Steganographic method and device

• US 8,238,553 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wistaria Trading Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wistaria Trading Inc.
• Inventors: Moskowitz, Scott A., Cooperman, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiferaw, Eleni
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALLAHAN, PAUL E
• Application Number:
  US12/383,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20090220074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 380/231, 705/57, 726/32
• US Class Current: 380/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0064 for copy protection or copy management, e.g. CGMS, copy only once, one-time copy
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/04 Masking or blinding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/08 Randomization, e.g. dummy operations or using noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/605 Copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/608 Watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0643 Hash functions, e.g. MD5, SHA, HMAC or f9 MAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0656 Pseudorandom key sequence combined element-for-element with data sequence, e.g. one-time-pad [OTP] or Vernam's cipher
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/12 Transmitting and receiving encryption devices synchronised or initially set up in a particular manner
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32149 Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3216 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32187 with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected frequency coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32245 Random or pseudorandom selection of pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• 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 21/2541 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 21/4348 : Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• 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 21/8352 : involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• 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 2201/3226 : 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 2201/3281 : Encryption; Ciphering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 : Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding additional information into a stream of digitized samples in an integral manner. The information is encoded using special keys. The information is contained in the samples, not prepended or appended to the sample stream. The method makes it extremely difficult to find the information in the samples if the proper keys are not possessed by the decoder. The method does not cause a significant degradation to the sample stream. The method is used to establish ownership of copyrighted digital multimedia content and provide a disincentive to piracy of such material.

Claims

1. A method for generating a signal encoding additional information, comprising:

(a) windowing, with a machine, a carrier signal, thereby defining a first window, such that said first window contains a portion of said carrier signal;

(b) first determining, with said machine, using at least a first key, whether to encode additional information at a first value of a plurality of values associated in said machine with said portion of said carrier signal contained in said first window independently of determining whether to encode additional information into a second value of said plurality of values;

(c) encoding, with said machine, additional information at said first value;

wherein said additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the carrier signal includes a sample stream.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the samples in the sample stream are obtained from a sample stream representing sound, music, video, image samples and/or combinations thereof.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the additional information identifies individual copies of content.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the additional information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of the title of the content, the artist of the content, terms of distribution of the content, rights ownership identification of the content, publication rights of the content, ownership identification of the content, and an audit trail of the content.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the additional information identifies individual copies of content.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the additional information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

information for enabling use of the encoded content, meterware information for the use of the encoded content, pay-by-use information for the use of the encoded content, and payment information for access to the encoded content.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the said additional information does not perceptively affect the encoded content.

9. The method according to claim 5, further comprising generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein:

the additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the additional information into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the additional information identifies individual copies of content.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the additional information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

information for enabling use of the encoded content, meterware information for the use of the encoded content, pay-by-use information for the use of the encoded content, and payment information for access to the encoded content.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the said additional information does not perceptively affect the encoded content.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein:

the additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the additional information into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein:

the additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the additional information into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the additional information is encoded in at least two locations of the content;

and further comprising using said key to extract said additional information from at least one location of the content.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the said additional information does not perceptively affect the encoded content.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein:

the additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the additional information into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

24. The method according to claim 12, wherein the said additional information does not perceptively affect the encoded content.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the encoded content comprises at least one selected from the following group consisting of:

an analog waveform, a digital sample stream, and a compressed copy of the encoded content.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein:

the additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the additional information into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

29. The method according to claim 24, further comprising generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

30. The method according to claim 24, wherein:

the additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the additional information into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

31. The method according to claim 24, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

32. The method according to claim 12, further comprising generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

33. The method according to claim 12, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

34. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

windowing, with said machine, said carrier signal, thereby define a second window, such that said second window contains a second portion of said carrier signal; and

second determining, with said machine, using at least said first key, whether to encode additional information at a second window first value associated with said second window;

encoding, with said machine, additional information at said second window first value.

35. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, with said machine, using at least said first key, whether to encode additional information at a second value independently of the determination whether to encode additional information at said first value.

36. The method of claim 1 further comprising said machine associating a window sequence number with each window said machine defines from said carrier signal.

37. The method of claim 1 wherein said first determining further comprises said machine using at least a bit of a second key.

38. The method of claim 1 wherein said first value is a first frequency band.

39. The method of claim 1 further comprising encoding different additional information in different windows.

40. The method of claim 1 further comprising said machine redundantly encoding additional information in said signal.

41. The method of claim 1 further comprising said machine encoding multiple copies of additional information continuously over the duration of said carrier signal.

