Embedding geo-location information in media

• US 8,135,166 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Lofgren, Neil E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Park, Soo Jin
• Application Number:
  US11/382,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20070116325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,135 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 358/3.28, 700/94, 713/176, 726/26, 726/32, 380/210, 380/216, 380/217, 380236-238
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/00 Photogrammetry or videogrammetry, e.g. stereogrammetry; Photographic surveying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• 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: G06T 2201/0061 Embedding of the watermark in each block of the image, e.g. segmented watermarking

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to digital watermarking and steganography. One claim recites a method including: receiving digital data representing media including at least video and audio; digital watermarking at least some portions of the digital data, the digital watermarking introducing changes to at least some portions of the digital data to hide information in at least some portions of the digital data representing audio and in at least some portions of the digital data representing video, the information comprises at least geo-location data and time data, and the geo-location data is redundantly hidden in digital data over time; and optically projecting the media on a surface for viewing. Projected media includes the information digital watermarked therein. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving digital data representing media comprising at least video and audio;

digital watermarking at least some portions of the digital data, wherein the digital watermarking introduces changes to at least some portions of the digital data to hide information in at least some portions of the digital data representing audio and in at least some portions of the digital data representing video, wherein the information comprises at least geo-location data and time data, wherein the geo-location data is redundantly hidden in digital data over time, and wherein the geo-location data comprises an index to access a data repository to obtain information regarding a location associated with optical projection of the media; and

optically projecting the media on a surface for viewing, wherein the projected media includes the information digital watermarked therein.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information varies through at least some portions of the digital data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the time data varies over time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the geo-location data and time data vary for different projections of the media.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises using satellite communication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of digital watermarking occurs as the media is projected.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information further comprises a media identifier.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive digital data representing media comprising at least video and audio;

instructions to digital watermark at least some portions of the digital data, wherein the digital watermarking introduces changes to at least some portions of the digital data to hide information in at least some portions of the digital data representing audio and in at least some portions of the digital data representing video, wherein the information comprises at least geo-location data and time data, wherein the geo-location data is redundantly hidden in digital data over time, and wherein the geo-location data comprises an index to access a data repository to obtain information regarding a location associated with optical projection of the media; and

instructions to optically projecting the media on a surface for viewing, wherein the projected media includes the information digital watermarked therein.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the information varies through at least some portions of the digital data.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the time data varies over time.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the geo-location data and time data vary for different projections of the media.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the digital watermarking occurs as the media is projected.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store digital data representing media comprising at least video and audio;

a processor configured to digital watermark at least some portions of the digital data, wherein the digital watermarking introduces changes to at least some portions of the digital data to hide information in at least some portions of the digital data representing audio or in at least some portions of the digital data representing video, wherein the information comprises at least geo-location data and time data, wherein the geo-location data is redundantly hidden in digital data over time, and wherein the geo-location data comprises an index to access a data repository to obtain information regarding a location associated with optical projection of the media; and

a projector configured to optically project the media on a surface for viewing, wherein the projected media includes the information digital watermarked therein.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the information varies through at least some portions of the digital data.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the time data varies over time.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the geo-location data and time data vary for different projections of the media.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the digital watermarking occurs as the media is projected.

18. A system comprising:

a memory configured to store digital data representing media comprising at least video and audio;

a processor configured to;

digital watermark at least some portions of the digital data, wherein the digital watermarking introduces changes to at least some portions of the digital data to hide information in at least some portions of the digital data representing audio and in at least some portions of the digital data representing video, wherein the information comprises at least geo-location data and time data, wherein the geo-location data is redundantly hidden in digital data over time, and wherein the geo-location data comprises an index to access a data repository to obtain information regarding a location associated with optical projection of the media; and

an optical projector for projecting the media on a surface for viewing, wherein the-projected media includes the information digital watermarked therein.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the information varies through at least some portions of the digital data.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the time data varies over time.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the geo-location data and time data vary for different projections of the media.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the digital data is received through satellite communication.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the digital watermarking occurs as the media is projected.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the information further comprises a media identifier.

25. A system comprising:

means for storing digital data representing media including video and audio;

means for digital watermarking some portions of the digital data, wherein the digital watermarking introduces changes to some portions of the digital data to hide information in some portions of the digital data representing audio and in some portions of the digital data representing video, wherein the information comprises geo-location data and time data, wherein the geo-location data is redundantly hidden in digital data over time, and wherein the geo-location data comprises an index to access a data repository to obtain information regarding a location associated with optical projection of the media; and

means for projecting the media on a surface for viewing, wherein the projected media includes the information digital watermarked therein.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the information varies through some portions of the digital data.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the time data varies over time.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the geo-location data and time data vary for different projections of the media.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the digital data is received through satellite communication.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the digital watermarking occurs as the media is projected.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the information further comprises a media identifier.