Printable interfaces and digital linking with embedded codes

• US 6,647,130 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso, Jose L.
• Application Number:
  US10/189,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20030031341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/112, 382/232, 382/284, 358/3.28, 358/448, 358/450, 380/54, 380/231-234, 380/287, 283/72, 283/73, 283/93, 283/94, 283/113, 283/901, 348/475.1, 235/494, 340/5.53, 340/5.6, 340/5.65, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.83, 356/71, 902/1, 902/4, 902/6, 713/176, 386/94, 705/1, 705/44, 345/760, 345/763, 345/764, 345/817, 345/838, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/501.1, 707/513, 709/200, 709/217-219, 709/227, 709/230, 709/245, 709/250, 709/313, 709/328, 709/329
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/23 Identity cards
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/333 Watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/18 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06253 for a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0057 Compression invariant watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0065 Extraction of an embedded watermark; Reliable detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0032 : using holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0034 : using watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 : using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 : for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 : for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 : by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 : by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 : Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1016 : Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 : Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 : Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 : Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00094 : involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00115 : wherein the record carrier stores a unique medium identifier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00166 : involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier, e.g. music or software
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00181 : using a content identifier, e.g. an international standard recording code [ISRC] or a digital object identifier [DOI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 : involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00884 : involving a watermark, i.e. a barely perceptible transformation of the original data which can nevertheless be recognised by an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 : embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/665 : using psychoacoustic properties of the ear, e.g. masking effect
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00005 : relating to image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00037 : Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state H04N1/00031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 : remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3216 : using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 : Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32208 : involving changing the magnitude of selected pixels, e.g. overlay of information or super-imposition H04N1/32219, H04N1/32224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32251 : in multilevel data, e.g. greyscale or continuous tone data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32288 : Multiple embedding, e.g. cocktail embedding, or redundant embedding, e.g. repeating the additional information at a plurality of locations in the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32352 : Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/00 : Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/467 : characterised by the embedded information being invisible, e.g. watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91321 : the copy protection signal being a copy protection control signal, e.g. a record inhibit signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 : the copy protection signal being a watermark
• 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 21/8358 : 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 2201/3207 : of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 : of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• 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 2201/3242 : of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 : data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A physical medium is encoded with machine readable information that provides a human interface to a computer system. The information encoded into the medium indicates a computer implemented process, and is encoded according to a spectral encoding scheme, such as encoding by modifying color values of a graphic or other image printed on the medium. For example, a digital watermark or other steganographic data hidden in the image indicates a web page. In response to the user selecting the encoded information area, the machine readable information is decoded, and used to invoke a computer implemented process.

Claims

1. An encoded physical medium suitable for use in interfacing a user and a system such that the user can control a plurality of system implemented processes, the encoded physical medium comprising:

an encoded information area wherein machine readable linking information has been embedded in a digital watermark in an image, the encoded linking information indicating an action to be performed by a system when the encoded information area is selected by a user;

a visible logo serving as a reference indicating that the image is embedded with the digital watermark.

2. An encoded physical medium as recited in claim 1 wherein the action corresponds to execution of a web page.

3. An encoded physical medium as recited in claim 1 wherein the action corresponds to an application program that is executable upon the system.

4. An encoded physical medium as recited in claim 1 wherein the spectral encoding scheme includes encoding a color.

5. The encoded physical medium of claim 1 wherein the spectral encoding scheme includes encoding more than one color.

6. The encoded physical medium of claim 5 wherein the spectral encoding scheme includes encoding more than one color, and the spectral encoding scheme encodes information based upon the values of the more than one color.

7. The encoded physical a medium of claim 1 wherein the spectral encoding scheme includes encoding in a color image printed with more than one ink.

8. The encoded physical medium of claim 7 wherein the spectral encoding scheme includes encoding colors CMYK.

9. A system suitable for controlling a machine implemented process, the system comprising:

a digital processor;

memory coupled to the digital processor, the memory storing operating instructions suitable for controlling the operation of the digital processor;

an encoded physical medium including;

an encoded information area wherein machine readable linking information has been embedded in a digital watermark in an image, the encoded linking information indicating a machine implemented process, the system operable to open up the machine implemented process when the encoded information area is selected by the user, and a visible logo serving as a reference indicating that the image is embedded with the digital watermark;

a sensor coupled to the digital processor and operable for measuring information present within the encoded area located on the encoded physical medium;

wherein the encoded area has been encoded according to a spectral encoding scheme.

10. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein the system is coupled to the Internet, and the encoded linking information includes or references a uniform resource locator (URL).

11. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein the spectral encoding scheme includes encoding a color.

12. A method for interfacing a human user with a system, the method comprising:

providing an encoded physical medium, including an encoded information area wherein machine readable linking information has been embedded in a digital watermark in an image, the encoded linking information indicating a machine implemented process, wherein the encoded information has been encoded according to a spectral encoding scheme, and a visible logo serves as a reference indicating that the image is embedded with the digital watermark;

in response to the user selecting the encoded information area, measuring and decoding the machine readable information encoded within the encoded information area; and

invoking the computer implemented process.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the machine readable linking information includes a uniform resource locator or reference to a uniform resource locator, and the machine implemented process indicated by the machine readable linking information is a web page.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein invoking the machine implemented process includes:

establishing a communications link between a user'"'"'s system and the web page; and

displaying the web page upon a display screen of the user'"'"'s system.

15. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the machine implemented process is a computer application, and invoking the machine implemented process includes initiating execution of the computer application.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the spectral encoding scheme includes encoding more than one color.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the spectral encoding scheme includes encoding more than one color, and the spectral encoding scheme encodes information based upon the values of the more than one color.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the spectral encoding scheme includes encoding in a color image printed with more than one link.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the spectral encoding scheme includes encoding colors CMYK.