Adaptive and progressive protection of fixed images encoded in wavelets

• US 8,094,953 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OL Security LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Querell Data LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lecomte, Daniel, Parayre-Mitzova, Daniela, Caporossi, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Samir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bayat, Ali
• Application Number:
  US12/408,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20090180613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 382/232, 382/233, 382/240, 382/250, 382/251, 382/253, 725/31, 725/90, 725/104, 725/146, 725/87
• US Class Current: 382/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/17 the unit being an image region, e.g. an object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/63 using sub-band based transform, e.g. wavelets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/88 involving rearrangement of data among different coding units, e.g. shuffling, interleaving, scrambling or permutation of pixel data or permutation of transform coefficient data among different blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23476 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44055 by partially decrypting, e.g. decrypting a video stream that has been partially encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/845 Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A process for secured distribution of fixed numerical images according to a nominal format resulting from numerical encoding in wavelets, represented by a original stream including a packet relating to organization of a binary sequence that contains at least a block that regroups numerically encoded simple elements according to a mode specified inside the stream and utilized by decoders that are capable of reconstructing or decoding it to be able to correctly display the image including modifying at least one of the simple elements according to at least a substitution operation including extracting the simple element, followed by its replacement by lure data, modifying a principal stream to conform to a nominal format including modified blocks and packets, and by a path that is separate from the principal stream of complementary numerical information and allowing reconstruction of the original stream from calculations, on destination equipment, as a function of the principal stream and the complementary information.

Claims

1. A process for secured distribution of fixed numerical images according to a nominal format resulting from numerical encoding in wavelets, comprising:

modifying at least one simple element of a block of a packet representing an original stream according to at least a substitution operation comprising extracting the simple element, followed by replacement of the simple element by lure data; and

modifying a principal stream to conform to a nominal format comprising modified blocks and packets; and

transmitting, by a path that is separate from the principal stream, complementary numerical information associated with the principal stream, to enable reconstruction of the original stream at destination equipment based on the principal stream and the complementary numerical information.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the modified principal stream is recorded or available on the destination equipment before transmission of the complementary numerical information to the destination equipment.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the modified principal stream and the complementary numerical information are transmitted together in real time at a moment of visualization.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the format of a nominal stream resulting from encoding in wavelets is defined by a standard or an encoder common to a group of users.

5. The process according to claim 1, further comprising analyzing at least a part of the original stream and determining the nature of modifications to be made to the simple elements.

6. The process according to claim 5, wherein determining modifications of the simple elements is carried out during the analysis and accounts for at least a part of an original image.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the process is applied to an analog visual signal before analog/numerical conversion.

8. The process according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting, along with the complementary numerical information, at least one numerical routine capable of executing a function.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein modification is adaptive on the original stream as a function of a part of at least one of representative characteristics of structure, content and parameters of an original image, profile of the destination, or external events.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the modified principal stream conforms to a norm or a native standard of the original stream.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein a size of the modified principal stream is equal to a size of the original stream.

12. The process according to claim 1, wherein modifications are made directly on packets of an initial binary stream regrouping blocks of encoded simple elements.

13. The process according to claim 1, wherein modifications are made on at least one simple element obtained by decoding at least one packet of an initial binary stream.

14. The process according to claim 1, wherein modifications are carried out on at least one spatial scalability level of fixed images encoded in the wavelets.

15. The process according to claim 1, wherein modifications are carried out on at least qualitative scalability of fixed images encoded in the wavelets.

16. The process according to claim 1, wherein modifications are carried out on at least one collection of at least one simple element as a function of parameters of modifications made before on at least one collection of at least one simple element inside the same stream.

17. The process according to claim 1, wherein the fixed numerical images constitute a succession of images in time.

18. The process according to claim 17, wherein modification of the simple elements is different for at least two successions of images.

19. The process according to claim 17, wherein modification of the simple elements of an image of the succession includes modification of the simple elements of preceding images in a temporal order of succession founded on spatial and qualitative scalability properties of transformations into the wavelets.

20. The process according to claim 1, wherein modification of the simple elements is applied to a spatial part of an image only, determined while being based on properties and characteristics of a transformation into the wavelets.

21. The process according to claim 1, wherein modification of the simple elements is applied to at least one spectral component resulting from transformation into wavelets to target a part of the original stream to scramble.

22. The process according to claim 1, wherein modification occurs without loss of quality.

23. The process according to claim 1, further comprising:

applying a reconstruction function transmitted with the complementary numerical information while providing a route that is separate from a vector of the principal stream; and

decoding the stream reconstructed at the destination equipment by a procedure adapted for the nominal format.

24. The process according to claim 23, wherein a size of the stream reconstructed on the destination equipment is equal to a size of the original stream.

25. The process according to claim 23, wherein a size of the stream reconstructed on the destination equipment is different from a size of the original stream.

26. The process according to claim 23, wherein the complementary numerical information allows reconstruction of the original stream from the modified principal stream in which the order of the packets has been changed during an operation of code conversion.

27. An apparatus for the secured distribution of fixed numerical images according to a nominal stream format, comprising:

an encoder to set into motion a numerical encoding into wavelets according to the nominal stream format;

means for transmitting a numerical stream;

means for processing an original stream by modifying at least one simple element of a principal stream conforming to the nominal stream format according to at least a substitution operation comprising extracting the simple element, followed by replacement of the simple element by lure data; and

means for transferring, by a path that is separate from the principal stream, complementary information corresponding to the modification.

28. An apparatus for restoration of fixed numerical images according to a nominal format of images, comprising:

a decoder according to the nominal format;

means for receiving a numerical stream comprising a principal stream in which at least one simple element of the principal stream is modified according to at least a substitution operation comprising extracting the simple element, followed by replacement of the simple element by lure data;

means for receiving complementary information associated with the principal stream; and

means for reconstruction of an original stream from calculations as a function of the principal stream and the complementary information.