IP Library Granted Patent US 9,202,256
Granted Patent B2
US 9,202,256 · App. 14/330,681 · Granted Dec 1, 2015

Methods and apparatus for embedding watermarks

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,202,256
App. No.
14/330,681
Granted
Dec 1, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for embedding a watermark are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to embed a watermark in a compressed data stream include obtaining a set of transform coefficients from the compressed data stream, the set of transform coefficients comprising a first set of mantissa codes and a first set of exponents. Disclosed example methods also include determining a second set of mantissa codes based on a sinusoidal component of the watermark. Disclosed example methods further include adjusting ones of the first set of mantissa codes based on corresponding ones of the second set of mantissa codes and compression information obtained from the compressed data stream to embed the watermark in the compressed data stream without uncompressing the compressed data stream.

Claims (46)

1. A method to embed a watermark in a compressed data stream, the method comprising:

obtaining a set of transform coefficients from the compressed data stream, the set of transform coefficients including a first set of mantissa codes and a first set of exponents;

determining a second set of mantissa codes based on a sinusoidal component of the watermark; and

adjusting ones of the first set of mantissa codes based on corresponding ones of the second set of mantissa codes and compression information obtained from the compressed data stream to embed the watermark in the compressed data stream without uncompressing the compressed data stream.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

synthesizing a first audio block of audio samples to correspond to a first portion of the sinusoidal component of the watermark having a first amplitude;

synthesizing a second audio block of audio samples to correspond to a second portion of the sinusoidal component of the watermark having a second amplitude different from the first amplitude; and

determining the second set of mantissa codes from at least one of the first audio block or the second audio block.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein adjusting the ones of the first set of mantissa codes includes:

normalizing a first one of the second set of mantissa codes based on a second one of the second set of mantissa codes; and

adjusting a first one of the first set of mantissa codes corresponding to the first one of the second set of mantissa codes based on the normalized first one of the second set of mantissa codes.

4. A method as defined in claim 3 , further comprising adjusting a second one of the first set of mantissa codes corresponding to the second one of the second set of mantissa codes by a value of one.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the watermark includes a plurality of sinusoidal components, and determining the second set of mantissa codes includes determining the second set of mantissa codes based on the plurality of sinusoidal components of the watermark.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the compression information specifies a mantissa step size, and adjusting the ones of the first set of mantissa codes includes adjusting the ones of the first set of mantissa codes based on the corresponding ones of the second set of mantissa codes and the mantissa step size.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first set of exponents is unchanged in the compressed data stream after the watermark is embedded.

8. A tangible computer readable storage device or storage disk comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a computing device to at least:

obtain a set of transform coefficients from a compressed data stream, the set of transform coefficients including a first set of mantissa codes and a first set of exponents;

determine a second set of mantissa codes based on a sinusoidal component of a watermark; and

adjust ones of the first set of mantissa codes based on corresponding ones of the second set of mantissa codes and compression information obtained from the compressed data stream to embed the watermark in the compressed data stream without uncompressing the compressed data stream.

9. A storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing device to:

synthesize a first audio block of audio samples to correspond to a first portion of the sinusoidal component of the watermark having a first amplitude;

synthesize a second audio block of audio samples to correspond to a second portion of the sinusoidal component of the watermark having a second amplitude different from the first amplitude; and

determine the second set of mantissa codes from at least one of the first audio block or the second audio block.

10. A storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing device to adjust the ones of the first set of mantissa codes by:

normalizing a first one of the second set of mantissa codes based on a second one of the second set of mantissa codes; and

adjusting a first one of the first set of mantissa codes corresponding to the first one of the second set of mantissa codes based on the normalized first one of the second set of mantissa codes.

11. A storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing device to adjust a second one of the first set of mantissa codes corresponding to the second one of the second set of mantissa codes by a value of one.

12. A storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 8 , wherein the watermark includes a plurality of sinusoidal components, and the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing device to determine the second set of mantissa codes based on the plurality of sinusoidal components of the watermark.

13. A storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 8 , wherein the compression information specifies a mantissa step size, and the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing device to adjust the ones of the first set of mantissa codes based on the corresponding ones of the second set of mantissa codes and the mantissa step size.

14. A storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 8 , wherein the first set of exponents is unchanged in the compressed data stream after the watermark is embedded.

15. An apparatus to embed a watermark in a compressed data stream, the apparatus comprising:

an unpacking unit to obtain a set of transform coefficients from a compressed data stream, the set of transform coefficients including a first set of mantissa codes and a first set of exponents; and

a modification unit to:

determine a second set of mantissa codes based on a sinusoidal component of a watermark; and

adjust ones of the first set of mantissa codes based on corresponding ones of the second set of mantissa codes and compression information obtained from the compressed data stream to embed the watermark in the compressed data stream without uncompressing the compressed data stream.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein the modification unit is further to:

synthesize a first audio block of audio samples to correspond to a first portion of the sinusoidal component of the watermark having a first amplitude;

synthesize a second audio block of audio samples to correspond to a second portion of the sinusoidal component of the watermark having a second amplitude different from the first amplitude; and

determine the second set of mantissa codes from at least one of the first audio block or the second audio block.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein modification unit is to adjust the ones of the first set of mantissa codes by:

normalizing a first one of the second set of mantissa codes based on a second one of the second set of mantissa codes; and

adjusting a first one of the first set of mantissa codes corresponding to the first one of the second set of mantissa codes based on the normalized first one of the second set of mantissa codes.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 , wherein modification unit is to adjust a second one of the first set of mantissa codes corresponding to the second one of the second set of mantissa codes by a value of one.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein the watermark includes a plurality of sinusoidal components, and the modification unit is to determine the second set of mantissa codes based on the plurality of sinusoidal components of the watermark.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein the compression information specifies a mantissa step size, and the modification unit is to adjust the ones of the first set of mantissa codes based on the corresponding ones of the second set of mantissa codes and the mantissa step size.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein the first set of exponents is unchanged in the compressed data stream after the watermark is embedded.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE (REEL 053473 / FRAME 0001) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063603/0001 →
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063605/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063574/0632 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063561/0381 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063560/0547 →
RELEASE (REEL 037172 / FRAME 0415) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061750/0221 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE 1 RECORDED ON 6-9-2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053473 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 7, 2020
From: A.C. NIELSEN (ARGENTINA) S.A.; A.C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A
Reel/Frame 054066/0064 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NIELSEN UK FINANCE I, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053473/0001 →
SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 30, 2015
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY ((US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT FOR THE FIRST LIEN SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 037172/0415 →
MERGER Recorded Oct 9, 2014
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 033926/0701 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 2, 2014
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC
Reel/Frame 033886/0382 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2014
From: SRINIVASAN, VENUGOPAL
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC
Reel/Frame 033834/0006 →