US6314192B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System, method, and product for information embedding using an ensemble of non-intersecting embedding generators
Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
•
Filing: 1998-05-21
•
Granted: 2001-11-06
•
Expires: 2018-05-21
Abstract
Abstract A system, method, and product are provided to (1) embed a watermark signal into a host signal, thereby generating a composite signal, (2) optionally enable the composite signal to be transmitted over a communication channel, and (3) optionally extract the watermark signal from the transmitted composite signal. In one embodiment, the invention is a method for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal. The watermark signal is made up of watermark-signal components, each having one of two or more watermark-signal values. The host signal is made up of host-signal components, each having one of two or more host-signal values. The method includes: (1) generating two or more embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of a co-processed group of one or more watermark-signal components; (2) having each embedding generator generate two or more embedding values, the total of which is referred to as an original embedding-value set such that at least one embedding value generated by one embedding generator is different than any embedding value generated by another embedding generator; and (3) setting a host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to an embedding value of a particular embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, such that the particular embedding generator corresponds to the watermark-signal value of the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, and such that the embedding value of the particular embedding generator is selected based on its proximity to the host-signal value.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian Chen
- 👤 Gregory W. Wornell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:47
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04K; H04K1/00; G; G06; G06T; G06T1/00; G06T1/0021; G06T1/0028; G06T1/005; G06T1/0071; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32144; H04N1/32149; H04N1/32203; H04N1/32208; H04N1/32229; H04N1/32251; H04N1/32288; H04N1/32309; G06T2201/00; G06T2201/005; G06T2201/0202
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 158
Claim 1
Independent Claim
287 words
A method for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the method comprising: (1) generating, by each of two or more of a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, a plurality of embedding values, a total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and (2) setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, and when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
287 words
A method for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the method comprising: (1) generating, by each of two or more of a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, a plurality of embedding values, a total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and (2) setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, and when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: at least one of the plurality of embedding generators is a quantizer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein: the at least one quantizer has a dimension that is greater than or equal to two.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein: the at least one quantizer is a dithered quantizer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein: the at least one quantizer has a dimension that is equal to one.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein: the at least one quantizer is a dithered quantizer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: the first embedding value is an embedding value that is the closest of all embedding values of the first embedding generator in distance to the at least one host-signal value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein: the distance is determined by a Euclidean measure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein: the distance is determined by a non-uniformly weighted Euclidean measure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein: the distance is determined by a non-Euclidean measure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein step 1 comprises: generating the plurality of embedding values based on a maximum allowable watermark-induced distortion level and a maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the maximum allowable watermark-induced distortion level and the maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level have a relationship wherein when one increases the other does not decrease, and when one decreases, the other does not increase.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein step 1 comprises: generating the plurality of embedding values based on a maximum allowable watermark-induced distortion level, a maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level, and a maximum allowable number of watermark-signal components per host-signal component.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 13 , wherein the maximum allowable watermark-induced distortion level and the maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level have a relationship wherein when one increases the other does not decrease, and when one decreases, the other does not increase.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein step 1 is based on a first predetermined relationship between each of the plurality of embedding values generated by at least one of the plurality of embedding generators.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein step 1 further is based on a second predetermined relationship between a second embedding value generated by one embedding generator and a third embedding value generated by a another embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein: the second predetermined relationship is a not a dithered relationship.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein the second predetermined relationship is a dithered relationship.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the dithered relationship is between quantized embedding values.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the dithered relationship is between analog embedding values.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein step 1, is based on a first predetermined list including at least one of the plurality of embedding values generated by at least one of the plurality of embedding generators.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 21 , wherein step 1 further is based on a predetermined relationship between a second embedding value generated by the one embedding generator and a third embedding value generated by another embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the predetermined relationship is a dithered relationship.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: (3) extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes the composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents the first watermark-signal value.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
