Masked watermarks and related systems and techniques

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for rendering a watermark on content in a manner as to not obfuscate or otherwise cause visual defects to data elements in the content. An example methodology implementing the techniques includes segmenting a watermark to be rendered on the content into multiple watermark pieces. Then, prior to rendering a particular watermark piece, a check is made to determine whether there is a data element at the location in the content at which the particular watermark piece is to be rendered. If a data element is detected at that location, the particular watermark piece is rendered such that the data element overlays the particular watermark piece to render the watermark as a masked watermark. Otherwise, if no data element is detected at that location, the watermark piece is rendered on the content to be visible. The process is repeated to render the remaining watermark pieces.

1 . A method comprising:
 detecting data elements in content;   rendering a first instance of a watermark on the content such that at least a portion of the watermark within the first instance is overlaid by one or more of the data elements; and   rendering a second instance of the watermark on the content such that the second instance is visible, the first and second instances of the watermark collectively conveying a complete watermark.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein overlaying the one or more of the data elements onto the at least a portion of the watermark is responsive to the one or more data elements being present at a location within the content at which to apply the at least a portion of the watermark. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rendering of the second instance of the watermark is responsive to determination that a threshold is not satisfied. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the threshold corresponds to a minimum number of complete watermarks to be visible on the content. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 segmenting the watermark into a plurality of watermark pieces, 
 wherein the rendering of the first instance of the watermark on the content includes rendering at least one of the plurality of watermark pieces on the content such that the plurality of watermark pieces do not obfuscate the one or more of the data elements. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the rendering of the second instance of the watermark on the content includes rendering the at least one of the plurality of watermark pieces as not to be overlaid by the data elements. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rendering of the second instance of the watermark on the content includes rendering the second instance of the watermark in a blank area in the content. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data elements include text elements. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data elements include control elements of a user interface (UI). 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 rendering a first instance of a watermark on content based on detection of a data element at a location within the content at which to apply the watermark, the rendering being such that the data element remains visible after rendering of the first instance; and   rendering a second instance of the watermark on the content such that the second instance is visible and includes a portion of the first instance, the first and second instances of the watermark collectively conveying a complete watermark.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the rendering of the first instance of the watermark on the content is such that the at least a portion of the watermark within the first instance is not visible is. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the rendering of the second instance of the watermark is responsive to determination that a threshold is not satisfied. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the threshold corresponds to a minimum number of complete watermarks to be visible on the content. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , the process including:
 segmenting the watermark into a plurality of watermark pieces,   wherein the rendering of the first instance of the watermark on the content includes rendering at least one of the plurality of watermark pieces on the content such that the data element remains visible after rendering of the at least one of the plurality of watermark pieces.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the rendering of the second instance of the watermark on the content includes rendering the at least one of the plurality of watermark pieces as not to be overlaid by the data element. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the rendering of the second instance of the watermark on the content includes rendering the second instance of the watermark in a blank area in the content. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the data element is control element of a user interface (UI). 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising:
 a memory; and   one or more processors in communication with the memory and configured to:
 detect data elements in content; 
 render a first instance of a watermark on the content such that at least a portion of the watermark within the first instance is overlaid by one or more of the data elements; and 
 render a second instance of the watermark on the content such the second instance is visible, the first and second instances of the watermark collectively conveying a complete watermark. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein overlaying the one or more of the data elements onto the at least a portion of the watermark is responsive to the one or more data elements being present at a location within the content at which to apply the at least a portion of the watermark. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 segment the watermark into a plurality of watermark pieces,   wherein the rendering of the first instance of the watermark on the content includes rendering at least one of the plurality of watermark pieces on the content such that the plurality of watermark pieces do not obfuscate the one or more of the data elements.