Mobile media, devices, and signaling

• US 9,552,617 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Modro, Sierra K., Sharma, Ravi K., MacIntosh, Brian T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bitar, Nancy
• Application Number:
  US14/463,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20150043890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0065 Extraction of an embedded watermark; Reliable detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32309 in colour image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3232 Robust embedding or watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 Image display device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/278 Subtitling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7904 using intermediate digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

Consumer uses of mobile devices and electronic media are changing. Mobile devices include increased computational capabilities, mobile broadband access, better integrated sensors, and higher resolution screens. These enhanced features are driving increased consumption of media such as images, maps, e-books, audio, video, and games. As users become more accustomed to using mobile devices for media, opportunities arise for new digital watermarking usage models. For example, transient media, like images being displayed on screens, can be watermarked to provide a link between mobile devices, extending the reach of digital watermarking. Digital fingerprinting can also be employed. Applications based on these emerging usage models can provide richer user experiences and drive increased media consumption. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Claims

1. A portable device comprising a processor, a memory, one or more input sensors for capturing data and an output device the memory including instructions by which the processor can process the captured data to derive plural-bit data therefrom according to plural different digital watermarking and/or content fingerprinting schemes, the one or more input sensors including a microphone and/or an image sensor, the memory further including instructions causing the processor to analyze captured data for one or more clues, and based on said clues determine an order in which plural of said schemes should be applied to the captured data;

wherein the input sensor comprises a first sensor for capturing first data, and a second sensor for capturing second data, the first data comprising audio or image data, the second data comprising data that is not audio or image data, wherein the processor analyzes the captured second data for clues to determine the order in which plural of said schemes should be applied to the captured first data.

5. The device of claim 1 in which said instructions cause the device to capture the data at a sampling rate sufficient to determine whether the content from which the data is captured is natural, analog content, or digital content.

6. The device of claim 5 in which said instructions enable the processor to distinguish natural, analog content from digital content, by reference to (a) artifacts from a digital-to-analog conversion;

(b) color gamut;

(c) visual strobing;

or (d) moiré

effects.

13. The portable device of claim 1 in which said instructions cause the processor, based on said clues, to determine an order in which plural different watermarking schemes should be applied to the captured data.

14. The portable device of claim 1 in which said instructions cause the processor, based on said clues, to determine an order in which plural different content fingerprinting schemes should be applied to the captured data.

15. The portable device of claim 1 in which the second sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

2. A method practiced in a movie auditorium,

comprising the acts:

capturing audio or image data from a movie presentation, using a portable device;

by reference to the captured data, identifying a particular temporal location within a movie;

accessing information in a subtitle repository from the portable device, said accessing making reference to the identified temporal location; and

presenting subtitle information on a display screen of said portable device, in synchrony with the movie presentation;

wherein the method is performed using a computer or processor in the portable

device to decode plural-bit data steganographically encoded in the captured data, and identifying the movie by reference to this decoded data.

3. The method 2 that further includes, by reference to the captured data, identifying the movie.

4. The method 2 that includes identifying the particular temporal location by reference to audio or visual landmarks within the movie.

7. A portable device comprising a processor, a memory, one or more input sensor for capturing data from content, and an output device, the memory including instructions by which the processor can distinguish natural, analog content from digital content, and take an action based on such distinction wherein the processor can process the captured data to derive plural-bit data therefrom according to plural different digital watermarking and/or content fingerprinting schemes, the one or more input sensors including a microphone and/or an image sensor, the memory further including instructions causing the processor to analyze captured data for one or more clues, and based on said clues determine an order in which plural of said schemes should be applied to the captured data;

wherein the input sensor comprises a first sensor for capturing first data, and a second sensor for capturing second data, the first data comprising audio or image data, the second data comprising data that is not audio or image data, wherein the processor analyzes the captured second data for clues to determine the order in which plural of said schemes should be applied to the captured first data.

8. The device of claim 7 in which said instructions enable the device to perform said distinguishing by reference to artifacts from a digital-to-analog conversion.

9. The device of claim 7 in which said instructions enable the device to perform said distinguishing by reference to color gamut.

10. The device of claim 7 in which said instructions enable the device to perform said distinguishing by reference to visual strobing.

11. The device of claim 7 in which said instructions enable the device to perform said distinguishing by reference to moiré

effects.

12. The device of claim 7 in which said action comprises deriving plural-bit data from the captured content according to a digital watermarking or content fingerprinting scheme.