Steganographically encoding metallic, shiny or specular surfaces

• US 7,403,633 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2007
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Brundage, Trent J., Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tabatabai; Abolfazl
• Application Number:
  US11/621,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20070110274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 382/240, 713/176, 713/179, 380/51, 380/54, 380/201, 380/210, 380/252, 380/287, 283/72, 283/74, 283/75, 283/76, 283/77, 283/78, 283/79, 283/80, 283/81, 283/85, 283/93, 283/113, 283/91, 283/902, 370522-529, 358/3.28, 358/502
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14713 decorations in contact with injected material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14737 decorations printed on the insert by a digital imaging technique
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1418 the inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14688 Coating articles provided with a decoration
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/14 Security printing securities B42D25/29
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/24 Reliefs or indentations
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06 characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• 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: 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 1/32208 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 1/32219 involving changing the position of selected pixels, e.g. word shifting, or involving modulating the size of image components, e.g. of characters H04N1/32224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32261 in binary data H04N1/32256 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32304 Embedding different sets of additional information
• 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 2201/3226 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 2201/3239 : using a plurality of different authentication information
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides methods to steganographically mark metallic, shiny and/or specular surfaces. In one implementation, we provide a method including: obtaining auxiliary data; modifying the auxiliary data according to a pseudo-random signal; providing the modified auxiliary data on a specular surface with an ink or dye that provides a pattern comprising at least diffuse reflection. The pattern is provided in a steganographic manner. Other implementations are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining auxiliary data;

providing a pattern on a metallic surface to represent the auxiliary data,

the pattern conveying the auxiliary data in a steganographic manner, and

where the pattern on the metallic surface provides at least diffuse reflection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern is provided on the metallic surface with an ink or dye.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the metallic surface comprises a first color and the ink or dye comprises a second color, the second color being chosen to help hide or conceal the ink or dye when provided over the first color.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pattern conveying the auxiliary data is provided with digital watermarking.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the auxiliary data is redundantly provided on the metallic surface.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the digital watermarking comprises an orientation component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the metallic surface comprises a layer in at least one of a compact disc or digital video disc.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern comprises a dull finish.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic surface is provided on a mechanical part.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the mechanical part comprises an automotive part.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the diffuse reflection approximates Lambertian reflection.

12. A method comprising:

obtaining auxiliary data;

modifying the auxiliary data according to a pseudo-random signal;

providing the modified auxiliary data on a specular surface with an ink or dye that provides a pattern comprising at least diffuse reflection, the pattern being provided in a steganographic manner.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the pattern is provided on the specular surface with plurality of ink or dye dots.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the specular surface comprises a first color and the ink or dye comprises a second color, the second color being chosen to help hide or conceal the ink or dye when provided over the first color.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the pattern comprises a grayscale image.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the image comprises a texture pattern.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising thresholding the modified auxiliary data prior to providing the modified auxiliary data on the specular surface.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said act of thresholding comprising selecting a pixel value and discarding pixels with a value at or below the selected pixel value.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the diffuse reflection approximates Lambertian reflection.

20. A method of steganographically marking a shiny or metallic surface, the shiny or metallic surface including a first coloration and a first finish, said method comprising:

providing auxiliary data; and

arranging a pattern on the shiny or metallic surface to represent the auxiliary data in a steganographic manner, the pattern providing diffuse or Lambertian reflection.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the pattern is provided with an ink or dye and wherein at least one of a coloration or finish of the ink or dye is selected to hide the ink or dye with respect to at least one of the first coloration or the first finish.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the shiny surface comprises a metallic surface.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the shiny surface is provided on a mechanical part.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the mechanical part comprises an automotive part.