Watermarking in an encrypted domain

• US 8,781,967 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verance Corporation
• Original Assignee: Verance Corporation
• Inventors: Petrovic, Rade, Tehranchi, Babak
• Primary Examiner(s): Reagan, James A
• Application Number:
  US11/482,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20070110237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,930 Days
• Field of Search: 705/50
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0035 Output size adaptive watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0053 Embedding of the watermark in the coding stream, possibly without decoding; Embedding of the watermark in the compressed domain
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32149 Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32272 Encryption or ciphering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• 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 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

Methods, apparatus and systems for embedding auxiliary information in encrypted host signals are provided. The present invention enables secure application of digital watermarks at any point in the transmission and/or distribution of digital content by enabling the insertion of a plurality of digital watermarks, without the knowledge of the encryption/decryption keys, into a digital host content that has been encrypted with an encryption key. The embedded watermarks persist throughout the content subsequent to the decryption of the content. The disclosed techniques are applicable to content that has been encrypted using a variety of different encryption techniques and algorithms, including stream ciphers, block ciphers, symmetric and asymmetric encryption algorithms. These methods are further adapted to enable the insertion of watermarks into a content that is compressed prior to encryption.

Claims

1. A method for embedding auxiliary information symbols in an encrypted host content, comprising:

produce a first encrypted content by (a) obtaining a plurality of segments of an original host content, (b) embedding each of said plurality of segments with a first logical value and (c) using a first encryption key or first set of encryption keys for encrypting each of said plurality of segments after having been embedded with said first logical value;

producing a second content that is not in encrypted format by (a) embedding a second logical value into said plurality of segments of said original host content and (b) modifying each particular segment that is embedded with said second logical value with a corresponding segment that is embedded with said first logical value, said corresponding segment being perceptually similar to said particular segment but for having said first logical value embedded therein instead of said second logical value; and

combining a first set of segments from said first encrypted content with a second set of segments from said second content in a pre-defined manner, without decrypting said first encrypted content, to produce a composite encrypted host content with embedded auxiliary information, wherein said composite encrypted host content is decryptable using said first encryption key or said first set of encryption keys.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said combining is performed without using encryption or decryption keys.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said embedded auxiliary information persists throughout said host content after decryption of said composite encrypted host content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second content are produced at a pre-processing center and said combining occurs at a user location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said host content comprises at least one of audio, video, text, and programming information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first encrypted content is encrypted in accordance with at least one of:

a stream cipher,

a block cipher,

a symmetric encryption algorithm, and

an asymmetric encryption algorithm.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of compressing, encrypting, or scrambling said second content and subsequently performing one of compressing, decrypting or descrambling prior to said combining.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said pre-defined manner identifies at least one of an entity and a transaction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said host content comprises at least one of audio, video, text, and programming information.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

compressing said plurality of segments after embedding with said first logical value and after embedding with said second logical value, wherein;

said encrypting comprises encrypting said compressed segments subsequent to said compressing; and

said modifying comprises modifying each particular segment that is embedded with said second logical value and subsequently compressed with said corresponding segment that is embedded with said first logical value and subsequently compressed.

11. A method for embedding auxiliary information symbols in an encrypted host content, comprising:

encrypting original host content using a first encryption key or first set of encryption keys to produce an unmarked encrypted host content;

producing a first content that is not in encrypted format by (a) obtaining a plurality of segments of said original host content (b) embedding each of said plurality of segments with a first logical value and (c) modifying each particular segment that is embedded with said first logical value with a corresponding segment from said original host content, said corresponding segment being perceptually similar to said particular segment that is embedded with said first logical value but lacking said embedded first logical value;

producing a second content that is not in encrypted format by (a) embedding a second logical value into said plurality of segments of said original host content and (b) modifying each particular segment that is embedded with said first logical value with a corresponding segment from said original host content, said corresponding segment being perceptually similar to said particular segment that is embedded with said second logical value but lacking said embedded second logical value;

selecting a first set of segments from said first content;

selecting a second set of segments from said second content; and

combining said first set and said second set of segments with said unmarked encrypted host content in a predefined manner, without decrypting said unmarked encrypted host content, to produce a composite encrypted host content with embedded auxiliary information, wherein said composite encrypted host content is decryptable using said first encryption key or said first set of encryption keys.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said unmarked encrypted host content is encrypted in accordance with at least one of:

a stream cipher,

a block cipher,

a symmetric encryption algorithm, and

an asymmetric encryption algorithm.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising at least one of compressing, encrypting, or scrambling said first and second content and subsequently performing one of compressing, decrypting or descrambling prior to said combining.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

compressing said original host content prior to encrypting said original host content; and

compressing said plurality of segments after embedding with said first logical value and after embedding with said second logical value, wherein;

said encrypting comprises encrypting said compressed original host content; and

said modifying each particular segment that is embedded with said first or second logical values comprises modifying each particular segment that is embedded with said first or second logical values and subsequently compressed with said corresponding segment from said original host content subsequent to compression but prior to encryption of said original host content.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said first and second contents are transmitted to a user premises, and combined with said unmarked encrypted host content that resides at said user premises.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said pre-defined manner identifies at least one of an entity and a transaction.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said host content comprises at least one of audio, video, text, and programming information.

