Embedding information in digital image data

• US 6,807,285 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1999
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Iwamura, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayanti K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tabatabai, Abolfazl
• Application Number:
  US09/239,017
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 380/286, 380/210, 380/252, 380/287, 380/54, 358/402, 706/26, 713/176, 713/179
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0071 using multiple or alternating watermarks
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32149 Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• 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 2201/3233 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

Abstract

A data processing apparatus has a first embedding unit adapted to embed first information in digital image data in accordance with a first embedding method which utilizes publicly available information. The apparatus also has a second embedding unit adapted to embed second information in the digital image data having the first information embedded therein in accordance with a second embedding method which utilizes secret information that is not made publicly available, the second information being used to detect whether the first information is altered.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus, comprising:

a first embedding unit adapted to embed first information in digital image data in accordance with a first embedding method which utilizes publicly available information; and

a second embedding unit adapted to embed second information in the digital image data having the first information embedded therein in accordance with a second embedding method which utilizes secret information that is not made publicly available, the second information being used to detect whether the first information is altered.

2. A data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first embedding unit is adapted to embed the first information in a first area of the digital image data, and wherein said second embedding unit is adapted to embed the second information in a second area of the digital image data.

3. A data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second information is also used to recover alteration of the first information if the first information is altered.

4. A data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first information includes information relating to a copyright of the digital image data.

5. A data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data processing apparatus is applicable to a personal computer, a digital camera, a digital video recorder or a scanner.

6. A data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first embedding unit is adapted to embed the first information in the digital image data invisibly, and wherein said second embedding unit is adapted to embed the second information in the digital image data invisibly.

7. A data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second embedding unit is adapted to embed the second information in the digital image data after the first information is embedded in the digital image data.

8. A data processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first embedding unit is adapted to embed the first information in the digital image data invisibly, and wherein said second embedding unit is adapted to embed the second information in the digital image data invisibly.

9. A data processing method, comprising the steps of:

embedding first information in digital image data in accordance with a first embedding method which utilizes publicly available information; and

embedding second information in the digital image data having the first information embedded therein in accordance with a second embedding method which utilizes secret information that is not made publicly available, the second information being used to detect whether the first information is altered.

10. A data processing method according to claim 9, wherein said first embedding step embeds the first information in a first area of the digital image data, and wherein said second embedding step embeds the second information in a second area of the digital image data.

11. A data processing method according to claim 9, wherein the second information is also used to recover alteration of the first information if the first information is altered.

12. A data processing method according to claim 9, wherein the first information includes information relating to a copyright of the digital image data.

13. A data processing method according to claim 9, wherein said data processing method is applicable to a personal computer, a digital camera, a digital video recorder or a scanner.

14. A data processing method according to claim 9, wherein said first embedding step embeds the first information in the digital image data invisibly, and wherein said second embedding step embeds the second information in the digital image data invisibly.

15. A date processing method according to claim 9, wherein said second embedding step embeds the second information in the digital image data after the first information is embedded in the digital image data.

16. A data processing method according to claim 15, wherein said second embedding step embeds the first information in the digital image data invisibly, and wherein said second embedding step embeds the second information in the digital image data invisibly.

17. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a first extracting unit adapted to extract first information from digital image data, the first information being embedded in the digital image data in accordance with a first embedding method which utilizes publicly available information; and

a second extracting unit adapted to extract second information from the digital image data, the second information being embedded in the digital image data in accordance with a second embedding method which utilizes secret information that is not made publicly available, the second information being used to detect whether the first information is altered.

18. A data processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said first extracting unit is adapted to extract the first information in a first area of the digital image data, and wherein said second extracting unit is adapted to extract the second information in a second area of the digital image data.

19. A data processing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a recovering unit adapted to use the extracted second information to recover alteration of the extracted first information.

20. A data processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the first information includes information relating to a copyright of the digital image data.

21. A data processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said data processing apparatus is applicable to a personal computer, a digital camera, a digital video recorder or a scanner.

22. A data processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the first information extracted by the first extracting unit is invisibly embedded in the digital image data, and wherein the second information extracted by the second extracting unit is invisibly embedded in the digital image data.

23. A data processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said second extracting unit is adapted to extract the second information from the digital image data after the first information is extracted from the digital image data.

