Method and apparatus for robust embedded data

• US 7,055,034 B1
• Filed: 09/23/1999
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Levy, Kenneth Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Darrow, Justin T.
• Application Number:
  US09/404,291
• Time in Patent Office: 2,441 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 382/100, 382/250, 382/252, 380/282, 380/201
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant

Abstract

This invention describes a method and apparatus for the increasing the robustness of embedded data. Since many times embedded data is susceptible to removal by an unauthorized person, one preferred embodiment enables an action such that removal of the embedded data provides the attacker no gain. In another preferred embodiment, recording devices are required to embed a registration code in copies, thus aiding in tracing illegal copies. Finally, dynamic locking, including modifying and encrypting the auxiliary data and applicable to all data embedding techniques, is shown to provide this robustness to duplication and modification. The apparatus implements the above two processes with a logic processor and storage unit.

Claims

1. A method of steganographically embedding auxiliary information in original data, said method comprising:

receiving original data;

receiving auxialary information, the auxiliary information being independent of the original data;

changing the auxiliary information based on the original data, wherein said changing the auxiliary information based upon unchanged original data bits to be purposely skipped during said embedding; and

steganographically embedding the changed auxiliary information in the original data.

2. A method of steganographically embedding auxiliary information in original data, said method comprising:

receiving original data;

receiving auxiliary information, the auxiliary information being independent of the original data;

changing the auxiliary information based on the original data, wherein said changing the auxiliary information is based upon original data bits which are not used for embedding when a PN sequence designates the not used original data bits as non-embedding locations; and

steganographically embedding the changed auxiliary information in the original data.

3. A method of enabling an action with embedded information, wherein the information comprises a correspondence to original data in which the information is embedded in, said method comprising:

decoding the embedded information;

verifying that the information corresponds to the original data; and

enabling the action when both the information corresponds to the original data and the information permits the enabling.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein embedded information is steganographically embedded in the original data.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the embedded information is embedded in at least one header associated with the original data.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the original data comprises at least one of an image, audio and video.

7. A method of embedding auxiliary information in original data, said method comprising:

receiving original data, wherein the original data comprises a plurality of frames;

receiving auxiliary information;

changing the auxiliary information based on the original data; and

associating the changed auxiliary information with the original data, wherein a redundant instance of the changed auxiliary information is placed in each of a plurality of frame headers respectively associated with the plurality of frames.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the auxiliary information is independent of the original data.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the original data comprises at least video.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the changed auxiliary data is placed in slots located in at least one header associated with one of the frames.

11. A method of embedding auxiliary information in original data, said method comprising:

receiving original data, wherein the original data comprises a plurality of frames;

receiving auxiliary information;

changing the auxiliary information based on the original data; and

associating the changed auxiliary information with the original data,

wherein a first portion of the changed auxiliary information is placed into at least a first frame header, and a second portion of the changed auxiliary information is place into at least a second and different frame header.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the auxiliary information is independent of the original data.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the original data comprises at least video.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the changed auxiliary data is placed in slots located in at least one header associated with one of the frames.