Data hiding and extracting method and system

Claim 1

A data hiding method for embedding information into a data array, said data array comprising a plurality of array elements, said method being characterised by comprising the steps of; (a) preparing a pattern array having a plurality of array elements, said pattern array having at least a positive unit value and a negative unit value, and the sum total of said positive and negative unit values being zero; (b) specifying (N) number of hiding regions in said data array into which regions certain information is embedded, said hiding region having a size corresponding to that of said pattern array; (c) determing an amount of operation for each of said array elements according to the locationally corresponding positive or negative unit value with respect to one of said hiding regions, by referring to a hiding rule providing the correspondence between the meaning of information and an application of said pattern array to the hiding region; (d) adding the determined amount of operation to each of said array elements with respect to said hiding region; and (e) performing the steps (c) and (d) with respect to the (N) number of said hiding regions so that information is embedded into (N) number of said hiding regions.

Claim 2

A method for extracting embedded information from a data array comprising a plurality of array elements, the method being characterised by comprising the steps of: (a) specifying (n) number of hiding regions in which information is embedded in said data array, said hiding region having a size corresponding to that of a pattern array, the pattern array having a plurality of array elements, and having at least a positive unit value and a negative unit value, the sum total of said positive and negative unit values being zero; (b) calculating a block value by convoluting said pattern array to said hiding region with respect to each of said (n) number of said hiding regions, and obtaining a statistical judgement value from the sum of (n) number of block values; and (c) extracting embedded information according to the statistical judgement value by referring to an extracting rule providing a correspondence between the statistical judgement value and meaning of information which should be extracted.

Claim 4

A system for extracting embedded information from a data array comprising a plurality of array elements, the system being characterised by comprising: (a) a unit for specifying (n) number of hiding regions in which information is embedded in said data array, said hiding region having a size corresponding to that of a pattern array, the pattern array having a plurality of array elements, and having at least a positive unit value and a negative unit value, the sum total of said positive and negative unit values being zero; (b) a unit for calculating a block value by convoluting said pattern array to said hiding region with respect to each of said (n) number of said hiding regions, and obtaining a statistical judgement value from the sum of (n) number of block values; and (c) a unit for extracting embedded information according to the statistical judgement value by referring to an extracting rule providing a correspondence between the statistical judgement value and meaning of information which should be extracted.

Claim 5

A system for embedding information into data, the information controlling access to said data, said data comprising a plurality of array elements, the system being characterised by comprising: (a) a unit for preparing the control information to be embedded; (b) a unit for preparing a pattern array having a plurality of array elements, said pattern array having at least a positive unit value and a negative unit value, and the sum total of said positive and negative unit values being zero; (c) a unit for specifying (N) number of hiding regions in said data array into which regions said control information is embedded, said hiding region having a size corresponding to that of said pattern array; (d) a unit for determining an amount of operation for each of said array elements according to the locationally corresponding positive or negative unit value with respect to one of said hiding regions, by referring to a hiding rule providing the correspondence between the meaning of control information and an application of said pattern array to the hiding region; (e) a unit for adding the determined amount of operation to each value of said array elements with respect to said hiding region; and (f) a unit for operating the units (c) and (d) with respect to the (N) number of said hiding regions so that information is embedded into (N) number of said hiding regions.

Claim 6

A system for extracting embedded control information from data, and controlling access to said data, said data comprising a plurality of array elements, the system being characterised by comprising: (a) a unit for specifying (n) number of hiding regions in which information is embedded in said data array, said hiding region having a size corresponding to that of a pattern array, the pattern array having a plurality of array elements, arid having at least a positive unit value and a negative unit value, the sum total of said positive and negative unit values being zero; (b) a unit for calculating a block value by convoluting said pattern array to said hiding region with respect to each of said (n) number of said hiding regions, and obtaining a statistical judgement value from the sum of (n) number of block values; (c) a unit for extracting embedded control information according to the statistical judgement value by referring to an extracting rule providing a correspondence between the statistical judgement value and meaning of control information which should be extracted; and (d) a unit for controlling access to said data according to the extracted control information