Video steganography

• US 7,242,790 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns; Andrew W.
• Application Number:
  US11/317,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20060133646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 713/176, 348/461, 348/463, 348/465, 348/467, 380/201, 380/203, 380/210, 380/252, 380/287, 380/54
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• 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 1/0028 Adaptive watermarking, e.g. Human Visual System [HVS]-based watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0057 Compression invariant watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0032 using holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• 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: G07F 7/1016 Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/022 Blocking, i.e. grouping of samples in time; Choice of analysis windows; Overlap factoring
• 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 20/00094 : involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00115 : wherein the record carrier stores a unique medium identifier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00166 : involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier, e.g. music or software
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00181 : using a content identifier, e.g. an international standard recording code [ISRC] or a digital object identifier [DOI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 : involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00231 : wherein the key is obtained from a local external medium, e.g. a card
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00492 : wherein content or user data is encrypted
• 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: H04B 1/665 : using psychoacoustic properties of the ear, e.g. masking effect
• 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 1/32128 : attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• 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 1/32203 : 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 1/32229 : with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected regions of the image H04N1/32213 takes 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 2005/91321 : the copy protection signal being a copy protection control signal, e.g. a record inhibit signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 : the copy protection signal being a watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 : of an address
• 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 2201/3246 : of data relating to permitted access or usage, e.g. level of access or usage parameters for digital rights management [DRM] related to still images
• 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 2201/3278 : Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 : Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to hiding a signal in video. One form of hiding is steganographic encoding. In one implementation a method is provided including: receiving content data including a frame of image data comprised of plural pixels, each comprising at least one value; for each of plural pixels in said frame, determining a parameter associated with the pixel, said parameter relating to the amount the pixel value may be changed without noticeably impairing the appearance of the image data when rendered to a viewer; altering plural pixels in said frame to hide auxiliary data therein, the altering of each said pixel taking into account the parameter associated therewith, so as to yield encoding that conveys said auxiliary data without noticeably impairing the image data when rendered to the viewer; and including with the content data, but distinct from the pixels thereof, additional data that provides information about the content data; wherein said auxiliary data and said additional data cooperatively convey information about said content. Other implementations and combinations are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving content data including a frame of image data comprised of plural pixels, each comprising at least one value;

for each of plural pixels in said frame, determining a parameter associated with the pixel, said parameter relating to the amount the pixel value may be changed without noticeably impairing the appearance of the image data when rendered to a viewer;

altering plural pixels in said frame to hide auxiliary data therein, the altering of each said pixel taking into account the parameter associated therewith, so as to yield encoding that conveys said auxiliary data without noticeably impairing the image data when rendered to the viewer; and

including with the content data, but distinct from the pixels thereof, additional data that provides information about the content data;

wherein said auxiliary data and said additional data cooperatively convey information about said content.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information conveyed by the auxiliary data and the additional data is related.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining comprises applying a mathematical algorithm to pixel data to determine an amount by which a particular pixel can be changed without deleterious effect.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining comprises applying a mathematical algorithm to pixel data to determine an amount by which a change to a particular pixel value should be scaled.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said additional data is included in a header associated with said content data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary data comprises plural bits of information, and a change of a single one of said bits between a “

1” and

a “

0”

is manifested as changes to at least three spaced-apart pixels in said frame of image data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said three spaced-apart pixels are located in first, second and third non-adjoining rows of pixels.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein at least one of said three pixels is increased in value by said encoding, and another of said three pixels is decreased in value by said encoding.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary data consists of a single-bit flag that is either present or absent, yet the encoding of said single-bit flag is manifested as changes to at least three rows of pixels in said frame of image data.

10. The method of claim 1 that further comprises:

receiving said content data at a hardware device;

detecting the auxiliary data and the additional data; and

making a decision about the content data based on the detected auxiliary data and additional data.

11. A method comprising:

receiving content data including a frame of image data comprised of plural pixels, each comprising at least one value;

receiving auxiliary data to be hidden in said content data;

transforming said auxiliary data into a noise-like signal, and summing the noise-like signal with pixels of the image data to encode same, said noise-like signal being locally adapted in strength in correspondence with local features of the frame of image data; and

including with the content data, but distinct from the pixels thereof, additional data that provides information about the content data;

wherein said auxiliary data and said additional data cooperatively convey information about said content.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said auxiliary data comprises plural bits of information, and a change of a single one of said bits between a “

1” and

a “

0”

is manifested as a change to at least three spaced-apart pixels in said frame of image data.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said three spaced-apart pixels are located in first, second and third non-adjoining rows of pixels.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein at least one of said three pixels is increased in value by said encoding, and another of said three pixels is decreased in value by said encoding.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the auxiliary data consists of a single-bit flag that is either present or absent, yet the encoding of said single-bit flag is manifested as changes to at least three rows of pixels in said frame of image data.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the information conveyed by the auxiliary data and the additional data is related.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said additional data is included in a header associated with said content data.

