Encryption-resistant watermarking

Abstract

A method and system for providing encryption resistant watermarking of data is described. The method and system comprises encoding a string of symbols, each having a respective symbol value, as a sequence of vectors where each vector includes a respective number of repetitions of a sub-vector of a predefined length, such that the respective number of the repetitions in each vector in the sequence is indicative of the respective symbol value of a corresponding symbol in the string. This sequence of vectors is then inserted into the item of content including digital data to apply a watermark to the item of content. This insertion process may involve interleaving the vectors with gaps of known lengths containing arbitrary data and may involve insertion prior to the vector sequence a marker comprising a concatenation of a number of copies of a marker vector. The length of the sub-vector may be chosen to be an integer divisor of a block size of a block cipher that is to be applied to the item of content after application of the watermark thereto.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for processing data, and in particular to encoding information into data content. Background technique [0002] Media content transmitted over communication networks is often subject to copyright restrictions. This copyright places strict legal restrictions on how users are allowed to use content they receive from the web. For example, in addition to viewing a video program as it is being played, a user may be permitted to record the program for his own use, but the user is generally not permitted to distribute a recorded copy of the program. However, despite these legal restrictions, unauthorized copying and distribution of media content remains a major problem. [0003] In order to identify unauthorized copies and possibly detect their source, content distributors sometimes embed digital watermarks in each copy of encoded media data they distribute. Such watermarks typically include en...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0002] Media content transmitted over communication networks is often subject to copyright

This copyright places strict legal restrictions on how users are allowed to use content they receive from the web

For example, in addition to viewing a live video program, a user may be permitted to record a program for his or her own use, but is generally not permitted to distribute a recorded copy of the program

However, despite these legal restrictions, the unauthorized copying and distribution of media content remains a major problem

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