초록

An automated system checks networked computers, such as computers on the internet, for watermarked audio, video, or image data. A report listing the location of such audio, video or image data is generated, and provided to the proprietor(s) thereof identified by the watermark information.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A method for surveying distribution of proprietary empirical data sets, such as audio, image, or video data, on computer sites accessible via the internet, comprising:automatically downloading data, including empirical data sets, from a plurality of computer sites over the internet;

[ I claim:] [1.] A method for surveying distribution of proprietary empirical data sets, such as audio, image, or video data, on computer sites accessible via the internet, comprising:automatically downloading data, including empirical data sets, from a plurality of computer sites over the internet;for each of a plurality of empirical data sets obtained by said downloading operation, automatically screening same to identify the potential presence of identification data steganographically encoded therein;for each of a plurality of empirical data sets screened by said screening operation, discerning identification data, if any, steganographically encoded therein; andgenerating a report identifying steganographically encoded empirical data sets identified by the foregoing steps, and the site from which each was downloaded;wherein there is calibration data steganographically encoded within at least one empirical data set, said calibration data having one or more known properties facilitating identification thereof during the discerning step;the method including identifying the calibration data within the empirical data set and using data obtained thereby to aid in discerning the identification data from the empirical data set;wherein the empirical data set has been corrupted since being encoded, said corruption including a process selected from the group consisting of: misregistration and scaling of the empirical data set;the method further including using said data to compensate for said corruption, wherein the identification data can nonetheless be recovered from the empirical data set notwithstanding said corruption.