Watermark systems and methods

• US 7,123,740 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: McKinley, Tyler J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACKOWEY, ANTHONY M
• Application Number:
  US10/029,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20020118394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/321, 382/141, 382/114, 705/39, 705 65- 79, 368/10
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1063 Personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6272 by registering files or documents with a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• 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

Abstract

A number of novel watermarking applications, and improvements to watermarking methods, are disclosed. Included are techniques for encoding printed circuit boards and street signs with watermarks, deterring credit card fraud and controlling software licensing using watermarks, registering collectibles via watermarks, encoding the margins of printed pages with watermarks, and using watermarks to convey extra information in video by which fidelity of the rendered video may be improved.One particular arrangement is a method in which a PDA, wristwatch, or other portable device with a display screen presents an image that depicts a proprietor of the device, and also includes a machine-readable identifier (e.g., a watermark or barcode). This image is sensed by a separate device, such as a webcam or a camera-equipped cell phone. The sensing device can then take an action based on the identifier (e.g., linking to an email account or to a web site that corresponds to the person depicted on the display screen).

Claims

1. A method, employing an image sensor apparatus, and a separate portable device with a display screen, comprising using the image sensor apparatus to capture a representation of a graphic presented on the display screen of the portable device, and decoding said captured representation to obtain plural-bit data steganographically encoded in said graphic.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphic comprises an image of a person.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the graphic comprises an image of a proprietor of the portable device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the screen of the portable device is also used to display the current time.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the portable device is a wristwatch.

6. A method, employing an image sensor apparatus, and a separate portable device with a display screen, comprising using the image sensor apparatus to capture a representation of a graphic presented on the display screen of the portable device, the graphic including a depiction of a proprietor of the portable device, and decoding plural-bit machine readable information also represented on the display screen.

7. A method of conveying plural bit information to a first device from a second, portable device, comprising:

receiving a steganographically encoded graphic, said steganographic encoding representing plural bit information;

displaying said encoded graphic on an electronic display screen of the second device; and

presenting said display screen to the first device for optical capture.

8. The method of claim 7 that includes generating optical capture data in the first device, and decoding the plural bit information therefrom.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the graphic comprises an image of a proprietor of the second device.