Digital watermarking and fingerprinting applications

Abstract

Methods and systems include: (1) steganographically embedding location information in images, where the location information is obtained from remote sources like a cell phone network or remote GPS receiver; (2) steganographically embedding participant IDs in content to ensure proper billing and royalty tracking; (3) providing a fingerprint database which is limited to a play list for a particular broadcast network over a predetermined period; (4) providing fair-use content management based upon digital watermark-tracked usage; (5) providing micro-payments based upon watermarked ID cards for retailers; or (6) providing watermarked logon cards, such as watermarked hotel room keys, to better provide internet logon access control.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of steganographically embedding geo-location information in an image captured by a camera associated with cell phone, said method comprises steps of: 
 determining geo-location information based on attributes associated with a cell phone network; and    steganographically embedding the geo-location information in the image.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cell phone network comprises a signal tower, and the attributes are associated with the tower.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the cell phone communicates a signal, and wherein the attributes comprise strength of the signal as received by the tower and a direction associated with the signal.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cell phone network comprises a plurality of towers, and wherein the cell phone communicates a signal, the attributes comprising an evaluation of the signal as received by the plurality of towers.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the evaluation considers relative reception timing of the signal as received by each of the plurality of towers.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the evaluation involves triangulation.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cell phone comprises a steganographic embedder, and uses the embedder to steganographically embed the geo-location information in the image.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cell phone network comprises a steganographic embedder located remotely from the cell phone, and wherein the embedder steganographically embeds the geo-location information in the image.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising communicating the embedded image to the cell phone.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steganographic embedding comprises digital watermarking.  
     
     
         11 . A method of steganographically embedding geo-location information in an image captured by a camera which is integrated with cell phone, wherein the cell phone comprises a wireless interface, said method comprises steps of: 
 communicating with a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, which is remotely located from the cell phone via the wireless interface;    receiving geo-location information from the GPS receiver; and    steganographically embedding the geo-location information in the image.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the geo-location information and image are communicated to a cell phone network server which includes a steganographic embedder, and wherein the cell phone network server performs said step of steganographically embedding the geo-location information in the image.  
     
     
         13 . A method of providing internet access for a computer user comprising: 
 issuing the user a digitally watermarked object, wherein the digitally watermarked object comprises a digital watermark embedded therein, the digital watermark comprising an identifier;    associating the identifier with the user via a data repository;    receiving optical scan data corresponding to a portion of the object, the portion comprising the digital watermark;    decoding the digital watermark from the scan data to obtain the identifier;    verifying that the identifier is valid; and    enabling internet access for the user when the identifier is valid.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the object comprises at least one of a hotel room key and an object provided by a hotel.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising associating a bill for internet access with the user via the identifier.  
     
     
         16 . A method of accumulating financial charges attributable to a customer so as to minimize transaction fees, the customer possession a digitally watermarked object, the digitally watermarked object comprising a digital watermark including an identifier, said method comprising: 
 receiving scan data associated with the digitally watermarked object;    analyzing the scan data to obtain the identifier from the object;    accessing a data record that is associated with the identifier;    updating the data record to reflect a monetary amount owed for a transaction;    accumulating a plurality of such monetary amounts in the data record; and    forwarding the accumulated amounts for payment at least when one of the following occur: a predetermined amount for the accumulated amount is reached, and after a predetermined amount of time.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the aggregated monetary amounts are forwarded to the customer for payment.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the aggregated monetary amounts are forwarded to a credit agency for payment.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the credit agency comprises at least one of a bank and credit card company.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the identifier comprises information personal to the customer.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the identifier comprises a hash of the personal information.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the identifier is combined with information provided by the customer to access the data record that is associated with the identifier.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the digital watermark further comprises a biometric, and said method comprises comparing a biometric sample of the customer to the biometric carried by the digital watermark.  
     
     
         24 . A method to regulate protected content while allowing fair use of the content, wherein the content includes a digital watermark embedded therein, the digital watermark including at least a copy protection indicator and a time interval indicator, said method comprising: 
 recognizing the content as protected content by reference to the copy protection indicator; and    upon recognition of the content as protected content, measuring the amount of content rendered by reference to the time interval indicator, and disabling rendering after a predetermined amount of content has been rendered, the predetermined amount corresponding to fair use of the content.    
     
     
         25 . A method for providing royalty payments for content distributed via a network, said method comprising: 
 receiving registration information from a participant who requires royalty payments for content to be distributed;    assigning a unique identifier to the participant;    steganographically embedding the content with the identifier; and    associating a royalty payment action with the identifier in a data repository.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the royalty payment action is initiated when a rendering device decodes the steganographic embedding and obtains the identifier during a transaction, the identifier being provided to the data repository and in response, said method comprises performing the royalty payment action, wherein the transaction exceeds evaluation of the content.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the network comprises a peer-to-peer file-sharing network.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the royalty payment action comprises determining a percentage of revenue that corresponds to an amount of times the content undergoes a transaction.  
     
     
         30 . A method of monitoring a content item which is to be broadcast through a broadcasting network, the content item to be identified by a fingerprint of the content derived from the content itself, said method comprising: 
 maintaining a limited list of content items, the list consisting of those content items that are to be broadcast by the broadcasting network during a predetermined time period, the limited list of content items being respectively associated with one or more fingerprints derived from the content items themselves;    deriving a fingerprint from a content item monitored from the broadcast network; and    interrogating the limited list of content items with the fingerprint to identify the monitored content item.    
     
     
         31 . A method of authenticating video comprising at least a first frame and a second frame, said method comprising: 
 determining a time stamp associated with the video; and    providing a digital signature of the video, wherein the digital signature comprises data corresponding to at least a portion of the first frame and data corresponding to at least a portion of the second frame, said digital signature further comprising data corresponding to the time stamp.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising providing geo-location information associated with the video, wherein the digital signature further comprises data corresponding to the geo-location information.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first frame and the second frame are adjacent frames.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the digital signature is carried via a reversible digital watermark.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the digital signature is carried via a file header.