Motion picture encoding and counterfeit tracking system and method

• US 7,623,661 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deluxe Media Inc., Softitler Net, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Deluxe Laboratories, Inc. (Deluxe Corp.)
• Inventors: Clark, William A., Wary, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smithers; Matthew B
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALLAHAN, PAUL E
• Application Number:
  US10/657,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20050053235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,269 Days
• Field of Search: 380/201, 380/202, 380/217, 382/232, 705/58, 352/39, 352/92, 396/318, 396/549, 396/556
• US Class Current: 380/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0085 Time domain based watermarking, e.g. watermarks spread over several images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain

Abstract

Information is incorporated into motion picture film prints in the form of images or patterns that appear as unobtrusive defects or artifacts. The unique codes are used in association with the print number of the film and are reproduced in video copies of the film made by counterfeiters. This code can be read from the counterfeit copy and can be used to trace the source of the counterfeit. The digits of the print number are recorded in separate frames to increase the difficulty to counterfeiters in detecting and deleting them.

Claims

1. A motion picture security code application system, comprising:

(a) code symbol recording equipment for recording code symbols on a motion picture record medium; and

(b) a control system for controlling said recording equipment to cause it to record on said record medium information comprising a plurality of separate coded symbols, each symbol representing a digit of a multi-digit security code and being recorded in a separate frame of a motion picture recorded on said record medium,

in which each of said symbols comprises an array of visible marks representing one digit of a print identification number, said marks being large enough to avoid their eradication by the compression means used in a video camera used to make a copy of the motion picture recorded on said record medium when projected onto a motion picture display screen, but small and spaced apart so as to be essentially, unnoticeable by an ordinary viewer of the motion picture, each of said symbols comprising a selected combination of marks from a dot matrix.

2. A system as in claim 1 in which each of said marks is between approximately 0.005 inch and 0.015 inch in diameter.

3. A system as in claim 1 in which said recording equipment includes fiber-optic cables with an exit focusing lens and a controlled light source for sending light through selected ones of said fiber-optic cables to record a pattern of marks on said record medium and thereby form one of said symbols.

4. A system as in claim 3 in which said recording equipment includes means for synchronizing the formation of said marks with the movement of said record medium through a copy recorder for recording the motion picture on said record medium.

5. A system as in claim 4 in which said record medium is motion picture film and said copy recorder is a film printer.

6. A motion picture security code application system, comprising:

(a) code symbol recording equipment for recording code symbols on a motion picture record medium; and

(b) a control system for controlling said recording equipment to cause it to record on said record medium information comprising a plurality of separate coded symbols, each symbol representing a digit of a multi-digit security code and being recorded in a separate frame of a motion picture recorded on said record medium,

in which each of said symbols is composed of one or more small marks made to look like a defect selected from the group consisting of dirt or dust particles;

scratches; and

color defeats,

further in which each of said symbols comprises a representation of one digit of a multi-digit print identification number, and a unique identification number is provided for each of a plurality of prints of a motion picture; and

further in which said medium is motion picture film having a leader, and including a device for recording said identification number on said leader.

7. A system as in claim 6 in which said identification number on said leader is in non-coded alphanumeric form.

8. A method of counterfeit detection comprising the steps of:

(a) recording within a motion picture film copy an identification number of the copy, said identification member comprising a plurality of digits, each recorded in code form in the visible area of a different frame of a film recorded on said film copy, said different frames being spaced from one another along the length of said film;

(b) keeping a record of the identification number for said copy and the destination to which it was delivered;

(c) viewing a suspected counterfeit copy of said film and determining the copy identification number recorded in said suspected counterfeit copy; and

(d) tracing said copy to said destination to which the copy was delivered.

9. A method as in claim 8 in which each of said digits is in the form of marks forming a pre-selected pattern, each of said defects being as small as possible without making them invisible to the naked eye or being erased by the data compression of a video camera used to copy the motion picture.

10. A method as in claim 9 in which each of said patterns is positioned in a frame so as to give minimum interference with viewing of the motion picture.

11. A method as in claim 10 in which each of said patterns is located in a predetermined position within the frame.