USRE40919E1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Methods for surveying dissemination of proprietary empirical data
Assignee: Digimarc Corp
•
Filing: 2004-01-27
•
Granted: 2009-09-22
•
Expires: 2024-01-27
Abstract
Abstract An automated system checks networked computers, such as computers on the internet, for watermarked audio, video, or image data. A report listing the location of such audio, video or image data is generated, and provided to the proprietor(s) thereof identified by the watermark information.
Inventors
- 👤 Geoffrey B. Rhoads
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:04
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00838; H04N1/0084; H04N1/00843; H04N1/00846; B; B42; B42D; B42D25/00; G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/955; G06F21/00; G06F21/10; G06F21/16; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/06009; G06K19/06037; G06K19/06046; G06K19/08; G06K19/10; G06K19/14; G06K19/18; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/14; G06K7/1404; G06K7/1408; G06K7/1417; G06K7/1439; G06K7/1447; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/306; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/401; G06Q20/4014; G06Q20/40145; G06T; G06T1/00; G06T1/0021; G06T1/005; G06T1/0064; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/20; G07C9/22; G07C9/25; G07C9/253; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/16; G07F17/26; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/086; G07F7/10; G07F7/1008; G07F7/12; G10; G10L; G10L19/00; G10L19/018; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/00086; G11B20/00094; G11B20/00166; G11B20/0021; G11B20/00884; G11B20/00891; H04B; H04B1/00; H04B1/66; H04B1/665; H04N1/00002; H04N1/00005; H04N1/00026; H04N1/00037; H04N1/00071; H04N1/00074; H04N1/00079; H04N1/00856; H04N1/00875; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32144; H04N1/32149; H04N1/32154; H04N1/3216; H04N1/32203; H04N1/32208; H04N1/32251; H04N1/32288; H04N1/32309; H04N1/32352; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/91; H04N5/913; G06F2221/00; G06F2221/21; G06F2221/2107; G06F2221/2111; G06F2221/2119; G06K2019/06215; G06K2019/06253; G06T2201/00; G06T2201/005; G06T2201/0052; G06T2201/0601; H04N1/32106; H04N1/32122; H04N2005/91307; H04N2005/91321; H04N2005/91335; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0077; H04N2201/0091; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3204; H04N2201/3205; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3226; H04N2201/323; H04N2201/3233; H04N2201/3235; H04N2201/3269; H04N2201/327; H04N2201/3271; H04N2201/3274
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
231 words
A method for surveying distribution of proprietary empirical data sets, such as audio, image, or video data, on computer sites accessible via the internet, comprising: automatically downloading data, including empirical data sets, from a plurality of computer sites over the internet; for each of a plurality of empirical data sets obtained by said downloading operation, automatically screening same to identify the potential presence of identification data steganographically encoded therein; for each of a plurality of empirical data sets screened by said screening operation, discerning identification data, if any, steganographically encoded therein; and generating a report identifying steganographically encoded empirical data sets identified by the foregoing steps, and the site from which each was downloaded; wherein there is calibration data steganographically encoded within at least one empirical data set, said calibration data having one or more known properties facilitating identification thereof during the discerning step; the method including identifying the calibration data within the empirical data set and using data obtained thereby to aid in discerning the identification data from the empirical data set; wherein the empirical data set has been corrupted since being encoded, said corruption including a process selected from the group consisting of: misregistration and scaling of the empirical data set; the method further including using said data to compensate for said corruption, wherein the identification data can nonetheless be recovered from the empirical data set notwithstanding said corruption.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
231 words
A method for surveying distribution of proprietary empirical data sets, such as audio, image, or video data, on computer sites accessible via the internet, comprising: automatically downloading data, including empirical data sets, from a plurality of computer sites over the internet; for each of a plurality of empirical data sets obtained by said downloading operation, automatically screening same to identify the potential presence of identification data steganographically encoded therein; for each of a plurality of empirical data sets screened by said screening operation, discerning identification data, if any, steganographically encoded therein; and generating a report identifying steganographically encoded empirical data sets identified by the foregoing steps, and the site from which each was downloaded; wherein there is calibration data steganographically encoded within at least one empirical data set, said calibration data having one or more known properties facilitating identification thereof during the discerning step; the method including identifying the calibration data within the empirical data set and using data obtained thereby to aid in discerning the identification data from the empirical data set; wherein the empirical data set has been corrupted since being encoded, said corruption including a process selected from the group consisting of: misregistration and scaling of the empirical data set; the method further including using said data to compensate for said corruption, wherein the identification data can nonetheless be recovered from the empirical data set notwithstanding said corruption.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 which includes providing a master code signal, and using said code signal is discerning said steganographically encoded identification data from said screened empirical data sets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 2 in which said master code signal has the appearance of unpatterned snow if represented in the a pixel domain.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 in which said discerning of identification data from said downloaded empirical data is accomplished without previous knowledge of the audio, image, or video information represented thereby.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 which includes identifying proprietors of empirical data sets by reference to identification data steganographically discerned therefrom, and reporting to said proprietors the sites from which their empirical data sets were downloaded.