Probe Data Watermarking for Ownership Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to protect and trace probe data used in traffic monitoring and navigation services from unauthorized redistribution, as existing technologies face challenges in determining original ownership and detecting unauthorized reuse of high-volume probe data.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for embedding a digital watermark or information into probe data sets by quantizing attributes of probe data points into a grid, allowing bits of the watermark to be encoded into existing attributes, with optional error-correction and encryption to conceal and verify ownership.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If watermark information is embedded into probe data to protect ownership and enable tracing, then data protection capability is improved, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The probe data set is divided into multiple individual probe data points, and the watermark bit string is segmented and embedded into different data points. This segmentation allows the watermark to be distributed across the data set, improving protection capability while managing processing complexity through modular embedding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent embeds watermark information by modifying parameters of probe data points, such as adjusting speed values or timestamp fields to encode binary bits. By changing existing data parameters rather than adding separate watermark fields, the system improves data protection while minimizing increases in processing complexity.
2Quantity of substance
If watermark bits are embedded into existing probe data attributes, then data size remains constant, but embedding precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses intermediate calculation steps to determine which probe data points should be modified to encode watermark bits. By introducing intermediary selection criteria and systematic embedding rules, the system achieves precise watermark embedding into existing attributes without increasing data size, while maintaining manageable precision requirements through structured approaches.
3Reliability
If error-correction and encryption are applied to watermark embedding, then ownership verification reliability is improved, but computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Error-correction codes and encryption are applied to the watermark bit string before embedding into probe data points. By performing these protective actions preliminarily on the compact bit string rather than on the entire probe data set, the system achieves high ownership verification reliability while minimizing computational requirements through efficient pre-processing of the small watermark data.
Data Source
AI summary
An approach is provided for embedding information into probe data. The approach involves retrieving a probe data set comprising a plurality of probe data points collected from a probe device. The approach also involves determining the information to embed, wherein the information is a bit string of a specified length. The approach further involves iteratively selecting at least one bit of the bit string to embed into at least one probe data point of the plurality of probe data points to generate an embedded probe data set until at least a predetermined portion of the bit string is embedded. The approach further involves providing the embedded probe data set as an output.