Image management system and methods using digital watermarks
AssigneeDigimarc Corporation
InventorsNeil E. Lofgren, Geoffrey B. Rhoads
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Digital watermarking technology is used in an image management system. Images are identified by digital watermarks. The images are stored so as to be indexed according to their unique identifiers. In the preferred embodiment, related images are grouped into a set of images through a common watermark identifier. A particular image within the set of images is identified through a hash of the particular image.
Claims19
A method of managing images in a database, wherein a first image includes a first identifier steganographically embedded therein, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first hash of the first image:
- uniquely identifying the first image in the database with the first hash of the first image, wherein a second image includes the first identifier steganographically embedded therein;
- and
- in the database, associating the second image with the first image via the first identifier.
A method of managing a set of images, the set of images including a first image comprising a first identifier steganographically embedded therein in the form of a digital watermark and a second image comprising the first identifier steganographically embedded therein in the form of a digital watermark, said method comprising the steps of:
- associating the first image with the set of images by the first identifier;
- uniquely identifying the first image within the set of images with a hash of the first image;
- associating the second image with the set of images by the first identifier;
- and
- uniquely identifying the second image within the set of images with a hash of the second image.
A method of managing images, the images including a first image comprising a first identifier steganographically embedded therein in the form of a digital watermark and a second image comprising the first identifier steganographically embedded therein in the form of a digital watermark, said method comprising the steps of:
- in a database registry, associating a first hash of the first image with a first data record associated with the first image;
- in the database registry, associating a first hash of the second image with a second data record associated with the second image;
- and
- linking the first data record and the second data record with the first digital watermark identifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.