US6567533B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for discerning image distortion by reference to encoded marker signals
Assignee: Digimarc Corp
•
Filing: 2000-04-27
•
Granted: 2003-05-20
•
Expires: 2020-04-27
Abstract
Abstract To permit scaling or rotation of an image to be discerned—even if the original image is not available—certain marker signals are steganographically encoded in the image. In one particular implementation, encoding is effected by adding an overlay signal to the image. The overlay signal—when represented in the spatial frequency domain—includes a pattern of spots. If the image is scaled or rotated, this pattern changes in known ways. By examining the change in this pattern, the distortion (i.e., scale/rotation) of the image can be inferred. This technology finds particular application in conjunction with watermarking systems, permitting recovery of watermark data from images that have been scaled or rotated subsequent to watermarking.
Inventors
- 👤 Geoffrey B. Rhoads
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:21
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/14; G06K7/1404; G06K7/1408; G06K7/1417; B; B42; B42D; B42D25/00; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/955; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/06009; G06K19/06037; G06K19/06046; G06K19/08; G06K19/10; G06K19/14; G06K19/18; G06K7/1439; G06K7/1447; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/12; G06Q20/123; G06Q20/1235; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/401; G06Q20/4014; G06Q20/40145; G06T; G06T1/00; G06T1/0021; G06T1/005; G06T1/0064; G06V; G06V30/00; G06V30/40; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/20; G07C9/22; G07C9/25; G07C9/253; G07D; G07D7/00; G07D7/003; G07D7/0032; G07D7/0034; G07D7/004; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/0014; G07F17/16; G07F17/26; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/086; G07F7/10; G07F7/1008; G07F7/1016; G07F7/12; G10; G10L; G10L19/00; G10L19/018; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/00086; G11B20/00094; G11B20/00115; G11B20/00166; G11B20/00181; G11B20/0021; G11B20/00217; G11B20/00231; G11B20/0071; G11B20/00884; G11B20/00891; H; H04; H04B; H04B1/00; H04B1/66; H04B1/665; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00002; H04N1/00005; H04N1/00026; H04N1/00037; H04N1/00071; H04N1/00074; H04N1/00079; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32144; H04N1/32149; H04N1/32154; H04N1/3216; H04N1/32203; H04N1/32208; H04N1/32251; H04N1/32288; H04N1/32352; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/238; H04N21/2389; H04N21/23892; H04N21/80; H04N21/83; H04N21/835; H04N21/8358; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/91; H04N5/913; G06K2019/06215; G06K2019/06253; G06T2201/00; G06T2201/005; G06T2201/0052; H04L; H04L2463/00; H04L2463/103; H04N1/32106; H04N1/32122; H04N2005/91307; H04N2005/91321; H04N2005/91335; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3204; H04N2201/3205; H04N2201/3207; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3226; H04N2201/3233; H04N2201/3269; H04N2201/327; H04N2201/3271; H04N2201/3274; H04N2201/328; H04W; H04W24/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
57 words
A method of image processing that includes encoding the image with additional data that, when represented in the spatial frequency domain, includes a pattern of spot-like orientation markers, said pattern permitting subsequent distortion of the processed image to be characterized, said distortion being scaling or rotation, said encoding being essentially imperceptible to human viewers of the image.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
57 words
A method of image processing that includes encoding the image with additional data that, when represented in the spatial frequency domain, includes a pattern of spot-like orientation markers, said pattern permitting subsequent distortion of the processed image to be characterized, said distortion being scaling or rotation, said encoding being essentially imperceptible to human viewers of the image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 in which said encoding comprises adding a set of overlay data to image data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 in which the additional data also encodes plural-bit message data in addition to said orientation markers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 in which said pattern has at least one axis of symmetry in the spatial frequency domain.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 in which said pattern has two axes of symmetry in the spatial frequency domain.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 in which said pattern includes at least one spot in each of four spatial frequency quadrants of the spatial frequency domain.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 which further includes: processing a suspect image to discern said orientation markers therein; and determining scaling or rotation of said image by reference to the pattern of said spots.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
64 words
A method of processing an input image to yield an encoded image, the encoded image being essentially human-indistinguishable from the input image, the method comprising adding an additional signal to said input image, wherein a frame of difference data obtained by subtracting the input image from the encoded image yields a pattern that, when transformed into the spatial frequency domain, includes plural spot features.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
64 words
A method of processing an input image to yield an encoded image, the encoded image being essentially human-indistinguishable from the input image, the method comprising adding an additional signal to said input image, wherein a frame of difference data obtained by subtracting the input image from the encoded image yields a pattern that, when transformed into the spatial frequency domain, includes plural spot features.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 8 in which said pattern, when transformed into the spatial frequency domain, has at least one axis of symmetry.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 8 which further includes: processing a suspect image to discern said spot features therein; and determining scaling or rotation of said image by reference to a discerned pattern of said spot features.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
