Methods and tangible objects employing machine readable data

• US 7,305,117 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Davis, Bruce L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns; Andrew W.
• Application Number:
  US11/456,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20070171761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/141, 382/143, 382/145, 382/152, 340/500, 340/540, 340/635, 340/653, 340/5.8, 235/468, 438/14, 438/15, 438/16, 438/17
• US Class Current: 382/141
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06009 with optically detectable marking G06K19/063, G06K19/08 take precedence
• 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 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0032 using holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• 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: G09F 3/00 Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means medals or badges A44C3/00; making labels B31D1/02; sheets temporarily attached together B42F; labelling B65C; labels on record carriers G11B23/38, G11B23/40; Seals; Postage or like stamps
• 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 20/00166 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 20/00876 wherein physical copy protection means are attached to the medium, e.g. holograms, sensors, or additional semiconductor circuitry
• 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: H01L 2223/54486 : Located on package parts, e.g. encapsulation, leads, package substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/544 : Marks applied to semiconductor devices or parts, e.g. registration marks, alignment structures, wafer maps test patterns for characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/573 : using passive means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• 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 1/00838 : Preventing unauthorised reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00846 : based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• 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 1/32208 : 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 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 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 2201/3226 : 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 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/828 : Medicinal content

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to steganography. In one implementation we provide a method comprising: receiving optical scan data representing at least a portion of a physical object. The physical object includes information steganographically hidden thereon, and the information includes at least some information indicating an operation of the physical object. The method also includes analyzing the optical scan data to obtain the information, and based at least in part on the information determining whether the physical object is operating as expected. Of course, other implementations are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving optical scan data representing at least a portion of a physical object,

wherein the physical object comprises information steganographically hidden thereon, and

wherein the information comprises at least some information indicating an operation or function of the physical object;

analyzing the optical scan data to obtain the information; and

based at least in part on the information determining whether the physical object is operating or functioning as expected.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical scan data is captured by a handheld device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical scan data comprises data generated through visible light scanning.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the information is steganographically hidden on the physical object through laser marking.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the physical object comprises at least some electronic circuitry, and wherein the operation or function is related to an operation or function of the electronic circuitry.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the physical object comprises an automotive part.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the physical object is sized to fit within a human hand.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising assessing an operation or function of the physical object for comparison with the information.

9. A method comprising:

obtaining data comprising information steganographically encoded therein;

analyzing the data to obtain the information, the information comprising at least some information associated with an operation or function of an associated apparatus or physical object; and

based at least in part on some of the obtained information, determining whether the apparatus or physical object is operating or functioning as expected.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the apparatus or physical object comprises at least some electronic circuitry, and said act of determining is related to an operation or function of the electronic circuitry.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the apparatus or physical object comprises an automotive part.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the apparatus or physical object is sized to fit within a human hand.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining an operation or function of the apparatus or physical object for comparison with the information.

14. A computer readable medium comprising instructions, said instructions when executed causing a computer or apparatus to:

obtain data comprising information steganographically hidden therein;

analyze the data to obtain the information, the information comprising at least some information associated with an operation or function of an associated apparatus or physical object; and

based at least in part on some of the obtained information, determine whether the apparatus or physical object is operating or functioning as expected.

15. A method comprising:

obtaining data comprising steganographic encoding;

analyzing the data to obtain information from the steganographic encoding, the information comprising at least some information associated with an operation or function of an associated apparatus or physical object; and

based at least in part on the obtained information, determining whether the apparatus or physical object is capable of operating or functioning as expected.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the apparatus or physical object comprises at least some electronic circuitry, and said act of determining is related to an operation or function of the electronic circuitry.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the apparatus or physical object comprises an automotive part.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the apparatus or physical object is sized to fit within a human hand.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining an operation or function of the apparatus or physical object for comparison with the information.