# US 2013/0278796 A1 · Methods and systems for embedding camera information in images > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0278796 A1 - Document ID: US20130278796A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/920,231 - Filed: 2013-06-18 - Published: 2013-10-24 - Earliest claimed: 2001-02-09 - Assignees: Youliza, Gehts B.V. Limited - Applicants: Youliza, Gehts B.V. Limited - Inventors: Vahid ORDOUBADIAN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130278796A1 ## CPC - H04N 1/2112: {using still video cameras} - H04N 1/32149: {Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations} - H04N 5/772: {the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure} - H04N 5/913: for scrambling {; for copy protection} - H04N 9/8042: {involving data reduction} - H04N 23/60: Control of cameras or camera modules - H04N 23/80: Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof - H04N 23/95: Computational photography systems, e.g. light-field imaging systems - H04N 25/616: involving a correlated sampling function, e.g. correlated double sampling [CDS] or triple sampling - H04N 25/63: applied to dark current - H04N 25/67: applied to fixed-pattern noise, e.g. non-uniformity of response - H04N 25/68: applied to defects - H04N 23/843: {Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values} - H04N 2005/91335: {the copy protection signal being a watermark} - H04N 2101/00: Still video cameras - H04N 2201/0084: Digital still camera - H04N 2201/3205: of identification information, e.g. name or ID code (H04N2201/3209 takes precedence) - H04N 2201/3207: of an address - H04N 2201/3209: of a telephone number - H04N 2201/3214: of a date - H04N 2201/3215: of a time or duration - H04N 2201/3252: Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device (H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence) - H04N 2201/3257: relating to the original, the input device or the input process, e.g. scanner profile - H04N 2201/3274: Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information - H04N 2201/3281: Encryption; Ciphering - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract The present invention is related to providing, in association with an image, information related to the image capture device used to capture the image. In one embodiment, information related to a first static camera characteristic and camera setting information related to a first captured digitized image is embedded in the first captured digitized image using a watermark. The watermarked information may be used to identify the source or owner of the picture, and/or to aid in the more accurate reproduction of the image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A camera, comprising: an imaging device configured to capture an image, wherein an inherent characteristic associated with the imaging device affects an image quality of every image that the imaging device captures; and a processing device configured to apply a watermark to the image, wherein the watermark indicates the inherent characteristic associated with the imaging device, and wherein the watermark uniquely identifies the camera. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the inherent characteristic comprises a distribution pattern associated with one or more defective pixels of the imaging device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The camera of claim 2, wherein the distribution pattern indicates both a number of the defective pixels and a location of the defective pixels in the imaging device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the watermark comprises an identical watermark that is applied to all the images captured by the imaging device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The camera of claim 4, wherein the identical watermark indicates copyright ownership of all the images captured by the imaging device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the inherent characteristic comprises at least one of: color cross-talk information, pixel gain values, pixel row offset, pixel column offset, or current leakage. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to encrypt the watermark utilizing the inherent characteristic. ### Claim 8 An apparatus, comprising: means for capturing an image, wherein an inherent characteristic of the means for capturing similarly affects an image quality of every image that is captured; and means for applying a watermark to the image, wherein the watermark indicates the inherent characteristic, and wherein the watermark uniquely identifies the apparatus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the inherent characteristic comprises a distribution pattern associated with one or more pixels of the imaging device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more pixels comprise a number of pixels providing a response outside of a desired range, and wherein the distribution pattern indicates a location of the number of pixels in the imaging device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for applying comprises means for applying the watermark to all the images captured by the imaging device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the watermark comprises an identical watermark that is applied to all the images captured by the imaging device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for associating the identical watermark with copyright ownership of all the images captured by the imaging device. ### Claim 14 A method, comprising: capturing an image with an image capturing device, wherein an inherent characteristic of the image capturing device affects an image quality of every image that is captured by the image capturing device; and applying, with the image capturing device, a watermark to the image, wherein the watermark indicates the inherent characteristic, and wherein the watermark uniquely identifies the image capturing device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the inherent characteristic comprises a distribution pattern associated with one or more defective pixels of the image capturing device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the distribution pattern indicates a location of the one or more defective pixels in the image capturing device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the inherent characteristic comprises at least one of: sensor frequency response, sensor current value, or sensor sensitivity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising applying the watermark to all the images captured by the image capturing device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising associating the watermark with one or more copyrights to the image. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: receiving the image; analyzing the watermark; and identifying an ownership of the one or more copyrights to the image in response to analyzing the watermark.