Derivation and quantization of robust non-local characteristics for blind watermarking

• US 20020154778A1
• Filed: 04/24/2001
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Venkatesan, Ramarathnam, Jakubowski, Mariusz H., Mihcak, M. Kivanc
• Granted Patent: US 7,020,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/262
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0065 Extraction of an embedded watermark; Reliable detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0083 whereby only watermarked image required at decoder, e.g. source-based, blind, oblivious
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• 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 1/32154 Transform domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3217 using wavelet 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 1/32277 Compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3232 Robust embedding or watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32341 Blind embedding, i.e. the original image not being known beforehand
• 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 2201/3233 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

Abstract

An implementation of a technology is described herein for deriving robust non-local characteristics and quantizing such characteristics for blind watermarking of a digital good. This technology finds the proper balance between minimizing the probability of false alarms (i.e., detecting a non-existent watermark) and the probability of misses (i.e., failing to detect an existing watermark). The technology, described herein, performs quantization index modulation (QIM) based upon non-local characteristics of the digital good. Non-local characteristics may include statistics (e.g., averages, median) of a group of individual parts (e.g., pixels) of a digital good. This abstract itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appending claims.

Claims

1. A method facilitating protection of digital signals, the method comprising:

normalizing amplitude of a digital signal, wherein such signal is an original, unmarked signal;

transforming the normalized signal;

partitioning the normalized signal transform into segments;

for one or more segments;

calculating statistics of a segment that are representative of that segment;

quantizing such statistics of a segment;

generating a delta-sequence representing a combination of the quantized statistics of the one or more segments or an approximation of the combination;

marking the digital signal with the delta-sequence.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the partitioning comprises pseudorandomly segmenting the normalized signal transform.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the partitioning comprises pseudorandomly segmenting the normalized signal transform, wherein such segments are adjacent and non-contiguous.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transforming comprises finding a low frequency subband.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transforming comprises finding a significant frequency subband.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the statistics of the calculating comprises one or more finite order moments of a segment.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the generating comprises producing a pseudorandom delta-sequence that when combined with the digital signal approximate a combination of the digital signal and the quantized statistics of the one or more segments.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the marking comprises embedding a watermark via quantization index modulation (QIM).

9. A modulated signal generated in accordance with the acts recited in claim 1.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method as recited in claim 1.

11. A computer comprising one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, perform the method as recited in claim 1.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein measuring the distance comprising using perceptual distortion matrics.

14. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:

determining an indication of confidence based upon the measured distances of the measuring;

indicating an indication of confidence.

15. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising indicating whether a watermark is present.

16. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising indicating whether a watermark is present, wherein such indication is selected from a group consisting of “

present,”

“

not present,” and

“

unknown.”

17. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the partitioning comprises pseudorandomly segmenting the normalized signal transform.

18. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the partitioning comprises pseudorandomly segmenting the normalized signal transform, wherein such segments are adjacent and non-contiguous.

19. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the transforming comprises finding a low frequency subband.

20. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the transforming comprises finding a significant frequency subband.

21. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the statistics of the calculating comprises one or more finite order moments of a segment.

22. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the determining comprises detecting a watermark via quantization index modulation (QIM) techniques.

23. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method as recited in claim 12.

24. A computer comprising one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, perform the method as recited in claim 12.

26. A method as recited in claim 25 further comprising normalizing amplitude of a digital signal, wherein such signal is an original, unmarked signal.

27. A method as recited in claim 25 further comprising transforming the signal.

28. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein the partitioning comprises 5 pseudorandomly segmenting the signal.

29. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein the partitioning comprises pseudorandomly segmenting the signal, wherein such segments are adjacent and non-contiguous.

30. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein the statistics of the calculating comprises one or more finite order moments of a segment.

31. A method as recited in claim 25 further comprising determining a delta-sequence that is representative of the combination of the quantized statistics of the one or more segments.

32. A method as recited in claim 25 further comprising determining a pseudorandom delta-sequence that when combined with the digital signal approximate a combination of the digital signal and the quantized statistics of the one or more segments.

33. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein the generating comprises embedding a watermark via quantization index modulation (QIM).

34. A modulated signal generated in accordance with the acts recited in claim 25.

35. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method as recited in claim 25.

36. A computer comprising one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, perform the method as recited in claim 25.

38. A method as recited in claim 37 further comprising:

normalizing amplitude of the subject digital signal;

transforming the normalized signal.

39. A method as recited in claim 37 further comprising:

for one or more segments, measuring the distance between such statistics of a segment and the quantized value of that segment;

determining an indication of confidence based upon the measured distances of the measuring;

indicating an indication of confidence.

40. A method as recited in claim 37 further comprising indicating whether a watermark is present.

41. A method as recited in claim 37 further comprising indicating whether a watermark is present, wherein such indication is selected from a group consisting of “

present”

“

not present,” and

“

unknown.”

42. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein the partitioning comprises pseudorandomly segmenting the signal.

43. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein the partitioning comprises pseudorandomly segmenting the signal, wherein such segments are adjacent and non-contiguous.

44. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein the statistics of the calculating comprises one or more finite order moments of a segment.

45. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein the determining comprises detecting a watermark via quantization index modulation (QIM) techniques.

46. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method as recited in claim 37.

47. A computer comprising one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, perform the method as recited in claim 37.

49. A method as recited in claim 48, wherein the non-local characteristics are representative characteristics of more than a single element of a signal.

50. A method as recited in claim 48, wherein the non-local characteristics comprise statistics representative of one or more segments of the signal.

51. A method as recited in claim 48, wherein the non-local characteristics comprise statistics representative of one or more pseudorandomly sized segments of the signal.

52. A method as recited in claim 48, wherein the non-local characteristics comprise statistics representative of one or more pseudorandomly dimensioned segments of the signal.

53. A method as recited in claim 48, wherein the non-local characteristics comprise statistics representative of one or more pseudorandomly dimensioned segments of the signal, wherein such segments are adjacent and non-contiguous.

54. A modulated signal generated in accordance with the acts recited in claim 48.

56. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method as recited in claim 48.

57. A computer comprising one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, perform the method as recited in claim 48.

12. A method facilitating protection of digital signals, the method comprising:

normalizing amplitude of a subject digital signal;

transforming the normalized signal;

partitioning the normalized signal transform into segments;

for one or more segments;

calculating statistics of a segment that are representative of that segment;

quantizing such statistics of a segment to generated a quantized value of that segment;

measuring the distance between such statistics of a segment and the quantized value of that segment;

determining whether a watermark is present in the digital signal based upon the quantized values of the one or more segments.

25. A method facilitating protection of digital signals, the method comprising:

partitioning a digital signal into segments;

for one or more segments;

calculating statistics of a segment that are representative of that segment;

quantizing such statistics of a segment;

generating a marked signal approximately equivalent to a combination of the digital signal and the combination of the quantized statistics of the one or more segments.

37. A method facilitating protection of digital signals, the method comprising:

partitioning a subject digital signal into segments;

for one or more segments;

calculating statistics of a segment that are representative of that segment;

quantizing such statistics of a segment to generated a quantized value of that segment;

determining whether a watermark is present in the digital signal based upon the quantized values of the one or more segments.

48. A method for facilitating the protection of digital signals, the method comprising

obtaining a digital signal;

obtaining a watermark;

using quantization index modulation (QIM), watermarking the signal with the watermark, wherein such QIM is based upon non-local characteristics of the signal.

55. A modulated signal generated in accordance with the following acts:

providing a server computer in a communications with a communications network;

receiving input from a client computer by way of the communications network, the input providing a parameter indicative of a request for a modulated signal generated in accordance with the acts recited in claim 48;

generating the modulated signal in accordance with the acts recited in claim 48;

sending the modulated signal via the communications network.

59. A method as recited in claim 58, wherein the non-local characteristics are representative characteristics of more than a single element of a signal.

60. A method as recited in claim 58, wherein the non-local characteristics comprise statistics representative of one or more segments of the signal.

61. A method as recited in claim 58, wherein the non-local characteristics comprise statistics representative of one or more pseudorandomly sized segments of the signal.

62. A method as recited in claim 58, wherein the non-local characteristics comprise statistics representative of one or more pseudorandomly dimensioned segments of the signal.

63. A method as recited in claim 58, wherein the non-local characteristics comprise statistics representative of one or more pseudorandomly dimensioned segments of the signal, wherein such segments are adjacent and non-contiguous.

64. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method as recited in claim 58.

65. A computer comprising one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, perform the method as recited in claim 58.

58. A method for facilitating the protection of digital signals, the method comprising

obtaining a digital signal;

using quantization index modulation (QIM), detecting whether the signal includes a watermark, wherein such QIM is based upon non-local characteristics of the signal.

66. A system for facilitating the protection of digital signals, the system comprising:

a partitioner configured to segment a digital signal;

a segment-statistics calculator configured to calculate statistics of a segment that are representative of that segment;

a segment quantizer configured to quantize such statistics of a segment

a signal marker configured to generate a marked signal approximately equivalent to a combination of the digital signal and the combination of the quantized statistics of the one or more segments.

67. A system as recited in claim 66, wherein the partitioner is further configured to pseudorandomly segment the signal.

68. A system as recited in claim 66, wherein the partitioner is further configured to pseudorandomly segment the signal, wherein such segments are adjacent and non-contiguous.

69. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method comprising:

obtaining a digital signal;

obtaining a watermark;

using quantization index modulation (QIM), watermarking the signal with the watermark, wherein such QIM is based upon non-local characteristics of the signal and the non-local characteristics are representative characteristics of more than a single element of a signal.

70. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method comprising:

obtaining a digital signal;

using quantization index modulation (QIM), detecting whether the signal includes a watermark, wherein such QIM is based upon non-local characteristics of the signal and the non-local characteristics are representative characteristics of more than a single element of a signal.