Patent US6301369B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.

US6301369B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image marking to permit later identification

Assignee: Digimarc Corp

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Filing: 2001-01-10

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Granted: 2001-10-09

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Expires: 2021-01-10

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Abstract

Abstract A digital image is subtly changed to permit its subsequent identification, without essentially altering its human appearance. The changes affect only a minority of the image pixels. By checking for the presence of such changes in a suspect image, a suspect image can be matched with the original image.

Inventors

👤 Robert D. Powell
👤 Mark J. Nitzberg

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —

Jurisdiction US

Data Source google_patents

Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 17:07

CPC Classifications

H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32144; H04N1/32149; H04N1/32288; G; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G06T; G06T1/00; G06T1/0021; G06T1/005; G06T1/0064; G07; G07D; G07D7/00; G07D7/004; G07D7/0047; G07D7/06; G07D7/12; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/12; H04N1/32203; H04N1/32208; H04N1/32229; H04N1/32245; H04N1/32251; G06T2201/00; G06T2201/005; G06T2201/0051; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3233; H04N2201/3235; H04N2201/3269; H04N2201/327

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10

Claim 1

Independent Claim 145 words

A method of encoding a digital image to permit its later identification, the image comprising plural pixels, each having a value, the method comprising: receiving an N-bit data string to be embedded in the image, N being at least two, the string comprising bits having first and second values, one of said values being “1” and the other of said values being “0”; associating a first bit of said string with a first pixel, a second bit of said string with a second pixel, and so on, so that each bit of said string has a pixel associated therewith; for bits having the first value, changing the values of pixels associated therewith, such changes being essentially imperceptible to a human viewer of the digital image; leaving the values of most of the pixels in the image unchanged; storing the N-bit data string for later reference.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 145 words

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising, for bits having the second value, changing the values of pixels associated therewith, but in a manner different than the changes to the pixels associated with bits of the first value.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method of claim 1 that further includes changing the values of pixels adjoining those pixels associated with bits of the data string, so that each bit of said string is associated with a group of adjoining pixels.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 1 that includes identifying said first and second pixels by an automated screening process, said process considering the values of different pixels relative to their neighbors in order to identify those pixels meeting a predetermined condition.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 4 in which said predetermined condition is a local extrema in value relative to neighbors.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1 that includes associating each bit of said string with plural spaced-apart pixels, effecting redundant encoding.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 1 that further comprises obtaining a suspect image, and determining whether pixel values therein evidence changes corresponding to said N-bit data string, in which case the suspect image may be matched to said digital image.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 1 that includes, for bits having the first value, increasing the value thereof.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 8 that includes increasing the value by a predetermined percentage.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-10-08	2005-04-09	2005-10-09	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-10-08	2009-04-09	2009-10-09	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-10-08	2013-04-09	2013-10-09	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

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