18. A method for embedding auxiliary information symbols in a compressed and encrypted host content, comprising:

producing a first compressed-and-encrypted content by encrypting a first version of a compressed host content, said first version of said compressed host content having been produced by (a) obtaining a plurality of segments of an original host content, (b) embedding each of said plurality of segments with a first logical value, and (c) compressing said plurality of segments subsequent to said embedding of said first logical value;

producing a second compressed-and-encrypted content by (a) embedding a second logical value into each of said plurality of segments of said original host content, (b) compressing said plurality of segments subsequent to said embedding of said second logical value, (c) encrypting said plurality of segments subsequent to said compressing and (d) modifying each particular segment that is embedded with said second logical value and subsequently compressed and encrypted with a corresponding segment that is embedded with said first logical value and subsequently compressed and encrypted, said corresponding segment being perceptually similar to said particular segment prior to said compressing but for having said first logical value embedded therein instead of said second logical value; and

combining a first set of segments from said first compressed-and-encrypted content with a second set of segments from said second compressed-and-encrypted content in a pre-defined manner, without decrypting or decompressing either the first set of segments or the second set of segments, to produce a composite compressed-and-encrypted host content with embedded auxiliary information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said first compressed-and-encrypted content and said second compressed-and-content comprise a matching signal interval.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said combining occurs within said matching signal interval.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said first compressed-and-encrypted content comprises a partially encrypted content.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein additional meta data corresponding to said first compressed-and-encrypted content and said second compressed-and-encrypted content are produced to facilitate said combining.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein said first encrypted content is encrypted in accordance with at least one of:

a stream cipher,

a block cipher,

a symmetric encryption algorithm, and

an asymmetric encryption algorithm.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein said pre-defined manner identifies at least one of an entity and a transaction.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein said host content comprises at least one of audio, video, text, and programming information.

26. A method for embedding auxiliary information into an encrypted host, comprising:

receiving a first content that is in encrypted format, the first content comprising a plurality of embedded segments, each of said plurality of embedded segments corresponding to a segment of an original host content having been embedded with a first logical value and subsequently having been encrypted using a first encryption key or set of encryption keys;

receiving a second content that is not in encrypted format, the second content having been produced by (a) embedding a second logical value into said plurality of segments of said original host content and (b) modifying each particular segment that is embedded with said second logical value with a corresponding segment that is embedded with said first logical value, said corresponding segment being perceptually similar to said particular segment but for having said first logical value embedded therein instead of said second logical value; and

combining at least portions of said second content with said first content in a pre-defined manner, without decrypting said first encrypted content, to produce a composite encrypted host content with embedded auxiliary information, wherein said composite encrypted host content is decryptable using said first encryption key or said first set of encryption keys.

27. A method for embedding auxiliary information into an encrypted host content, comprising:

receiving a first content and a second content from a pre-processing center,

said first content having been produced by (a) obtaining a plurality of segments of an original host content (b) embedding each of said plurality of segments with a first logical value and (c) modifying each particular segment that is embedded with said first logical value with a corresponding segment from said original host content, said corresponding segment being perceptually similar to said particular segment that is embedded with said first logical value but lacking said embedded first logical value,

said second content having been produced by (a) embedding a second logical value into said plurality of segments of said original host content and (b) modifying each particular segment that is embedded with said first logical value with a corresponding segment from said original host content, said corresponding segment being perceptually similar to said particular segment that is embedded with said second logical value but lacking said embedded second logical value; and

combining said particular segments of first and second contents that are in unencrypted format with segments from an encrypted and unmarked version of said original host content in a pre-defined manner, without decrypting said encrypted and unmarked version of said original host content, to produce a composite encrypted host content with embedded auxiliary information, said encrypted and unmarked version of said original host content having been produced by encrypting segments of said original host content using a first encryption key or first set of encryption keys, wherein said composite encrypted host content is decryptable using said first encryption key or said first set of encryption keys.