Methods and systems for watermarking digital data

A method of processing a watermarked digital dataset, the method executable by one or more processors, the method comprising:

• at a first moment in time:
• acquiring a watermark message of a first size;
• generating a plurality of sub-messages based on the watermark message, the plurality of sub-messages being indicative of encoded portions of the watermark message,
• each of the plurality of sub-messages being different from the watermark message and having a second size, the second size being smaller than the first size;
• wherein the generating the plurality of sub-messages includes:
• generating a plurality of codewords using the watermark message;
• generating a first sub-message from the plurality of sub-messages using a combination of codewords from the plurality of codewords,
• generating a watermarked object by embedding a given object from the digital dataset with the first sub-message, in lieu of the watermark message,
• at a second moment in time after the first moment in time:
• acquiring a test watermarked digital dataset including a given test watermarked object;
• extracting a test sub-message from the given test watermarked object, the test sub-message having the second size;
• generating a decoded watermark message using the test sub-message, the decoded watermark message being different from the test sub-message and having the first size, the first size being bigger than the second size;
• and
• determining whether the decoded watermark message matches a stored watermark message.

A system for watermarking objects of a digital dataset, the system comprising a controller and a memory storing a plurality of executable instructions which, when executed by the controller, cause the system to:

• at a first moment in time:
• acquire a watermark message of a first size;
• generate a plurality of sub-messages based on the watermark message, the plurality of sub-messages being indicative of encoded portions of the watermark message,
• each of the plurality of sub-messages being different from the watermark message and having a second size,
• the second size being smaller than the first size;
• wherein the system is configured to generate the plurality of sub-messges by:
• generating a plurality of codewords using the watermark message;
• and
• generating a first sub-message from the plurality of sub-messages using a combination of codewords from the plurality of codewords;
• generate a watermarked object by embedding a given object from the digital dataset with the first sub-message, in lieu of the watermark message.