Abstract: In a method of distributing content in plural fragments, each fragment being no longer than a given maximum fragment length, a method of watermarking the content prior to fragmenting the content into the plural fragments, comprising watermarking a given payload symbol from a given alphabet in a given segment of the content, and treating a segment prior to or following the given segment as an intermediary segment, the length of this intermediary segment being substantially equal to or greater than the maximum fragment length.

Abstract: A method of detecting a payload embedded using watermarking in a content stream, the payload being different in a first and a second segment of the content stream, a payload in the second segment having a predetermined relationship with a payload in the first segment, is described. The method selects a point in the content stream where the first segment is likely to end and the second segment to begin, samples the stream to obtain a first set of samples that is before the chosen point and a second set of samples that is after the chosen point, and detects the payload on a combination of the first set and a transformation of the second set, where the transformation is based on the assumption that the second set is from the second segment and exploits the relationship that exists between the payloads in the first and second segments.

Abstract: A method for detecting a payload embedded using watermarking in a content stream, the payload being different in a first and a second segment of the content stream, a payload in the second segment having a predetermined relationship with a payload in the first segment, is described. The method selects a point in the content stream where the first segment is likely to end and the second segment to being, samples the stream to obtain a first set of samples that is before the chosen point and a second set of samples that is after the chosen point, and detects the payload on a combination of the first set and a transformation of the second set, where the transformation is based on the assumption that the second set is from the second segment and exploits the relationship that exists between the payloads in the first and second segments.

Abstract: In a method of distributing content in plural fragments, each fragment being no longer than a given maximum fragment length, a method of watermarking the content prior to fragmenting the content into the plural fragments, comprising water-marking a given payload symbol from a given alphabet in a given segment of the content, and treating a segment prior to or following the given segment as an intermediary segment, the length of this intermediary segment being substantially equal to or greater than the maximum fragment length.

Abstract: A method of watermarking a video signal includes encoding the video signal using at least one encoding parameter that is time-varied according to a watermarking pattern. The parameter affects information lost while encoding the signal. The parameter may be a quantization factor corresponding to a particular coefficient of an encoding transform. The parameter may be an element of a quantization matrix corresponding to a particular coefficient in a block DCT transform. The method may be implemented in devices with limited processing resources by means of a software update. The method enables the devices to imprint an encoded signal with a robust watermark, which may survive subsequent decompression and recompression. Alternatively, a video signal may be watermarked by modifying a magnitude of a non-dc spatial frequency component in a manner which varies with time according to a watermarking pattern. Corresponding watermark detection methods and watermarking devices also are disclosed.

Abstract: Client terminals report an easy-to-calculate identifier such as the Internet URL or a cryptographic hash of the content to a server. The server collects and counts the reported identifiers so as to obtain preliminary statistics. By aggregating these reported identifiers into the preliminary statistics, identifiers are revealed that are likely popular content. The server selects one or more identifiers from the preliminary statistics and makes these available to at least a subset of clients. The clients that obtain these one or more identifiers then access content and compute the easy-to-calculate identifiers as usual. If the computed identifier matches one of the identifiers obtained from the server, the client will additionally extract a watermarked identifier or compute a digital fingerprint of the content in question and report this to the server. The server then uses the received identifier or fingerprint to create final statistics by aggregating the preliminary statistics.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of automatically adding an identifier related to a content item to a communication in a multi-user communication network such as a social network. The method comprising obtaining a robust fingerprint of the content item, retrieving the identifier from a database using the robust fingerprint, and adding the identifier formatted in a format suitable for the multi-user communication network to the communication. Preferably the robust fingerprint relates to a particular timepoint in the content item and the identifier relates to an aspect of the content item at the particular timepoint. Also a system and computer program product.

Abstract: A device for rendering content from a first source comprising a first input for receiving the content from the first source, a second input for receiving a substitution content item from a second source, a substitution module for substituting a segment of the content with the substitution content item, and rendering means for rendering the content wherein the segment is substituted with the substitution content item. The rendering device has monitoring module for monitoring the reception of the segment, and controlling the substitution module dependent on whether the segment is being received, such that the substitution module ceases the substitution upon failure to receive the segment.

Abstract: The problem is solved by a method for broadcasting a broadcast signal, comprising generating an information signal having in time a first content up to a certain time and a second content after this time. The information signal is broadcast as a broadcast signal via a first communication link At least one first feature is being provided with respect to the second content, for example an advertisement. The second content is detected in the information signal using the at least one first feature. On detection of the second content in the information signal at least one second feature is extracted from the first content in the information signal preceding the second content.

Abstract: A method of watermarking a video signal includes encoding the video signal using at least one encoding parameter that is time-varied according to a watermarking pattern. The parameter affects information lost while encoding the signal. The parameter may be a quantization factor corresponding to a particular coefficient of an encoding transform. The parameter may be an element of a quantization matrix corresponding to a particular coefficient in a block DCT transform. The method may be implemented in devices with limited processing resources by means of a software update. The method enables the devices to imprint an encoded signal with a robust watermark, which may survive subsequent decompression and recompression. Alternatively, a video signal may be watermarked by modifying a magnitude of a non-dc spatial frequency component in a manner which varies with time according to a watermarking pattern. Corresponding watermark detection methods and watermarking devices also are disclosed.

Abstract: A video watermarking scheme is disclosed, which is designed for the digital cinema format, as it will be used on large projector screens in theaters. The watermark is designed in such a way that it has minimal impact on the video quality, but is still detectable after capture with a handheld camera and conversion to, for instance, VHS, CD-Video or DVD format. The proposed watermarking system only exploits the temporal axis. This makes it invulnerable to geometrical distortions generally caused by such a way of capturing. The watermark is embedded by modulating a global property of the frames (e.g. the mean luminance) in accordance with the samples of the watermark. The embedding depth is preferably locally adapted within each frame to local statistics of the respective image. Watermark detection is performed by correlating the watermark sequence with extracted mean luminance values of a sequence of frames.

Abstract: A monitoring station for monitoring distribution of media content, on basis of a watermark, comprises: receiving means for receiving an information signal representing the media content to which the watermark is added; extracting means for extracting perceptual features, identifying the information signal; first retrieving means for retrieving a supporting signal on basis of the perceptual features; second retrieving means for retrieving the watermark on basis of the supporting signal; and comparing means for comparing the watermark with predetermined information.

Abstract: A video watermarking scheme is disclosed, which is designed for the digital cinema format, as it will be used on large projector screens in theaters. The watermark is designed in such a way that it has minimal impact on the video quality, but is still detectable after capture with a handheld camera and conversion to, for instance, VHS, CD-Video or DVD format. The proposed watermarking system only exploits the temporal axis. This makes it invulnerable to geometrical distortions generally caused by such a way of capturing. The watermark is embedded by modulating a global property of the frames (e.g. the mean luminance) in accordance with the samples of the watermark. The embedding depth is preferably locally adapted within each frame to local statistics of the respective image. Watermark detection is performed by correlating the watermark sequence with extracted mean luminance values of a sequence of frames.

Abstract: A video watermarking scheme is disclosed, which is designed for the digital cinema format, as it will be used on large projector screens in theaters. The watermark is designed in such a way that it has minimal impact on the video quality, but is still detectable after capture with a handheld camera and conversion to, for instance, VHS, CD-Video or DVD format. The proposed watermarking system only exploits the temporal axis. This makes it invulnerable to geometrical distortions generally caused by such a way of capturing. The watermark is embedded by modulating a global property of the frames (e.g. the mean luminance) in accordance with the samples of the watermark. The embedding depth is preferably locally adapted within each frame to local statistics of the respective image. Watermark detection is performed by correlating the watermark sequence with extracted mean luminance values of a sequence of frames.

Abstract: Client terminals report an easy-to-calculate identifier such as the Internet URL or a cryptographic hash of the content to a server. The server collects and counts the reported identifiers so as to obtain preliminary statistics. By aggregating these reported identifiers into the preliminary statistics, identifiers are revealed that are likely popular content. The server selects one or more identifiers from the preliminary statistics and makes these available to at least a subset of clients. The clients that obtain these one or more identifiers then access content and compute the easy-to-calculate identifiers as usual. If the computed identifier matches one of the identifiers obtained from the server, the client will additionally extract a watermarked identifier or compute a digital fingerprint of the content in question and report this to the server. The server then uses the received identifier or fingerprint to create final statistics by aggregating the preliminary statistics.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements are disclosed for embedding and detecting a watermark in a cinema movie, such that the watermark can be detected in a copy made by a handheld video camera. The watermark embedder divides each image frame into two areas. A watermark bit ‘+1’ is embedded in a frame by increasing the luminance of the first part and decreasing the luminance of the second part. A watermark bit ‘?1’ is embedded by decreasing the luminance of the first part and increasing the luminance of the second part. It is achieved with the invention that the embedded watermark survives ‘de-flicker’ operations that are often used to remove flicker caused by the different frame rates of cinema projection equipment and consumer camcorders.

Abstract: Advanced watermark embedders use psycho visual/acoustic models to minimize perception of the embedded watermark in media contents. However, it is expensive to implement such advanced watermark embedders in consumer appliances (3) such as DVD recorders. In accordance with the invention, embedding strength parameters (JND) are calculated (13) off-line at a remote location (1) and transmitted along with the media contents to the consumer appliance (3). A relatively simple embedder (33) uses the received parameters to control the strength of the watermark (36) to be embedded. The parameters may be accommodated in the transmitted signal as payload of a fragile watermark or as user data in an encrypted MPEG stream.

Abstract: A method of watermarking a video signal includes encoding the video signal using at least one encoding parameter that is time-varied according to a watermarking pattern. The parameter affects information lost while encoding the signal. The parameter may be a quantization factor corresponding to a particular coefficient of an encoding transform. The parameter may be an element of a quantization matrix corresponding to a particular coefficient in a block DCT transform. The method may be implemented in devices with limited processing resources by means of a software update. The method enables the devices to imprint an encoded signal with a robust watermark, which may survive subsequent decompression and recompression. Alternatively, a video signal may be watermarked by modifying a magnitude of a non-dc spatial frequency component in a manner which varies with time according to a watermarking pattern. Corresponding watermark detection methods and watermarking devices also are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of adjusting a supplementary data signal (wm(n)) to be embedded in an information signal (x(n)), for example an audio signal. The method comprises the steps of determining (301) a position where a predetermined property of the information signal exceeds a predetermined threshold, e.g. an attack position, and suppressing (302) the supplementary data signal in a predetermined neighbourhood of the determined position.

Abstract: A method of controlling access to a resource using a verifying device uses watermarking device that embeds an authorization code in a signal using watermarking technology. The watermarked signal is then transmitted to a verifying device, e.g. as a television or radio program or as a commercial related to the resource. In the verifying device, the authorization code is extracted from the watermarked signal and an operation to be performed on the resource is authorized in dependence on the extracted authorization code. Preferably the authorization includes permission for executing a program, rendering and/or copying a multimedia object or for activating a cheat function in an electronic game.