Substituting information based on watermark-enable linking

• US 6,917,691 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Conwell, William Y., Evans, Douglas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): COUSO, YON JUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/448,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20030202681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/112, 382/232, 382/305, 382/306, 283/72, 358/1.13, 358/1.18, 380/203, 380/252, 705/75, 713/176
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• 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 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3263 of a graphical motif or symbol, e.g. Christmas symbol, logo H04N2201/3211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3266 of text or character information, e.g. text accompanying an image H04N2201/3226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3267 of motion picture signals, e.g. video clip
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

OLE-like principles are implemented using watermark data in digital objects in order to effect object linking or embedding. In one embodiment, a photocopier scans an original paper document to produce image data. This image data is analyzed for the presence of watermark data identifying a graphic on the document. With this watermark identifier, the photocopier can query a remote image database for pristine image data corresponding to the scanned graphic. This pristine data can be relayed from the remote database to the photocopier and substituted into the scanned image data. Output printed from the photocopier is thus based, at least in part, on pristine image data, rather than on image data that has been subjected to various corruption mechanisms (e.g., degradation of the original paper document, artifacts due to scanning, etc.). A “photocopy” better than the “original” can thereby be achieved.

Claims

1. A method to provide substitute data for original data found in a printed document, the substitute data being provided in a copy of the printed document, wherein the printed document comprises steganographic indicia including an identifier, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving optically captured data corresponding to at least a portion of the printed document;

analyzing the optically captured data to obtain the identifier;

communicating with a data repository, the data repository including the substitute data, wherein the substitute data is identified at least in part by the identifier;

receiving the substitute data from the data repository; and

when generating a copy of the printed document, substituting the substitute data for the original data.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the data repository is located remotely from a processor that performs said method.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the substitute data comprises a digital watermark embedded therein.

4. The method of claim 3 that includes removing or disabling the digital watermark from the substitute data before substituting.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the substitute data does not have a digital watermark embedded therein.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the steganographic indicia comprises a digital watermark, wherein the embedding of the digital watermark is located in the original data.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising embedding a digital watermark in the substitute data, so that the substitute data in the copy includes the digital watermark.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of printing the copy so as to include the substitute data.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising at least one of sizing, rotating and cropping the substitute data prior to substituting.

10. The method of claim 9 that includes at least one of sizing, rotating and cropping the substitute data at a document location that is different than the substituting document location.

11. The method of claim 1 in which the substitute data is visually dissimilar from the original data in the printed document.

12. The method of claim 1 in which the substitute data comprises a graphic.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the data repository is physically co-located with a processor that performs the method.

14. A method to obtain a relatively higher quality object from a data repository, the relatively higher quality object corresponding to an original object found in original media, the original media comprising a digital watermark embedded therein, wherein the digital watermark includes a message, said method comprising the following steps:

decoding the digital watermark from data corresponding to the original media to obtain the message;

by using at least the message, instructing the data repository to provide the relatively higher quality object; and

after receiving the relatively higher quality object, replacing the original object in a copy of the original media with the relatively higher quality object.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the original media comprises at least one of a printed document and video.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the original media comprise audio.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the original media and the copy of the original media comprise a digital object.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the original media and the copy of the original media comprise a printed object.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said replacing the original object in a copy of the original media with the relatively higher quality object comprises at least one sizing, rotating and cropping the relatively higher quality object prior to replacing.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein said instructing comprises requesting.

20. A method to provide substitute data for original data found in a document, wherein the document comprises a digital watermark including an identifier, said method comprising the steps of:

analyzing the document to obtain the identifier;

requesting from a data repository the substitute data, wherein the substitute data is stored within the data repository, and wherein the substitute data is associated with the identifier;

receiving the substitute data from the data repository; and

substituting in the document the substitute data for the original data.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the media comprises a printed document.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said substituting comprises substituting the substitute data for the original data in a copy of the printed document.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the media comprises electronic media.

25. A method to provide substitute data for original data found in media, wherein the media comprises a first digital watermark including a first identifier, and a second digital watermark including a second identifier, wherein the first identifier corresponds with first original data, and the second identifier corresponds with second original data, said method comprising:

analyzing the media to obtain the first identifier and the second identifier;

requesting the substitute data by using at least the first identifier and the second identifier, wherein the substitute data comprises first substitute data corresponding with the first original data and second substitute data corresponding with the second substitute data;

receiving the substitute data; and

substituting the first substitute data for the first original data and the second substitute data for the second substitute data.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the media comprises printed media, and said analyzing media step comprises analyzing optical scan data representative of the printed media, and wherein said substituting comprises substituting the first substitute data and the second substitute data in a copy of the media.

27. A method to provide a user with an option to substitute data for original data found in media, wherein the media comprises machine-readable indicia including an identifier, said method comprising:

machine-reading the media to obtain the identifier;

obtaining substitute data corresponding to the identifier; and

providing an option to a user to determine whether to substitute the substitute data for the original data.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said providing step comprises presenting the user with a depiction of the substitute data that is proposed to be substituted for the original data.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the machine-readable indicia comprises a digital watermark.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the media comprises print media, and wherein the substitute data is substituted in a copy of the print media.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the machine-reading the media to obtain the identifier comprises machine-reading optical scan data corresponding to the print media.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising communicating the identifier to a remote data repository, and wherein said obtaining substitute data corresponding to the identifier comprises obtaining the substitute data from the remote data respitory.

33. A method to substitute data for original data found in media, wherein the media comprises a digital watermark embedded therein, said method comprising:

analyzing the media to recover the digital watermark;

requesting from memory data to substitute for original data found in the media, wherein the data to substitute for the original data is associated with at least a portion of the digital watermark;

receiving the data to substitute for the original data from the memory; and

substituting in the media the data for the original data.