Identification and protection of video

• US 7,974,495 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2009
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Alattar, Adnan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns; Andrew W
• Application Number:
  US12/534,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20100027969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 382/280, 382/286, 348/467, 348/473, 707/737, 707/E17.019, 707/E17.02, 707/E17.028
• US Class Current: 382/286
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 1/00 Machines for printing and issuing tickets printing mechanisms per se B41; output mechanisms of digital computers G06C11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 11/00 Apparatus for validating or cancelling issued tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/41 with means for the generation of identity documents
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/005 Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/202 using pattern matching

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and apparatus that are helpful for identifying or protecting video. One claim recites a method including: receiving data representing picture elements of video; transforming the data into a frequency domain; comparing characteristics associated with the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a first video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the first video type; and if the characteristics do not coincide, comparing the characteristics of the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a second video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the second video type. Another claim recites a method including: obtaining information associated with a video; selecting a set of information from the obtained information; deriving identifying information from the selected set of information; and providing a security feature in or over data representing picture elements of the video according to the identifying information. Of course, other implementations are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving data representing picture elements of video;

transforming the data into a frequency domain;

comparing characteristics associated with the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a first video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the first video type; and

if the characteristics do not coincide,

comparing the characteristics of the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a second video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the second video type;

wherein the predetermined characteristics comprise a radius.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the data into a frequency domain comprises performing a Fast Fourier Transform.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristics associated with the transformed data comprise at least one of squiggly lines, evenly spaced arcs, or concentric shapes.

4. A method comprising:

receiving data representing picture elements of video;

transforming the data into a frequency domain;

comparing characteristics associated with the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a first video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the first video type; and

if the characteristics do not coincide,

comparing the characteristics of the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a second video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the second video type;

wherein the predetermined characteristics comprise a horizontal distance from a DC component response to a frequency point.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined characteristics further comprise an angle formed between a line from the origin to the frequency point and a horizontal axis.

6. A method comprising:

receiving data representing picture elements of video;

transforming the data into a frequency domain;

comparing characteristics associated with the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a first video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the first video type; and

if the characteristics do not coincide,

comparing the characteristics of the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a second video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the second video type;

wherein the characteristics associated with the transformed data correspond to steganographic indicia hidden on or in the video.

7. An apparatus comprising:

an input for receiving data representing picture elements of video; and

a processing system configured to;

transform the data into a frequency domain;

compare characteristics associated with the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a first video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determine that the video is of the first video type; and

if the characteristics do not coincide, compare the characteristics of the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a second video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determine that the video is of the second video type;

wherein the predetermined characteristics (a) comprise a radius, (b) comprise a horizontal distance from a DC component response to a frequency point, or (c) correspond to steganographic indicia hidden on or in the video.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predetermined characteristics comprise a radius.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predetermined characteristics comprise a horizontal distance from a DC component response to a frequency point.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predetermined characteristics correspond to steganographic indicia hidden on or in the video.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein transforming the data into a frequency domain comprises performing a Fast Fourier Transform.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the characteristics associated with the transformed data comprise at least one of squiggly lines, evenly spaced arcs, or concentric shapes.

13. An apparatus comprising:

an input for receiving data representing picture elements of video;

means for transforming the data into a frequency domain;

means for comparing characteristics associated with the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a first video type, and if the characteristics coincide, for determining that the video is of the first video type; and

means for, if the characteristics do not coincide, comparing the characteristics of the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a second video type, and if the characteristics coincide, for determining that the video is of the second video type;

wherein the predetermined characteristics (a) comprise a radius, (b) comprise a horizontal distance from a DC component response to a frequency point, or (c) correspond to steganographic indicia hidden on or in the video.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the predetermined characteristics comprise a radius.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the predetermined characteristics comprise a horizontal distance from a DC component response to a frequency point.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the predetermined characteristics further comprise an angle formed between a line from an origin to the frequency point and a horizontal axis.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the predetermined characteristics correspond to steganographic indicia hidden on or in the video.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving data representing picture elements of video;

transforming the data into a frequency domain;

comparing characteristics associated with the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a first video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the first video type; and

if the characteristics do not coincide,

comparing the characteristics of the transformed data to predetermined characteristics that are associated with a second video type, and if the characteristics coincide, determining that the video is of the second video type;

wherein the predetermined characteristics comprise a radius, comprise a horizontal distance from a DC component response to a frequency point, or correspond to steganographic indicia hidden on or in the video.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the predetermined characteristics further comprise an angle formed between a line from an origin to the frequency point and a horizontal axis.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein transforming the data into a frequency domain comprises performing a Fast Fourier Transform.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the characteristics associated with the transformed data comprise at least one of squiggly lines, evenly spaced arcs, or concentric shapes.