Circumvention of watermark analysis in a host content

• US 9,153,006 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2014
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verance Corporation
• Original Assignee: Verance Corporation
• Inventors: Petrovic, Rade, Tehranchi, Babak, Winograd, Joseph M., Jemili, Kanaan
• Primary Examiner(s): Allison, Andrae S
• Application Number:
  US14/460,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20150036873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0028 Adaptive watermarking, e.g. Human Visual System [HVS]-based watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0071 using multiple or alternating watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0202 whereby the quality of watermarked images is measured; Measuring quality or performance of watermarking methods; Balancing between quality and robustness
• CPC Class Codes: G09C 5/00 Ciphering apparatus or methods not provided for in the preceding groups, e.g. involving the concealment or deformation of graphic data such as designs, written or printed messages
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/608 Watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32245 Random or pseudorandom selection of pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32299 using more than one embedding method
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32315 Selecting a particular method from amongst a plurality of methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided to thwart analysis of a watermarking system by preventing analysis of watermarks in a host content. Upon receiving a content at a watermark embedding device, the content is analyzed to ascertain whether one or more test features are present in at least a first portion of the received content. When the analysis reveals that one or more test features are present, embedding of watermarks in at least the first portion of the received content is disabled. The test features of interest include a temporal, a spatial and/or a frequency characteristic such that, if a region of the content that includes test feature is embedded with a watermark, at least one characteristic of the embedded watermark is detectable upon analysis of that region. The test feature can, for example, approximate an impulse signal, a step function signal or a pure sinusoidal signal.

Claims

1. A method for thwarting circumvention attempts on a watermarking system, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a content at a content handling device that includes embedded watermarks;

(b) extracting an embedded watermark from a segment of the received content, the extracted watermark being suitable for reporting to a user of the content handling device;

(c) using a probability value to make a determination as to whether or not to report the extracted watermark, wherein the determination as to whether or not to report the extracted watermark includes discarding the extracted watermark according to a random value;

(d) upon a determination to report the extracted watermark, reporting a value of the extracted watermark or a presence of the extracted watermark;

(e) upon a determination not to report the extracted watermark, not reporting information related to the extracted watermark; and

(f) repeating operations (b) through (e) for one or more additional embedded watermarks in the received content so that at least one of the extracted watermarks suitable for reporting is not reported.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein discarding the extracted watermark according to the random value includes discarding the extracted watermarks with a probability value of 0.5.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein upon completion of operation (f), none of the extracted watermarks are reported.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the watermarks extracted from the received content include a copy control payload that is indicative of a copy control state of the received content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon the determination to report the extracted watermark, triggering a restriction on a use of the received content based on a payload value of the extracted watermark(s).

6. A method for thwarting circumvention attempts on a watermarking system, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a content at a content handling device that includes embedded watermarks;

(b) extracting an embedded watermark from a segment of the received content, the extracted watermark being suitable for reporting to a user of the content handling device;

(c) using a probability value to make a determination as to whether or not to report the extracted watermark;

(d) upon a determination to report the extracted watermark, reporting a value of the extracted watermark or a presence of the extracted watermark that includes delaying the reporting of the presence or the value of the extracted watermark based on a randomly-assigned value;

(e) upon a determination not to report the extracted watermark, not reporting information related to the extracted watermark; and

(f) repeating operations (b) through (e) for one or more additional embedded watermarks in the received content to thwart a determination, from the reported watermark value or the reported watermark presence, of an exact location of the extracted watermarks in the content.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the randomly-assigned value is selected in accordance with a uniform distribution.

8. A method for thwarting circumvention attempts on a watermarking system, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a content at a content handling device that includes embedded watermarks;

(b) extracting an embedded watermark from a segment of the received content, the extracted watermark being suitable for reporting to a user of the content handling device;

(c) using a probability value to make a determination as to whether or not to report the extracted watermark;

(d) upon a determination to report the extracted watermark, reporting the presence or the value of the extracted watermark(s) periodically at a predetermined time interval;

(e) upon a determination not to report the extracted watermark, not reporting information related to the extracted watermark; and

(f) repeating operations (b) through (e) for one or more additional embedded watermarks in the received content to thwart a determination, from the reported watermark value or the reported watermark presence, an exact location of the extracted watermark in the content.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined time interval is 5 minutes.

