Monitoring of video or audio based on in-band and out-of-band data

• US 7,359,528 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2007
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns; Andrew W.
• Application Number:
  US11/672,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20070274386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 713/176, 380/201, 380/203, 380/210, 380/287, 348/460, 348/461, 348/462, 348/465, 725/25, 725/31, 726/26, 381/56, 381/58, 381/73.1, 704/200.1, 704/270, 704/273
• US Class Current: 382/100
• 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: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0064 Geometric transfor invariant watermarking, e.g. affine transform invariant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0065 Extraction of an embedded watermark; Reliable detection
• 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 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• 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: 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 20/00115 wherein the record carrier stores a unique medium identifier
• 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 20/00181 : using a content identifier, e.g. an international standard recording code [ISRC] or a digital object identifier [DOI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 : involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• 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: G11B 2020/10537 : Audio or video recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/665 : using psychoacoustic properties of the ear, e.g. masking effect
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/02 : by adding a second signal to make the desired signal unintelligible
• 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 1/32144 : 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 1/32154 : Transform domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3216 : using Fourier transforms
• 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 2005/91307 : by adding a copy protection signal to the video signal
• 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 2005/91342 : the copy protection signal being an authentication signal
• 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: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

The presently claimed invention relates generally to monitoring and/or filtering video or audio data. In one implementation a method is provided including: obtaining data representing video or audio; analyzing the data representing video or audio for an in-band signal, the in-band signal encoded in data representing video picture elements or in data representing audio elements; looking for out-of-band data conveyed with the data representing video or audio; restricting or allowing distribution of the data representing video or audio based at least in part on a result of the act of analyzing and a result of the act of looking. In some implementations the in-band signal includes steganographic encoding or digital watermarking. Of course, other implementations and embodiments are provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring data representing video or audio;

searching the data for a steganographic signal hidden therein, the steganographic signal hidden in data representing video picture elements or in data representing audio elements;

searching for out-of-band data conveyed with the data representing video or audio;

filtering the data representing video or audio based at least in part on results from said acts of searching.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said act of monitoring monitors one or more network locations.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more network locations comprise one or more internet servers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the out-of-band data is carried in a header.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the steganographic signal is hidden with digital watermarking.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said act of filtering comprises restricting or allowing distribution of the data based at least in part on the results from said acts of searching.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein distribution is restricted or allowed based at least in part on whether the out-of band data is verified and the steganographic signal is present.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the data representing video or audio comprises an encrypted form or a compressed form.

9. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions to perform the method of claim 1.

10. A method comprising:

obtaining data representing video or audio;

analyzing the data for a steganographic signal hidden therein, the steganographic signal hidden in data representing video picture elements or in data representing audio elements;

looking for out-of-band data conveyed with the data representing video or audio;

restricting or allowing distribution of the data representing video or audio based at least in part on a result of said act of analyzing and a result of said act of looking.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said act of obtaining obtains the data representing video or audio from one or more network locations.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the one or more network locations comprise one or more internet servers.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the steganographic signal is hidden with digital watermarking.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein distribution is restricted or allowed based at least in part on whether the out-of-band data is verified and the steganographic signal is present.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the data representing video or audio comprises an encrypted form or a compressed form.

16. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions to perform the method of claim 11.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the out-of-band data is carried in a header.

18. An apparatus comprising:

an input to receive data representing video or audio;

a decoder to analyze the data representing video or audio for a steganographic signal hidden therein, the steganographic signal hidden in data representing video picture elements or in data representing audio elements;

a reader to look for out-of band data conveyed with the data representing video or audio;

a generator to generate a signal indicating whether to restrict or allow distribution of the data representing video or audio based at least in part on a result provided by said decoder and said reader; and

an output to output the signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the apparatus resides on a network server.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the out-of-band data is carried in a header.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the steganographic signal is hidden with digital watermarking, and the decoder comprises a digital watermark decoder.

22. An apparatus comprising:

an input to receive data representing video or audio;

a first decoder to search the data for a steganographic signal hidden therein, the steganographic signal hidden in data representing video picture elements or in data representing audio elements;

a second decoder to search for out-of-band data conveyed with the data representing video or audio;

a controller to filter the data representing video or audio based at least in part on results from said first decoder and said second decoder.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said input receives data from one or more network locations.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the one or more network locations comprise one or more internet servers.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the out-of-band data is carried in a header.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the steganographic signal is hidden with digital watermarking.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said controller filters the data to restrict or allow distribution of the data based at least in part on the results from said first decoder and said second decoder.

28. An apparatus comprising:

an input to obtain data representing video or audio;

a decoder to analyze the data for a steganographic signal hidden therein, the steganographic signal hidden in data representing video picture elements or in data representing audio elements;

a reader to look for out-of band data conveyed with the data representing video or audio;

a controller to restrict or allow distribution of the data representing video or audio based at least in part on a result of said decoder and a result of said reader.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said input obtains the data representing video or audio from one or more network locations.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the one or more network locations comprise one or more internet servers.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the out-of band data is carried in a header.

32. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the steganographic signal is hidden with digital watermarking.

33. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said controller restricts distribution based at least in part on whether the out-of band data is verified and the steganographic signal is present.

34. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the data representing video or audio comprises an encrypted form or a compressed form.