Methods for analyzing electronic media including video and audio

• US 8,023,695 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2010
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• 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): Couso; Jose L
• Application Number:
  US12/759,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20100293276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 382/306, 235/494, 356/71, 340/5.6, 340/5.86, 348/460, 358/3.28, 380/42, 380/51, 380/54, 380/200, 380232-234, 380/247, 380/255, 380275-285, 705/44, 705/58, 704/273, 707/9, 707/101, 713/168
• US Class Current: 382/100
• 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 1/0064 Geometric transfor invariant watermarking, e.g. affine transform invariant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0032 using holograms
• 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 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: 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 20/00166 : 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 20/0021 : involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• 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: H04K 1/00 : Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 : applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• 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 1/32144 : 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 1/3216 : 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 1/32251 : 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 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 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 2201/3225 : 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 2201/3235 : Checking or certification of the authentication information, e.g. by comparison with data stored independently
• 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 2201/327 : 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 2201/3281 : Encryption; Ciphering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

The present disclosure includes methods and apparatus for analyzing audio and video. One claim recites: a method including at a network access point, and using a programmed electronic processor, analyzing data representing audio or video to extract identifying information therefrom, the analyzing operates on data representing audible portions of the audio or operates on data representing picture elements of the video; using the identifying information, determining whether to allow the audio or video to be communicated through the network access point; and providing details associated with said act of determining. Of course, other combinations are provided and claimed as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving audio or imagery, via a computing device, wherein the audio or imagery comprises a digital watermark hidden therein through alterations to data representing the audio or imagery, and wherein the hidden digital watermark comprises at least plural-bit auxiliary data;

analyzing, via the computing device, the audio or imagery to decode the plural-bit auxiliary data therefrom;

encrypting, via the computing device, the plural-bit auxiliary data according to a pattern;

providing, via the computing device, the encrypted plural-bit auxiliary data to a remote registry; and

receiving, via the computing device, at least a response from the remote registry.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern is obtained from the remote registry.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the imagery comprises video.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio or imagery comprises encrypted audio or imagery.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital watermark is hidden in the audio or imagery through use of at least one transform domain process.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital watermark is hidden in the audio or imagery by utilizing a transform domain.

7. A method comprising:

analyzing data representing audio or video, at a network access point, using a processor, to extract identifying information therefrom, wherein the analyzing operates on data representing audible portions of the audio or operates on data representing picture elements of the video;

using the identifying information, determining whether to allow the audio or video to be communicated through the network access point; and

providing details associated with the act of determining.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising restricting the audio or video content from being communicated through the network access point based at least in part on the act of determining.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the act of determining consults additional data which is accessible with the identifying data.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the network access point comprises an internet website.

10. A tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

analyzing data representing audio or video to extract identifying information therefrom, wherein the analyzing operates on data representing audible portions of the audio or operates on data representing picture elements of the video;

using the identifying information, determining whether to allow the audio or video to be communicated through the computing device; and

providing details associated with the act of determining.

12. A network access point comprising:

a processor configured to;

analyze data representing audio or video to extract identifying information therefrom, wherein the analyzing operates on data representing audible portions of the audio or operates on data representing picture elements of the video,

using the identifying information, determine whether to allow the audio or video to be communicated through the network access point; and

control the provision of details associated with the determining.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to restrict the audio or video content from being communicated through the network access point based at least in part on the act of determining.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the determining consults additional data which is accessible with the identifying data.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the network access point comprises an internet website hosted by a computer server.

16. A tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving audio or imagery, wherein the audio or imagery comprises a digital watermark hidden therein through alterations to data representing the audio or imagery, and wherein the hidden digital watermark comprises at least plural-bit auxiliary data;

analyzing the audio or imagery to decode the plural-bit auxiliary data therefrom;

encrypting the plural-bit auxiliary data according to a pattern;

providing the encrypted plural-bit auxiliary data to a remote registry; and

receiving at least a response from the remote registry.