Hierarchical authentication system for images and video

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic of the image is based on chrominance or luminance values for the blocks or sub-blocks.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 , wherein the first-level signature segment is generated by ordering the blocks based on the first-level block value for each block and generating a binary code corresponding to the order of the blocks.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 , wherein the second-level signature segment is generated by ordering the sub-blocks based on the second-level value for each sub-block and generating binary codes corresponding to the ordered sub-blocks and the binary codes corresponding to the second-level signature segment are combined with the binary code corresponding to the first-level signature segment.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 , wherein there are four first-level blocks which are each divided into four second-level sub-blocks.

Claim 7

The method of claim 3 , wherein there are four-level blocks which are each divided into four second-level sub-blocks.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 , wherein the order of the four first-level blocks are assigned a 5-digit binary code.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 , wherein the second-level signature is generated by ordering the sub-blocks based on the second-level sub-block values and assigning 5-digit binary codes to groups of four sub-blocks.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8 , wherein the blocks are ordered in ascending or descending order of the first-level block values and second-level block values.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9 , wherein selected binary codes for the signature segment are assigned when the first-level block values or second-level block values of two or more blocks or sub-blocks are equal.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second-level sub-blocks are subdivided into a selected number of third-level sub-blocks, third level signature segments are generated from the third-level, sub-blocks and the third-level signature segments are combined with the first and second-level signature segments.

Claim 15

The method of claim 12 , wherein there are four blocks and the first level signature segment is a 5 bit binary code.

Claim 16

The method of claim 13 , wherein each block is divided into four sub-blocks and each of the four sub-blocks is assigned a 5 bit binary code and the four five bit codes are combined to form the second-level signature segment.

Claim 19

The system of claim 15 , wherein the data processor determines the first level block value based on chrominance or luminance values for the blocks or sub-blocks.

Claim 20

The system of claim 15 , wherein the data processor subdivides at least some of the second-level sub-blocks into a selected number of third-level sub-blocks and generate signature segments based on the third-level sub-blocks.

Claim 23

The system of claim 18 , wherein the data processor divides the image into four blocks and create a 5 bit binary code as the first level signature segment.

Claim 24

The system of claim 19 , wherein the data processor divides each block into four sub-blocks and each of the four sub-blocks is assigned a 5 bit binary code and the four five bit codes are combined to form the second-level signature segment.

Claim 27

The method of claim 21 , wherein the medium is selected from the group consisting of floppy disks, DVDs, video cassettes, and CDs.

Claim 28

An image authentication system, comprising: providing a first image; generating an authentication signature by a first method comprising partitioning at least a portion of an image into a selected number of first-level blocks of image information; determining a first-level block value corresponding to a characteristic of the portion of the image contained in each first-level block; processing the first-level block values for the first-level blocks and generating a first-level signature segment based on the first-level block values as a result of such processing; subdividing each first-level block into a selected number of second-level sub-blocks; determining a second-level sub-block value corresponding to a characteristic of the portion of the image contained in each second-level sub-block; processing the second-level block values for the second-level sub-blocks and generating a second-level signature segment based on the second-level block values as a result of such processing; and combining the second-level signature segment with the first-level signature segment; providing a second image which may be identical to the first image; generating a second signature for the second image by the first method; and comparing the first signature to the second signature.

Claim 29

An image authentication system, comprising: providing a first image; generating an authentication signature by a first method comprising partitioning at least a portion of an image into a selected number of first-level blocks of image information; determining a first-level block value corresponding to a characteristic of the portion of the image contained in each first-level block; processing the first-level block values for the first-level blocks and generating a first-level signature segment based on the first-level block values as a result of such processing; subdividing each first-level block into a selected number of second-level sub-blocks; determining a second-level sub-block value corresponding to a characteristic of the portion of the image contained in each second-level sub-block; processing the second-level block values for the second-level sub-blocks and generating a second-level signature segment based on the second-level block values as a result of such processing; and combining the second-level signature segment with the first-level signature segment; providing a second image which may be identical to the first image; generating a second signature for the second image by the first method; and comparing the first signature to the second signature.