Photographic products and methods employing embedded information

• US 5,822,436 A
• Filed: 04/25/1996
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US08/637,531
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 380/4, 380/23, 380/54, 380/59, 382/34, 382/232, 355/70, 355/41, 250/202
• US Class Current: 380/54
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06253 for a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• 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 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0064 Geometric transfor invariant watermarking, e.g. affine transform invariant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0081 whereby both original and watermarked images are required at decoder, e.g. destination-based, non-blind, non-oblivious
• 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 7/086 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: G10L 19/018 : Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 : embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0662 : with particular pseudorandom sequence generator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 : with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 : Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• 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 1/00846 : based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00875 : Inhibiting reproduction, e.g. by disabling reading or reproduction apparatus
• 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 1/3216 : using Fourier transforms
• 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 1/32251 : in multilevel data, e.g. greyscale or continuous tone data
• 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 1/32352 : 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 2201/0091 : Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 : Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24876 : Intermediate layer contains particulate material [e.g., pigment, etc.]

Abstract

Technology is now available permitting consumers to make amateur-or even professional-grade copies of photographs. For wedding and portrait photographers, in particular, the business of making duplications is fundamental to their livelihoods. The threat of such copying is felt strongly. To redress these concerns, a machine-readable marking is provided on emulsion films, photographic papers, and the like. The marking encodes digital information, yet is essentially imperceptible to the human eye. A photographic duplication kiosk can be constructed to read this embedded information and, if warranted by the embedded information, to disable the kiosk'"'"'s copying function. An exemplary embodiment pre-exposes the photographic product with a spatial domain representation of the embedded data, and may include rotationally symmetric one-or two-dimensional patterns. Numerous other implementations are similarly practical.

Claims

1. A photographic emulsion paper for exposing and developing to produce an image thereon, characterized by auxiliary information signal encoded therein, said signal being encoded as a patterned physical characteristic coextensive with said paper, wherein said characteristic is a chemical characteristic.

2. A photographic emulsion paper for exposing and developing to produce an image thereon, characterized by an auxiliary information signal encoded therein, said signal being encoded as a patterned physical characteristic coextensive with said paper, wherein said characteristic results in a substantially human-imperceptible optical patterning of said paper after said paper is developed.

3. A photographic emulsion paper for exposing and developing to produce an image thereon, characterized by an auxiliary information signal encoded therein, said signal being encoded as a patterned physical characteristic coextensive with said paper, wherein the auxiliary information signal is a copy control signal.

4. A printing kiosk comprising:

a photographic emulsion paper according to claim 3, exposed and developed to convey an image;

a lens for imaging said paper onto an opto-electronic detector;

a print-writing device for producing a print in accordance with image data gathered by said detector from said paper;

a memory for receiving data from the opto-electronic detector; and

a processor for processing data in the memory to detect said copy control signal, and for interrupting a usual print-making process of said print-writing device in response to said auxiliary information signal.

5. A blank photographic paper having an emulsion coating thereon suitable for exposing and developing to produce an image thereon, characterized by a binary data signal encoded in said emulsion coating.

6. The paper of claim 5 in which said data signal is steganographically encoded.

7. The paper of claim 5 in which said binary data signal comprises a plurality of bits.

8. The paper of claim 5 in which said binary data signal is encoded in the form of a chemical characteristic that varies as a function of location across said paper.

9. The paper of claim 8 in which said chemical characteristic varies due to an optical exposure of said coating.

10. A method of processing a blank photographic paper during manufacture and prior to exposure by an end user thereof, comprising:

generating a pattern having an auxiliary information signal steganographically encoded therein; and

encoding said paper in accordance with said pattern, said encoding not impairing subsequent use of the paper by said end user.

11. The method of claim 10 in which the auxiliary information signal is a copy control signal.

12. The method of claim 10 in which said auxiliary information signal comprises binary data.

13. The method of claim 12 in which the generating includes processing the binary data in accordance with a pseudo-random noise signal, wherein the pattern is a function, in part, of said pseudo-random noise signal.

14. The method of claim 10 in which the encoding of the paper results in a patterning coextensive with the paper.

15. The method of claim 10 in which said encoding comprises processing a chemical coating on said paper.

16. The method of claim 15 which said processing comprises exposing an emulsion coating on said paper with an optical representation of said pattern at a predetermined exposure level.

17. The method of claim 10 which includes encoding a calibration signal together with said auxiliary information signal, said calibration signal having known properties and providing known data useful in decoding the auxiliary information signal from said paper, said encoded calibration signal being substantially imperceptible to a human viewer of the encoded paper.

18. A photographic paper produced according to the method of claim 10.

19. A method of processing a photographic paper during manufacture and prior to exposure by an end user thereof, comprising:

generating a pattern representing an auxiliary information signal;

encoding said paper in accordance with said pattern, said encoding not impairing subsequent use of the paper by said end user, said encoding including processing a chemical coating on said paper, wherein a substantially human-imperceptible pattern is formed thereon when the paper is thereafter developed, said encoded pattern being substantially coextensive with said paper.

20. The method of claim 19 in which the encoding includes encoding the auxiliary information signal redundantly across the paper through said pattern, thereby allowing detection of the auxiliary information signal from first and second non-overlapping regions of said paper.

21. A method of producing a photographic emulsion article having an auxiliary information signal encoded therewith, comprising:

(a) providing a substrate;

(b) applying a layer of material over said substrate;

(c) processing said layer of material to form a pattern therein, said pattern being coextensive with the article, said pattern having an auxiliary information signal steganographically encoded therein; and

(d) thereafter, processing said article to carry human-perceptible information thereon.

22. The method of claim 21 in which said layer of material is substantially transparent to a human viewer thereof.

23. The method of claim 21 in which step (c) includes changing chemical characteristics of said material on a localized basis to effect said patterning.

24. The method of claim 21 in which step (c) includes changing optical transmissivity of said material on a localized basis to effect said patterning.

25. The method of claim 21 in which step (d) includes performing a printing process on said article.

26. The method of claim 21 in which step (d) includes exposing said article to generate a photographic image thereon.

27. The method of claim 21 in which said layer of material is photoreactive.

28. The method of claim 21 which includes exposing said layer of material to form said pattern therein.

29. The method of claim 21 in which said processing results in formation of only said substantially imperceptible pattern therein.

30. The method of claim 21 in which said auxiliary information signal is a binary information signal.

31. An exposed photographic emulsion paper produced by the method of claim 21.

32. In a photo-duplication kiosk including a lens for imaging a customer-provided photograph onto an opto-electronic detector for producing image data, and a print-writing device for producing a print in accordance with said image data , an improvement comprising:

a memory for receiving said data from the opto-electronic detector; and

a processor for processing aid data in the memory to detect the presence of a copy control signal steganographically encoded therein, and for interrupting a usual print-making process of said print-writing device in response thereto.

33. In a photo-duplication kiosk including a lens for imaging a customer-provided photograph onto an opto-electronic detector for producing image data, and a print-writing device for producing a print in accordance with said image data , an improved method of operation including:

analyzing, said image data to discern a control signal steganographically embedded therein; and

interrupting a usual print-making process of said print-writing device in response to said control signal.

34. The method of claim 33 in which said control signal comprises a plurality of bits.

35. The method of claim 33 which includes discerning the control signal from the customer-provided photograph notwithstanding a rotational misalignment of said photograph from a correct alignment thereof.

36. The method of claim 35 in which said analyzing includes performing a plurality of statistical analyses on said data.

37. The method of claim 33 in which said analyzing includes performing a plurality of statistical analyses on said data.

38. The method of claim 33 in which said analyzing includes a spectral analysis of the image data to discern spectral components thereof.

39. The method of claim 33 in which said analyzing includes transforming the image data to a spatial frequency domain.

40. The method of claim 39 which further includes identifying a pattern in said frequency domain data.