Steganographic method and device

• US 8,549,305 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wistaria Trading Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wistaria Trading Inc.
• Inventors: Moskowitz, Scott, Cooperman, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAPLAN, BENJAMIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/913,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20110069864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 380/28, 713/176
• US Class Current: 713/176
• 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 computer-based method for identifying, from content, additional information defining or describing a message encoded in said content, the method comprising:

receiving, in a machine, said content having said additional information encoded therein;

decoding, with said machine, said message from said content using at least one of a plurality of keys.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said decoding comprises examining at least one subset of said content, said at least one subset consisting of less than all of said content.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said decoding comprises advancing a sample window through a sample stream of said content.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said decoding comprises transforming at least some of said content.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said decoding comprises using at least two keys.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said decoding comprises using at least two masks.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said additional information is steganographically encoded in said content by a steganographic mapping process such that said decoding comprises a process for decoding from said content said additional information steganographically encoded in said content.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said decoding comprises examining at least one subset of said content, said at least one subset consisting of less than all of said content.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said decoding comprises advancing a sample window through a sample stream of said content.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said decoding comprises transforming at least some of said content.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said decoding comprises using at least two keys.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said decoding comprises using at least two masks.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said decoding further comprises determining a start of message marker, and wherein said determining said start of message marker comprises:

performing, in said machine, a transform on a first subset of said content, said first subset at a first location in said content, wherein said first subset does not include all of said content, to obtain a transformed first subset;

comparing, in said machine, said transformed first subset with said start of message marker, thereby determining whether said first location identifies said start of message marker location.

14. A method of claim 1 wherein said decoding further comprises:

comparing, in said machine, a first subset of said content at a first location in said content, wherein said first subset does not include all of said content, with a start of message marker, thereby determining whether said first location identifies said start of message marker location;

in response to said machine determining that said first location identifies said start of message marker location, executing an additional information identification algorithm to identify said additional information by using said start of message marker location to determine where in said content to begin examining said content for said additional information.

15. A method of claim 1 wherein said decoding further comprises:

acquiring said at least one of a plurality of keys to be used for decoding;

using a steganographic cipher process to locate the additional information by using the at least one of the acquired keys;

using the steganographic cipher process to extract the located additional information from the content.

16. A machine implemented method for identifying, in content containing additional information defining or describing a message, said message, comprising:

receiving, in said machine, said content, wherein said content contains encoded therein additional information defining or describing said message;

performing, with said machine, a transform on a first subset of said content, said first subset at a first location in said content, wherein said first subset does not include all of said content, to obtain a transformed first subset;

comparing, with said machine, said transformed first subset with a start of message marker, thereby determining whether said first location identifies a start of message marker location; and

decoding, with said machine, using said start of message marker location, said message.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

in response to said machine determining that said first location does not identify said start of message marker location, said machine performing said transform on a second subset of said content, wherein said second subset does not include all of said content, to obtain a transformed second subset; and

comparing said transformed second subset with said start of message marker, thereby determining whether said second location identifies said start of message marker location.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said content is represented as an ordered sequence of data, and a lowest sequence value of said second subset is one greater than a lowest sequence value of said first subset.

19. The method of claim 16 for identifying, in said content, additional information, further comprising:

in response to said machine determining that said first location identifies said start of message marker location, executing an additional information identification algorithm which uses said start of message marker location to determine where in said content to begin examining said content for said additional information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said executing said additional information identification algorithm comprises said machine sequentially applying a decode algorithm to different windows of said content, wherein each one of said different windows does not include all of said content.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said executing said additional information identification algorithm comprises further comprises storing bits obtained by said sequentially applying said decode algorithm, in a sequence defined by the sequence in which said bits were obtained.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein each one of said different windows defines different subsets of said content.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein each one of said different windows contains the same size subset of said content as any other one of said different windows.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein said content is represented in said machine as an ordered sequence of data, and wherein said step of sequentially applying said decode algorithm to different windows comprises sequentially applying said decode algorithm to different windows having contiguous sequences of values in said ordered sequence of data.

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising storing said content in said machine in non transient machine memory.

26. The method of claim 16

wherein said decoding comprises using at least one of a plurality of keys.

27. A method for identifying, in content, a message, comprising:

receiving, in said machine, said content, wherein said content contains encoded therein additional information defining or describing a message;

comparing, in said machine, a first subset of said content at a first location in said content, wherein said first subset does not include all of said content, with a start of message marker, thereby determining whether said first location identifies said start of message marker location;

in response to said machine determining that said first location identifies said start of message marker location, executing an additional information identification algorithm to identify said additional information by using said start of message marker location to determine where in said content to begin examining said content for said additional information; and

decoding said message from said content using said machine and said start of message marker location.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said executing said additional information identification algorithm comprises said machine sequentially applying a decode algorithm to different windows of said content, wherein each one of said different windows does not include all of said content.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein each one of said different windows defines different subsets of said content.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein each one of said different windows contains the same size subset of said content as any other one of said different windows.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein said content is represented in said machine as an ordered sequence of data, and wherein said step of sequentially applying said decode algorithm to different windows comprises sequentially applying said decode algorithm to different windows having contiguous sequences of values in said ordered sequence of data.