18. The method of claim 11 that further comprises:

receiving said content data at a hardware device;

detecting the auxiliary data and the additional data; and

making a decision about the content data based on the detected auxiliary data and additional data.

19. A system including:

a hardware device;

a source coupled to said hardware device to provide content data thereto, the content data including a frame of image data comprised of plural pixels;

the content data provided by the source to the device comprising noise-like alterations to pixel values, which alterations are adapted in strength in correspondence with local features of the frame of image data, said alterations serving to encode auxiliary data;

the hardware device including a decoder for discerning said auxiliary data from the content data, said hardware device being responsive to said discerned auxiliary data to control an operational aspect of said device;

the content data provided by the source to the device also conveying additional data about the content data, but distinct from the pixels of said content data, for use by said hardware device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the auxiliary data consists of a single-bit flag that is either present or absent, yet at least three rows of pixels in said frame of image data include alterations associated therewith.

21. A method comprising:

receiving content data including a frame of image data comprised of plural pixels, each comprising at least one value;

hiding a single-bit flag signal in said frame of image data by changing the values of pixels therein in accordance with a first noise-like signal, said first noise-like signal being locally adapted in strength in correspondence with local features of the frame of image data, said single-bit flag signal serving to control an operational aspect of a compliant hardware device; and

also hiding a plural-bit extra signal in said frame of image data by changing the values of pixels therein in accordance with a second noise-like signal, said second noise-like signal also being locally adapted in strength in correspondence with local features of the frame of image data, said plural-bit extra signal providing additional information on which a compliant hardware device can base a decision.

22. A method comprising:

obtaining content data, the content data representing video including picture portions;

obtaining auxiliary data that is to be steganographically encoded within the content data;

receiving first data related to at least some human perception attributes of the content data;

steganographically encoding the content data with the auxiliary data by changing at least some data representing the picture portions in a version of the content data in accordance with elements of the first data, thereby yielding encoded content data,

wherein the content data also conveys additional data associated with the content data, but distinct from the picture portions of the content data, and

wherein said auxiliary data and said additional data cooperatively convey information associated with the content data.

23. The method of claim 22 in which the information associated with the content data includes copy control data.

24. The method of claim 22 that further includes:

decoding auxiliary data from a version of the encoded content data; and

controlling a record capability of an associated apparatus in accordance with at least a portion of the decoded auxiliary data.

25. The method of claim 22 that includes decoding at least a portion of the auxiliary data from the encoded content using dedicated hardware circuitry in a consumer electronic device.

26. The method of claim 25 that further includes controlling a record capability of an associated apparatus in accordance with at least a portion of the decoded auxiliary data.

27. The method of claim 22 in which the encoding occurs with a representation of the content data in a spatial domain, rather than in a transformed, spatial frequency domain.

28. The method of claim 22 in which the encoding includes increasing values of at least some samples of the content data, and decreasing values of other samples of the content data.

29. The method of claim 22 which further includes encoding a calibration signal in the encoded content data together with the auxiliary data, said calibration signal having known properties facilitating identification thereof by a recipient of the encoded content data, said encoded calibration signal being substantially imperceptible to a human viewer of the encoded content data.

30. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium, including instructions for causing a computer programmed thereby to perform the method of claim 22.

31. The method of claim 22 that includes receiving global gain data from a user-set control, and using said global gain data in said encoding.

32. The method of claim 22 wherein the additional data is conveyed out-of-band with respect to the picture portions.

33. The method of claim 22 wherein the additional data is conveyed in a header.

34. A method comprising:

obtaining content data, the content data including video data representing picture portions;

obtaining auxiliary data;

receiving first data related to at least some human perception attributes of the content data;

steganographically hiding the auxiliary data in the content data by modifying at least some of the video data representing picture portions with consideration of at least some elements of the first data,

wherein additional data is conveyed with the content data, the additional data being different than the picture portions but associated with the content data, and

wherein the auxiliary data and the additional data are related and convey information associated with the content data.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the additional data is conveyed out-of-band with respect to the picture portions.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the additional data is conveyed in a header.

37. A computer readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, the instructions comprising instructions to perform the method of claim 34.

38. The method of claim 34 in which the information includes copy control data.

39. A method comprising:

obtaining content data, the content data including video data representing picture portions, wherein the content data includes auxiliary data steganographically hidden in the content data through modifications to at least some of the video data representing picture portions and with consideration of first data related to at least some human perception attributes of the content data,

wherein additional data is conveyed with the content data, the additional data being different than the picture portions but associated with the content data, and

wherein the auxiliary data and the additional data are related and convey information associated with the content data;

attempting to recover the auxiliary data from the content data;

attempting to recover the additional data; and

controlling a record capability of an associated apparatus in accordance with a result of said acts of attempting.