134 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein step 3 comprises: (a) acquiring the received composite signal with noise value; (b) replicating one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; (c) selecting a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set, wherein the second embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value; and (d) setting the reconstructed watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein: the second embedding value is an embedding value that is the closest of all embedding values of the second embedding-value set in distance to the received composite signal with noise value.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein: the distance is determined by a Euclidean measure.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein the channel noise value is a value not including zero.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein step 1 comprises: generating the plurality of embedding values based on a maximum allowable watermark-induced distortion level.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: each embedding value of the first embedding-value set is a uniquely mapped embedding value.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: the watermark signal is determined, at least in part based on the host signal.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: the watermark signal is error-correction coded.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: the watermark signal is error-detection coded.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: the watermark signal is encrypted.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: the watermark signal is a transformed signal.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: for at least one embedding generator, the embedding values are evenly spaced.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: for at least one embedding generator, the embedding values are unevenly spaced.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: at least one plurality of embedding values is generated by an embedding generator selected from one or more of the group consisting of a list, description, table, formula, or function.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: for at least one host-signal component, the plurality of host-signal values are scalar values.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: for at least one host-signal component, the plurality of host-signal values are vector values.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: for at least one host-signal component, the plurality of host-signal values represent values of a type selected from one of the group consisting of amplitude, phase, frequency, linear predictive coding coefficient, or nonlinear representation.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: for at least one watermark-signal component, the plurality of watermark-signal values are scalar values .
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: for at least one watermark-signal component, the plurality of watermark-signal values are vector values.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: the first embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the at least one host-signal value.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein; at least one embedding value of the first embedding-value set is predetermined.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: at least one embedding value of the first embedding-value set is not a quantization value.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: the watermark signal comprises an authentication signal.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: the watermark signal comprises a digital signature.
Claim 50
Independent Claim
413 words
A method for extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes a composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents a first watermark-signal value of a plurality of watermark-signal values of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components of a watermark signal, wherein the composite-signal value is formed by setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components of a host signal to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator that corresponds to the first watermark-signal value, and when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer; and further wherein the first embedding value is one of a first embedding-value set of embedding values generated by a plurality of embedding generators, each of two or more of which generate a plurality of embedding values, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators; the method comprising: (1) acquiring the received composite signal with noise value; (2) replicating one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; (3) selecting a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set, wherein the second embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value; and (4) setting the reconstructed watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 51
Independent Claim
413 words
A method for extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes a composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents a first watermark-signal value of a plurality of watermark-signal values of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components of a watermark signal, wherein the composite-signal value is formed by setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components of a host signal to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator that corresponds to the first watermark-signal value, and when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer; and further wherein the first embedding value is one of a first embedding-value set of embedding values generated by a plurality of embedding generators, each of two or more of which generate a plurality of embedding values, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators; the method comprising: (1) acquiring the received composite signal with noise value; (2) replicating one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; (3) selecting a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set, wherein the second embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value; and (4) setting the reconstructed watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 49 , wherein: the second embedding value is an embedding value that is the closest of all embedding values of the second embedding-value set in distance to the received composite signal with noise value.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 50 , wherein: the distance is determined by a Euclidean measure.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 49 , wherein the channel noise value is a value not including zero.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 49 , wherein step (2) comprises: replicating the one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set based on at least a portion of the received composite signal with noise.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 49 , wherein step (2) comprises: replicating the one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set based on an externally provided specification of a first plurality of embedding values.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 49 , wherein: the first embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the at least one host-signal value.