42. A machine for generating a signal encoding additional information, comprising:

a memory and a processor for processing data;

wherein said machine is configured or programmed to;

(a) window a carrier signal, to thereby define a first window, such that said first window contains a portion of said carrier signal;

(b) first determine, using at least a first key stored in said memory, whether to encode additional information at a first value of a plurality of values associated with said portion of said carrier signal contained in said first window independently of determining whether to encode additional information at a second value of said plurality of values; and

(c) encode additional information at said first value;

wherein said additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content.

43. The apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the carrier signal includes a stream of digital samples.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the samples are obtained from a sample stream representing sound, music, video, image samples and/or combinations thereof.

45. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the additional information identifies individual copies of content.

46. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the additional information identifies individual copies of content.

47. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

48. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

49. The apparatus according claim 42, wherein the additional information identifies individual copies of content.

50. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the additional information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of the title of the content, the artist of the content, terms of distribution of the content, rights ownership identification of the content, publication rights of the content, ownership identification of the content, and an audit trail of the content.

51. The apparatus according to claim 50, wherein the additional information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

information for enabling use of the encoded content, meterware information for the use of the encoded content, pay-by-use information for the use of the encoded content, and payment information for access to the encoded content.

52. The apparatus according to claim 50, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

53. The apparatus according to claim 50, wherein the additional information is encoded in at least two locations of the content;

and further comprising using said at least one key to extract said additional information from at least one location of the content.

54. The apparatus according to claim 50, wherein the said additional information does not perceptually degrade the encoded content.

55. The apparatus according to claim 50, wherein the encoded content comprises at least one selected from the following group consisting of:

an analog waveform, a digital sample stream, and a compressed copy of the encoded content.

56. The apparatus according to claim 50, further comprising generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

57. The apparatus according to claim 50, wherein:

the additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the additional information into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

58. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the additional information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

information for enabling use of the encoded content, meterware information for the use of the encoded content, pay-by-use information for the use of the encoded content, and payment information for access to the encoded content.

59. The apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the additional information is encoded in at least two locations of the content;

and further comprising using said at least one key to extract said additional information from at least one location of the content.

60. The apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the said additional information does not perceptually degrade the encoded content.

61. The apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the encoded content comprises at least one selected from the following group consisting of:

an analog waveform, a digital sample stream, and a compressed copy of the encoded content.

62. The apparatus according to claim 58, further comprising generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

63. The apparatus according to claim 58, wherein:

the additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the additional information into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

64. The apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

65. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the additional information is encoded in at least two locations of the content;

and further comprising using said at least one key to extract said additional information from at least one location of the content.

66. The apparatus according to claim 65, wherein the said additional information does not perceptually degrade the encoded content.

67. The apparatus according to claim 65, wherein the encoded content comprises at least one selected from the following group consisting of:

an analog waveform, a digital sample stream, and a compressed copy of the encoded content.

68. The apparatus according to claim 65, further comprising generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

69. The apparatus according to claim 65, wherein:

the additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the additional information into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

70. The apparatus according to claim 65, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

71. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the said additional information does not perceptually degrade the encoded content.

72. The apparatus according to claim 71, further comprising generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

73. The apparatus according to claim 71, wherein:

the additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the additional information into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

74. The apparatus according to claim 71, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

75. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the encoded content comprises at least one selected from the following group consisting of:

an analog waveform, a digital sample stream, and a compressed copy of the encoded content.

76. The apparatus according to claim 75, further comprising generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

77. The apparatus according to claim 75, wherein:

the additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the additional information into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

78. The apparatus according to claim 49, further comprising generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

79. The apparatus according to claim 78, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

80. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein:

the additional information includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the additional information into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the additional information and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

81. The apparatus according to claim 80, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

82. The apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

83. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the additional information contains a signed or encrypted watermark that is insensitive to the encoding process.

84. The machine of claim 42 further configured or programmed to:

window said carrier signal, to thereby define a second window, such that said second window contains a portion of said carrier signal; and

second determine, using at least said first key, whether to encode additional information in a second window first value associated with said second window;

encode, with said machine, additional information in said second window first value.

85. The machine of claim 42 further configured or programmed to determine a corresponding first number of samples or bands associated with said first window, such that there is a one to one correspondence of samples or bands of said first window to bits of said first key.

86. The machine of claim 42 wherein said machine is configured or programmed to map of bits of said first key to samples or bands of said first window.

87. The machine of claim 42 further configured or programmed to determine, using at least said first key, whether to encode additional information in a second value associated with said first window.

88. The machine of claim 42 further configured or programmed to associate a window sequence number with each window said machine defines from said carrier signal.

89. The machine of claim 42 further configured or programmed to use at least a bit of a second key in said first determine.

90. The machine of claim 42 wherein said first value is a first frequency band.

91. The machine of claim 42 further configured or programmed to encode different additional information in different windows.

92. The machine of claim 42 further configured or programmed to redundantly encode additional information in said signal.

93. The machine of claim 42 further configured or programmed to encode multiple copies of additional information continuously over the duration of said carrier signal.

94. A method for generating a signal encoding additional information, comprising:

(a) windowing, with a machine, a carrier signal, thereby defining a first window, such that said first window contains a portion of said carrier signal;

(b) first determining, with said machine, using at least a first key, whether to encode additional information at a first value of a plurality of values associated in said machine with said portion of said carrier signal contained in said first window independently of determining whether to encode additional information into a second value of said plurality of values;

(c) encoding, with said machine, additional information at said first value;

wherein a number of said plurality of values equals a number of bits of said first key.

95. The method of claim 94 wherein there is a mapping of bits of said first key to said plurality of values associated in said machine with said portion of said carrier signal contained in said first window.

96. A method for generating a signal encoding additional information, comprising:

(a) windowing, with a machine, a carrier signal, thereby defining a first window, such that said first window contains a portion of said carrier signal;

(b) first determining, with said machine, using at least a first key, whether to encode additional information at a first value of a plurality of values associated in said machine with said portion of said carrier signal contained in said first window independently of determining whether to encode additional information into a second value of said plurality of values;

(c) encoding, with said machine, additional information at said first value;

further comprising said machine associating a window sequence number with each window said machine defines from said carrier signal, and said machine using both a particular first key bit of said first key corresponding to a particular value associated with a particular window, and a particular second key bit of a second key corresponding to said window sequence number of said particular window in a particular determination whether to encode additional information at said particular value.

97. The method of claim 96 wherein said particular determination comprises said machine performing a boolean function operation on said particular first key bit and said particular second key bit.

98. A machine for generating a signal encoding additional information, comprising:

a memory and a processor for processing data;

wherein said machine is configured or programmed to;

(a) window a carrier signal, to thereby define a first window, such that said first window contains a portion of said carrier signal;

(b) first determine, using at least a first key stored in said memory, whether to encode additional information at a first value of a plurality of values associated with said portion of said carrier signal contained in said first window independently of determining whether to encode additional information at a second value of said plurality of values;

and

(c) encode additional information at said first value;

wherein said machine is further configured or programmed to associate a window sequence number with each window said machine defines from said carrier signal, and to use both a particular first key bit of said first key corresponding to a particular value associated with a particular window, and a particular second key bit of a second key corresponding to said window sequence number of said particular window in a particular determination whether to encode additional information at said particular value of said particular window.

99. The machine of claim 98 wherein said machine is configured or programmed to perform a boolean function operation on said particular first key bit and said particular second key bit.

100. A machine for generating a signal encoding additional information, comprising:

a memory and a processor for processing data;

wherein said memory stores a first key having a first key number of bits;

wherein said machine is configured or programmed to;

determine a first key number of consecutive samples in a carrier signal;

first determine, using at least said first key, to encode additional information at a first value associated with said first key number of consecutive samples; and

encode additional information at said first value.

101. The machine of claim 100

wherein said memory stores a second key;

wherein said machine is further configured or programmed to use at least a particular bit of said second key in said first determine operation.

102. A machine for generating a signal encoding additional information, comprising:

a memory and a processor for processing data;

wherein said memory stores a first key having a first key number of bits;

wherein said memory stores a second key having a second key number of bits;

wherein said machine is configured or programmed to;

first determine, using a first mapping of said first key to a carrier signal and a second mapping of said second key to said carrier signal, a first value and to encode additional information at said first value; and

encode additional information at said first value.

103. The machine of claim 102 wherein said first mapping is a function of said first key number.

104. The machine of claim 103 wherein said first determine is a boolean function of a bit of said first key associated with said first value and a bit of said second key associated with said first value.

105. The machine of claim 102 wherein said first value is a first frequency band.

106. The machine of claim 102 further configured or programmed to redundantly encode additional information in said signal.

107. The machine of claim 102 further configured or programmed to encode multiple copies of additional information continuously over the duration of the carrier signal.

108. A machine for generating a signal encoding additional information, comprising:

a memory and a processor for processing data;

said memory stores a first key having a first key number of bits;

said memory stores a second key having a second key number of bits;

wherein said machine is configured or programmed to;

window a carrier signal, to thereby define a first portion of said carrier signal having said first key number of bits;

first determine, using said first key and said second key, whether to encode additional information in a first bit of said first portion of said carrier signal independently of whether to encode additional information in a second bit of said first portion of said carrier signal;

encode additional information in said first bit.