Abstract:
Content identifiers are associated with respective metadata. Through use of the metadata, a user's experience with the content can be enhanced. A variety of other arrangements are also detailed.
Abstract:
A number of novel watermarking applications, and improvements to watermarking methods, are disclosed. Included are techniques for encoding printed circuit boards and street signs with watermarks, deterring credit card fraud and controlling software licensing using watermarks, registering collectibles via watermarks, encoding the margins of printed pages with watermarks, and using watermarks to convey extra information in video by which fidelity of the rendered video may be improved. One particular arrangement is a method in which a PDA, wristwatch, or other portable device with a display screen presents a pattern that includes a machine-readable identifier. This image is sensed by a separate device, such as a webcam or a camera-equipped cell phone. The sensing device can then take an action based on the identifier. In some arrangements, the action is personalized to the user.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus employing digital watermarking and/or steganography. In one implementation a printer includes watermarking capabilities to facilitate image management. Other implementations are detailed herein as well.
Abstract:
A method for decoding auxiliary data from media signals in multimedia content decodes auxiliary data, including digital watermarks, from different media signals and uses the watermarks to control processing of the multimedia content. A copy control method decodes a watermark from one of the media signals in multimedia content, and uses the watermark to control processing of the multimedia content. Another method uses a watermark decoded from a first media signal to decode a second media signal. Yet another method uses a watermark decoded from a media signal to decode metadata associated with the media signal. Finally, another method forms a key for decoding data from at least first and second watermarks extracted from first and second media signals.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a method of securing messages steganographically embedded in media (e.g., printed or electronic objects, audio and video). In one implementation, a message includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a first message and a first checksum, which are encrypted with a private key. The encrypted first portion is combined with the second portion. The second portion includes a second message and as second checksum. The combined encrypted first portion and the second portion form a signature. The signature is encrypted with a common or universal key, perhaps after error correction coding. The private key is uniquely associated with an entity such as a document issuing jurisdiction. In another implementation, a method appends information to a watermark message received from a remote device. The information preferably corresponds to the remote device or to a user of the remote device. In yet another implementation, a method provides standardized watermark payloads from various input data, regardless of the size of the input data.
Abstract:
A system where collateral information in a file or image is used together with information concerning a particular user's characteristics to direct a user to a particular web site. A user is direct to a web site and presented with information based both upon the original collateral information and information from the data base of user's characteristics. In one embodiment, a file or data stream includes collateral data that identifies the URL of a central web site. When a file containing the collateral data is transferred to a browser, the central web site is accessed and it interrogates a data base containing various information. The output of the data base search is another URL that directs the browser that received the original collateral data to another web site which then sends information to the user. In an alternate embodiment, a user uses a handheld digital camera to gather information from images such as magazine covers or product boxes. The images contain digital watermarks that carry collateral data. The collateral data is used to interrogate either a local or a remote database which contains information pertinent to the particular user's characteristics.
Abstract:
An underground sprinkler system including a tank having an inner cavity adapted to hold chemicals, a distribution pipe fluidly connected to the inner cavity of the tank allowing chemicals to be added to the tank; a mixer connector pipe fluidly connected to the inner cavity of the tank and to a water source hose; a pump disposed in the tank for pumping the chemicals out of the inner cavity of the tank and into the water source hose via the mixer connector pipe; and a secondary connector pipe fluidly connected to the inner cavity of the tank and to the water source hose, the secondary connector pipe allows water from the water source hose to enter into the inner cavity of the tank.
Abstract:
The invention provides methods for embedding digital watermarks for authentication of printed objects, and corresponding methods for authenticating these objects. One aspect of the invention is a method of embedding a digital watermark in a digital image to be printed on an object. The method embeds an auxiliary signal in the digital image so that the auxiliary signal is substantially imperceptible, yet machine readable. It converts the image to a halftone image using a halftoning process. If copies are made of the printed image, the image characteristics change due a change in the halftoning process used to create the copies. These changes are detected to determine whether a suspect document is authentic.
Abstract:
A user gestures with a wireless mobile phone device to control some aspect of its operation, or the operation of a remote system with which the device communicates. (The gestures may be sensed by tracking movement of a feature across a field of view of a mobile phone device camera.) The resultant operation may additionally depend on other data obtained by the wireless device, e.g., obtained from an electronic or physical object, or sensed from the environment. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
Abstract:
The disclosure describes methods and apparatus of providing steganographic indicia or digital watermarking in image or video data. One implementation provides a method of embedding a digital watermark in image data captured by an imager, with watermark embedding occurring on-chip with the imager. Another implementation provides a method of managing images. Each of the images comprises plural-bit data steganographically embedded therein in the form of a digital watermark, with the plural-bit data corresponding to a geo-location. Yet another implementation provides a method of identifying locations on a map, with the map being for display via a computer display. Still another implementation provides a method of introducing a watermark message to a watermark embedder located on-chip with an image array. Other implementations and embodiments are provided as well.