Out of Phase Digital Watermarking in Two Chrominance Directions

• US 20100150434A1
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Reed, Alastair M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,117,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/162
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relate generally to digital watermarking. One claim recites a method including: obtaining first data representing a first chrominance channel of a color image or video, where the first data comprises a watermark signal embedded therein; obtaining second data representing a second chrominance channel of the color image or video, the second data comprising the watermark signal embedded therein but with a signal polarity that is inversely related to the polarity of the watermark signal in the first data; combining the second data with the first data in a manner that reduces image or video interference relative to the watermark signal, said act of combining yielding third data; using at least a processor or electronic processing circuitry, processing the third data to obtain the watermark signal; and once obtained, providing information associated with the watermark signal. Of course, additional combinations and claims are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a color image or video signal;

transforming the color image or video signal by separating the color image or video signal into at least first data representing a first color channel of the color image or video signal and second data representing a second color channel of the color image or video signal, where the first data comprises a digital watermark signal embedded therein and the second data comprises the digital watermark signal embedded therein with a signal polarity that is inversely related to the polarity of the digital watermark signal in the first data;

subtracting the second data from the first data to yield third data;

using at least a processor or electronic processing circuitry, analyzing the third data to detect the digital watermark signal;

once detected, providing information associated with the digital watermark signal.

2. A computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon to control the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital watermark signal comprises an orientation signal, and said act of analyzing utilizes the orientation signal to detect the digital watermark signal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said act of subtracting the second data from the first data to yield third data increases the digital watermark signal-to-image or video ratio.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said act of subtracting the second data from the first data to yield third data decreases image or video interference for said act of analyzing.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital watermark signal comprises a plural-bit message or payload.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said act of providing information associated with the digital watermark signal provides the message or payload to a remote database.

8. A method comprising:

obtaining first data representing a first chrominance channel of a color image or video signal, where the first data comprises a watermark signal embedded therein;

obtaining second data representing a second chrominance channel of the color image or video signal, the second data comprising the watermark signal embedded therein but with a signal polarity that is inversely related to the polarity of the watermark signal in the first data;

combining the second data with the first data in a manner that reduces image or video interference relative to the watermark signal, said act of combining yielding third data;

using at least a processor or electronic processing circuitry, processing the third data to obtain the watermark signal;

once obtained, providing information associated with the watermark signal.

9. A computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon to control performance of the method recited in claim 8.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the watermark signal comprises an orientation signal, and said act of analyzing utilizes the orientation signal to detect the watermark signal.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said act of combining increases the watermark signal-to-image or video ratio.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the watermark signal comprises a plural-bit message or payload.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said act of providing information provides the message or payload to a remote database.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a processor or electronic processing circuitry to control;

(a) handling of first data representing a first color channel of a color image or video signal, where the first data comprises a watermark signal embedded therein;

(b) handling of second data representing a second color channel of the color image or video signal, the second data comprising the watermark signal embedded therein but with a signal polarity that is inversely related to the polarity of the watermark signal in the first data;

(c) combining the second data with the first data in manner that reduces image or video signal interference relative to the watermark signal, the combining yielding third data;

(d) processing the third data to obtain the watermark signal;

(e) once obtained, providing information associated with the watermark signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the watermark signal comprises an orientation signal, and said act of analyzing utilizes the orientation signal to detect the watermark signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the combining increases the watermark signal-to-image or video ratio.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the watermark signal comprises a plural-bit message or payload.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein providing information provides the message or payload to a remote database.

19. A method comprising:

obtaining first data representing a first chrominance channel of a color image or video signal;

obtaining second data representing a second chrominance channel of the color image or video signal;

using a processor or electronic processing circuitry, embedding a watermark signal in the first data with a first signal polarity;

using a processor or electronic processing circuitry, transforming the second data by embedding the watermark signal in the second data so that when embedded in the second data the watermark signal comprises a second signal polarity that is inversely related to the first signal polarity of the watermark signal in the first data;

combining the watermarked first data and the watermarked second data to yield a watermarked version of the color image or video signal,

whereby during detection of the watermark signal from the watermarked version of the color image or video signal, the second data is combined with the first data in a manner that reduces image or video signal interference relative to the watermark signal.

20. A computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon to control performance of the method recited in claim 19.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the second data is to be combined with the first data through subtraction of the second data from the first data.