Methods and arrangements for composing information-carrying artwork

• US 8,788,971 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUONG, TRUC T
• Application Number:
  US12/689,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20100119108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/745, 715/816, 715763-764, 715/811, 235/438, 382/181, 382/232, 382/254, 382/100, 382/188, 283 72- 74, 283/94, 283/107, 283/109
• US Class Current: 715/816
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1418 the inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0064 Geometric transfor invariant watermarking, e.g. affine transform invariant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0061 Embedding of the watermark in each block of the image, e.g. segmented watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0065 Extraction of an embedded watermark; Reliable detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0032 using holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0034 using watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1016 Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 : Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 : Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00094 : involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00166 : involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier, e.g. music or software
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 : involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00224 : wherein the key is obtained from a remote server
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00557 : wherein further management data is encrypted, e.g. sector headers, TOC or the lead-in or lead-out areas
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00855 : involving a step of exchanging information with a remote server
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00876 : wherein physical copy protection means are attached to the medium, e.g. holograms, sensors, or additional semiconductor circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00884 : involving a watermark, i.e. a barely perceptible transformation of the original data which can nevertheless be recognised by an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 : embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/665 : using psychoacoustic properties of the ear, e.g. masking effect
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00005 : relating to image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00037 : Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state H04N1/00031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 : remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00843 : based on recognising a copy prohibited original, e.g. a banknote pattern authentication and markers therefor, forgery detection G06V20/95; character recognition G06V30/10; document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/40; testing paper currency or similar valuable papers for genuineness G07D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00846 : based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00867 : with additional data, e.g. by adding a warning message details of embedding additional information in an image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0087 : with hidden additional data, e.g. data invisible to the human eye
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00875 : Inhibiting reproduction, e.g. by disabling reading or reproduction apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 : embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32149 : Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 : Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32208 : involving changing the magnitude of selected pixels, e.g. overlay of information or super-imposition H04N1/32219, H04N1/32224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32219 : involving changing the position of selected pixels, e.g. word shifting, or involving modulating the size of image components, e.g. of characters H04N1/32224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32251 : in multilevel data, e.g. greyscale or continuous tone data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32261 : in binary data H04N1/32256 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32288 : Multiple embedding, e.g. cocktail embedding, or redundant embedding, e.g. repeating the additional information at a plurality of locations in the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32304 : Embedding different sets of additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32352 : Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91321 : the copy protection signal being a copy protection control signal, e.g. a record inhibit signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 : the copy protection signal being a watermark
• 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 21/8358 : 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 2201/3207 : of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 : of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• 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 2201/3239 : using a plurality of different authentication information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/916 : Fraud or tamper detecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 : Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

Data defining several different information-carrying patterns can be stored on mass storage of a computer workstation and serve as a library of design elements for future designs. The same user-interface techniques that are employed to pick colors in image-editing software (e.g. Adobe Photoshop) and fill textures in presentation programs (e.g. Microsoft PowerPoint) can similarly be used to present a palette of information patterns to a security document designer. Clicking on a visual representation of the desired pattern makes the pattern available for inclusion in a security document being designed (e.g. filling a desired area). A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

defining, by a processor, a reference calibration tile, wherein the reference calibration tile comprises a grid of cells;

assigning, by the processor, a grey-scale value to each cell in the grid of cells;

drawing, by the processor, at least one line on the reference calibration tile, each line of the at least one line connecting a first point and a second point along an edge of the reference calibration tile, wherein each line of the at least one line passes through a subset of the cells;

generating, by the processor, a calibration pattern, wherein the calibration pattern is based on the at least one line drawn on the reference calibration tile;

storing, by the processor, the calibration pattern, wherein the stored calibration pattern can be presented on a graphical user interface associated with a graphics editing program;

receiving, by the processor, a selection of the calibration pattern; and

adding, by the processor, the calibration pattern, based upon the selection, to a graphical work.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calibration pattern comprises a visible pattern.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the calibration pattern comprises a glyph pattern.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a length of each line of the at least one line in a first cell is based on an average line length through all cells in the grid of cells.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an array of error values based at least on the grey-scale values of each cell in the grid of cells and a grey-scale value of the calibration tile; and

modifying the at least one line based on the array of error values.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a length of the at least one line is modified.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein a width of the at least one line is modified.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the calibration pattern is grey-scale.

9. A system comprising:

one or more hardware processors configured to;

define a reference calibration tile, wherein the reference calibration tile comprises a grid of cells;

assign a grey-scale value to each cell in the grid of cells;

draw at least one line, each line of the at least one line connecting a first point and a second point along an edge of the reference calibration tile, wherein each line of the at least one line passes through a subset of the cells;

generate a calibration pattern, the calibration pattern, wherein the calibration pattern is based on the at least one line drawn on the reference calibration tile;

store the calibration pattern, wherein the stored calibration pattern can be presented on a graphical user interface associated with a graphics editing program;

receive a selection of the calibration pattern; and

add the calibration pattern, based upon the selection, to a graphical work.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the calibration pattern comprises a visible pattern.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the calibration pattern comprises a glyph pattern.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein a length of each line of the at least one line in a first cell is based on an average line length through all cells in the grid of cells.

13. The system of claim 9, the one or more processors further configured to:

generate an array of error values based at least on the grey-scale values of each cell in the grid of cells and a grey-scale value of the calibration tile; and

modify the at least one line based on the array of error values.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the length of the at least one line is modified.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein a width of the at least one line is modified.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the calibration pattern is grey-scale.

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

instructions to define a reference calibration tile, wherein the reference calibration tile comprises a grid of cells;

instructions to assign a grey-scale value to each cell in the grid of cells;

instructions to draw at least one line, each line of the at least one line connecting a first point and a second point along an edge of the reference calibration tile, wherein each line of the at least one line passes through a subset of the cells;

instructions to generate a calibration pattern, wherein the calibration pattern is based on the at least one line drawn on the reference calibration tile;

instructions to store the calibration pattern, wherein the stored calibration pattern can be presented on a graphical user interface associated with a graphics editing program;

instructions to receive a selection of the calibration pattern; and

instructions to add the calibration pattern based upon the selection, to a graphical work.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein a length of each line of the at least one line in a first cell is based on an average line length through all cells.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, the instructions further comprising:

instructions to generate an array of error values based at least on the grey-scale values of each cell in the grid of cells and a grey-scale value of the calibration tile; and

instructions to modify the at least one line based on the array of error values.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein a length of the at least one line is modified.