Claim 58
Independent Claim
303 words
A system that watermarks a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the system comprising: an ensemble generator that generates a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components; an embedding value generator that generates, by each of two or more of the plurality of embedding generators, a plurality of embedding values, the total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and a point coder that sets at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the group of co-processed watermark-signal components, and, when each of the embedding generators is quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer, wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 59
Independent Claim
303 words
A system that watermarks a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the system comprising: an ensemble generator that generates a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components; an embedding value generator that generates, by each of two or more of the plurality of embedding generators, a plurality of embedding values, the total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and a point coder that sets at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the group of co-processed watermark-signal components, and, when each of the embedding generators is quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer, wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: at least one of the plurality of embedding generators is a quantizer.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: the first embedding value is an embedding value that is the closest of all embedding values of the first embedding generator in distance to the at least one host-signal value.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein the ensemble generator generates the plurality of embedding generators based on a maximum allowable watermark-induced distortion level and a maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 59 , wherein the maximum allowable watermark-induced distortion level and the maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level have a relationship wherein when one increases the other does not decrease, and when one decreases, the other does not increase.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein the ensemble generator generates the plurality of embedding generators based on a maximum allowable watermark-induced distortion level, a maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level, and a maximum allowable number of watermark-signal components per host-signal component.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 61 , wherein the maximum allowable watermark-induced distortion level and the maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level have a relationship wherein when one increases the other does not decrease, and when one decreases, the other does not increase.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein the embedding value generator generates a first plurality of embedding values based on a first predetermined relationship between each of the two or more embedding values generated by at least one of the plurality of embedding generators.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein the embedding value generator generates a first plurality of embedding values based on a second predetermined relationship between a second embedding value generated by one embedding generator and a third embedding value generated by another embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 64 , wherein the second predetermined relationship is a dithered relationship.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 65 , wherein the dithered relationship is between quantized embedding values.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 66 , wherein the dithered relationship is between analog embedding values.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein the embedding value generator generates a first plurality of embedding values based on a first predetermined list including at least one of the plurality of embedding values generated by at least one plurality of embedding generators.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 68 , wherein the embedding value generator further generates a first plurality of embedding values based on a predetermined relationship between a second embedding value generated by one embedding generator and a third embedding value generated by another embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 69 , wherein the predetermined relationship is a dithered relationship.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 56 , further comprising: an information extractor that extracts a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes the composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents the first watermark-signal value.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
143 words
The system of claim 71 , wherein the information extractor comprises: a synchronizer that acquires a received composite signal with noise that includes the received composite signal with noise value; an ensemble replicator that replicates one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; a point decoder that selects a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value, and that sets the watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 72 , wherein the synchronizer is further configured to determine the location of the received composite signal with noise value within the received composite signal with noise.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 72 , wherein the replication is based on an externally provided specification of the first plurality of embedding values.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 72 , wherein: the second embedding value is an embedding value that is the closest of all embedding values of the second embedding-value set in distance to the received composite signal with noise value.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 75 , wherein: the distance is determined by a Euclidean measure.
Claim 80
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 72 , wherein the channel noise value is a value not including zero.
Claim 81
Dependent Claim
53 words
The system of claim 72 , further comprising: a transmitter to receive a composite signal including the composite-signal value from the point coder and provide the composite signal to a communication channel; and a receiver to acquire the received composite signal with noise from the communication channel and provide it to the synchronizer.
Claim 82
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 72 , wherein: the ensemble replicator replicates the first embedding-value set based on at least a portion of the received composite signal with noise.
Claim 83
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 72 , wherein: the ensemble replicator replicates the one or more of the embedding values from the first embedding-value set based on an externally provided specification of a first plurality of embedding values.
Claim 84
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: the one or more selected host-signal components are processed.
Claim 85
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: the co-processed group of one or more watermark-signal components is processed.
Claim 86
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: the host signal is a digital signal.
Claim 87
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: the host signal is an analog signal.
Claim 88
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: the watermark signal is a digital signal.
Claim 89
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: the watermark signal is an analog signal.
Claim 90
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 56 , further comprising: a watermark-signal value determiner that selects the co-processed group of one or more watermark-signal components based on a maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level.
Claim 91
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 56 , further comprising: a watermark-signal value determiner that selects the co-processed group of one or more watermark-signal components based on a total number of watermark-signal components in the watermark signal.
Claim 92
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein the ensemble generator generates the plurality of embedding generators based on a maximum allowable watermark-induced distortion level.
Claim 93
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: each embedding value of the first embedding value set is a uniquely mapped embedding value.
