Abstract: Various improvements to steganographic systems, and applications therefore, are disclosed. The improvements include facilitating scale and rotation registration for steganographic decoding by use of rotationally symmetric steganographically embedded patterns and subliminal digital graticules; improved techniques for decoding without access to unencoded originals; improving robustness of steganographic coding in motion pictures and/or in the presence of lossy compression/decompression; and representing data by patterned bit cells whose energy in the spatial domain facilitates decoding registration. Applications include enhanced-security financial transactions, counterfeit resistant identification cards, fraud deterrent systems for cellular telephony, covert modem channels in video transmissions, photo duplication kiosks with automatic copyright detection, and hotlinked image objects (e.g. with embedded URLs) for use on the internet.

Abstract: Methods of processing audio to convey auxiliary control information therein without audible evidence of data alteration. Various arrangements are disclosed. One receives plural bit auxiliary data in which the auxiliary control information is included, and modulates same with noise data to yield intermediate data. The intermediate data is then summed with the original audio to produce the encoded audio. The noise can be tailored to enhance performance, and the intermediate data can be scaled in amplitude so as to better hide the auxiliary data within the audio. One application of the technology is in consumer audio appliances, where the auxiliary control information can be used to trigger some response in the appliance, such as enabling or disabling certain operations.

Abstract: A method of removing fixed pattern noise derives an estimate of fixed pattern noise from a composite media signal and uses the estimate to evaluate and remove fixed pattern noise from selected frames. The technique is particularly suited for removing fixed pattern noise in images due to image capture processes, but applies to other media signals as well. In watermarking applications, the method can be used to improve detection and recovery of a watermark. Also, it may be used to remove components of a watermark or a watermark from a cover signal that contains two or more different watermarks.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods, devices and systems for reconfiguring a watermark detector. In many applications, it is useful to be able to change the operation of a watermark detector. Such changes may include changing how the watermark detector decodes or interprets a watermark embedded in a signal of a given media type, such as audio, video or still images.

Abstract: To enhance decoding of signals suspected of containing a watermark, a suspect signal is screened to compute detection values evincing presence and strength of a watermark. Screening strategies control detector actions, such as rejecting un-marked signals and improving synchronization of watermarks in suspect signals.

Abstract: An integrated optical cursor control—image capture device and related applications. An integrated optical cursor control and scanner device includes an image sensor used to capture instances of image data from which direction of movement of the device can be derived for controlling position of a cursor. In addition, the image sensor captures instances of image data from which a composite image comprised of image samples from the instances of image data can be constructed for image scanning applications.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for detecting and characterizing alterations of media content, such as images, video and audio signals, using watermark messages to carry signal metrics. By comparing signal metrics extracted from the watermark to signal metrics calculated from a suspect signal, a watermark decoder can detect and even classify types of alterations to the watermarked signal.

Abstract: Media objects are transformed into active, connected objects via identifiers embedded into them or their containers. In the context of a user's playback experience, a decoding process extracts the identifier from a media object and possibly additional context information and forwards it to a server. The server, in turn, maps the identifier to an action, such as returning metadata, re-directing the request to one or more other servers, requesting information from another server to identify the media object, etc. The linking process applies to broadcast objects as well as objects transmitted over networks in streaming and compressed file formats.

Abstract: Certain forms of distortion make it difficult to recover hidden data embedded in an audio or image signal by quanitzation techniques. To compensate for this distortion, an embedded data reader analyzes a statistical distribution (e.g., a histogram) of feature samples in an audio or image signal suspected of having hidden auxiliary data to derive an estimate of quantizers used to encode a reference signal. The estimated quantizers then recover the reference signal, and the reader uses the reference signal to determine and compensate for geometric or temporal distortion, like spatial scaling and rotation of image data, and time scale and speed changes of audio data. After compensating for such distortion, the reader can then more accurately recover hidden message data using quantization techniques to extract the message. The reference signal is preferably repeated in blocks of the image or audio data to enable synchronization at many points in an image or audio data stream.

