Methods and Apparatus for Robust Embedded Data

Abstract

The present invention describes methods and apparatus involving embedding data. Data can be embedded steganographically in content or embedded in, e.g., headers associated with the content. One claim recites an apparatus including: a memory system for storing: i) content data comprising first information embedded therein; ii) second information which is separate from the content data, in which the second information is associated with a first user device and a second user device; and a logic processor. The logic processor is programmed for: decoding the first information from the content data; comparing the first information to the second information for correspondence; and based at least on the correspondence, determining whether to perform an action associated with the content data on either of the first user device or the second user device. Other claims and combinations are also provided.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 memory for storing data and correlated data, the correlated data being related to but independent from the data;   a logic processor programmed for:
 changing auxiliary information based on at least the correlated data, in which the auxiliary information is independent of the data and the correlated data; and 
 embedding changed auxiliary information in the data. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which the embedding comprises steganographic embedding. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which the data comprises a plurality of frames, and the embedding includes placing changed auxiliary information in at least one header associated with one of the plurality of frames. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which the embedding places the changed auxiliary information in a global header associated with the data. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which the data comprises audio or video, and the correlated data comprises song lyrics. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which the correlated data comprises at least one of a name or address. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which the data comprises a photograph, and the changed auxiliary information is embedded within the photograph. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  in which the correlated data comprises at least one of a name or address. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which said logic process is programmed for encrypting the changed auxiliary information after said changing but prior to said embedding. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 memory for storing content data; and   a logic processor programmed for:
 changing auxiliary information based on the content data, in which the auxiliary information is independent of the content data; and
 embedding changed auxiliary information in the content data, in which once embedded in the content data the changed auxiliary information is detectable from embedded content data even in the absence of the auxiliary information. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  in which said act of changing comprises XORing the auxiliary information with at least a portion of the content data. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  in which said changing comprises changing a pseudo-random (PN) sequence utilized in said embedding. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10  in which said logic processor is programmed for encrypting the changed auxiliary information after said changing but prior to said embedding. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  in which said content data comprises data selected from a group of data comprising video, audio and imagery. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said embedding comprises placing the changed auxiliary information in a header associated with the content data. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus comprising:
 a memory system for storing: i) content data comprising first information embedded therein; ii) second information which is separate from the content data, in which the second information is associated with a first user device and a second user device; and   a logic processor programmed for:
 decoding the first information from the content data; 
 comparing the first information to the second information for correspondence; and
 based at least on the correspondence, determining whether to perform an action associated with the content data on either of the first user device or the second user device. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  in which the action comprises rendering and said determining further considers whether the first information allows the rendering. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16  in which the first information is steganographically embedded in the content data. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16  in which the second information is shared between the first user device and the second user device. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16  in which the first information comprises an encrypted identifier, and the second information comprises the identifier and a decryption key.