Claim 94
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: the watermark signal is determined, at least in part, based on the host signal.
Claim 95
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: the watermark signal is error-correction coded.
Claim 96
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: the watermark signal is error-detection coded.
Claim 97
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: the watermark signal is encrypted.
Claim 98
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: the watermark signal is a transformed signal.
Claim 99
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: for at least one embedding generator, the embedding values are evenly spaced.
Claim 100
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: for at least one embedding generator, the embedding values are unevenly spaced.
Claim 101
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: at least one plurality of embedding values is generated by an embedding generator selected from one or more of the group consisting of a list, description, table, formula, or function.
Claim 102
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: for at least one host-signal component, the plurality of host-signal values are scalar values.
Claim 103
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: for at least one host-signal component, the plurality of host-signal values are vector values.
Claim 104
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: for at least one host-signal component, the plurality of host-signal values represent values of a type selected from one of the group consisting of amplitude, phase, frequency, linear predictive coding coefficient, or nonlinear representation.
Claim 105
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: for at least one watermark-signal component, the plurality of watermark-signal values are scalar values.
Claim 106
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein: for at least one watermark-signal component, the plurality of watermark-signal values are vector values.
Claim 107
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 56 , wherein the first embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the last one host-signal value.
Claim 108
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 56 , further comprising: a host signal analyzer and block selector that selects one or more host-signal components for embedding.
Claim 109
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 105 , wherein: at least one host-signal component of a co-processed group of host-signal components selected by the host signal analyzer and block selector is not quantized.
Claim 110
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 105 , wherein: the host signal analyzer and block selector selects one or more host-signal components based on their conveying important information.
Claim 111
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 105 , wherein: the host signal analyzer and block selector selects one or more host-signal components based on their not conveying important information.
Claim 112
Dependent Claim
354 words
A computer system that watermarks a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the computer system comprising: at least one embedding computer having an information embedder that embeds a watermark signal into a host signal, thereby creating a composite signal, the information embedder comprising: an ensemble generator that generates a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components; an embedding value generator that generates, by each of two or more of the plurality of embedding generators, a plurality of embedding values, the total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and a point coder that sets at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the group of co-processed watermark-signal components, and, when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer; and at least one extracting computer having an information extractor that extracts the first watermark-signal value from the first embedding value; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 113
Dependent Claim
354 words
A computer system that watermarks a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the computer system comprising: at least one embedding computer having an information embedder that embeds a watermark signal into a host signal, thereby creating a composite signal, the information embedder comprising: an ensemble generator that generates a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components; an embedding value generator that generates, by each of two or more of the plurality of embedding generators, a plurality of embedding values, the total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and a point coder that sets at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the group of co-processed watermark-signal components, and, when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer; and at least one extracting computer having an information extractor that extracts the first watermark-signal value from the first embedding value; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 114
Dependent Claim
45 words
The computer system of claim 109 , wherein the embedding value generator generates a first plurality of embedding values based on a first predetermined relationship between each of the two or more embedding values generated by at least one of the plurality of embedding generators.
Claim 115
Dependent Claim
51 words
The computer system of claim 109 , wherein the embedding value generator generates a first plurality of embedding values based on a second predetermined relationship between a second embedding value generated by one embedding generator and a third embedding value generated by another embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators.
Claim 116
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer system of claim 109 , wherein the second predetermined relationship is a dithered relationship.
Claim 117
Dependent Claim
46 words
The computer system of claim 109 , wherein the embedding value generator generates a first plurality of embedding values based on a first predetermined list including at least one of the plurality of embedding values generated by at least one of the plurality of embedding generators.
Claim 118
Dependent Claim
147 words
The computer system of claim 109 , wherein the information extractor comprises: a synchronizer that acquires a received composite signal with noise that includes the received composite signal with noise value; an ensemble replicator that replicates one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have the one embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; a point decoder that selects a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value, and that sets the reconstructed watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds.
