Image analysis – Image enhancement or restoration
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-02
2001-01-30
Lee, Thomas D. (Department: 2724)
Image analysis
Image enhancement or restoration
C382S232000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181828
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to image and video display. More specifically, the invention relates to methods and apparatus for discouraging the unauthorized copying and distribution of compressed color images and video sequences.
Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) players are providing consumers with access to wide screen movies having high quality images and high fidelity sound. The high quality format of the DVD players brings theatre-like entertainment to the home.
The same high quality format can also be viewed on a monitor of a computer having a DVD-ROM drive and associated electronics. The DVD-ROM drive reads a DVD-ROM disc and outputs a stream of data compressed according to an MPEG standard. The DVD-ROM electronics decodes the compressed data into uncompresssed data, converts the uncompressed data to RGB signals, and sends the RGB signals to the computer monitor via a cable for display.
However, the cable between the computer and the monitor is unsecured. Therefore, uncompressed data sent to the monitor can be intercepted, recompressed and redistributed. In the past, the high cost of compression technology would have provided a barrier to such copying and redistribution, particularly with regard to video images. However, with compression technology decreasing in cost and software compression being made commercially available, the barrier is being overcome.
Unauthorized copying is not restricted to DVD discs. Unauthorized copying also applies to color images of large sizes. The barrier of copying and compressing the large images has already been overcome. Many software applications allow an image to be compressed, typically using a lossy compression scheme such as JPEG or MPEG.
Additionally, the growing availability of digital images and video sequences over the Internet has increased the need to discourage unauthorized copying and redistribution.
Home copying and professional piracy are great threats to artists, producers and copyright owners. There is a need for discouraging the unauthorized copying and distribution of images and video sequences.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Unauthorized copying and redistribution are discouraged by the present invention, which can be regarded as a method of processing a signal representing an image. The signal is analyzed to select redundant areas of the image. A plurality of compressibility-reducing artifacts are added to the domain components of a selected area by making a first artifact change in at least one domain component of the selected area; and making at least one other artifact change to at least one other domain component of the selected area such that the artifacts in the selected area are perceptively balanced. Thus, the balanced artifacts are not perceptible while the processed signal is being displayed. An image including the artifacts is riot readily compressible because the artifacts reduce redundancy in the image.
This method can be utilized by any apparatus that produces images or video sequences. When applied to DVD-ROM electronics of a computer, for example, an RGB output of the apparatus sends uncompressed data containing balanced artifacts to a monitor of the computer. The artifacts will not be perceived by a viewer while the signal is being displayed. However, the artifacts will reduce the compressibility of images represented by the signal. If the signal is intercepted and copied, the copied images will not be recompressable to their original file size and their original quality. Consequently, redistribution will not be practical.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5216516 (1993-06-01), Tanaka et al.
Brinich Stephen
Hewlett--Packard Company
Lee Thomas D.
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