Integrating steganographic encoding in multimedia content

• US 7,460,726 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Levy, Kenneth L., Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Hannigan, Brett T., Bradley, Brett A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Do; Anh Hong
• Application Number:
  US11/754,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20080044087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 382/232, 382/240, 382/100, 382/251, 386/E5.004, 704/E19.009, 704/500, 707/E17.112, 705/54, 705/58, 705/76, 380/232, 380/205, 380/210
• US Class Current: 382/240
• 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 25/305 Associated digital information record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• 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: 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 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• 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 1/0021 Image watermarking
• 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 1/0071 using multiple or alternating watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0064 for copy protection or copy management, e.g. CGMS, copy only once, one-time copy
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0065 Extraction of an embedded watermark; Reliable detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 : Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• 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: G07F 17/0014 : for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• 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 7/086 : 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: G10L 19/018 : Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• 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: G11B 2220/2562 : DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• 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 1/00846 : based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00875 : Inhibiting reproduction, e.g. by disabling reading or reproduction apparatus
• 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 1/32149 : Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32154 : Transform domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• 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 1/32229 : 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 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 19/00 : Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/467 : characterised by the embedded information being invisible, e.g. watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23892 : involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 : involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 : involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• 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 2201/323 : for tracing or tracking, e.g. forensic tracing of unauthorized copies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 : of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3284 : for error correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only

Abstract

The present invention relates to steganographic encoding for multimedia content. In one combination, a method is provided including: encoding first information in a first component of a multimedia signal, the first component comprising audio, the first information being encoded though subtle changes to data representing the first component; encoding second information in a second component of the multimedia signal, the second component comprising video, the first information being encoded though subtle changes to data representing the first component, the first information and the second information are associated. Of course, other combinations are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining multimedia content including two or more media types, the multimedia content including first steganographic encoding in a first media type, the first steganographic encoding including first information identifying at least the multimedia content, the first steganographic encoding being encoded at a first encoding location; and

second steganographic encoding in a second media type, the second steganographic encoding including second information identifying a user or user apparatus, wherein the second steganographic encoding is encoded at a second encoding location that is remote from the first encoding location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second steganographic encoding is encoded by a user apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second steganographic encoding is encoded by a distribution router.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media type comprises video and the second media type comprises audio.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein a temporal relationship exists between the video and audio such that the first steganographic encoding is encoded within a predefined temporal distance of the second steganographic encoding.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first steganographic encoding further comprises calibration information, the calibration information facilitating detection of the second steganographic encoding.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the encoded multimedia content for encoding with third steganographic encoding, the third steganographic encoding comprising a third information identifying a second user or second user apparatus, wherein the third information is encoded at a third encoding location that is remote from the first and second encoding locations.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second steganographic encoding is encoded with subtle changes to data representing the multimedia content.

9. A method comprising:

detecting first steganographic encoding that has been encoded in a transform domain representation of an audio signal, the first steganographic encoding including a first calibration component, the first calibration component serving to resolve signal distortion;

using the first calibration component to locate embedded payload information in a video signal, wherein the payload information varies from a first frame to a second frame.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the video comprises a time-compressed format.

11. A method comprising:

encoding first information in a first component of a multimedia signal, the first component comprising audio, the first information being encoded through subtle changes to data representing the first component;

encoding second information in a second component of the multimedia signal, the second component comprising video, the second information being encoded through subtle changes to data representing the second component,

the first information and the second information are associated.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first information and the second information provide information related to playback, copying or recording of the multimedia signal.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first information and the second information provide distribution information.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the first information or the second information provides decryption information.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the first information or the second information is associated with a content filtering process.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said act of encoding first information in the first component or said act of encoding second information in the second component utilizes a frequency transform domain.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the first component or the second component comprises a set of transform domain coefficients.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the act of encoding first information in the first component or the act of encoding second information in the second component is carried out in a compressed domain.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the first information comprises metadata associated with particular video portions.

20. A computer readable medium comprising instructions to perform the method of claim 11.