83 words
A computer having a memory, the memory having both an image processing program and an image stored therein; the image having earlier been encoded with additional data that is essentially imperceptible to human viewers of the image and that, when represented in the spatial frequency domain, includes a pattern of spot-like orientation markers; the image processing program being adapted to discern from said additional data a distortion of said image subsequent to the time of its encoding, said distortion being scaling or rotation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
83 words
A computer having a memory, the memory having both an image processing program and an image stored therein; the image having earlier been encoded with additional data that is essentially imperceptible to human viewers of the image and that, when represented in the spatial frequency domain, includes a pattern of spot-like orientation markers; the image processing program being adapted to discern from said additional data a distortion of said image subsequent to the time of its encoding, said distortion being scaling or rotation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
98 words
An image processing method that includes encoding an image to secretly convey plural bits of auxiliary data that is essentially imperceptible to human viewers, characterized in that the auxiliary data can be recovered from an encoded image without reference to an unencoded image, the method comprising: during encoding: modifying data related to the image so as to yield modified image data that exhibits a characteristic pattern in a transform domain; and during decoding: finding a pattern in the transform domain that corresponds to said characteristic pattern, and discerning a transformation of said found pattern from said characteristic pattern.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
98 words
An image processing method that includes encoding an image to secretly convey plural bits of auxiliary data that is essentially imperceptible to human viewers, characterized in that the auxiliary data can be recovered from an encoded image without reference to an unencoded image, the method comprising: during encoding: modifying data related to the image so as to yield modified image data that exhibits a characteristic pattern in a transform domain; and during decoding: finding a pattern in the transform domain that corresponds to said characteristic pattern, and discerning a transformation of said found pattern from said characteristic pattern.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 12 in which said modifications also convey the auxiliary data.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 12 in which said modifications do not encode the auxiliary data, but rather serve just to add information by which distortion of the encoded image can be discerned.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 12 in which said transform domain is the spatial frequency domain.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 12 in which the pattern comprises a pattern of energy peaks in the transform domain.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 12 in which the energy peaks in the encoded image have known positions and spacings.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 12 in which the decoding makes use of the Fourier-Mellin transform.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 in which the decoding makes use of a pattern matching process.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 12 that further includes, from said transformation, determining rotation and scaling of the encoded image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
84 words
An image processing method that includes encoding an image to secretly convey plural bits of auxiliary data that is essentially imperceptible to human viewers, characterized in that the auxiliary data can be recovered from an encoded image without reference to an unencoded image, the method including modifying data related to the image so as to yield modified image data that exhibits a characteristic pattern in a transform domain, said characteristic pattern being useful in decoding to discern scaling or rotation of the encoded image.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
84 words
An image processing method that includes encoding an image to secretly convey plural bits of auxiliary data that is essentially imperceptible to human viewers, characterized in that the auxiliary data can be recovered from an encoded image without reference to an unencoded image, the method including modifying data related to the image so as to yield modified image data that exhibits a characteristic pattern in a transform domain, said characteristic pattern being useful in decoding to discern scaling or rotation of the encoded image.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 21 in which said modifications also convey the auxiliary data.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 21 in which said modifications do not convey the auxiliary data, but rather serve just to add information by which distortion of the encoded image can later be determined.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 21 in which said transform domain is the spatial frequency domain.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 21 in which the pattern comprises a pattern of energy peaks in the transform domain.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 25 in which the energy peaks in the encoded image have known positions and spacings.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-05-19 | 2006-11-18 | 2007-05-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-05-19 | 2010-11-18 | 2011-05-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-05-19 | 2014-11-18 | 2015-05-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |