US6944298B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Steganographic encoding and decoding of auxiliary codes in media signals
Assignee: Digimarc Corp
•
Filing: 2000-05-31
•
Granted: 2005-09-13
•
Expires: 2020-05-31
Abstract
Abstract One aspect of the invention is a method of decoding an auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal. The method performs a statistical decoding of a multibit auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal. The auxiliary code has been repetitively embedded in the audio signal. The method decodes code values of the auxiliary code from two or more different portions of the audio signal, each having the multibit auxiliary code. It then uses the code values decoded from two or more different portions to determine statistically the code values of the auxiliary code. Another aspect of the invention is another method of decoding an auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal. The method receives an audio signal suspected of being embedded with an auxiliary code. It evaluates a statistical feature of a portion of the audio signal to decode code values of the auxiliary code from the audio signal. It then determines a code value in the auxiliary code based on the statistical feature. The statistical feature may comprise, for example, the power of the audio signal. The statistical feature may be analyzed over different portions of the audio signal to decode two or more values of the auxiliary code.
Inventors
- 👤 Geoffrey B. Rhoads
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:57
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T1/00; G06T1/0021; G06T1/005; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/401; G06Q20/4014; G06Q20/40145; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/20; G07C9/22; G07C9/25; G07C9/253; G07D; G07D7/00; G07D7/003; G07D7/0032; G07D7/004; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/16; 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; G11B20/00166; G11B20/0021; 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; H04N1/32203; H04N1/32208; H04N1/32251; H04N1/32288; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/91; H04N5/913; G06T2201/00; G06T2201/005; G06T2201/0052; G06T2201/0065; 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; H04N2201/328
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of decoding an auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, the method comprising: performing statistical decoding of a multibit auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, where the auxiliary code has been repetitively embedded in the audio signal; decoding code values of the auxiliary code from two or more different portions of the audio signal, each having the multibit auxiliary code; wherein statistical features of portions of the audio signal have been modified according to statistical features associated with the code values to embed the code values in the audio signal; using the code values decoded from the two or more different portions of the audio signal to determine statistically the code values of the auxiliary code.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of decoding an auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, the method comprising: performing statistical decoding of a multibit auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, where the auxiliary code has been repetitively embedded in the audio signal; decoding code values of the auxiliary code from two or more different portions of the audio signal, each having the multibit auxiliary code; wherein statistical features of portions of the audio signal have been modified according to statistical features associated with the code values to embed the code values in the audio signal; using the code values decoded from the two or more different portions of the audio signal to determine statistically the code values of the auxiliary code.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 wherein bit values for code bits are decoded from each portion, and values decoded for the same code bits from different portions are used to statistically derive a bit value for each of the code bits.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of decoding an auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, the method comprising: performing statistical decoding of a multibit auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, where the auxiliary code has been repetitively embedded in the audio signal; decoding code values of the auxiliary code from two or more different portions of the audio signal, each having the multibit auxiliary code; using the code values decoded from the two or more different portions of the audio signal to determine statistically the code values of the auxiliary code; wherein a statistical feature of the audio signal is analyzed to decode the code values of the auxiliary code and wherein the statistical feature of the audio signal comprises entropy.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of decoding an auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, the method comprising: performing statistical decoding of a multibit auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, where the auxiliary code has been repetitively embedded in the audio signal; decoding code values of the auxiliary code from two or more different portions of the audio signal, each having the multibit auxiliary code; using the code values decoded from the two or more different portions of the audio signal to determine statistically the code values of the auxiliary code; wherein a statistical feature of the audio signal is analyzed to decode the code values of the auxiliary code and wherein the statistical feature of the audio signal comprises entropy.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of decoding an auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, the method comprising: performing statistical decoding of a multibit auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, where the auxiliary code has been repetitively embedded in the audio signal; decoding code values of the auxiliary code from two or more different portions of the audio signal, each having the multibit auxiliary code; using the code values decoded from the two or more different portions of the audio signal to determine statistically the code values of the auxiliary code; wherein a statistical feature of the audio signal is analyzed to decode the code values of the auxiliary code and wherein the statistical feature of the audio signal comprises power.