EXTRACTING AUXILIARY DATA FROM A HOST SIGNAL

• US 20100058065A1
• Filed: 12/05/2007
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Haitsma, Jaap Andre, Celik, Mehmet Utku, Lemma, Aweke Negash
• Application Number:
  US12/517,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20100058065A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/36 Details; Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal

Abstract

The invention relates to extracting and embedding auxiliary data from and to a host signal. In an embodiment, the auxiliary data relates to remotely control of an application or a device, such as an interactive toy. Auxiliary data are extracted from a host signal, by periodically (32A-32C) with a predetermined first period searching a first section (33A-33C) of the host signal for a first watermark (34); and, upon detection of the first watermark, searching the host signal for a second watermark (35). In embodiments, information relating to timing and type of action to be performed by a remotely controlled device may be conveyed by the watermarks.

Claims

1. A method of extracting auxiliary data from a host signal, the method comprising:

periodically (21) with a predetermined first period search (22) a first section (33A-33C) of the host signal for a first watermark (34);

upon detection (23) of the first watermark, search the host signal for a second watermark (35).

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon detection of the second watermark, extracts information conveyed by the second watermark.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second watermark conveys information about timing of an action.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second watermark conveys information about the type of an action.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first watermark indicate the presence of a second watermark.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second watermark carry a payload.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the payload include information about timing of a trigger action.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the payload include information about a type of trigger action.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the length of the first period is larger than the length of the first section of the host signal.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second watermarks (34;

35) are used for remotely controlling a device (1).

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the host signal is audio signal or a visual signal.

17. Computer readable code arranged for causing a processor to perform the method of claim 1.

12. A method of embedding auxiliary data in a host signal, the method comprising:

providing a first watermark (34) and a second watermark (35);

embedding (43) the first watermark having a first length (302) into the host signal at a first position (305) of the host signal;

embedding (43) the second watermark having a second length into the host signal at a second position (306) of the host signal, the second position being correlated to the first position.

13. The method according to claim 12, further providing time information relating to a detector period (300) and a detector duration (33A-33C) of an associated watermark detector, and wherein the first length (302) is at least as long as the detector period and the detector duration.

18. Computer readable code arranged for causing a processor to perform the method of claim 12.

14. A watermark detector (50) comprising

a first search unit (51) for periodically (21) with a predetermined first period search (22) a first section (33A-33C) of the host signal for a first watermark (34)

a second search unit (53) for upon detection of the first watermark, search the host signal for a second watermark (35).

15. A watermark embedder (60) comprising:

an input unit (61) for receiving a first watermark (34) and a second watermark (35);

embedder unit (63) for embedding the first watermark having a first length (302) into the host signal at a first position (305) of the host signal; and

for embedding the second watermark having a second length into the host signal at a second position (306) of the host signal, the second position being correlated to the first position.

16. A signal with a two-level watermark embedded in the host signal, the first watermark indicating the presence of a second watermark, the first watermark being embedded at a first position of the host signal, the second watermark being embedded at a second position of the host signal, the second position being correlated to the first position.