Watermarking compressed data

• US 7,949,147 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Davidson, Clayton L., Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Rodriguez, Tony F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso; Jose L
• Application Number:
  US11/562,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20070154064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 382/248, 382/250, 382/280, 382/284, 382/287, 380/4, 380/23, 380/25, 380/51, 380/54, 380/216, 380/217, 348/475, 235/394, 358/3.28, 358/448, 358/450, 358/454, 358/124, 358/142, 705/50, 705/51, 713/176
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0035 Output size adaptive watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0064 Geometric transfor invariant watermarking, e.g. affine transform invariant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0053 Embedding of the watermark in the coding stream, possibly without decoding; Embedding of the watermark in the compressed domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0061 Embedding of the watermark in each block of the image, e.g. segmented watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• 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 2020/10537 Audio or video recording
• 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 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32154 Transform domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32165 using cosine transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32187 with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected frequency coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32277 Compression
• 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 19/467 characterised by the embedded information being invisible, e.g. watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/48 : using compressed domain processing techniques other than decoding, e.g. modification of transform coefficients, variable length coding [VLC] data or run-length data motion estimation in a transform domain H04N19/547; processing of decoded motion vectors H04N19/513
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/60 : using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 : in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 : the copy protection signal being a watermark
• 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 21/8358 : 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 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 2201/3233 : 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 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

A method of embedding auxiliary data in coefficients generated for a compressed data stream applies embedding rules to selected coefficients in different blocks to embed the data. The method receives coefficients in a data stream in which the coefficients are divided into blocks. It changes the value of selected coefficients to embed multi-bit message data in the coefficients. The process of changing the coefficients includes controlling changes to the selected coefficients from different blocks so that the relationship of the selected coefficients from the different blocks satisfy an embedding rule. One embedding rule causes the embedded data to form a pattern across the blocks. Another rule causes coefficients of blocks to have a desired phase relationship. Another rule enforces entropy and/or bit rate constraints onto the data stream. These embedding rules facilitate data hiding within bit rate and perceptibility constraints, while increasing robustness.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

in a programmed or hardwired processing unit, receiving coefficients in a data stream, wherein the coefficients are divided into blocks;

using the programmed or hardwired processing unit, changing a value of selected coefficients to embed multi-bit message data in the coefficients, the changing including controlling changes to the selected coefficients from different blocks so that a relationship of the selected coefficients from the different blocks satisfies an embedding rule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the embedding rule comprises a phase relationship of the selected coefficients from the different blocks.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing of the value of the selected coefficients comprises changing of the selected coefficients such that the changing embeds the multi-bit message data and forms an orientation signal that facilitates determination of rotation or scale of an image represented by the coefficients.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the coefficients comprise Discrete Cosine Transform coefficients.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the coefficients are extracted from compressed image blocks.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-bit message data comprises message bits, and wherein a message bit is mapped to the selected coefficients.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing of the value of the selected coefficients to embed the multi-bit message data is modified by a characteristic of an image corresponding to the coefficients.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing of the value of the selected coefficients to embed the multi-bit message data is modified to control a bit rate of an image corresponding to the coefficients according to a bit rate limit.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the orientation signal is formed by embedding message bits according to the embedding rule.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the coefficients form part of a video.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the changes are made to entropy coded symbols representing the selected coefficients.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the changes to the entropy coded symbols are controlled to maintain a bit rate of the data stream within a desired level.

13. A method comprising:

in a programmed or hardwired processing unit, receiving coefficients in a data stream; and

using the programmed or hardwired processing unit, changing a value of selected coefficients to embed multi-bit message data in the coefficients, the changing including controlling changes to entropy codes representing the selected coefficients so as to satisfy an established bit rate constraint.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium on which is stored instructions, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive coefficients in a data stream, wherein the coefficients are divided into blocks;

instructions to change a value of selected coefficients to embed multi-bit message data in the coefficients, the changing including controlling changes to the selected coefficients from different blocks so that a relationship of the selected coefficients from the different blocks satisfies an embedding rule.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the embedding rule comprises a phase relationship of the selected coefficients from the different blocks.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the changing of the value of the selected coefficients comprises changing of the selected coefficients such that the changing embeds the multi-bit message data and forms an orientation signal that facilitates determination of rotation or scale of an image represented by the coefficients.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the coefficients comprise Discrete Cosine Transform coefficients.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the coefficients are extracted from compressed image blocks.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the multi-bit message data comprises message bits, and wherein a message bit is mapped to the selected coefficients.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the changing of the value of the selected coefficients to embed the multi-bit message data is modified by a characteristic of an image corresponding to the coefficients.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the changing of the value of the selected coefficients to embed the multi-bit message data is modified to control a bit rate of an image corresponding to the coefficients according to a bit rate limit.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the orientation signal is formed by embedding message bits according to the embedding rule.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the coefficients form part of a video.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the changes are made to entropy coded symbols representing the selected coefficients.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the changes to the entropy coded symbols are controlled to maintain a bit rate of the data stream within a desired level.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium on which is stored instructions, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive coefficients in a data stream; and

instructions to change a value of selected coefficients to embed multi-bit message data in the coefficients, the changing including controlling changes to entropy codes representing the selected coefficients so as to satisfy an established bit rate constraint.