Claim 119
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer system of claim 114 , wherein: the second embedding value is an embedding value that is the closest of all embedding values of the second embedding-value set in distance to the received composite signal with noise value.
Claim 120
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer system of claim 109 , wherein: the embedding computer and the extracting computer are the same computer.
Claim 121
Dependent Claim
64 words
The computer system of claim 109 , further comprising: a transmitter coupled to the embedding computer to receive a composite signal including the composite-signal value from the point coder and provide the composite signal to a communication channel; and a receiver coupled to the extracting computer to acquire the received composite signal with noise from the communication channel and provide it to the synchronizer.
Claim 122
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer system of claim 109 , wherein: the first embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the at least one host-signal value.
Claim 123
Dependent Claim
425 words
A computer system that extracts a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes a composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents a first watermark-signal value of a plurality of watermark-signal values of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components of a watermark signal, wherein the composite-signal value is formed by setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components of a host signal to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator that corresponds to the first watermark-signal value, and, when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer; and further wherein the first embedding value is one of a first embedding-value set of embedding values generated by a plurality of embedding generators, each of two or more of which generate a plurality of embedding values, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators; the computer system comprising: (a) a synchronizer that acquires the received composite signal with noise value; (b) an ensemble replicator that replicates one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; (c) a point decoder that selects a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set, wherein the second embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value, and sets the reconstructed watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 124
Dependent Claim
425 words
A computer system that extracts a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes a composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents a first watermark-signal value of a plurality of watermark-signal values of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components of a watermark signal, wherein the composite-signal value is formed by setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components of a host signal to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator that corresponds to the first watermark-signal value, and, when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer; and further wherein the first embedding value is one of a first embedding-value set of embedding values generated by a plurality of embedding generators, each of two or more of which generate a plurality of embedding values, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator of the plurality of embedding generators; the computer system comprising: (a) a synchronizer that acquires the received composite signal with noise value; (b) an ensemble replicator that replicates one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; (c) a point decoder that selects a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set, wherein the second embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value, and sets the reconstructed watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 125
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer system of claim 119 , wherein: the first embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the at least one host-signal value.
Claim 126
Dependent Claim
301 words
Storage media that contains software that, when executed on an appropriate computing system, performs a method for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the method comprising: (1) generating, by each of two or more of a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, a plurality of embedding values, the total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and (2) setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the group of co-processed watermark-signal components, and, when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 127
Dependent Claim
301 words
Storage media that contains software that, when executed on an appropriate computing system, performs a method for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the method comprising: (1) generating, by each of two or more of a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, a plurality of embedding values, the total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and (2) setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the group of co-processed watermark-signal components, and, when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 128
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 121 , further comprising: (3) extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes the composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents the first watermark-signal value.
Claim 129
Dependent Claim
139 words
The method of claim 122 , wherein step 3 comprises: (a) acquiring the received composite signal with noise value; (b) replicating one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; (c) selecting a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set, wherein the second embedding value is an embedding value that is selected based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value; and (d) setting the reconstructed watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds.
Claim 130
Dependent Claim
25 words
The storage media of claim 121 , wherein: the first embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the at least one host-signal value.
Claim 131
Dependent Claim
319 words
A computer program product for use with an appropriate computing system, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having embodied therein computer readable program code method steps for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the computer readable program code method steps comprising: (1) generating, by each of two or more of a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, a plurality of embedding values, the total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and (2) setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the group of co-processed watermark-signal components, and, when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 132
Dependent Claim
319 words
A computer program product for use with an appropriate computing system, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having embodied therein computer readable program code method steps for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the computer readable program code method steps comprising: (1) generating, by each of two or more of a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, a plurality of embedding values, the total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and (2) setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the group of co-processed watermark-signal components, and, when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 133
Dependent Claim
52 words
The computer program product of claim 125 , wherein the computer readable program code method steps further comprise: (3) extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes the composite-signal value and a channel noise values wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents the first watermark-signal value.
