STEGANOGRAPHIC METHOD AND DEVICE

• US 20130195265A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wistaria Trading Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wistaria Trading Inc.
• Inventors: Moskowitz, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US13/803,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20130195265A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0064 for copy protection or copy management, e.g. CGMS, copy only once, one-time copy
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/04 Masking or blinding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/08 Randomization, e.g. dummy operations or using noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/605 Copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/608 Watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0643 Hash functions, e.g. MD5, SHA, HMAC or f9 MAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0656 Pseudorandom key sequence combined element-for-element with data sequence, e.g. one-time-pad [OTP] or Vernam's cipher
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/12 Transmitting and receiving encryption devices synchronised or initially set up in a particular manner
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32149 Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3216 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32187 with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected frequency coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32245 Random or pseudorandom selection of pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23892 involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 : Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 : Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 : involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 : involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 : of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3281 : Encryption; Ciphering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 : Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding additional information into a stream of digitized samples in an integral manner. The information is encoded using special keys. The information is contained in the samples, not prepended or appended to the sample stream. The method makes it extremely difficult to find the information in the samples if the proper keys are not possessed by the decoder. The method does not cause a significant degradation to the sample stream. The method is used to establish ownership of copyrighted digital multimedia content and provide a disincentive to piracy of such material.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A computer implemented method for encoding a digital sample stream, comprising:

calculating a first output of a one way function, using a seed and consecutive digital samples defining a first window of digital samples of a digital sample stream;

wherein said one way function provides an output having a one way function output specified number of bits;

iteratively calculating, using a computer comprising an integrated circuit, outputs of said one way function, using as inputs to said one way function, the previous output of said one way function and consecutive digital samples defining a subsequent window of digital samples of said digital sample stream, to define a first particular one way function output;

wherein said first window and each one of the subsequent windows are distinct from one another, and wherein said first window and said subsequent windows define a first portion of said digital sample stream;

encoding a digital message and said first particular one way function output into said first portion of said digital sample stream.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said one way function is insensitive to changes in said first portion of said digital sample stream induced by said encoding,

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said encoding encodes in least significant bits, and said one way hash function is not a function of least significant bits.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein said one way function is a hash function.

30. The method of claim 26 where said one way function outputs a check sum.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein said one way function is a digital signature.

32. The method of claim 26 further comprising encrypting said digital message and said first particular one way function output prior to said encoding.

33. The method of claim 26 wherein said encoding comprises encoding a portion of said digital message into each one of said first window and the subsequent windows of said first portion.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein said first portion has a size that said encoding uses to encode said digital message in said digital sample stream.

35. The method of claim 26 wherein said encoding is a stega-cipher encoding.

36. A computer implemented method for encoding a digital sample stream, comprising:

encoding a first portion of said digital sample stream with a digital message and an output of a one way function, wherein said one way function is insensitive to said encoding such that said output of said one way function is unaffected by the presence or absence of said digital message.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein said one way function is insensitive to least significant bits in said digital sample stream and said encoding encodes least significant bits.

38. The method of claim 36 where said one way function is a function applied sequentially to distinct windows of said first portion.

41. The method of claim 41 wherein said one way function is a digital signature.

39. The method of claim 41 wherein said one way function is a hash function.

40. The method of claim 41 wherein an output of said one way function is a check sum.

42. The method of claim 41 further comprising encrypting said digital message and said output of said one way function prior to said encoding.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein said encoding is a stega-cipher encoding.