32. The method of claim 27 wherein said decoding comprises using at least one of a plurality of keys.

33. A method for identifying content with a machine configured to use a steganographic cipher process, said process using a steganographic technique of hiding additional information including a watermark in combination with a cryptographic technique of multiple keys, comprising the steps of:

said machine receiving content that has been steganographically encoded with additional information defining or describing a message for identifying the content, wherein the encoding is controlled using at least one of the multiple keys;

said machine acquiring at least one of the multiple keys to be used for decoding;

said machine using the steganographic cipher process to locate the additional information defining or describing said message by using the at least one of the acquired keys;

said machine using the steganographic cipher process to extract said message.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the additional information defines or describes a message that includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

the title of the encoded content, the artist of the encoded content, terms of distribution of the encoded content, rights ownership identification, authorship identification of the content, publication rights of the encoded content, ownership identification of the encoded content, and an audit trail of the encoded content.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein the additional information defines or describes a message that 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.

36. The method according to claim 33 wherein the additional information is encoded in at least two locations of the content;

and the method further comprising the step of;

using said steganographic cipher process to locate and extract said additional information from at least one of the two locations of the content.

37. The method according to claim 33, wherein said additional information does not perceptibly affect the encoded content.

38. The method according to claim 37, 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.

39. The method according to claim 33 wherein the watermark includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content and wherein the method comprises the step of e) generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content and

comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

40. The method according to claim 33 wherein the watermark includes an encode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the watermark, wherein the encode hash is insensitive to encoding the watermark into the content and further generating a decode hash of at least a portion of the content that contains the watermark and comparing said encode hash to said decode hash.

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

42. The method of claim 33 wherein the locating comprises using at least one of a plurality of keys.

43. A machine for identifying, from content containing additional information, a message defined or described in said additional information, the machine comprising:

a receiver configured to receive in said machine, said content;

a memory configured to store said content;

a decoder configured to decode said message from said additional information in said content stored in said memory using at least one of a plurality of keys.

44. A machine for identifying, in content, a message, using a start of message marker location, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive in said machine, said content, wherein said content contains therein additional information defining or describing said message;

memory configured to store said content;

a transformer configured to transform a first subset of said content stored in said memory, said first subset at a first location in said content, wherein said first subset does not include all of said content, to obtain a transformed first subset;

a comparator configured to compare said transformed first subset with said start of message marker, thereby determining whether said first location identifies said start of message marker location; and

a decoder configured to decode said message using said start of message marker location.

45. The machine of claim 44 wherein said decoder is configured to decode said message using at least on of a plurality of keys.

46. The machine of claim 44 wherein both said processor and said comparator are configured to use a processor.

48. The machine of claim 46 wherein said decoder is configured to decode said message from said additional information.

49. The machine of claim 46 further comprising a processor.

47. A machine for decoding a message defined or described in additional information of content, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive said content;

memory configured to store said content;

a comparator configured to compare a first subset of said content at a first location in said content, wherein said first subset does not include all of said content, with a start of message marker, thereby determining whether said first location identifies said start of message marker location;

an executor configured to, in response to said machine determining that said first location identify said start of message marker location, execute an additional information identification algorithm to identify said additional information by using said start of message marker location to determine where in said content to begin examining said content for said additional information; and

a decoder configured to decode said message from said content.

50. A machine for determining a message encoded in content with a steganographic cipher process, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive content that has been steganographically encoded with a message using at least one of multiple keys;

structure configured to acquire at least one of the multiple keys;

memory configured to store said content and said at least one of the multiple keys;

a locator configured to locate, using the steganographic cipher process, the additional information by using the at least one of the acquired keys;

an extractor configured to, using the steganographic cipher process, extract the message from the content; and

a decoder configured to decode said message.

51. The machine of claim 50 wherein said extractor is configured to use one of a plurality of keys with said steganographic cipher process to extract the message.

52. The machine of claim 50 further comprising a processor.

53. A method for identifying content, comprising the steps of:

receiving encoded content that has been encoded using a mapping and at least one of multiple keys, with additional information defining or describing a message that identifies the content;

acquiring at least one of the multiple keys;

using the mapping and at least one of the acquired keys to locate in the encoded content the additional information; and

extracting said message from the located additional information.

54. A machine for identifying content, comprising:

a receiver designed to receive encoded content that has been encoded, using a mapping and at least one of multiple keys, with a message that identifies the content;

structure designed to acquire at least one of the multiple keys;

a locator configured to locate, using the mapping and at least one of the acquired keys, location in the encoded content of the message; and

an extractor designed to extract said message from the encoded content.