Abstract: A method and system for embedding signatures within visual images in both digital representation and print or film. A signature is inseparably embedded within the visible image, the signature persisting through image transforms that include resizing as well as conversion to print or film among the pixels of an original image. The pixel values of the signature points and surrounding pixels are adjusted by an amount detectable by a digital scanner. The adjusted signature points form a digital signature which is stored for future identification of subject images derived from the image. In one embodiment, a signature is embedded within an image by locating relative extrema in the continuous space of pixel values and selecting the signature points from among the extrema. Preferably, the signature is redundantly embedded in the image such that any of the redundant representations can be used to identify the signature.

Abstract: Multimedia data embedding, such as video, image or audio data watermarking. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method first receives a vector x of N data samples, where X=[x(0)x(1) . . . x(N−1)] and represents multimedia. Next, the method receives a vector p, where P=[p(0)p(1) . . . p(N−1)] and represents a pseudo-random sequence. Finally, the method generates a new vector x′ in which the vector p is embedded in the vector x, such that x′=[x′(0)x′(1) . . . x′(N−1)] and x′=x+aq, where a comprises a perception-based scaling factor and the vector q comprises a perceptually weighted pseudo-random sequence based on the vector p.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods, devices and systems for reconfiguring a watermark detector. In many applications, it is useful to be able to change the operation of a watermark detector. Such changes may include changing how the watermark detector decodes or interprets a watermark embedded in a signal of a given media type, such as audio, video or still images.

Abstract: An embedded signal detection process determines a transformation of a media signal subsequent to the encoding of an embedded code signal into the media signal. The process performs a logarithmic sampling of the media signal to create a sampled signal in which scaling of the media signal is converted to translation in the sampled signal. It then computes the translation of the embedded code signal in the sampled signal to determine scaling of the media signal subsequent to the encoding of the embedded signal in the media signal.

Abstract: A watermark detector maps target media data into a log polar coordinate system and correlates the target media with a detection watermark to compute orientation parameters. The correlation process computes a measure of correlation for an array of potential orientation parameter candidates. Evaluating the correlation associated with these candidates, the detector selects one or more of the orientation parameters. It then proceeds to refine the correlation by using the computed orientation parameters, namely scale and rotation, to find additional parameters such as translation and differential scale.

Abstract: A wavelet domain watermark encoder and decoder embed and detect auxiliary signals in a media signal, such as a still image, video or audio signal. A watermark orientation signal is embedded in a wavelet decomposed signal to facilitate detection of the watermark in a geometrically distorted version of the embedded signal.

Abstract: A method and system for embedding signatures within visual images in both digital representation and print or film. A signature is inseparably embedded within the visible image, the signature persisting through image transforms that include resizing as well as conversion to print or film among the pixels of an original image. The pixel values of the signature points and surrounding pixels are adjusted by an amount detectable by a digital scanner. The adjusted signature points form a digital signature which is stored for future identification of subject images derived from the image. In one embodiment, a signature is embedded within an image by locating relative extrema in the continuous space of pixel values and selecting the signature points from among the extrema. Preferably, the signature is redundantly embedded in the image such that any of the redundant representations can be used to identify the signature.

Abstract: Source materials to be watermarked already have variations in their characteristics that may tend to aid the watermark encoding. Where such favorable variations exist, relatively less watermark energy can be applied.

Abstract: A consumer audio device decodes auxiliary control data that is hidden in audio information. The auxiliary control information can be used to trigger some response in the device, such as enabling or disabling certain operations.

Abstract: An identification code signal is hidden in a carrier signal (such as an electronic data signal or a physical medium) in a manner that permits the identification signal later to be discerned. The carrier signal can thereby be identified, or some machine responsive action can thereby be taken. The technique can be applied in video imagery embodiments to control associated video equipment, e.g. to serve as a copy control signal.

Abstract: A method of marking a work of authorship without apparent evidence of data alteration. The work (e.g., an image) is represented by a set of data elements (e.g., pixels). The marking includes providing first plural-bit data, and computing therefrom additional, error correcting data. This composite set of data is used in image marking, permitting at least certain errors to be discerned and corrected when the marking is later discerned from the image.