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 5 in which said identification data includes information in addition to data identifying said proprietor, and the method includes providing said additional data to said proprietors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 5 in which said identification data is a serial number index into a registry database containing names and contact information for proprietors identified by said identification data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 in which the empirical data sets include image data, and the method includes: converting said image data to pixel form, if not already in said form; and performing a plurality of statistical analyses on said pixel form image data to discern the identification data therefrom.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 8 in which each statistical analysis includes analyzing a collection of spaced apart pixels to decode a single, first bit of the identification data therefrom, said analysis to decode the first bit encompassing not just said spaced apart pixels, but also pixels adjacent thereto, said adjacent pixels not being encoded with said first bit.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for surveying distribution of proprietary empirical data sets on computer sites accessible via the internet, comprising: providing a master code signal useful for detecting steganographic coding within empirical data sets; automatically downloading data, including empirical data sets, from a plurality of computer sites over the internet; for each of a plurality of empirical data sets obtained by said downloading operation, discerning certain identification data, if any, steganographically encoded therein, said discerning employing said master code signal as a decoding key; and generating a report identifying steganographically encoded empirical data sets identified by the foregoing steps, and the site from which each was downloaded; wherein there is calibration data steganographically encoded within at least one empirical data set, said calibration data having one or more known properties facilitating identification thereof during the discerning step; the method including identifying the calibration data within the empirical data set and using data obtained thereby to aid in discerning the identification data from the empirical data set; wherein the empirical data set has been corrupted since being encoded, said corruption including a process selected from the group consisting of: misregistration and scaling of the empirical data set; the method further including using said data to compensate for said corruption, wherein the identification data can nonetheless be recovered from the empirical data set notwithstanding said corruption.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for surveying distribution of proprietary empirical data sets on computer sites accessible via the internet, comprising: providing a master code signal useful for detecting steganographic coding within empirical data sets; automatically downloading data, including empirical data sets, from a plurality of computer sites over the internet; for each of a plurality of empirical data sets obtained by said downloading operation, discerning certain identification data, if any, steganographically encoded therein, said discerning employing said master code signal as a decoding key; and generating a report identifying steganographically encoded empirical data sets identified by the foregoing steps, and the site from which each was downloaded; wherein there is calibration data steganographically encoded within at least one empirical data set, said calibration data having one or more known properties facilitating identification thereof during the discerning step; the method including identifying the calibration data within the empirical data set and using data obtained thereby to aid in discerning the identification data from the empirical data set; wherein the empirical data set has been corrupted since being encoded, said corruption including a process selected from the group consisting of: misregistration and scaling of the empirical data set; the method further including using said data to compensate for said corruption, wherein the identification data can nonetheless be recovered from the empirical data set notwithstanding said corruption.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 10 which includes automatically screening each of a plurality of said empirical data sets obtained by said downloading operation, to identify the potential presence of identification data steganographically encoded therein and, for those data sets that pass said screening process, discerning identification data, if any, steganographically encoded therein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 10 in which said master code signal has the appearance of unpatterned snow if represented in the a pixel domain.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 10 in which said discerning of identification data from said downloaded empirical data is accomplished without previous knowledge of the audio, image, or video information represented thereby.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 10 which includes identifying proprietors of empirical data sets by reference to identification data steganographically discerned therefrom, and reporting to said proprietors the sites from which their empirical data sets were downloaded.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 14 in which said identification data includes information in addition to data identifying said proprietor, and the method includes providing said additional data to said proprietors.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 14 in which said identification data is a serial number index into a registry database containing names and contact information for proprietors identified by said identification data.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 10 in which the empirical data sets include image data, and the method includes: converting said image data to pixel form, if not already in said form; and performing a plurality of statistical analyses on said pixel form image data to discern the identification data therefrom.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 17 in which each statistical analysis includes analyzing a collection of spaced apart pixels to decode a single, first bit of the identification data therefrom, said analysis to decode the first bit encompassing not just said spaced apart pixels, but also pixels adjacent thereto, said adjacent pixels not being encoded with said first bit.
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