| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080298632 | CORRECTING IMAGE CAPTURE DISTORTION - The present invention relates generally to improving readability of machine-readable information, despite signal capture distortion. One claim recites a method including: obtaining input data; altering a digital watermark or a digital watermarking process to pre-distort a digital watermark signal, wherein the altering is intended to counteract or compensate for expected distortion enabling machine-based detection of an embedded, pre-distorted digital watermark signal despite the expected distortion, the expected distortion includes distortion associated with optical capture of the input data and embedding the pre-distorted digital watermark signal in the input data. Another claim recites a method including: obtaining input data, the input data representing imagery captured with at least an optical lens, the input data comprising test data and a machine-readable signal; evaluating characteristics associated with the test data to determine information regarding lens blurring of the input data associated with the optical lens; adjusting the input data to compensate for or to correct the lens blurring based at least in part on the information; analyzing the compensated for or corrected input data to obtain the machine-readable signal. Of course, other methods and combinations are provided as well. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20090003648 | Color Image or Video Processing - The present invention relates generally to color image processing. One claim recites a method of color masking an image including: reading color values of an image sample and a corresponding change of an attribute of the image sample; and based on the color values of the image sample, mapping the change in the image sample attribute to a change in color components of the image sample that is equivalent to the change in the image sample attribute, yet reduces visibility of the change in the image sample attribute for the specific color values of the image sample. Another claim recites a method including: obtaining data representing digital imagery or video; analyzing at least a portion of the data to determine one or more color characteristics associated with the at least a portion of the data, said act of analyzing yielding a result; based at least in part on the result, generating a key; and embedding auxiliary data in the data representing digital imagery or video using the key. Still another claim recites a user interface method for use with a watermark encoder, including: presenting a user interface to enable a user to control strength of a watermark to be encoded in a specified color or color region; based on user input, controlling strength of a watermark encoded in the specified color or color region. Of course other claims and combinations are provided as well. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090008454 | Readers to Analyze Security Features on Objects - The present invention provides readers to analyze emerging security or authentication feature for physical objects (e.g., identification documents, product packaging, banknotes, etc.). One claim recites a reader including: an excitation source to excite an object with first non-visible light, the object comprising first indicia provided with a first ink or dye and second indicia provided with a second ink or dye, the second ink or dye comprising an emission decay time that is relatively longer than an emission decay time of the first ink or dye, the first indicia and the second indicia collectively conveying a first machine readable feature when illuminated with the first non-visible light, with the second indicia individually conveying a second machine readable feature after emissions attributable to the first indicia fall to a first level; and a code reader to read at least the second machine readable feature after emissions attributable to the first ink or dye fall to the first level and before emissions attributable to the second ink or dye fall to a second level. Other claims and combinations are provided as well. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090086230 | Methods and Apparatuses for Printer Calibration - A test pattern printed by a printer is assessed—without colorimetric equipment—to provide data used in recalibrating the printer. The assessment may be made by an unskilled operator, and can include discerning whether a particular pattern is visible in the printed test pattern, or whether a feature in the test pattern is relatively wider or narrower. From such assessment, needed changes to the printer's calibration data are inferred and implemented. A variety of other printer calibration techniques are disclosed. The technology is illustrated in the context of dye sublimation printers, and is particularly useful in optimizing printing of digitally-watermarked graphics. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090087018 | PERCEPTABILITY MODEL APPLIED TO WATERMARK SIGNALS - This document relates generally to digital watermarking. One claim recites a method including: obtaining data representing visual media; determining a model through iteratively embedding a digital watermark signal in the data; and embedding the digital watermark signal in the data according to the model. The model maximizes robustness of the digital watermark signal while minimizing perceptibility of the digital watermark signal when the signal is embedded in the data. A new embedding form or embedding mask is created after each embedding iteration. Of course, other combinations are described and claimed as well. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090207920 | Perceptual Modeling of Media Signals for Data Hiding - The present invention relates generally to embedding auxiliary data and data hiding. One claim recites a method including: calculating with a processor or electronic circuitry characteristics of a media signal comprising audio or video; based at least in part on calculated characteristics of the media signal, providing a map of the media signal, wherein the map identifies at least one portion of the media signal in which plural-bit data should be steganographically encoded; transforming at least some portions of the media signal into a transform domain; and steganographically encoding with a processor or electronic circuitry auxiliary data in data representing at least the one portion of the media signal in which the plural-bit data should be steganographically encoded, and wherein at least said act of transforming or said act of steganographically encoding utilizes the map of the media signal. Other claims and combinations are also provided. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20100013951 | Digital Watermarking Methods, Programs and Apparatus - The present claims recite various steganographic and digital watermarking methods and apparatus. One claim recites a method of watermarking a representation of a physical object. The method includes: projecting a watermark orientation component onto a physical object; and using a camera or image sensor, capturing an image or video of the physical object including the watermark orientation component as projected thereon. Another claim recites an apparatus including: a light source for projecting a registration component onto a physical object; a camera or sensor for capturing an image or video of the physical object including the registration component as projected thereon; and an electronic processor programmed for encoding a message in the image or video captured by said camera or sensor. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided as well. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100150396 | Out of Phase Digital Watermarking in Two Chrominance Directions - The present invention relate generally to digital watermarking. One claim recites an apparatus comprising: electronic memory for buffering a color video signal comprising a first frame and a second frame; and one or more electronic processors programmed for: transforming a first color channel and a second color channel of the first frame by hiding a digital watermark in the first color channel such that the first digital watermark includes a first signal polarity, and hiding the digital watermark in the second color channel such that the digital watermark includes a second signal polarity that is inversely related to the first signal polarity; transforming a first color channel and a second color channel of the second frame by hiding a digital watermark in the first color channel such that the first digital watermark includes the second signal polarity, and hiding the digital watermark in the second color channel such that the digital watermark includes the first signal polarity. Of course, different combinations and claims are provided too. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100150434 | Out of Phase Digital Watermarking in Two Chrominance Directions - The present invention relate generally to digital watermarking. One claim recites a method including: obtaining first data representing a first chrominance channel of a color image or video, where the first data comprises a watermark signal embedded therein; obtaining second data representing a second chrominance channel of the color image or video, the second data comprising the watermark signal embedded therein but with a signal polarity that is inversely related to the polarity of the watermark signal in the first data; combining the second data with the first data in a manner that reduces image or video interference relative to the watermark signal, said act of combining yielding third data; using at least a processor or electronic processing circuitry, processing the third data to obtain the watermark signal; and once obtained, providing information associated with the watermark signal. Of course, additional combinations and claims are provided as well. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100310117 | COLOR IMAGE OR VIDEO PROCESSING - The present invention relates generally to color image processing. One claim recites a method comprising: determining a plurality of color attributes associated with video or imagery; determining which samples representing the video or imagery should receive digital watermarking based on the plurality of color attributes; transforming at least some of the samples into a transform domain; and utilizing a programmed electronic processor, modifying transform domain coefficients representing the samples to hide the digital watermarking therein. Of course other claims and combinations are provided as well. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100310164 | COLOR IMAGE OR VIDEO PROCESSING - The present invention relates generally to color image processing. One claim recites a method of color masking an image or video including: reading color values of an image sample of the image or video and a corresponding change of an attribute of the image sample; and based on the color values of the image sample, and using a programmed electronic processor, mapping the change in the image sample attribute to a change in color components of the image sample that is equivalent to the change in the image sample attribute, yet reduces visibility of the change in the image sample attribute for the specific color values of the image sample. Another claim recites a method including: obtaining data representing digital imagery or video; analyzing at least a portion of the data to determine one or more color characteristics associated with the at least a portion of the data, said act of analyzing yielding a result; based at least in part on the result, generating a key; and using a programmed electronic processor, embedding auxiliary data in the data representing digital imagery or video using the key. Of course other claims and combinations are provided as well. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100322467 | Steganographic Encoding and Decoding - This patent document relates generally to steganography and digital watermarking. One claim recites, in a watermark encoder, a method of encoding auxiliary information in an image or video comprising: using a programmed electronic processor, computing a change in an attribute of an image or video sample to encode auxiliary information in the image or video; and changing color values of the image or video sample to effect the change in the attribute, in which changes to color values are determined based at least in part on both: i) visibility of the changes, and ii) anticipated watermark detection. Of course, other claims are provided too. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110007935 | Digital Watermarking in Data Representing Color Channels - The present disclosure relates to digital watermarking. One claim recites a method to detect two or more different digital watermarks in media. The method includes: receiving captured imagery of the media, the captured imagery comprising a plurality of image frames; for a first image frame applying a first watermark detector to search for a first digital watermark hidden within the first image frame, in which an electronic processor is programmed as the first watermark detector; and for a second image frame applying a second, different watermark detector to search for a second, different watermark hidden within the second image frame, in which an electronic processor is programmed as the second watermark detector. Other claims and combinations are provided too. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110150268 | Perceptual Modeling of Media Signals for Data Hiding - The present disclosure relates generally to embedding auxiliary data and data hiding. One claim recites a method including: receiving data representing a media signal; using a programmed electronic processor, calculating perceptibility characteristics of the media signal, in which the perceptibility characteristics include contrast; using a programmed electronic processor, calculating a non-linear contrast to gain mapping using the perceptibility characteristics; using a programmed electronic processor, embedding an auxiliary signal in the media signal with reference to the non-linear contrast to gain mapping. Other claims and combinations are also provided. | 06-23-2011 |
