A watermark system includes an embedder, detector, and reader. The watermark embedder encodes a watermark signal in a host signal to create a combined signal. The detector looks for the watermark signal in a potentially corrupted version of the combined signal, and computes its orientation. Finally, a reader extracts a message in the watermark signal from the combined signal using the orientation to approximate the original state of the combined signal. While adapted for images, video and audio, the watermark system applies to other electronic and physical media. For example, it can be applied to mark graphical models, blank paper, film and other substrates, texturing objects for ID purposes, etc.

Watermark embedder and reader

The invention allows the user to store selected television broadcast programs while the user is simultaneously watching or reviewing another program. A preferred embodiment of the invention accepts television (TV) input streams in a multitude of analog and digital forms. The TV streams are converted to (MPEG) formatted stream for internal transfer and manipulation and are parsed and separated it into video and audio components. The components are stored in temporary buffers. Events are recorded that indicate the type of component that has been found, where it is located, and when it occurred. The program logic is notified that an event has occurred and the data is extracted from the buffers. The parser and event buffer decouple the CPU from having to parse the MPEG stream and from the real time nature of the data streams which allows for slower CPU and bus speeds and translate to lower system costs. The video and audio components are stored on a storage device and when the program is requested for display, the video and audio components are extracted from the storage device and reassembled into an MPEG stream which is sent to a decoder. The decoder converts the MPEG stream into TV output signals and delivers the TV output signals to a TV receiver. User control commands are accepted and sent through the system. These commands affect the flow of said MPEG stream and allow the user to view stored programs with at least the following functions: reverse, fast forward, play, pause, index, fast/slow reverse play, and fast/slow play.

Multimedia time warping system

Various improvements to steganographic systems, and applications therefore, are disclosed. The improvements include facilitating scale and rotation registration for steganographic decoding by use of rotationally symmetric steganographically embedded patterns and subliminal digital graticules; improved techniques for decoding without access to unencoded originals; improving robustness of steganographic coding in motion pictures and/or in the presence of lossy compression/decompression; and representing data by patterned bit cells whose energy in the spatial domain facilitates decoding registration. Applications include enhanced-security financial transactions, counterfeit resistant identification cards, fraud deterrent systems for cellular telephony, covert modem channels in video transmissions, photo duplication kiosks with automatic copyright detection, and hotlinked image objects (e.g. with embedded URLs) for use on the internet.

Computer system linked by using information in data objects

A method for decoding auxiliary data from media signals in multimedia content decodes 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.

Integrating digital watermarks in multimedia content

A video image based control system including a video camera scans a field of view and generates video signals representing the captured image of the field of view The video signals are applied to a digitizer which converts the video signal into digital information The digital information is conveyed to a computer and stored The computer then performs an AND function on the stored digital information and on bitmaps stored in the computer memory associated with predefined areas of interest in the field of view of the video camera to determine whether a participant in the field of view is positioned so that at least a portion of the participant is located in an area of interest If the participant is detected as being within an area of interest, the computer determines the proportion of the area of interest obscured by the participant and generates a control signal having a value dependant on the proportion of the area of interest obscured by the participant The control signal is then applied to a dependant control device In addition, the computer provides signals to a display representing the captured image superimposed on another image showing the areas of interest within the field of view to provide visual feedback to the participant In this manner, the participant is capable of controlling the operation of the dependant control through movement within the field of view of the video camera

Video image based control system

An automatic object image follow-up device includes a setting circuit for shiftably setting a follow-up field; an extracting circuit for extracting a feature of an object in relation to the follow-up field; a store for storing the extracted feature; a detecting circuit for detecting a relative shift between the object and the device on the basis of the feature of the object extracted by the extracting circuit and the feature stored by the store; and a shifting circuit for shifting the follow-up field following up the object according to the relative shift.

Automatic object image follow-up device

A still image signal recording and reproducing apparatus wherein still image signals, mark signals and moving image signals are recorded on respective different regions on a tape-shaped recording medium. A still image reproducer is provided for reproducing the still image signals and a mark reproducer is provided for reproducing the mark signals. A feeding device is provided for feeding the recording medium longitudinally thereof at a predetermined speed during reproduction of the still image by the still image reproducer. A searching unit is provided for causing the feeder to feed the recording medium at a speed greater than the predetermined speed while causing the mark reproducer to reproduce the mark signals, wherein the searching unit causes the feeding device to reduce the speed of the recording medium, in response to the reproduction of the mark signals by the mark reproducer, during the feed of the recording medium at the speed greater than the predetermined speed.

Still image signal recording and reproducing apparatus having greater feeder speed when searching

PURPOSE:To enable gray scale printing in smooth gradation to be executed with improved shot accuracy. CONSTITUTION:Driving pulses are made of two or more pulses having equal voltage volume (V1), and the last pulse (main pulse) is in the width T3, which is the only one that actuates ink jetting, and a pulse (prepulse) preceding the main pulse is in a fixed width T1 that is narrower than T3. Then control is applied to an interval T2 between the prepulse and the main pulse, and the volume of ink drop is made to change thereby. In this control, the main pulse is made to work on ink-jetting signals in such timing that the larger the volume of ink drop is, the quicker the timing (e), and the smaller the volume of ink drop is, the slower the timing (c).

Ink jet recording method

A recording apparatus for recording a video signal on a recording medium together with data signals relative to the video signal comprises a first signal processing channel in which the data signals are supplied to a monitor in a state of being superimposed on the video signal, a second signal processing channel in which the data signals are supplied to the monitor without being superimposed on the video signal and a selector which selectively renders the first signal processing channel or the second signal processing channel operative. Where a display of the recording video signal on the monitor is excessively covered and hidden by that of the data signal, the second signal processing channel is selected and operated to permit adequate visual confirmation on the monitor of the video signal to be recorded.

Video signal recording apparatus with facility for displaying of identification information relating to the video signal

There is provided a communicating apparatus such as a television telephone having the absence recording function which can communicate either one or both of an image signal and a voice signal. The apparatus comprises: a memory such as a disk-shaped recording medium to store the voice signal and image signal so as to be concerned with each other; a judgement circuit to discriminate whether or not a personal code number which is input from a destination partner side through a public telephone line coincides with the ID number recorded on the memory; a transmitter to transmit the voice signal and the image signal stored in the memory as a pair to the line in accordance with the result of the discrimination of the judgement circuit; and a reading circuit to read out the voice signal and the image signal from the memory. After the transmitter transmitted the image signal, it transmits the voice signal. Thus, the subscriber can listen to the partner's voice while observing the still image by inputting the correct personal code number to the TV telephone.

Masahiro Takei

Papers

Automatic object image follow-up device

Still image signal recording and reproducing apparatus having greater feeder speed when searching

Ink jet recording method

Video signal recording apparatus with facility for displaying of identification information relating to the video signal

Communicating apparatus providing discriminated voice and/or image communication