Claim 134
Dependent Claim
141 words
The computer program product of claim 126 , wherein step 3 comprises: (a) acquiring the received composite signal with noise value; (b) replicating one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; (c) selecting a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set, wherein the second embedding value is an embedding value that is selected based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value; and (d) setting the reconstructed watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds.
Claim 135
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer program product of claim 125 , wherein: the first embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the at least one host-signal value.
Claim 136
Independent Claim
233 words
A method for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the method comprising: (1) designating a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, based at least in part on a maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level; (2) generating, by each of two or more of the plurality of embedding generators, a plurality of embedding values, a total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and (3) setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, and, when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer.
Claim 137
Independent Claim
233 words
A method for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the method comprising: (1) designating a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, based at least in part on a maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level; (2) generating, by each of two or more of the plurality of embedding generators, a plurality of embedding values, a total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and (3) setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, and, when each of the embedding generators is a quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer.
Claim 138
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 129 , wherein: step (1) is further based at least in part on a maximum allowable watermark-induced distortion level and a maximum allowable number of watermark-signal components per host-signal component.
Claim 139
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 130 , wherein: the maximum allowable number of watermark-signal components per host-signal component is greater than or equal to two.
Claim 140
Independent Claim
252 words
A system that watermarks a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the system comprising: an ensemble generator that generates a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, wherein the ensemble generator generates the plurality of embedding generators based at least in part on a maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level; an embedding value generator that generates, by each of two or more of the plurality of embedding generators, a plurality of embedding values, the total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and a point coder that sets at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the group of co-processed watermark-signal components, and, when each of the embedding generators is quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer.
Claim 141
Independent Claim
252 words
A system that watermarks a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the system comprising: an ensemble generator that generates a plurality of embedding generators, each corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, wherein the ensemble generator generates the plurality of embedding generators based at least in part on a maximum allowable channel-induced distortion level; an embedding value generator that generates, by each of two or more of the plurality of embedding generators, a plurality of embedding values, the total of each plurality of embedding values comprising a first embedding-value set, wherein at least one embedding value generated by at least one embedding generator is not the same as any embedding value generated by at least one other embedding generator; and a point coder that sets at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first embedding generator, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first embedding generator corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the group of co-processed watermark-signal components, and, when each of the embedding generators is quantizer, at least one quantization interval of at least one quantizer is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other quantizer.
Claim 142
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system of claim 132 , wherein: the ensemble generator further generates the embedding generators based at least in part on a maximum allowable watermark-induced distortion level and a maximum allowable number of watermark-signal components per host-signal component. the first embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the at least one host-signal value.
Claim 143
Independent Claim
273 words
A method for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the method comprising: (1) accessing a plurality of value-sets of two or more embedding values, the embedding values of each value-set corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, wherein at least one embedding value of at least one value-set is not the same as any embedding value of at least one other value-set; and (2) setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first value-set, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first value-set corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, and, when the embedding values are quantized values, at least one quantization interval of at least one value-set is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other value-set; wherein, when each embedding value of each value-set is a dithered quantization value, when the embedding values of each value-set are uniformly spaced with respect to each other, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 144
Independent Claim
273 words
A method for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, the method comprising: (1) accessing a plurality of value-sets of two or more embedding values, the embedding values of each value-set corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, wherein at least one embedding value of at least one value-set is not the same as any embedding value of at least one other value-set; and (2) setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first value-set, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first value-set corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, and, when the embedding values are quantized values, at least one quantization interval of at least one value-set is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other value-set; wherein, when each embedding value of each value-set is a dithered quantization value, when the embedding values of each value-set are uniformly spaced with respect to each other, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 145
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 134 , further comprising: (3) extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes the composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents the first watermark-signal value.
Claim 146
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 135 , wherein: the channel noise value is a value not including zero.