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of decoding an auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, the method comprising: performing statistical decoding of a multibit auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, where the auxiliary code has been repetitively embedded in the audio signal; decoding code values of the auxiliary code from two or more different portions of the audio signal, each having the multibit auxiliary code; using the code values decoded from the two or more different portions of the audio signal to determine statistically the code values of the auxiliary code; wherein a statistical feature of the audio signal is analyzed to decode the code values of the auxiliary code and wherein the statistical feature of the audio signal comprises power.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary code is embedded in a digitized form of the audio signal by changing sample values of the digitized audio signal in the time domain.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein signal scaling with which the auxiliary code is embedded in the audio signal varies depending on sample values of the digitized audio signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary code is recoverable from a portion of the audio signal, and confidence with which the auxiliary code is accurately recovered increases with the number of different audio portions from which the auxiliary code is decoded.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary code comprises a code that enables or disables recording capabilities.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary code comprises a copyright identification code.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary code comprises a code used to monitor a broadcast of the audio signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary code comprises a code that triggers transmission of information about the audio signal from a decoding device to a service provider.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary code is used to generate a report about use of the audio signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
130 words
A computer readable medium on which is stored software for performing a method of decoding an auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, the method comprising: performing statistical decoding of a multibit auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, where the auxiliary code has been repetitively embedded in the audio signal; decoding code values of the auxiliary code from two or more different portions of the audio signal, each having the multibit auxiliary code; wherein statistical features of portions of the audio signal have been modified according to statistical features associated with the code values to embed the code values in the audio signal; using the code values decoded from the two or more different portions of the audio signal to determine statistically the code values of the auxiliary code.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
130 words
A computer readable medium on which is stored software for performing a method of decoding an auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, the method comprising: performing statistical decoding of a multibit auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, where the auxiliary code has been repetitively embedded in the audio signal; decoding code values of the auxiliary code from two or more different portions of the audio signal, each having the multibit auxiliary code; wherein statistical features of portions of the audio signal have been modified according to statistical features associated with the code values to embed the code values in the audio signal; using the code values decoded from the two or more different portions of the audio signal to determine statistically the code values of the auxiliary code.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of decoding an auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, the method comprising: receiving an audio signal suspected of being embedded with an auxiliary code; evaluating a statistical feature of a portion of the audio signal to decode code values of the auxiliary code from the audio signal; and determining a code value in the auxiliary code based on the statistical feature; wherein the statistical feature comprises power of the audio signal.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of decoding an auxiliary code embedded in an audio signal, the method comprising: receiving an audio signal suspected of being embedded with an auxiliary code; evaluating a statistical feature of a portion of the audio signal to decode code values of the auxiliary code from the audio signal; and determining a code value in the auxiliary code based on the statistical feature; wherein the statistical feature comprises power of the audio signal.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
212 words
A method of steganographically encoding a set of source data with a set of auxiliary data, each of said sets of data comprising a plurality of elements, the method including: (a) providing a carrier signal; (b) processing elements of the carrier signal in accordance with a corresponding element of the set of auxiliary data to produce a processed datum, including scaling the processed datum as a function of the source data in a perceptual domain in which the source data is perceived by humans so as to make the processed datum adaptive to the source data in the perceptual domain; (c) combining the processed datum with elements of said set of source data to produce an encoded datum, said combining including performing an addition operation between the processed data and said elements of source data; (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for other elements of the sets of auxiliary data and source data, thereby producing a set of encoded data; including modulating a statistical characteristic of samples of the source data such that the resulting encoded source data has a statistical characteristic corresponding to a value of the auxiliary data element being encoded, and the auxiliary data element is decodable by measuring the statistical characteristic for elements of the encoded source data.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
