System for managing display and retrieval of image content on a network with image identification and linking to network content

• US 8,528,103 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Ramos, Daniel O., MacIntosh, Brian T., Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHMIDT, KARI L
• Application Number:
  US12/727,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20100313170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/179, 380/1, 380/4, 380/54, 382/181, 382/232, 382/233, 715/255, 715/738, 715/763, 705/51, 726/26, 726/27, 726/30, 726/32
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management

Abstract

A system manages display and retrieval of image content on a network by identifying the image and linking the image to related information, such as licensing information or usage rights. The system manages the display of image content stored within a network by associating thumbnail images that link to versions of the image content stored on a network. One example is a thumbnail that acts as a bookmark linking to image signal content stored on a distributed network of computers, such as links to web pages accessible on the internet. Corresponding methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communication with the memory configured to;

retrieve an image signal;

compute identifying information from the image signal;

associate the identifying information with a link to additional information related to the image signal;

create a thumbnail of the image signal; and

form an image bookmark linking the thumbnail to a network location where the image signal is stored.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to detect a digital watermark in the image signal, wherein the digital watermark provides the identifying information linking the image signal to additional information on a network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate graphical indicia indicating that the image signal is linked to the additional information.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the additional information comprises a web page.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the web page provides usage rights for the image signal.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the web page provides licensing information for the image signal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate indicia for an image signal in which a digital watermark is detected, wherein the indicia serves to identify that the image signal includes a digital watermark.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to extract the image signal from a web page.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to provide a user interface including a display of a web page in a first window and a thumbnail of an image signal in the web page in a second window.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the thumbnail of the image signal is annotated with indicia when a digital watermark is detected in the image.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to maintain and display a list of thumbnails as image bookmarks linking the thumbnails to corresponding image signals at network locations where the image signals are stored.

12. A method comprising:

retrieving an image signal;

computing, using a processor, identifying information from the image signal by detecting a digital watermark in the image signal, wherein the digital watermark provides the identifying information;

associating the identifying information with a link to additional information related to the image signal;

creating a thumbnail of the image signal; and

forming an image bookmark linking the thumbnail to a network location where the image signal is stored.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein computing identifying information comprises detecting a digital watermark in the image signal, wherein the digital watermark provides the identifying information linking the image signal to additional information on a network.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating graphical indicia indicating that the image signal is linked to the additional information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the additional information comprises a web page.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the web page provides usage rights for the image signal.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the web page provides licensing information for the image signal.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating indicia for an image signal in which a digital watermark is detected, wherein the indicia identifies that the image signal includes a digital watermark.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising extracting the image signal from a web page.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing a user interface including a display of a web page in a first window and a thumbnail of an image signal in the web page in a second window.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the thumbnail of the image signal is annotated with indicia when a digital watermark is detected in the image.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising maintaining and displaying a list of thumbnails as image bookmarks linking the thumbnails to corresponding image signals at network locations where the image signals are stored.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to retrieve an image signal;

instructions to compute identifying information from the image signal by detecting a digital watermark in the image signal, wherein the digital watermark provides the identifying information;

instructions to associate the identifying information with a link to additional information related to the image signal;

instructions to create a thumbnail of the image signal; and

instructions to form an image bookmark linking the thumbnail to a network location where the image signal is stored.