24. A data processing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the first information extracted by the first extracting unit is invisibly embedded in the digital image data, and wherein the second information extracted by the second extracting unit is invisibly embedded in the digital, image data.

25. A data processing method comprising the steps of:

extracting first information from digital image data, the first information being embedded in the digital image data in accordance with a first embedding method which utilizes publicly available information; and

extracting second information from the digital image data, the second information being embedded in the digital image data in accordance with a second embedding method which utilizes secret information that is not made publicly available, the second information being used to detect whether the first information is altered.

27. A data processing method according to claim 25, further comprising a step of using the extracted second information to recover alteration of the extracted first information.

28. A data processing method according to claim 25, wherein the first information includes information relating to a copyright of the digital image data.

29. A data processing method according to claim 25, wherein said data processing method is applicable to a personal computer, a digital camera, a digital video recorder or a scanner.

30. A data processing method according to claim 25, wherein the first information extracted by the first extracting step is invisibly embedded in the digital image data, and wherein the second information extracted in the second extracting step is invisibly embedded in the digital image data.

31. A data processing method according to claim 25, wherein said second embedding step extracts the second information from the digital image data after the first information is extracted from the digital image data.

32. A data processing method according to claim 31, wherein the first information extracted in the first extracting step is invisibly embedded in the digital image data, and wherein the second information extracted in the second extracting step is invisibly embedded in the digital image data.

26. A data processing method according to clam 17, wherein said first extracting step extracts the first information in a first area of the digital image data, and wherein said second extracting step extracts the second information in a second area of the digital image data.

33. A storage medium storing a program for performing a data processing method, the program comprising the steps of:

embedding first information in digital image data in accordance with a first embedding method which utilizes publicly available information; and

embedding second information in the digital image data having the first information embedded therein in accordance with a second embedding method which utilizes secret information that is not made publicly available, the second information being used to detect whether the first information is altered.

34. A storage medium according to claim 33, wherein said first embedding step embeds the first information in a first area of the digital image data, and wherein said second embedding step embeds the second information in a second area of the digital image data.

35. A storage medium according to claim 33, wherein the second information is also used to recover alteration of the first information if the first information is altered.

36. A storage medium according to claim 33, wherein the first information includes information relating to a copyright of the digital image data.

37. A storage medium according to claim 33, wherein said program is applicable to a personal computer, a digital camera, a digital video recorder or a scanner.

38. A storage medium according to claim 33, wherein said first embedding step embeds the first information in the digital image data invisibly, and wherein said second embedding step embeds the second information in the digital image data invisibly.

39. A storage medium according to claim 33, wherein said second embedding step embeds the second information in the digital image data after the first information is embedded in the digital image data.

40. A storage medium according to claim 39, wherein

said second embedding step embeds the first information in the digital image data invisibly, and wherein said second embedding step embeds the second information in the digital image data invisibly.

41. A storage medium storing a program for performing a data processing method, the program comprising the steps of:

extracting first information from digital image data, the first information being embedded in the digital image data in accordance with a first embedding method which utilizes publicly available information; and

extracting second information from the digital image data, the second information being embedded in the digital image data in accordance with a second embedding method which utilizes secret information that is not made publicly available, the second information being used to detect whether the first information is altered.

42. A storage medium according to claim 41, wherein said first extracting step extracts the first information from a first area of the digital image data, and wherein said second extracting step extracts the second information from a second area of the digital image data.

43. A storage medium according to claim 41, further comprising a step of using the extracted second information to recover alteration of the extracted first information.

44. A storage medium according to claim 41, wherein the first information includes information relating to a copyright of the digital image data.

45. A storage medium according to claim 41, wherein said program is applicable to a personal computer, a digital camera, a digital video recorder or a scanner.

46. A storage medium according to claim 41, wherein the first information extracted in the first extracting step is invisibly embedded in the digital image data, and wherein the second information extracted in the second extracting step is invisibly embedded in the digital image data.

47. A storage medium according to claim 41, wherein said second embedding step extracts the second information from the digital image data after the first information is extracted from the digital image data.

48. A storage medium according to claim 47, wherein the first information extracted in the first extracting step is invisibly embedded in the digital image data, and wherein the second information extracted in the second extracting step is invisibly embedded in the digital image data.