Watermarking and fingerprinting digital content using alternative blocks to embed information

A method of marking digital content, including steps of,

• selecting locations in the digital content for embedding data;
• selecting possible alterations to make at the selected locations, with the possible alterations preserving packetization of the digital content, and with each possible alteration embedding more than zero bits of the data in the digital content;
• wherein the locations and the possible alterations together form a watermark for the digital content;
• wherein the step of selecting locations includes steps of identifying blocks in which data can be embedded;
• wherein the step of selecting possible alterations includes steps of identifying two or more alterations that, when applied to a block, do not result in a changed block length for the block.

A method of detecting a fingerprint in digital content, including steps of

• determining a watermark for the digital content, the watermark including locations and possible alterations at those locations for embedding data;
• determining which of the possible alterations have been made at the locations, if made individually not being constrained by preserving packetization, but with the possible alterations collectively preserving packetization of the digital content;
• and
• extracting bits in response to the step of determining which of the possible alterations have been made.

A device capable of watermarking digital content, including

• a network interface over which the digital content can be injected into a network;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory that stores the digital content and that stores instructions executable by the processor to create a watermark for the digital content, the instructions including the steps of (a) selecting locations in the digital content for embedding data, and (b) selecting possible alterations to make at the selected locations, with the possible alterations if made individually not being constrained by preserving packetization, but with the possible alterations collectively preserving packetization of the digital content, and with each possible alteration embedding more than zero bits of the data in the digital content, wherein the locations and the possible alterations together form the watermark for the digital content.

A device capable of watermarking digital content, including

• a network interface over which the digital content can be injected into a network;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory that stores the digital content and that stores instructions executable by the processor to create a watermark for the digital content, the instructions including the steps of (a) selecting locations in the digital content for embedding data, and (b) selecting possible alterations to make at the selected locations, with the possible alterations preserving packetization of the digital content, and with each possible alteration embedding more than zero bits of the data in the digital content, wherein the locations and the possible alterations together form the watermark for the digital content;
• wherein the step of selecting possible alterations includes the step of identifying two or more alterations that, when applied to a block, do not result in a changed block length for the block.

A device capable of partially or fully fingerprinting digital content that has been watermarked, with the watermark including locations and possible alterations at those locations in the digital content, the device including

• a network interface over which the digital content can be sent to or received from a network;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory that stores the digital content and that stores instructions executable by the processor to partially or fully fingerprint the digital content, the instructions including the step of actually making some of the possible alterations at the locations.

A computer readable memory storing information including instructions, the instructions executable by a processor to watermark digital content, the instructions including the steps of

• selecting locations in the digital content for embedding data;
• selecting possible alterations to make at the selected locations, with the possible alterations preserving packetization of the digital content, and with each possible alteration embedding more than zero bits of the data in the digital content;
• wherein the locations and the possible alterations together form the watermark for the digital content;
• and
• wherein the step of selecting possible alterations includes the step of identifying two or more alterations that, when applied to a block, do not result in a changed block length for the block.

A computer readable memory storing information including instructions, the instructions executable by a processor to detect a fingerprint in digital content, the instructions including the steps of:

• determining a watermark for the digital content, the watermark including locations and possible alterations at those locations for embedding data, with the possible alterations individually not being constrained by preserving packetization and with the possible alterations collectively preserving packetization of the digital content;
• determining which of the possible alterations have been made at the locations;
• and
• extracting bits in response to the step of determining which of the possible alterations have been made.

A device capable of partially or fully fingerprinting digital content that has been watermarked, with the watermark including locations and possible alterations at those locations in the digital content, the device including

• a network interface over which the digital content can be sent to or received from a network;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory that stores the digital content and that stores instructions executable by the processor to fingerprint the digital content, the instructions including the step of actually making some or all of the possible alterations at the locations, with the possible alterations individually not being constrained by preserving packetization and with the possible alterations collectively preserving packetization of the digital content.