Paper-based control of computer systems

• US 6,681,028 B2
• Filed: 05/19/1999
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Carr, Jonathan Scott, Rodriguez, Tony F., Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayanti K.
• Application Number:
  US09/314,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20030050961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 709/217, 709/219, 380/54, 380/28, 705/257, 705/27, 235/462.15, 235/469, 235/375, 710/5, 710/200, 399/13, 399/366, 348/460, 348/483, 370/201, 370/528
• 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 25/22 for use in combination with accessories specially adapted for information-bearing cards
• 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 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/321 using wearable devices
• 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: G07C 9/253 visually
• 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 7/086 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: 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 20/00884 : 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: 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 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 2201/3249 : 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

Abstract

Digital data is steganographically encoded in printed materials, and—when sensed by an appropriately-equipped webcam or other imaging device—can be used to link to associated electronic resources. Data hidden in a business card, for example, may enable linking to a person'"'"'s electronic calendar—showing the person'"'"'s schedule availability. Likewise, data hidden in a corporate ID badge may serve to unlock doors at a corporate office, or to enable access to corporate computers. Many other such applications are detailed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting a business card of an individual to an optical sensor, the optical sensor producing output data;

decoding steganographically-encoded plural-bit data from the sensor output data; and

using said plural-bit data to establish a link to an internet address having data relating to the proprietor of said business card.

2. The method of claim 1 which includes obtaining from said internet site calendar data detailing certain activities of the individual.

3. The method of claim 2 in which the amount of calendar data obtained depends on an authorization level.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the authorization level is reflected in the plural-bit data encoded in the individual'"'"'s business card, wherein an individual can distribute differently-encoded cards to different recipients, to grant the recipients different access rights to said calendar data.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the optical sensor is a business card reader that also serves to input textual information from business cards into a personal information manager.

6. The method of claim 5 which includes storing an internet address discerned from the steganographically-encoded plural-bit data into said personal information manager.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the optical sensor is a digital camera.

8. The method of claim 7 in which the digital camera is mounted to a computer display device.

9. The method of claim 7 in which the digital camera is head-mounted on a user thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 in which the decoding includes sensing a subliminal graticule signal.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the decoding includes discerning an apparent rotation of the sensor output data from an original orientation of the encoding, and compensating therefor.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the decoding includes discerning an apparent scaling of the sensor output data from an original scale of the encoding, and compensating therefor.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the decoding includes discerning an apparent scaling of the sensor output data from an original scale of the encoding, and compensating therefor.

14. A method comprising:

presenting a printed promotion to an optical sensor at a first site, the optical sensor producing output data;

decoding steganographically-encoded plural-bit data from the sensor output data;

using said data to establish a link to an internet site relating to a company, product, or service promoted by said printed promotion; and

transferring to from the internet site to the first site additional information relating to said company, product, or service.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the decoding includes sensing a subliminal graticule signal.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the decoding includes discerning an apparent rotation of the sensor output data from an original orientation of the encoding, and compensating therefor.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the decoding includes discerning an apparent scaling of the sensor output data from an original scale of the encoding, and compensating therefor.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the decoding includes discerning an apparent scaling of the sensor output data from an original scale of the encoding, and compensating therefor.

19. A method comprising:

presenting a printed identification badge to an optical sensor, the optical sensor producing output data corresponding to optical characteristics of the face of said badge;

decoding steganographically-encoded plural-bit data from the sensor output data;

checking the plural-bit data to determine whether it corresponds to a valid access card; and

unlocking a lock depending on the outcome of the foregoing checking operation.

20. The method of claim 19 in which the decoding includes sensing a subliminal graticule signal.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the decoding includes discerning an apparent rotation of the sensor output data from an original orientation of the encoding, and compensating therefor.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the decoding includes discerning an apparent scaling of the sensor output data from an original scale of the encoding, and compensating therefor.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the decoding includes discerning an apparent scaling of the sensor output data from an original scale of the encoding, and compensating therefor.

28. The card of claim 20 wherein the steganographic pattern substantially spans the business card rather than being localized in one excerpt thereof.

24. A business card comprising a substrate with printing thereon, characterized in that the printing includes a steganographic pattern encoding plural-bit auxiliary data, said pattern not being evident upon human inspection but being discernable by visible light scanning of the card and processing the scan data produced thereby.

25. The card of claim 24 wherein the same printing that conveys the steganographic pattern also conveys information evident upon human inspection.

26. The card of claim 25 wherein the steganographic pattern has a strength that varies across the business card in accordance with local characteristics thereof, so as to aid concealment of the encoding.

27. The card of claim 26 wherein the steganographic pattern has a strength that varies across the business card in accordance with local characteristics thereof, so as to aid concealment of the encoding.