# US 8,787,612 B2 · Method and an apparatus for marking image sequences, a support comprising such marks, and a method and an apparatus for identifying such marks

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- Number: US 8,787,612 B2
- Document ID: US8787612B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/319,263
- Filed: 2009-01-05
- Published: 2009-07-09
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2008-01-09
- Assignees: Thomson Licensing
- Applicants: Jean-François Vial; Olivier Courtay
- Inventors: Jean-François Vial; Olivier Courtay
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8787612B2

## CPC

- H04N 1/32288: {Multiple embedding, e.g. cocktail embedding, or redundant embedding, e.g. repeating the additional information at a plurality of locations in the image}
- G06T 1/0085: {Time domain based watermarking, e.g. watermarks spread over several images}
- H04N 5/913: for scrambling {; for copy protection}
- G06F 21/1063: {Personalisation}
- G06T 2201/0051: Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
- G06T 2201/0061: Embedding of the watermark in each block of the image, e.g. segmented watermarking
- H04N 2005/91392: {using means for preventing making copies of projected video images}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A method for marking a series of images such as a film for identification. A copy of the film is associated with a series of pseudorandom values that correspond to fields of a virtual grid covering an image. A visible mark is put into the field corresponding to the first pseudo-random value in M consecutive images followed by a number N of unmarked images (N 0) before repeating this using the next pseudo-random value. The visible marks are advantageously quite small so as to keep user disturbance to a minimum, but they may also be quite visible. Also provided is a marking apparatus.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of marking a copy of a series of images of a same size, wherein the copy is marked with a code that uniquely identifies the copy, the method performed via a device and comprising steps of:
a) defining a grid of P separate numbered virtual fields so that the grid covers at least part of each image of the series;
b) obtaining a random or pseudo-random value between 1 and P inclusive;
c) marking M consecutive images in the series of images by placing a visible mark in the virtual field with a number corresponding to the random or pseudo-random value, and skipping N consecutive images in the series of images immediately following the M consecutive marked images; and
iterating steps b) to c) at least once;
wherein values of M and N vary according to a random, pseudo-random or other sequence.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein N is a random or pseudorandom value obtained for each iteration.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grid covers the entire image.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein M is a random or pseudo random value obtained for each iteration.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pseudo-random values are generated by an algorithm using at least an identifier of the copy as a seed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the random values are associated with an identifier of the copy.

### Claim 7

A device for marking a copy of a series of images of a same size, wherein the copy is marked with a code that uniquely identifies the copy, the device comprising:
means for defining a grid of P separate numbered virtual fields so that the grid covers at least part of each image of the series;
means for obtaining a random or pseudo-random value between 1 and P inclusive; and
means for (i) marking M consecutive images in the series of images by placing a visible mark in the virtual field with a number corresponding to the random or pseudo-random value, (ii) skipping N consecutive images in the series of images immediately following the M consecutive marked images, and (iii) repeating (i) and (ii) at least once;
wherein values of M and N vary according to a random, pseudo-random or other sequence.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A support comprising a series of images of the same size marked using the method as claimed in claim 1.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The support as claimed in claim 8, wherein the support is a film reel.