Electronic watermarking system

• US 6,490,681 B1
• Filed: 07/14/1998
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Seiji, Shimizu, Shuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Peeso, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US09/115,406
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 380/277, 380/278, 380/283, 713/171, 713/176, 713/180
• US Class Current: 713/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0061 Embedding of the watermark in each block of the image, e.g. segmented watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp

Abstract

An electronic watermarking system that impartially performs the deletion of a visible mark and the embedding of an invisible mark. Since the deletion of the visible mark and the embedding of the invisible mark are not performed sequentially but in parallel, even when a memory snapshot is taken during the process, it is difficult to acquire original image data where neither a visible mark nor an invisible mark is embedded. Furthermore, in a process for deleting a visible mark and embedding an invisible mark, an invisible mark is embedded in an area where a visible mark was embedded. Therefore, even when images are compared before and after the visible mark is deleted, it is difficult to infer from the results that an invisible mark has been newly embedded.

Claims

1. An electronic watermarking system, which deletes additional information embedded in the contents and embeds new additional information in the contents, comprising:

(1) means for deleting additional information A which is visible or audible information from the contents, and

(2) means for employing an electronic watermarking technique to embed new additional information B which is invisible or inaudible information in an area where said additional information A was embedded,

wherein an embedding process is initiated by said means (2) before a deletion process is completed by said means (1);

wherein, to delete said additional information A, said means (2) employs the same key as was used to embed said additional information A in said contents.

2. The electronic watermarking system according to claim 1, wherein, to delete said additional information A, said means (2) employs the same key as was used to embed said additional information A in said contents.

3. An electronic watermarking system, which performs an embedding process and a deletion process for additional information relative to the contents, comprising:

(1) means for embedding additional information A, which is visible or audible information, from the contents,

(2) means for deleting said additional information A from said contents, and

(3) means for employing an electronic watermarking technique to embed new additional information B, which is invisible or inaudible information, in an area where said additional information A was embedded;

wherein said embedding process is initiated by said means (3) before a deletion process is completed by said means (2); and

wherein, said means (1) embeds said additional information A as visible or audible information, and

wherein means is provided for employing said electronic watermarking technique to embed additional information C as invisible or inaudible information.

4. The electronic watermarking system according to claim 3, wherein said means (1) embeds said additional information A using a specific key, and said means (2) deletes said additional information A using said specific key.

5. The electronic watermarking system according to claim 3, wherein said means (1) embeds said additional information A using a specific key, and said means (2) deletes said additional information A using said specific key.

6. The electronic watermarking system according to claim 3, wherein said means (1) embeds said additional information A using a specific key, and said means (2) deletes said additional information A using said specific key.

7. A contents distribution system comprising:

(1) means for embedding visible or audible additional information A in the contents using a specific key;

(2) means for receiving a request of said contents from a user;

(3) means for charging a fee for said request; and

(4) means for transmitting said specific key to a user to delete said additional information A from said contents.

8. An electronic fingerprinting system comprising:

(1) means for transmitting a request of contents to a contents distribution system;

(2) means for receiving from said contents distribution system a key used for deleting visible or audible additional information A in said contents;

(3) means for using said key to delete said additional information A from said contents; and

(4) means for employing an electronic watermarking technique to embed new additional invisible or inaudible information B in an area of said contents where said additional information A was embedded,

wherein an embedding process is initiated by said means (4) before a deletion process is completed by said means (3).

9. A contents management and distribution system comprising:

(1) means for employing different keys for a plurality of contents to embed visible or audible additional information in said plurality of contents for managing said plurality of contents;

(2) means for, before said contents are distributed, employing said keys used when said additional information A was embedded in said contents to delete said additional information A;

(3) means for employing an electronic watermarking technique to embed new additional invisible or inaudible information B in areas where said additional information A was embedded; and

(4) means for distributing said contents in which said additional information B is embedded,

wherein an embedding process is initiated by said means (3) before a deletion process is completed by said means (2).

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said additional information A includes identification information, such as a serial number, concerning said contents.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said additional information B includes at least one of ownership or employment permission information, or an employment permission condition for said contents.

12. An electronic watermarking method, for deleting additional information embedded in the contents and for embedding new additional information in the contents, comprising the steps of:

(1) deleting additional visible or audible information A from the contents; and

(2) employing an electronic watermarking technique to embed new additional invisible or inaudible information B in an area where said additional information A was embedded;

wherein an embedding process is initiated at said step (2) before a deletion process is completed at said step (1).

13. A storage medium including a program for deleting additional information embedded in the contents and for embedding new additional information in the contents, said program comprising:

(1) a function for deleting additional visible or audible information A from the contents, and

(2) a function for employing an electronic watermarking technique to embed new additional invisible or inaudible information B to in area where said additional information A was embedded,

wherein an embedding process is initiated by said function (2) before a deletion process is completed by said function (1).