Embedding Location Data in Video

• US 20080025561A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Stewart, Steven, Levy, Kenneth, Rhoads, Geoffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,045,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/00 Photogrammetry or videogrammetry, e.g. stereogrammetry; Photographic surveying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/787 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0061 Embedding of the watermark in each block of the image, e.g. segmented watermarking

Abstract

Digital watermarking or steganographic data hiding is used to convey location data in video. A digital watermark or steganographic signal may associate geovector or geolocation information with video, video objects or areas depicted in the video. Other implementations and combinations are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining geocoordinates depicting several different geo-locations; and

embedding the geocoordinates in video depicting the several different geo-locations with digital watermarking so that each of the geocoordinates is spatially associated with a video portion that corresponds to the geocorrdinate'"'"'s respective geo-location.

2. A method comprising:

selecting a geo-location;

observing different geo-locations to observe the selected geo-location; and

when the selected geo-location is observed, initiating embedding of digital watermarking in video captured by an airborne platform, the digital watermarking comprising or linking to geocoordinates associated with the selected geo-location.

3. A method of digital watermarking video comprising:

steganographically hiding a first, plural-bit payload in data representing a first video portion, the first, plural-bit payload associated with at least one or more ground coordinates associated with the first video portion; and

steganographically hiding a second, plural-bit payload in data representing a second video portion, the second, plural-bit payload associated with a difference between one or more ground coordinates associated with the second video portion and the one or more ground coordinates associated with the first video portion.

4. A method of digital watermarking location data within video captured from an aerial platform comprising:

providing a geovector corresponding to a location depicted in at least one frame of the video; and

digital watermarking the geovector in the at least one frame, the digital watermarking hiding the geovector in the at least one frame of the video through alterations to data in the at least one frame of the video, the alterations being generally imperceptible to a human viewer of the video.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the geovector comprises at least longitude and latitude coordinates.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the aerial platform includes at least one of a satellite, helicopter, unmanned aircraft and aircraft.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the geovector further comprises at least the altitude of the aerial platform.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the geovector further comprises at least one of altitude, time, cardinal direction, azimuth or sensory characteristics.

9. The method according to claim 4 wherein the geovector comprises a pointer.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising storing geovector information in a database and accessing the geovector information via the pointer, wherein the geovector information comprises at least one of longitude, latitude, altitude, time cardinal direction, azimuth and sensory characteristics.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the geovector is obtained from a GPS receiver.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the digital watermark is embedded in real-time with respect to capture of the at least one video frame.

13. A method to identify video, the video comprising video frames captured from an aerial platform, the aerial platform including at least one of a satellite, helicopter, unmanned aircraft, space shuttle or aircraft, an improvement comprising steganographically embedding data in the video, the data comprising first location data corresponding to at least a first location depicted in the video and second location data corresponding to at least a second location depicted in the video, the first location data differing from the second location data, the steganographic embedding comprising alterations to the video that are generally imperceptible to a human viewer of the video.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first location data and the second location data each comprise at least longitude and latitude coordinates.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first location data and the second location data each further comprise time data and at least one of altitude of the aerial platform at video capture or video capture angle.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the first location data and the second location data respectively correspond to at least one of a first location of the aerial platform or a first aerial platform viewing perspective, and a second location of the aerial platform or a second aerial platform viewing perspective.