IDENTIFICATION AND PROTECTION OF VIDEO

• US 20100027969A1
• Filed: 08/03/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Alattar, Adnan M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,974,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/252
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 1/00 Machines for printing and issuing tickets printing mechanisms per se B41; output mechanisms of digital computers G06C11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 11/00 Apparatus for validating or cancelling issued tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/41 with means for the generation of identity documents
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/005 Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/202 using pattern matching

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and apparatus that are helpful for identifying or protecting video. One claim recites a method including: receiving data representing picture elements of video; transforming the data into a frequency domain; comparing characteristics associated with the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a first video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the first video type; and if the characteristics do not coincide, comparing the characteristics of the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a second video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the second video type. Another claim recites a method including: obtaining information associated with a video; selecting a set of information from the obtained information; deriving identifying information from the selected set of information; and providing a security feature in or over data representing picture elements of the video according to the identifying information. Of course, other implementations are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving data representing picture elements of video;

transforming the data into a frequency domain;

comparing characteristics associated with the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a first video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the first video type; and

if the characteristics do not coincide,

comparing the characteristics of the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a second video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the second video type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined characteristics comprise a radius.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined characteristics comprise a horizontal distance from a DC component response to a frequency point.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the predetermined characteristics further comprise an angle formed between a line from the origin to the frequency point and a horizontal axis.

5. A programmed computing device comprising instructions stored in memory, the instructions causing said programmed computing device to perform the method of claim 1.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the characteristics associated with the transformed digital data correspond to steganographic indicia hidden on or in the video.

7. A computer readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, the instructions are for causing an electronic processor to perform the method of claim 1.

8. A method comprising:

obtaining information associated with a video;

selecting a set of information from the obtained information;

deriving identifying information from the selected set of information; and

providing a security feature in or over data representing picture elements of the video according to the identifying information.

9. The method of claim 8 in which the security feature comprises a recognizable pattern when transformed into a frequency domain.

10. The method of claim 8 in which the security feature comprises a pattern of concentric shapes.

11. The method of claim 10 in which the identifying information is used to generate a spacing distance between the concentric shapes.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein in a frequency domain the pattern of concentric shapes yields a frequency response having a features corresponding to the spacing distance.

13. The method of claim 8 in which the identifying information is used to generate a spacing feature.

14. The method of claim 13 in which the spacing feature is associated with video distributor or target recipient

15. The method of claim 13 in which the spacing feature is associated with a movie studio.

16. A programmed computing device comprising instructions stored in memory, the instructions causing said programmed computing device to perform the method of claim 8.

17. A computer readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, the instructions are for causing an electronic processor to perform the method of claim 8.

18. A programmed computing device comprising instructions stored in memory, the instructions causing said programmed computing device to perform the method of claim 12.

19. A computer readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, the instructions are for causing an electronic processor to perform the method of claim 12.

20. A programmed computing device comprising instructions stored in memory, the instructions causing said programmed computing device to perform the method of claim 13.