Claim 147
Independent Claim
399 words
A method for extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes a composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein (a) the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents a first watermark-signal value of a plurality of watermark-signal values of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components of a watermark signal, (b) the composite-signal value is formed by accessing a plurality of value-sets of two or more embedding values, the embedding values of each value-set corresponding to a single watermark-signal value, wherein at least one embedding value of at least one value-set is not the same as any embedding value of at least one other value-set, and setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first value-set, thereby forming the composite-signal value, (c) the first value-set corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, (d) when the embedding values are quantized values, at least one quantization interval of at least one value-set is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other value-set, and (e) when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers, the method comprising: (1) acquiring the received composite signal with noise value; (2) replicating one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; (3) selecting a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set, wherein the second embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value; and (4) setting the reconstructed watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds.
Claim 148
Independent Claim
399 words
A method for extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes a composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein (a) the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents a first watermark-signal value of a plurality of watermark-signal values of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components of a watermark signal, (b) the composite-signal value is formed by accessing a plurality of value-sets of two or more embedding values, the embedding values of each value-set corresponding to a single watermark-signal value, wherein at least one embedding value of at least one value-set is not the same as any embedding value of at least one other value-set, and setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first value-set, thereby forming the composite-signal value, (c) the first value-set corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, (d) when the embedding values are quantized values, at least one quantization interval of at least one value-set is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other value-set, and (e) when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers, the method comprising: (1) acquiring the received composite signal with noise value; (2) replicating one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; (3) selecting a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set, wherein the second embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value; and (4) setting the reconstructed watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds.
Claim 149
Independent Claim
269 words
A system for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, wherein the system operates upon a plurality of value-sets of two or more embedding values, the embedding values of each value-set corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, wherein at least one embedding value of at least one value-set is not the same as any embedding value of at least one other value-set the system comprising: a point coder that sets at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first value-set, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first value-set corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, and, when the embedding values are quantized values, at least one quantization interval of at least one value-set is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other value-set; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 150
Independent Claim
269 words
A system for watermarking a host signal with a watermark signal, the watermark signal comprising watermark-signal components, each having one of a plurality of watermark-signal values, and the host signal comprising host-signal components, each having one of a plurality of host-signal values, wherein the system operates upon a plurality of value-sets of two or more embedding values, the embedding values of each value-set corresponding to a single watermark-signal value of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components, wherein at least one embedding value of at least one value-set is not the same as any embedding value of at least one other value-set the system comprising: a point coder that sets at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first value-set, thereby forming a composite-signal value, wherein the first value-set corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, and, when the embedding values are quantized values, at least one quantization interval of at least one value-set is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other value-set; wherein, when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers.
Claim 151
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 138 , further comprising: an information extractor that extracts a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes the composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents the first watermark-signal value.
Claim 152
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 139 , wherein: the channel noise value is a value not including zero.
Claim 153
Independent Claim
312 words
A system for extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes a composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein (a) the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents a first watermark-signal value of a plurality of watermark-signal values of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components of a watermark signal, (b) the composite-signal value is formed by accessing a plurality of value-sets of two or more embedding values, the embedding values of each value-set corresponding to a single watermark-signal value, wherein at least one embedding value of at least one value-set is not the same as any embedding value of at least one other value-set, and setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first value-set, thereby forming the composite-signal value, (c) the first value-set corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, (d) when the embedding values are quantized values, at least one quantization interval of at least one value-set is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other value-set, and (e) when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers, the system comprising an information extractor that extracts a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes the composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents the first watermark-signal value.
Claim 154
Independent Claim
312 words
A system for extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes a composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein (a) the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents a first watermark-signal value of a plurality of watermark-signal values of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components of a watermark signal, (b) the composite-signal value is formed by accessing a plurality of value-sets of two or more embedding values, the embedding values of each value-set corresponding to a single watermark-signal value, wherein at least one embedding value of at least one value-set is not the same as any embedding value of at least one other value-set, and setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first value-set, thereby forming the composite-signal value, (c) the first value-set corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, (d) when the embedding values are quantized values, at least one quantization interval of at least one value-set is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other value-set, and (e) when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers, the system comprising an information extractor that extracts a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes the composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents the first watermark-signal value.
Claim 155
Dependent Claim
147 words
The system of claim 141 , wherein: the information extractor comprises (1) a synchronizer that acquires the received composite signal with noise value; (2) an ensemble replicator that replicates one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; and (3) a point decoder that selects a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set, wherein the second embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value, and that sets the reconstructed watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds.
Claim 156
Dependent Claim
340 words
A computer program product for use with an appropriate computing system, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having embodied therein computer readable program code method steps for extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes a composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein (a) the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents a first watermark-signal value of a plurality of watermark-signal values of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components of a watermark signal, (b) the composite-signal value is formed by accessing a plurality of value-sets of two or more embedding values, the embedding values of each value-set corresponding to a single watermark-signal value, wherein at least one embedding value of at least one value-set is not the same as any embedding value of at least one other value-set, and setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first value-set, thereby forming the composite-signal value, (c) the first value-set corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, (d) when the embedding values are quantized values, at least one quantization interval of at least one value-set is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other value-set, and (e) when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers, the computer readable program code method steps comprising extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes the composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents the first watermark-signal value.
Claim 157
Dependent Claim
340 words
A computer program product for use with an appropriate computing system, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having embodied therein computer readable program code method steps for extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes a composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein (a) the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents a first watermark-signal value of a plurality of watermark-signal values of one watermark-signal component or a co-processed group of two or more watermark-signal components of a watermark signal, (b) the composite-signal value is formed by accessing a plurality of value-sets of two or more embedding values, the embedding values of each value-set corresponding to a single watermark-signal value, wherein at least one embedding value of at least one value-set is not the same as any embedding value of at least one other value-set, and setting at least one host-signal value of one or more selected host-signal components to a first embedding value of a first value-set, thereby forming the composite-signal value, (c) the first value-set corresponds to a first watermark-signal value of the one watermark-signal component or the co-processed group of watermark-signal components, (d) when the embedding values are quantized values, at least one quantization interval of at least one value-set is not the same as any quantization interval of at least one other value-set, and (e) when each of the embedding generators is a dithered quantizer, each having quantization values that are uniformly spaced, and when the composite signal value is transmitted over a channel, then at least one quantization value of any of the dithered quantizers, plus at least one channel noise value capable of being induced by the channel, is not the same value as any of the quantization values of any of the dithered quantizers, the computer readable program code method steps comprising extracting a reconstructed watermark-signal value from a received composite signal with noise value that includes the composite-signal value and a channel noise value, wherein the reconstructed watermark-signal value represents the first watermark-signal value.
Claim 158
Dependent Claim
137 words
The computer program product of claim 143 , wherein: the extracting comprises (a) acquiring the received composite signal with noise value; (b) replicating one or more embedding values from the first embedding-value set to form a second embedding-value set, at least one embedding value of the second embedding-value set having the same correspondence to a single watermark-signal value as have embedding values of the first embedding-value set from which the at least one embedding value of the second embedding value set is replicated; and (c) selecting a second embedding value of the second embedding-value set, wherein the second embedding value is selected based on its proximity to the received composite signal with noise value, and that sets the reconstructed watermark-signal value to a one of the plurality of watermark-signal values to which the second embedding value corresponds.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5379131A
Cited
US6070163A
Cited
US5819270A
Cited
US5748763A
Cited
US5692205A
Cited
US5528582A
Cited
US5646997A
Cited
US5659726A
Cited
US5636292A
Cited
US5636292C1
Cited
US5613004A
Cited
US5687236A
Cited
US5843564A
Cited
US5689587A
Cited
US5664018A
Cited
US5949885A
Cited
US5828325A
Cited
US5933798A
Cited
US5940135A
Cited
US5986691A
Cited
WO1999060514A1
Cited
US6021196A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-11-05 | 2005-05-07 | 2005-11-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-11-05 | 2009-05-07 | 2009-11-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-11-05 | 2013-05-07 | 2013-11-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |