in the image header or the image filename that points to an entry in the database that contains the secure assurance data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the secure assurance data with the image data comprises embedding the secure assurance data into the image data using a reversible watermarking technique.

13. An assured image comprising:

image data; and

secure assurance data that is associated with the image data, wherein the secure assurance data is representative of the image data and one or more quality measures that are obtained at least from one or more spatial regions within the image data.

14. The assured image of claim 13, wherein:

the image data is represented as a digital file with an image header; and

the secure assurance data is stored in the image header.

15. The assured image of claim 13, wherein:

the secure assurance data is stored in a database;

the image data is represented as a digital file with an image header and an image filename; and

a unique reference value is incorporated in the image header or the image filename that points to an entry in the database that contains the secure assurance data.

16. The assured image of claim 13, wherein the secure assurance data is embedded in the image data using a reversible watermarking technique.

17. The assured image of claim 13, wherein the secure assurance data comprises encrypted data that represents the one or more quality measures and a hash value for the image data.

18. The assured image of claim 13, wherein the secure assurance data comprises the one or more quality measures and encrypted data that includes a hash value for a combination of the image data and the one or more quality measures.

19. The assured image of claim 13, wherein the secure assurance data further comprises one or more quality measures that are computed from test target image data.

20. A method for authenticating an assured image comprising:

a) parsing the assured image to produce image data and secure assurance data;

b) decrypting the secure assurance data to produce a first image hash value and authenticated image quality metrics;

c) calculating a second hash value from the image data;

d) comparing the first hash value with the second hash value;

e) outputting authenticated image data if the first hash value and the second hash value are the same; and

f) outputting an authenticity status signal that indicates whether the first hash value and second hash value are the same.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the decrypting is performed using the public key of a public/private key pair.

22. A method for authenticating an assured image comprising:

a) parsing the assured image into image data, image quality metrics, and secure assurance data;

b) decrypting the secure assurance data to produce a first hash value;

c) combining the image quality metrics and the image data to form combined image quality metrics and image data;

d) calculating a second hash value from the combined image quality metrics and image data;

e) comparing the first hash value with the second hash value;

f) outputting authenticated image data and authenticated image quality metrics if the first hash value and the second hash value are the same; and

g) outputting an authenticity status signal that indicates whether the first hash value and second hash value are the same.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the decrypting is performed using the public key of a public/private key pair.