Method of linking on-line data to printed documents

• US 7,051,086 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2001
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: MacIntosh, Brian T., Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Hannigan, Brett T., Seder, Phillip Andrew, Hein, William C. III, Miller, Marc D.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/803,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20010032251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,901 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/226, 719/313, 719/328, 719/329, 707/10, 707/104
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/333 Watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• 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 19/18 Constructional details
• 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 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• 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: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00884 involving a watermark, i.e. a barely perceptible transformation of the original data which can nevertheless be recognised by an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• 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 2201/3225 : of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 : of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 : data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

The present invention relates to linking on-line data to printed documents, such as business cards, envelopes, stickers, stationary, letterhead, résumés, etc. In one embodiment, a card-user registers with an on-line database and receives a gallery item including a steganographically-embedded unique identifier. The gallery item, such as a graphical background, text, shading, graphic, etc., is integrated and then printed with a document. The printed document can then be presented an optical-scanner, which outputs data. The output data is decoded to identify the unique identifier. The unique identifier is then used to index into the on-line database to retrieve information related to the proprietor of the document. In one embodiment, the on-line database includes features such as providing an immediate contact number, translation and/or pronunciation ability, and storage of audio/video files.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing a central site to obtain a steganographically-encoded item, the item including at least a unique identifier;

applying the steganographically-encoded item to a document; and

inputting data relating to a proprietor of the document, the data being input into a database, wherein the data is associated with the unique identifier.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the document is a business card.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the document comprises one of a sticker, ré

sumé

, label, brochure, post-it, envelope, stationary, and letterhead.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data is formatted into a standardized format.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the standardized format comprises a vCard.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data comprises audio or visual data.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data comprises pronunciation data.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising translating the data into a different language.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing an audio pronunciation of the data.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steganographically-encoded item comprises one of a background, tint, graphic, shading, logo, text or font.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steganographically-encoded item comprises a business card.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steganographically-encoded item includes an electronic address associated with the central site.

13. A method comprising:

providing a steganographically encoded item for integration with a printed object, the encoded printed object including a unique identifier associated with a network database;

receiving data in the network database, the received data corresponding to a proprietor of the printed object;

associating the received data with the unique identifier;

permitting access to the received data in the network database when presented with the unique identifier; and

providing a digital file comprising a pronunciation of at least some of the received data.

14. A method comprising:

providing a steganographically encoded item for integration with a printed object, the encoded item including a unique identifier associated with an internet database;

receiving data in the internet database, the received data corresponding to a proprietor of the printed object;

associating the received data with the unique identifier;

permitting access to the received data in the internet database when presented with the unique identifier; and

providing a digital file comprising a translation of at least some of the received data.

15. A method comprising:

providing a steganographically encoded item for integration with a printed object, the encoded item including a unique identifier associated with an internet database;

receiving data in the internet database, the received data corresponding to a proprietor of the printed object;

associating the received data with the unique identifier;

permitting access to the received data in the internet database when presented with the unique identifier; and

standardizing the format of the received data, wherein the format comprises a vCard.

16. A system comprising:

a central computer, said central computer communicating with a network;

a database in communication with the central computer, the database indexing user data according to unique identifiers;

a gallery of items maintained by the central computer, each item capable of hosting encoded data;

an encoder to steganographically-encode a unique identifier per item of the gallery of items; and

an interface through which at least one user can access the gallery items and database.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the gallery of items comprises at least one of background, tints, shading, graphics, text, fonts, and logos.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the encoder encodes an address of the system per item of the gallery of items.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein a unique identifier is communicated to a user.

20. A method comprising:

receiving a request through a network interface to obtain a graphic or design from a gallery of graphics or designs;

upon a selection of a graphic or design, steganographically encoding the graphic or design with at least one plural-bit identifier;

associating the identifier with an entity that requested the graphic or design; and

providing the steganographically encoded graphic or design through the network interface.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the gallery of graphics or designs comprise at least one of a pattern, image, graphic, color, shading, tint, background, logo and font.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the gallery of graphics or designs comprise a visual representation of graphics or designs.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the network interface comprises an internet portal, and the gallery of items are viewable through the internet portal.

24. A method comprising:

receiving a request at a central computer to obtain a steganographically-encoded graphic or design from a gallery of steganographically-encoded graphics or designs, the requested graphic or design including at least one plural-bit identifier;

associating the identifier with an entity associated with the request; and

providing the steganographically-encoded graphic or design from the central computer.