Apparatus and method for embedding/unembedding supplemental information

A supplemental information embedding method, comprising:

• receiving an image data from an image capturing device;
• carrying out a first encoding operation for producing digital image data in a first format by n stages of processing (n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2) for the image data captured by the image capturing device;
• carrying out a second encoding operation for producing digital watermark in a second format by i stages of processing (i is a positive integer less than n) for a second image data indicating a presence of copyright Protection supplied from the image capturing device or a first memory storing a digital image data indicating the presence of copyright protection;
• decoding the first format digital image data stored in a second memory up to a prescribed stage;
• dividing the second format digital watermark stored in a digital watermark memory into predetermined format blocks;
• dispersively embedding the blocks of the digital watermark into the image data encoded up to i stage by the first encoding operation or the image data decoded up to i stage by the decoding operation;
• carrying out a third encoding operation on or after j stages of processing (j=n−i) to the image data obtained in the embedding of the digital watermark so as to reproduce the second format digital image data;
• and
• storing the first format digital image data encoded in the third stage encoding operation in a memory.

A supplemental information embedding apparatus, comprising:

• an orthogonal transformer for orthogonal transforming divided blocks of image data;
• a quantizer for quantizing the divided blocks of image data after the orthogonal transform;
• and
• an embedder for embedding supplemental information in place of at least a part of a zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Block) in each of the quantized blocks of image data.

A supplemental information embedding apparatus, comprising:

• an orthogonal transformer for orthogonal transforming divided blocks of image data;
• a quantizer for quantizing the divided blocks of image data after the orthogonal transform;
• and
• an embedder for embedding supplemental information in place of the head of a zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Block) in each of the quantized blocks of image data.

A supplemental information embedding apparatus, comprising:

• an orthogonal transformer for orthogonal transforming divided blocks of image data;
• a quantizer for quantizing the divided blocks of image data after the orthogonal transform;
• and
• a divider for dividing supplemental information corresponding to one frame of the image data into a plurality of blocks;
• and
• an embedder for dispersively embedding the divided blocks of supplemental information into the image data in place of the head of a zero run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Blocks) of the quantized blocks of image data.

An image decoder for decoding image compression data wherein supplemental information is embedded in place of at least a part of zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Block), which is obtained by dividing image data, orthogonal transforming the divided blocks of image data and quantizing the orthogonal transformed blocks of image data, comprising:

• an unbedder for unbedding the supplemental information from the image compression data;
• a memory for storing the unbedded supplemental information;
• a replacer for replacing the supplemental information embedded in the image compression data with a zero-run;
• a reverse quantizer for reverse quantizing the zero-replaced image compression data;
• and
• a reverse orthogonal transformer for reverse orthogonal transforming the reverse quantized image compression data.

An image decoder for decoding reversible compressed image data wherein supplemental information is embedded in place of at least a part of a zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Block) obtained by dividing image data, orthogonal transforming the divided blocks of image data and quantizing the orthogonal transformed blocks of image data, comprising:

• a reversible decoder for reversible decoding the image compression data;
• an unbedder for unbedding the supplemental information from the reversible decoded image compression data;
• a memory for storing the unbedded supplemental information;
• a replacer for replacing the supplemental information embedded in the image compression data with a zero-run;
• a reverse quantizer for reverse quantizing the zero-replaced image compression data;
• and
• a reverse orthogonal transformer for reverse orthogonal transforming the reverse quantized image compression data.

An image encoding method comprising:

• orthogonal transforming divided blocks of image data;
• quantizing the divided blocks of image data after the orthogonal transforming operation;
• and
• embedding supplemental information into at least a part of a zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Block) in each of the quantized blocks.

An image encoding method comprising:

• orthogonal transforming divided blocks of image data;
• quantizing the divided blocks of image data after the orthogonal transforming operation;
• and
• embedding supplemental information in place of the head of a zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Block) in each of the quantized block.

An image encoding method comprising:

• orthogonal transforming divided blocks of image data;
• quantizing the divided blocks of image data after the orthogonal transforming operation;
• dividing supplemental information corresponding to one frame of image data into a plurality of blocks;
• and
• dispersively embedding the divided blocks of supplemental information into the image data in place of the head of a zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Blocks) of the quantized blocks of image data.

