Methods for marking images

• US 7,711,143 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2007
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso; Jose L.
• Application Number:
  US12/001,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20080159588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 283 72- 75, 283/85, 283/113, 283/901, 235/462.13, 235/494, 340/5.6, 340/5.86, 356/71, 348/460, 348/473, 358/3.28, 358/426.02, 358/426.12, 370/529, 380/54, 380/200, 380/210, 380232-234, 380277-285, 380/287, 705/44, 705 50- 51, 705 57- 59, 707/9, 707/101, 713/165, 713/167, 713/176, 713/179
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/18 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06253 for a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• 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 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: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0032 using holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0034 using watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 : using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 : for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 : for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 : for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• 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 20/00231 : wherein the key is obtained from a local external medium, e.g. a card
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0071 : involving a purchase action
• 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: H04B 1/665 : using psychoacoustic properties of the ear, e.g. masking effect
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 : applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• 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 1/32122 : 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 1/3216 : using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 : Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• 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 1/32352 : Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence
• 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 21/23892 : involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• 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
• 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 2201/3225 : of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• 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 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• 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: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

An image is marked by making slight changes to pixel values. These changes are essentially imperceptible on human scrutiny, but detectable by computer analysis. Such markings have applications in identifying ownership of images (including video), and also in device control (e.g., triggering a “do not copy” response in suitably configured hardware and software systems).

Claims

1. A method for imparting a watermark onto a digital image comprising:

using a programmed computer to perform acts of;

providing said digital image comprised of a plurality of pixels, wherein each of said pixels includes brightness data that represents a brightness obtained from a color image; and

adjusting said brightness data associated with at least one of said pixels by a predetermined brightness value, wherein said brightness value has a relationship with a number taken from a random number sequence.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said relationship includes a parameter for adjusting the brightness value to a desired strength.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said strength is computed as a function of the digital image such that the watermark is imperceptible.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said pixels has a row and a column location in an array representing said digital image, and wherein said brightness value employs a different sequential combination of numbers from said random number sequence in sequential correspondence to said row and column location.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said random number sequence is generated employing a key based pseudorandom number generator.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said sequence is formed from a plurality of watermarking parameters.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein said watermarking parameters provide the watermark with at least one property of a robust invisible watermark.

16. A computer readable medium on which is stored instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform the method of claim 1.

8. A method for generating a watermarked image wherein a watermark is imparted onto a digital image having a plurality of original elements having original brightnesses, said method comprising:

using a programmed computer to perform acts of;

providing a digital watermarking signal comprising a plurality of watermarking elements, each having a watermark brightness value and having one-to-one correspondence with said original elements; and

producing a watermarked image by adjusting said original brightness of each of said original elements by said brightness values of a corresponding one of said watermark elements wherein said watermark is invisible.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, in which said brightness values are within a predetermined range.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, in which said original image forms an original signal having a first size in two or more dimensions and said watermarking image forms a watermarking block being smaller than said original signal, said method further comprising the step of extending said watermarking signal by tiling the watermarking block that said watermarking signal at least covers said original signal.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising the step of truncating said watermarking block such that said watermarking block covers said original signal, upon determining that said watermarking block extends beyond said original signal.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the watermarking signal is produced by employing filtering using an FFT method.

13. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein each of said original elements include corresponding to a red, a green and a blue color component and the brightness data of the original elements is obtained from the corresponding red, a green and a blue color component.

14. A method for imparting a watermark onto a digital image comprising:

using a programmed computer to perform acts of;

providing said digital image comprised of a plurality of pixels, wherein each of said pixels includes brightness data that represents a brightness obtained from a color image; and

adjusting said brightness data associated with at least one of said pixels by a predetermined brightness value in a predetermined range,

wherein said brightness value has a relationship with a number taken from a random number sequence, said relationship includes a parameter for adjusting the brightness value to provide a desired modulation strength.

15. A method for imparting a watermark onto a digital image comprising:

using a programmed computer to perform acts of;

providing said digital image comprised of a plurality of pixels, wherein each of said pixels includes brightness data that represents a brightness obtained from a color image; and

adjusting said brightness data associated with at least one of said pixels by a predetermined brightness value,

wherein said brightness value has a relationship with a number taken from a random number sequence, said relationship includes a parameter for adjusting the brightness value to provide a strength, said sequence is formed from a plurality of robust watermarking parameters, and said parameters comprise a cryptographic key and an initial value of said random number generator.