10. A method for thwarting circumvention attempts on a watermarking system, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a content at a content handling device that includes embedded watermarks;

(b) extracting an embedded watermark from a segment of the received content, the extracted watermark being suitable for reporting to a user of the content handling device;

(c) using a probability value to make a determination as to whether or not to report the extracted watermark;

(d) upon a determination to report the extracted watermark, reporting of the presence or the value of the extracted watermark(s) on a time-shifted basis;

(e) upon a determination not to report the extracted watermark, not reporting information related to the extracted watermark; and

(f) repeating operations (b) through (e) for one or more additional embedded watermarks in the received content to thwart a determination, from the reported watermark value or the reported watermark presence, as to which particular segment of the content included the reported watermark(s).

11. A device, comprising:

a receiver to receive a content that includes embedded watermarks;

a watermark extractor coupled to the receiver to extract one or more embedded watermarks from the received content, the one or more extracted watermarks being suitable for reporting to a user of the device; and

a processor to;

for each of the one or more extracted watermarks, (A) use a probability value to make a determination as to whether or not to report the extracted watermark(s), wherein the determination as to whether or not to report the extracted watermark includes discarding the extracted watermark according to a random value, (B) upon a determination to report the extracted watermark(s), report corresponding value(s) of the extracted watermark(s) or presence of the extracted watermark(s), and (C) upon a determination not to report the extracted watermark(s), not report the extracted watermark(s) and so that at least one of the extracted watermarks suitable for reporting is not reported.

12. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, including program code, the program code, when executed by the processor, configures the device to;

(a) receive a content that includes embedded watermarks;

(b) extract an embedded watermark from a segment of the received content, the extracted watermark being suitable for reporting to a user of the device;

(c) use a probability value to make a determination as to whether or not to report the extracted watermark, wherein the determination as to whether or not to report the extracted watermark includes discarding the extracted watermark according to a random value;

(d) upon a determination to report the extracted watermark, report a presence or a value of the extracted watermark;

(e) upon a determination not to report the extracted watermark, not report information related to the extracted watermark; and

(f) for one or more additional embedded watermarks in the received content, repeat (b) through (e) so that at least one of the extracted watermarks suitable for reporting is not reported.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein discarding the extracted watermark according to the random value includes discarding the extracted watermarks with a probability value of 0.5.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the program code, when executed by the processor configures the device to extract one or more copy control watermarks that include a payload indicative of a copy control state of the received content.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the program code, when executed by the processor further configures the device to, upon the determination to report the extracted watermark(s), restrict a use of the received content based on a payload value of the extracted watermark(s).

16. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, including program code, the program code, when executed by the processor, configures the device to;

(a) receive a content that includes embedded watermarks;

(b) extract an embedded watermark from a segment of the received content, the extracted watermark being suitable for reporting to a user of the device;

(c) use a probability value to make a determination as to whether or not to report the extracted watermark;

(d) upon a determination to report the extracted watermark, report a presence or a value of the extracted watermark that includes delaying the reporting of the presence or the value of the extracted watermark based on a randomly-assigned value;

(e) upon a determination not to report the extracted watermark, not report information related to the extracted watermark; and

(f) for one or more additional embedded watermarks in the received content, repeat (b) through (e) to thwart a determination, from the reported watermark value or the reported watermark presence, of an exact location of the extracted watermarks in the content.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the randomly-assigned value is selected in accordance with a uniform distribution.

18. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, including program code, the program code, when executed by the processor, configures the device to;

(a) receive a content that includes embedded watermarks;

(b) extract an embedded watermark from a segment of the received content, the extracted watermark being suitable for reporting to a user of the device;

(c) use a probability value to make a determination as to whether or not to report the extracted watermark;

(d) upon a determination to report the extracted watermark, report a presence or a value of the extracted watermark periodically at a predetermined time;

(e) upon a determination not to report the extracted watermark, not report information related to the extracted watermark; and

(f) for one or more additional embedded watermarks in the received content, repeat (b) through (e) to thwart a determination, from the reported watermark value or the reported watermark presence, an exact location of the extracted watermark in the content.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the predetermined time interval is 5 minutes.

20. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, including program code, the program code, when executed by the processor, configures the device to;

(a) receive a content that includes embedded watermarks;

(b) extract an embedded watermark from a segment of the received content, the extracted watermark being suitable for reporting to a user of the device;

(c) use a probability value to make a determination as to whether or not to report the extracted watermark;

(d) upon a determination to report the extracted watermark, report a presence or a value of the extracted watermark on a time shifted basis;

(e) upon a determination not to report the extracted watermark, not report information related to the extracted watermark; and

(f) for one or more additional embedded watermarks in the received content, repeat (b) through (e) to thwart a determination, from the reported watermark value or the reported watermark presence, an exact location of the extracted watermark in the content.