A method for decoding image data wherein supplemental information is embedded in place of at least a part of a zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Block), which is obtained by dividing image data, orthogonal transforming the divided blocks of image data and quantizing the orthogonal transformed blocks of image data, comprising:

• unbedding the supplemental information from the image compression data;
• storing the unbedded supplemental information;
• replacing the supplemental information embedded in the image compression data with a zero-run;
• reverse quantizing the zero-replaced image compression data;
• and
• reverse orthogonal transforming the reverse quantized image compression data.

A method for decoding reversibly compressed image data wherein supplemental information is embedded in place of at least a part of the zero run section of immediately preceding an EOB (End of Block), which is obtained by dividing image data, orthogonal transforming the divided blocks of image data and quantizing the orthogonal transformed blocks of image data, comprising:

• reversible decoding the image compression data;
• unbedding the supplemental information from the reversible decoded image compression data;
• storing the unbedded supplemental information;
• replacing the supplemental information embedded in the image compression data with a zero-run;
• reverse quantizing the zero-replaced image compression data;
• and
• reverse orthogonal transforming the reverse quantized image compression data.

A supplemental information embedding apparatus, comprising:

• means for capturing a first image data;
• first storing means for storing a second image data indicating the presence of copyright protection;
• first encoding means for encoding the first image data obtained by the image capturing means to a first format digital image data by n stages of processing (n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2);
• second storing means for storing the first format digital image data produced in the first encoding means;
• second encoding means for encoding the image data indicating a copyright data supplied from the image capturing means or the first storing means to a second format digital watermark by i stages of processing (i is a positive integer less than n);
• third storing means for storing the encoded second format digital watermark encoded by the second encoding means;
• means for decoding the first format digital image data stored in the second storing means up to a prescribed stage of decoding;
• means for dividing the second format digital watermark stored in the third storing means into predetermined format blocks;
• means for dispersively embedding the blocks of the digital watermark into the image data encoded up to i stage by the first encoding means or the image data decoded up to i stage by the decoding means;
• third encoding means for encoding the image data obtained by the digital watermark embedding means by exerting operations on or after j stage (j=n−1) of encoding so as to produce the first format digital image data;
• and
• means for storing the first format digital image data encoded by the third encoding means.

A supplemental information embedding apparatus, comprising:

• means for orthogonal transforming divided blocks of image data;
• means for quantizing the divided blocks of image data after the orthogonal transforming operation;
• and
• means for embedding supplemental information in place of at least a part of a zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Block) in each of the quantized blocks of image data.

A supplemental information embedding apparatus, comprising:

• means for orthogonal transforming divided blocks of image data;
• means for quantizing the divided blocks of image data after the orthogonal transforming operation;
• and
• means for embedding supplemental information in place of the head of a zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Block) in each of the quantized blocks of image data.

A supplemental information embedding apparatus, comprising:

• means for orthogonal transforming divided blocks of image data;
• means for quantizing the divided blocks of image data after the orthogonal transforming operation;
• means for dividing supplemental information corresponding to one frame of the image data into a plurality of blocks;
• and
• means for dispersively embedding the divided blocks of supplemental information into the image data in place of the head of a zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Blocks) of the quantized blocks of image data.

An image decoder for decoding image compression data wherein supplemental information is embedded in place of at least a part of zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Block), which is obtained by dividing image data, orthogonal transforming the divided blocks of image data and quantizing the orthogonal transformed blocks of image data, comprising:

• means for unbedding the supplemental information from the image compression data;
• means for storing the unbedded supplemental information;
• means for replacing the supplemental information embedded in the image compression data with a zero-run;
• means for reverse quantizing the zero replaced image compression data;
• and
• means for reverse orthogonal transforming the reverse quantized image compression data.

An image decoder for decoding reversible compressed image data wherein supplemental information is embedded in place of at least a part of a zero-run section immediately preceding an EOB (End of Block) obtained by dividing image data, orthogonal transforming the divided blocks of image data and quantizing the orthogonal transformed blocks of image data, comprising:

• means for reversible decoding the image compression data;
• means for unbedding the supplemental information from the reversible decoded image compression data;
• means for storing the unbedded supplemental information;
• means for replacing the supplemental information embedded in the image compression data with a zero-run;
• means for reverse quantizing the zero replaced image compression data;
• and
• means for reverse orthogonal transforming the reverse quantized image compression data.