Color image or video processing

• US 8,165,342 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2010
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Reed, Alastair M., Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desire, Gregory M
• Application Number:
  US12/755,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20100310164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 345/604, 358/518, 358/521, 358/515, 380/208, 380/279, 380/289, 382/100, 382/167, 382/254, 382/260, 713/176, 713/178
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• 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 1/0064 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: H04H 20/31 using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32154 Transform domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• 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 1/32293 Repeating the additional information in a regular pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32309 in colour image data
• 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 19/645 by grouping of coefficients into blocks after the transform
• 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 21/8358 : 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 2201/3233 : 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 2201/3284 : for error correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to color image processing. One claim recites a method of color masking an image or video including: reading color values of an image sample of the image or video and a corresponding change of an attribute of the image sample; and based on the color values of the image sample, and using a programmed electronic processor, mapping the change in the image sample attribute to a change in color components of the image sample that is equivalent to the change in the image sample attribute, yet reduces visibility of the change in the image sample attribute for the specific color values of the image sample. Another claim recites a method including: obtaining data representing digital imagery or video; analyzing at least a portion of the data to determine one or more color characteristics associated with the at least a portion of the data, said act of analyzing yielding a result; based at least in part on the result, generating a key; and using a programmed electronic processor, embedding auxiliary data in the data representing digital imagery or video using the key. Of course other claims and combinations are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

reading color values of an image sample of at least one of an image or video and a corresponding change of an image sample attribute;

computing a characteristic color of an image region of the image sample, wherein the change of the image sample attribute is based at least in part on the characteristic color; and

mapping, using a processor, the change in the image sample attribute to a change in color components of the image sample based on the color values of the image sample, wherein the change in color components is equivalent to the change in the image sample attribute, and wherein the change in color components reduces a determined visibility of the change in the image sample attribute for the color values of the image sample.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image sample attribute comprises luminance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the image sample attribute comprises chrominance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the image sample attribute to be modified changes based on the color values of the image sample.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encoding a substantially imperceptible watermark in the image, wherein the watermark comprises auxiliary data, and wherein the encoding comprises changing at least one image sample attribute of the image.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the watermark is encoded mainly in dominant colors.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the watermark is encoded mainly in secondary colors.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store data; and

a processor operatively coupled to the memory and configured to;

read color values of an image sample of at least one of an image or video and a corresponding change of an image sample attribute;

compute a characteristic color of an image region of the image sample, wherein the change of the image sample attribute is based at least in part on the characteristic color; and

map the change in the image sample attribute to a change in color components of the image sample based on the color values of the image sample, wherein the change in color components is equivalent to the change in the image sample attribute, and wherein the change in color components reduces a determined visibility of the change in the image sample attribute for the color values of the image sample.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the image sample attribute comprises luminance.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the image sample attribute comprises chrominance.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the image sample attribute to be modified changes based on the color values of the image sample.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

encode a substantially imperceptible watermark in the image, wherein the watermark comprises auxiliary data, and wherein the watermark is encoded via the change in color components of the image sample.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the watermark is encoded mainly in the dominant colors.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the watermark is encoded mainly in the secondary colors.

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

instructions to read color values of an image sample of at least one of an image or video and a corresponding change of an image sample attribute;

instructions to compute a characteristic color of an image region of the image sample, wherein the change of the image sample attribute is based at least in part on the characteristic color; and

instructions to map the change in the image sample attribute to a change in color components of the image sample based on the color values of the image sample, wherein the change in color components is equivalent to the change in the image sample attribute, and wherein the change in color components reduces a determined visibility of the change in the image sample attribute for the color values of the image sample.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the image sample attribute comprises luminance.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the image sample attribute comprises chrominance.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the image sample attribute to be modified changes based on the color values of the image sample.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise:

instructions to encode a substantially imperceptible watermark in the image, wherein the watermark comprises auxiliary data, and wherein the watermark is encoded via the change in color components of the image sample.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the watermark is encoded mainly in dominant colors.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the watermark is encoded mainly in secondary colors.