Automated digital watermarking methods using neural networks

• US 7,095,872 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of North Carolina At Charlotte (University of North Carolina System)
• Original Assignee: University of North Carolina At Charlotte (University of North Carolina System)
• Inventors: Najarian, Kayvan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jingge
• Assistant Examiner(s): GORADIA, SHEFALI DINESH
• Application Number:
  US10/134,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20030095683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 382/156, 382/240, 358/3.28, 713/176, 713/180, 380/237, 705/67
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0028 Adaptive watermarking, e.g. Human Visual System [HVS]-based watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0071 using multiple or alternating watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32154 Transform domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3216 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32165 using cosine transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3217 using wavelet transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32192 according to calculated or estimated visibility of the additional information in the image
• 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 21/23892 involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• 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

Embodiments of the present invention provide digital watermarking methods that embed a digital watermark in both the low and high frequencies of an image or other production, providing a digital watermark that is resistant to a variety of attacks. The digital watermarking methods of the present invention optimize the strength of the embedded digital watermark such that it is as powerful as possible without being perceptible to the human eye. The digital watermarking methods of the present invention do this relatively quickly, in real-time, and in an automated fashion using an intelligent system, such as a neural network. The digital watermarking methods of the present invention may also be used in a variety of new applications, such as the digital watermarking of sensitive aircraft parts and military equipment.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

creating a database comprising a first plurality of productions;

receiving a first plurality of scores associated with a quality of the first plurality of productions from a plurality of human subjects;

providing information associated with the first plurality of productions and the first plurality of scores to an intelligent system, wherein the intelligent system comprises an intelligent system selected from the group consisting of a neural network, a rough set-based technique, an expert system, and a fuzzy model;

training the intelligent system to generate a second plurality of scores associated with a quality of the first plurality of productions, wherein the second plurality of scores is substantially the same as the first plurality of scores;

providing information associated with a second plurality of productions to the intelligent system;

receiving a third plurality of scores associated with the quality of the second plurality of productions from the intelligent system; and

optimizing by the intelligent system a strength of an imperceptible watermark using the third plurality of scores, wherein an optimized strength comprises a maximum strength of the watermark in which the watermark remains imperceptible.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of productions comprises a plurality of original and a plurality of watermarked productions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of productions comprises a plurality of standard and a plurality of non-standard productions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of productions comprises a plurality of watermarked productions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of scores associated with the quality of the first plurality of productions reflect the degree to which a plurality of watermarks in the first plurality of productions are able to be perceived.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of scores associated with the quality of the first plurality of productions reflect the degree to which a plurality of watermarks in the first plurality of productions are able to be perceived.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the third plurality of scores associated with the quality of the second plurality of productions reflect the degree to which a plurality of watermarks in the second plurality of productions are able to be perceived.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the intelligent system comprises an intelligent system operable for learning and mimicking the behavior of a complex non-linear system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of productions are watermarked with differing power levels for different levels of wavelet decomposition.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of productions are watermarked with differing power levels for different levels of wavelet decomposition.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing the strength of the imperceptible watermark using the third plurality of scores comprises selecting the maximum strength for the imperceptible watermark.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the strength comprises a first strength and a second strength, the first strength less than the optimized strength and the second strength greater than the optimized strength, wherein the watermark is imperceptible at the first strength and wherein the watermark is perceivable at the second strength.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying the watermark to a digital application.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying the watermark to an analog application.

15. A computer-readable medium having executable commands operable to watermark a production, the executable commands comprising:

creating a database comprising a first plurality of productions;

receiving a first plurality of scores associated with a quality of the first plurality of productions from a plurality of human subjects;

providing information associated with the first plurality of productions and the first plurality of scores to an intelligent system, wherein the intelligent system comprises an intelligent system selected from the group consisting of a neural network, a rough set-based technique, an expert system, and a fuzzy model;

training the intelligent system to generate a second plurality of scores associated with a quality of the first plurality of productions, wherein the second plurality of scores is substantially the same as the first plurality of scores;

providing information associated with a second plurality of productions to the intelligent system;

receiving a third plurality of scores associated with the quality of the second plurality of productions from the intelligent system; and

optimizing by the intelligent system a strength of an imperceptible watermark using the third plurality of scores, wherein an optimized strength comprises a maximum strength of the watermark in which the watermark remains imperceptible.

16. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, wherein the first plurality of productions comprises a plurality of original and a plurality of watermarked productions.

17. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, wherein the first plurality of productions comprises a plurality of standard and a plurality of non-standard productions.

18. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, wherein the second plurality of productions comprises a plurality of watermarked productions.

19. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, wherein the first plurality of scores associated with the quality of the first plurality of productions reflect the degree to which a plurality of watermarks in the first plurality of productions are able to be perceived.

20. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, wherein the second plurality of scores associated with the quality of the first plurality of productions reflect the degree to which a plurality of watermarks in the first plurality of productions are able to be perceived.

21. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, wherein the third plurality of scores associated with the quality of the second plurality of productions reflect the degree to which a plurality of watermarks in the second plurality of productions are able to be perceived.

22. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, wherein the intelligent system comprises an intelligent system operable for learning and mimicking the behavior of a complex non-linear system.

23. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 22, wherein the complex non-linear system comprises a human visual system.

24. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, wherein the first plurality of productions are watermarked with differing power levels for different levels of wavelet decomposition.

25. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, wherein the second plurality of productions are watermarked with differing power levels for different levels of wavelet decomposition.

26. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, wherein optimizing the strength of the watermark using the third plurality of scores comprises selecting the maximum strength for the watermark.

27. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, wherein the strength comprises a first strength and a second strength, the first strength less than the optimized strength and the second strength greater than the optimized strength, wherein the watermark is imperceptible at the first strength and wherein the watermark is perceivable at the second strength.

28. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, the executable commands further comprising applying the watermark to a digital application.

29. The computer-readable medium having executable commands of claim 15, the executable commands further comprising applying the watermark to an analog application.