212 words
A method of steganographically encoding a set of source data with a set of auxiliary data, each of said sets of data comprising a plurality of elements, the method including: (a) providing a carrier signal; (b) processing elements of the carrier signal in accordance with a corresponding element of the set of auxiliary data to produce a processed datum, including scaling the processed datum as a function of the source data in a perceptual domain in which the source data is perceived by humans so as to make the processed datum adaptive to the source data in the perceptual domain; (c) combining the processed datum with elements of said set of source data to produce an encoded datum, said combining including performing an addition operation between the processed data and said elements of source data; (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for other elements of the sets of auxiliary data and source data, thereby producing a set of encoded data; including modulating a statistical characteristic of samples of the source data such that the resulting encoded source data has a statistical characteristic corresponding to a value of the auxiliary data element being encoded, and the auxiliary data element is decodable by measuring the statistical characteristic for elements of the encoded source data.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the auxiliary data elements are decodable by performing a statistical analysis to determine a value of the statistical characteristic of a set of samples of the encoded source data, and based on the value of the statistical characteristic, determining a value of the encoded auxiliary data element.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 16 including modulating a statistical characteristic of time domain samples of an audio signal by adding the processed datum with the source data in a time domain.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
192 words
A method of steganographically encoding a set of source data with a set of auxiliary data, each of said sets of data comprising a plurality of elements, the method including: (a) providing a carrier signal; (b) processing elements of the carrier signal in accordance with a corresponding element of the set of auxiliary data to produce a processed datum, including scaling the processed datum as a function of the source data in a perceptual domain in which the source data is perceived by humans so as to make the processed datum adaptive to the source data in the perceptual domain; (c) combining the processed datum with elements of said set of source data to produce an encoded datum, said combining including performing an addition operation between the processed data and said elements of source data; (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for other elements of the sets of auxiliary data and source data, thereby producing a set of encoded data; including modulating statistical characteristics of time domain samples of the source signal such that the auxiliary data is decoded by computing the statistical characteristics of the samples of the encoded source signal.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
192 words
A method of steganographically encoding a set of source data with a set of auxiliary data, each of said sets of data comprising a plurality of elements, the method including: (a) providing a carrier signal; (b) processing elements of the carrier signal in accordance with a corresponding element of the set of auxiliary data to produce a processed datum, including scaling the processed datum as a function of the source data in a perceptual domain in which the source data is perceived by humans so as to make the processed datum adaptive to the source data in the perceptual domain; (c) combining the processed datum with elements of said set of source data to produce an encoded datum, said combining including performing an addition operation between the processed data and said elements of source data; (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for other elements of the sets of auxiliary data and source data, thereby producing a set of encoded data; including modulating statistical characteristics of time domain samples of the source signal such that the auxiliary data is decoded by computing the statistical characteristics of the samples of the encoded source signal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the statistical characteristics are modulated by adding the carrier signal that has been modulated with the auxiliary data.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of steganographically encoding a set of source data with a set of auxiliary data, each of said sets of data comprising a plurality of elements, the method including: providing a carrier signal; processing elements of the carrier signal in accordance with corresponding elements of the set of auxiliary data to produce processed data sets; combining the processed data sets with elements of said set of source data to produce encoded source data, including modulating a statistical characteristic of samples of the source data such that the resulting encoded source data has a statistical characteristic corresponding to a value of the auxiliary data element being encoded, and the auxiliary data element is decodable by measuring the statistical characteristic for elements of the encoded source data.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of steganographically encoding a set of source data with a set of auxiliary data, each of said sets of data comprising a plurality of elements, the method including: providing a carrier signal; processing elements of the carrier signal in accordance with corresponding elements of the set of auxiliary data to produce processed data sets; combining the processed data sets with elements of said set of source data to produce encoded source data, including modulating a statistical characteristic of samples of the source data such that the resulting encoded source data has a statistical characteristic corresponding to a value of the auxiliary data element being encoded, and the auxiliary data element is decodable by measuring the statistical characteristic for elements of the encoded source data.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the auxiliary data elements are decodable by performing a statistical analysis to determine a value of the statistical characteristic of a set of samples of the encoded source data, and based on the value of the statistical characteristic, determining a value of the encoded auxiliary data element.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 20 , includes modulating a statistical characteristic of time domain samples of an audio signal by adding the processed data sets with the source data in a time domain.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
