Methods and systems for steganographic processing

• US 7,724,919 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• 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:
  US11/678,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20070195991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 713/176, 386/94, 386/95, 353/20, 353/28, 353/29, 353/30, 455/2.01, 725/9, 725/14, 725/18, 725/22, 380/201, 380/202, 380/203, 380/210, 380/231, 380/233, 380/236, 380/287, 380/54
• 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: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0071 using multiple or alternating watermarks
• 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: 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: 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 1/32144 : 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 1/32149 : Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• 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 1/32229 : with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected regions of the image H04N1/32213 takes 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 1/32304 : Embedding different sets of additional information
• 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 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/323 : for tracing or tracking, e.g. forensic tracing of unauthorized copies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

Media content (e.g., audio or visual) can be steganographically encoded for a variety of purposes. One such purpose relates to tracing rendered media content back to a particular time and place. For example, one claim recites a method including: receiving data representing media content, the media content is to be rendered to an audience assembled at a location; and then encoding tracing information in the data utilizing at least a programmed electronic processor, said encoding alters at least some portions of the data to hide the tracing information in the data, the tracing information is associated with a time and location of rendering the media content to the audience assembled at the location, the tracing information will permit an illicitly captured version of the rendered media content to be traced back to the time and location of the rendering. Of course, other combinations and claims are presented as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving data representing media content, the media content is to be rendered to an audience assembled at a location; and

encoding tracing information in the data utilizing at least a programmed electronic processor, said encoding alters at least some portions of the data to hide the tracing information in the data, the tracing information is associated with a time and location of rendering the media content to the audience assembled at the location,

the tracing information permits an illicitly captured version of the rendered media content to be traced back to the time and location of the rendering.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the media content comprises audio, and the data represents audible portions of the audio.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the media content comprises video, and the data represents picture elements of the video.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the encoding is carried out in real time as the data is received.

5. A programmed computing device comprising instructions stored in memory, said instructions cause said programmed computing device to perform the method of claim 4.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising logging the tracing information in a database or memory.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a report including at least the tracing information.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising decrypting the data prior to said encoding.

9. The method of claim 1 in which said encoding encodes the tracing information to be robust to signal distortion.

10. The method of claim 9 in which the signal distortion comprises scaling.

11. The method of claim 1 in which said encoding encodes the tracing information so as to be robust to compression.

12. The method of claim 1 in which the tracing information comprises plural bits of data identifying the time and location.

13. The method of claim 1 in which said encoding further encodes a unique identifier.

14. The method of claim 1 in which said encoding utilizes a unique encoding key.

15. The method of claim 1 in which the tracing information comprises at least two portions, with a first portion being more redundantly encoded in the data relative to a second portion.

16. A programmed computing device comprising instructions stored in memory, said instructions cause said programmed computing device to perform the method of claim 1.

17. A computer readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, said instruction cause an electronic processor to perform the method of claim 1.

18. An apparatus comprising:

electronic memory to buffer data representing media content, the media content is to be rendered to an audience assembled at a location; and

an electronic processor programmed for;

encoding tracing information in the data, said encoding alters at least some portions of the data to hide the tracing information in the data, the tracing information is associated with a time and location of rendering the media content to the audience assembled at the location, the tracing information permits an illicitly captured version of the rendered media content to be traced back to the time and location of the rendering.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 in which the media content comprises audio, and the data represents audible portions of the audio.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 in which the media content comprises video, and the data represents picture elements of the video.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 in which said electronic processor is operating to perform the encoding in real time as the data is received.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 in which said electronic processor is programmed for logging the tracing information in a database or memory.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 in which said electronic processor is programmed for controlling generating a report including at least the tracing information.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 in which said electronic processor is programmed for decrypting the data prior to said encoding.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 in which said encoding encodes the tracing information to be robust to signal distortion.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 in which the signal distortion comprises signal scaling.

27. The apparatus of claim 18 in which said encoding encodes the tracing information so as to be robust to compression.

28. The apparatus of claim 18 in which the tracing information comprises plural bits of data identifying the time and location.

29. The apparatus of claim 18 in which said encoding further encodes a unique identifier.

30. The apparatus of claim 18 in which said electronic processor utilizes a unique encoding key.

31. The apparatus of claim 18 in which the tracing information comprises at least two portions, with a first portion being more redundantly encoded in the data relative to a second portion.

32. A method comprising:

receiving data representing media content, the media content is to be rendered to an audience assembled at a location; and

encoding tracing information in the data utilizing at least a programmed electronic processor, said encoding alters at least some portions of the data to hide the tracing information in the data, the tracing information is associated with a time and location of rendering the media content to the audience assembled at the location, and the tracing information comprises at least two portions, with a first portion being more redundantly encoded in the data relative to a second portion, and said act of encoding encodes the tracing information to be robust to signal scaling,

the tracing information permits an illicitly captured version of the rendered media content to be traced back to the time and location of the rendering.

33. A programmed computing device comprising instructions stored in memory, said instructions cause said programmed computing device to perform the method of claim 32.

34. A computer readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, said instruction cause an electronic processor to perform the method of claim 32.

35. An apparatus comprising:

electronic memory for buffering data representing media content, the media content is to be rendered to an audience assembled at a location; and

an electronic processor programmed for;

encoding tracing information in the data utilizing at least a programmed electronic processor, said encoding alters at least some portions of the data to hide the tracing information in the data, the tracing information is associated with a time and location of rendering the media content to the audience assembled at the location, and the tracing information comprises at least two portions, with a first portion being more redundantly encoded in the data relative to a second portion, and said act of encoding encodes the tracing information to be robust to signal scaling, the tracing information permits an illicitly captured version of the rendered media content to be traced back to the time and location of the rendering.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 in which said electronic processor is operating to encode the tracing information in the data.

37. A method comprising:

obtaining data representing media content, the media content is to be presented to an audience assembled at a particular place; and

using a programmed electronic processor, encoding tracing information in the data, said encoding alters at least some portions of the data to hide the tracing information in the data, the tracing information is associated with the particular place of presenting the media content to the audience,

the tracing information permits an illicitly captured version of the presented media content to be traced back to the particular place.

38. The method of claim 37 in which the media content comprises audio, and the data represents audible portions of the audio.

39. The method of claim 37 in which the media content comprises video, and the data represents picture elements of the video.

40. The method of claim 37 in which the encoding is carried out before the media content is presented to the audience.

41. The method of claim 37 further comprising logging the tracing information in a database or memory.

42. The method of claim 37 further comprising generating a report including at least the tracing information.

43. The method of claim 37 further comprising decrypting the data prior to said encoding.

44. The method of claim 37 in which said encoding encodes the tracing information to be robust to signal distortion.

45. The method of claim 44 in which the signal distortion comprises scaling.

46. A programmed computing device comprising instructions stored in memory, said instructions cause said programmed computing device to perform the method of claim 37.

47. The method of claim 37 in which said encoding encodes the tracing information so as to be robust to compression.

48. The method of claim 37 in which the tracing information is further associated with a time of presenting the media content.

49. The method of claim 37 in which said encoding further encodes a unique identifier.

50. The method of claim 37 in which the encoding is carried out in real time as the data is received.

51. The method of claim 37 in which said encoding utilizes a unique encoding key.

52. The method of claim 37 in which the tracing information comprises at least two portions, with a first portion being more redundantly encoded in the data relative to a second portion.

53. A programmed computing device comprising instructions stored in memory, said instructions cause said programmed computing device to perform the method of claim 52.

54. An electronic apparatus programmed to perform the method of claim 52.

55. An electronic apparatus programmed to perform the method of claim 37.

56. An apparatus comprising:

electronic memory to buffer data representing media content, the media content is to be presented to an audience assembled at a particular place; and

an electronic processor programmed for;

encoding tracing information in the data, said encoding alters at least some portions of the data to hide the tracing information in the data, the tracing information is associated with a particular place of presenting the media content to the audience, the tracing information permits an illicitly captured version of the presented media content to be traced back to the particular place.

57. The apparatus of claim 56 in which the media content comprises audio, and the data represents audible portions of the audio.

58. The apparatus of claim 56 in which the media content comprises video, and the data represents picture elements of the video.

59. The apparatus of claim 56 in which said electronic processor is operating to perform the encoding in real time as the data is received.

60. The apparatus of claim 56 in which said electronic processor is further programmed for logging the tracing information in a database or memory.

61. The apparatus of claim 56 in which said electronic processor is further programmed for controlling generating a report including at least the tracing information.

62. The apparatus of claim 56 in which said electronic processor is further programmed for decrypting the data prior to said encoding.

63. The apparatus of claim 56 in which the encoding encodes the tracing information to be robust to signal distortion.

64. The apparatus of claim 63 in which the signal distortion comprises signal scaling.

65. The apparatus of claim 56 in which the encoding encodes the tracing information so as to be robust to compression.

66. The apparatus of claim 56 in which the tracing information is further associated with a time in which the media content was presented to the audience.

67. The apparatus of claim 56 in which the encoding further encodes a unique identifier.

68. The apparatus of claim 56 in which said electronic processor utilizes a unique encoding key.

69. The apparatus of claim 56 in which the tracing information comprises at least two portions, with a first portion being more redundantly encoded in the data relative to a second portion.

70. The apparatus of claim 69 in which said electronic processor is operating to perform the encoding prior to the media content being presented to the audience.

71. The apparatus of claim 56 in which said electronic processor is operating to perform the encoding prior to the media content being presented to the audience.