Apparatus and method of processing image data, transmission medium, and recording medium

• US 6,404,926 B1
• Filed: 09/01/1998
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yagasaki, Yoichi, Miyahara, Nobuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kassa, Yosef
• Application Number:
  US09/145,085
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 380/210, 380/287, 380/54, 380/229, 380/28, 380/239, 380/200, 380/201, 713/150, 713/176, 713/179, 348/461, 348/463, 709/217, 709/219, 709/228, 709/229, 709/230, 709/250, 705/57, 705/64, 705/58, 705/51
• US Class Current: 382/232
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0065 Extraction of an embedded watermark; Reliable detection

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of processing an image data, a transmission medium, as well as a recording medium. In detail, in an image data processing of processing an image data in which an accompany information is embedded as a watermark, having a memory which stores the patterns of the watermark, setting a phase of a pattern of the watermark being stored in the memory, to a first phase or a second phase, calculating a first evaluation value corresponding to a pattern of the watermark of the first phase, of the image data inputted, and a second evaluation value corresponding to a pattern of the watermark of the second phase, and comparing the first evaluation value, and a value corresponding to the second evaluation value. As a result, it makes possible to read the accompany information more securely.

Claims

1. An image data processing apparatus for processing an image data in which an accompany information is embedded as a watermark, comprising:

a first storage means for storing a pattern of said watermark;

a second storage means for storing a relationship of a plurality of accompany information signals indicating respective copy protection states and a phase of said watermark, said phase of said watermark corresponding to a spatial position of said watermark;

a selecting means for selecting a phase of said watermark corresponding to said accompany information signal;

a phase setting means for reading a pattern of said watermark being stored in said first storage means, and for setting to a phase selected by said selecting means by spatially shifting said watermark stored in said first storage means; and

an adding means for adding a watermark of said phase set by said phase setting means to said image data.

2. An image data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein different meanings are allocated to said plurality of accompany information signals, respectively.

3. An image data processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein different meanings are allocated to said plurality of accompany information signals, respectively.

4. An image data processing method for embedding an accompany information as a watermark in an image data, comprising the steps of:

storing a pattern of said watermark in a first memory;

storing a relationship of a plurality of accompany information signals indicating respective copy protection states and a phase of said watermark in a second memory, said phase of said watermark corresponding to a spatial position of said watermark;

selecting a phase of said watermark corresponding to said accompany information signal;

reading a pattern of said watermark being stored in said first memory, and setting to a phase selected by said selecting step by spatially shifting said watermark stored in said first memory; and

adding a watermark of said phrase set by said phase setting step to said image data.

5. A transmission method for transmitting image data used in an image data processing apparatus, said image data having accompany information embedded as a watermark, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a pattern of said watermark;

storing a relationship of a plurality of accompany information signals indicating respective copy protection states and a phase of said watermark, said phase of said watermark corresponding to a spatial position of said watermark;

selecting a phase of said watermark corresponding to said accompany information signal;

reading a pattern of said watermark stored in said first storing step, and setting to a phase selected by;

said selecting step by spatially shifting said watermark stored in said first storing step; and

adding a watermark of said phase set by said phase setting operation to said image data.

6. An image data processing method for processing an image data in which an accompany information is embedded as a watermark, comprising the steps of:

storing a pattern of said watermark in a first memory;

storing a relationship of a plurality of accompany information signals indicating respective copy protection states and a phase of said watermark, said phase of said watermark corresponding to a spatial position of said watermark;

setting a phase of a pattern of said watermark being stored in said first memory to a first phase or a second phase by spatially shifting said watermark;

calculating a first evaluation value corresponding to a pattern of said watermark of said first phase, and a second evaluation value corresponding to a pattern of said watermark of said second phase;

comparing said first evaluation value and a value corresponding to said second evaluation value; and

selecting an accompany information signal form said second memory in accordance with a result of said comparing step.

7. An image data processing method according to claim 6, wherein different meanings are allocated to said plurality of accompany information signals, respectively.

8. An image data processing method according to claim 6, wherein said phase setting step sets a phase of a pattern of said watermark being stored in said first memory, from a first to a third phases;

said calculating step calculates a first to a third evaluation values corresponding to said first to said third phases, and obtains an evaluation value to be a reference, from said first to said third evaluation values, and sets said evaluation value to be said reference as a value corresponding to said second evaluation value.

9. An image data processing method according to claim 6, wherein said phase setting step sets a phase of said watermark within a predetermined range.

10. An image data processing method according to claim 6, further comprising control step for controlling an output of said image data, in correspondence with a result of said accompany information signal.

11. A transmission method for transmitting image data used in an image data processing apparatus, said image data having accompany information embedded as a watermark, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a pattern of said watermark in a first memory;

storing a relationship of a plurality of accompany information signals indicating respective copy protection states and a phase of said watermark in second memory, said phase of said watermark corresponding to a spatial position of said watermark;

setting a phase of a pattern of said watermark being stored in said first memory to a first phase or a second phase by spatially shifting said watermark;

calculating a first evaluation value corresponding to a pattern of said watermark of said first phase, and a second evaluation value corresponding to a pattern of said watermark of said second phase;

comparing said first evaluation value and a value corresponding to said second evaluation value; and

selecting an accompany information signal from said second memory in accordance with a result of said comparing step.

12. A recording medium on which image data is stored, said image data including an accompany information which is embedded as a watermark, a phase of said watermark being set in correspondence with a predetermined one of a plurality of accompany information by spatially shifting said watermark;

whereby a device for recording and/or reading said medium includes a memory for storing a relationship of a plurality of accompany information signals indicating respective copy protection states and a phase of said watermark, and said recording medium is configured to interact with said device such that said device can determine said one of said plurality of accompany information by using said memory.