137 words
A computer readable medium on which is stored instructions for performing a method of steganographically encoding a set of source data with a set of auxiliary data, each of said sets of data comprising a plurality of elements, the method including: providing a carrier signal; processing elements of the carrier signal in accordance with corresponding elements of the set of auxiliary data to produce processed data sets; combining the processed data sets with elements of said set of source data to produce encoded source data, including modulating a statistical characteristic of samples of the source data such that the resulting encoded source data has a statistical characteristic corresponding to a value of the auxiliary data element being encoded, and the auxiliary data element is decodable by measuring the statistical characteristic for elements of the encoded source data.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
137 words
A computer readable medium on which is stored instructions for performing a method of steganographically encoding a set of source data with a set of auxiliary data, each of said sets of data comprising a plurality of elements, the method including: providing a carrier signal; processing elements of the carrier signal in accordance with corresponding elements of the set of auxiliary data to produce processed data sets; combining the processed data sets with elements of said set of source data to produce encoded source data, including modulating a statistical characteristic of samples of the source data such that the resulting encoded source data has a statistical characteristic corresponding to a value of the auxiliary data element being encoded, and the auxiliary data element is decodable by measuring the statistical characteristic for elements of the encoded source data.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
142 words
A steganographic decoder operable to decode the encoded source data which has been encoded according to a method of steganographically encoding a set of source data with a set of auxiliary data, each of said sets of data comprising a plurality of elements, the method including: providing a carrier signal; processing elements of the carrier signal in accordance with corresponding elements of the set of auxiliary data to produce processed data sets; combining the processed data sets with elements of said set of source data to produce encoded source data, including modulating a statistical characteristic of samples of the source data such that the resulting encoded source data has a statistical characteristic corresponding to a value of the auxiliary data element being encoded, and the auxiliary data element is decodable by measuring the statistical characteristic for elements of the encoded source data.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
142 words
A steganographic decoder operable to decode the encoded source data which has been encoded according to a method of steganographically encoding a set of source data with a set of auxiliary data, each of said sets of data comprising a plurality of elements, the method including: providing a carrier signal; processing elements of the carrier signal in accordance with corresponding elements of the set of auxiliary data to produce processed data sets; combining the processed data sets with elements of said set of source data to produce encoded source data, including modulating a statistical characteristic of samples of the source data such that the resulting encoded source data has a statistical characteristic corresponding to a value of the auxiliary data element being encoded, and the auxiliary data element is decodable by measuring the statistical characteristic for elements of the encoded source data.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 20 including: repeating instances of the auxiliary data throughout the source data, and with each instance, varying the carrier signal.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of steganographically encoding a set of source data with a set of auxiliary data, each of said sets of data comprising a plurality of elements, the method including: providing a transformation between auxiliary data elements and a code signal; processing elements of the auxiliary data in accordance with the transformation to produce processed data sets; combining the processed data sets with elements of said set of source data to produce encoded source data, including modulating a statistical characteristic of samples of the source data such that the resulting encoded source data has a statistical characteristic corresponding to a value of the auxiliary data element being encoded, and the auxiliary data element is decodable by measuring the statistical characteristic for elements of the encoded source data.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of steganographically encoding a set of source data with a set of auxiliary data, each of said sets of data comprising a plurality of elements, the method including: providing a transformation between auxiliary data elements and a code signal; processing elements of the auxiliary data in accordance with the transformation to produce processed data sets; combining the processed data sets with elements of said set of source data to produce encoded source data, including modulating a statistical characteristic of samples of the source data such that the resulting encoded source data has a statistical characteristic corresponding to a value of the auxiliary data element being encoded, and the auxiliary data element is decodable by measuring the statistical characteristic for elements of the encoded source data.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 26 including: repeating instances of the auxiliary data throughout the source data, and with each instance, varying the transformation.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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