Digimarc Corporation

Yottamark, Inc.

Sean Calhoon

Tony F Rodriguez

J Scott Carr

William Y Conwell

Elliott Grant

Albert Anthony Luna

Alastair M Reed

John F Stach

Joel R Meyer

Geoffrey B Rhoads

In some arrangements, product packaging is digitally watermarked over most of its extent to facilitate high-throughput item identification at retail checkouts. Imagery captured by conventional or plenoptic cameras can be processed (e.g., by GPUs) to derive several different perspective-transformed views&#x2014;further minimizing the need to manually reposition items for identification. Crinkles and other deformations in product packaging can be optically sensed, allowing such surfaces to be virtually flattened to aid identification. Piles of items can be 3D-modelled and virtually segmented into geometric primitives to aid identification, and to discover locations of obscured items. Other data (e.g., including data from sensors in aisles, shelves and carts, and gaze tracking for clues about visual saliency) can be used in assessing identification hypotheses about an item. Logos may be identified and used&#x2014;or ignored&#x2014;in product identification. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Methods and arrangements for identifying objects

Imagery captured by an autonomous robot is analyzed to discern digital watermark patterns. In some embodiments, identical but geometrically-inconsistent digital watermark patterns are discerned in an image frame, to aid in distinguishing multiple depicted instances of a particular item. In other embodiments, actions of the robot are controlled or altered in accordance with image processing performed by the robot on a digital watermark pattern. The technology is particularly described in the context of retail stores in which the watermark patterns are encoded, e.g., on product packaging, shelving, and shelf labels. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Image processing methods and arrangements useful in automated store shelf inspections

In one aspect, assembly of multi-part food packaging is checked by reference to payloads of steganographically-encoded digital watermarks printed across the packaging components. Marking all surfaces of the packaging components allows arbitrary orientation of feed stock in assembly equipment, and wide latitude in placement of inspection cameras along the packaging line. In another aspect, a scanner at a retail checkout station is alert to any gap detected in steganographic encoding on retail product packaging and, if found, alerts an operator to possible presence of an adhesive label with a misleading barcode. A great variety of others features and arrangements are also detailed.

Digital watermarking applications

The present invention provides methods and systems to improve network searching for watermarked content. In some implementations we employ keyword searching to narrow the universe of possible URL candidates. A resulting URL list is searched for digital watermarking. A system is provided to allow customer input. For example, a customer enters keywords or network locations. The keywords or network locations are provided to a watermark-enabled web browser which accesses locations associated with the keywords or network locations. Some implementations of the present invention employ a plurality of distributed watermark-enabled web browsers. Other aspects of the invention provide methods and system to facilitate desktop searching and automated metadata gathering and generating. In one implementation a digital watermark is used to determine whether metadata associated with an image or audio file is current or fresh. The metadata is updated when it is out of date. Watermarks can also be used to link to or facilitate so-called on-line 'blogs' (or online conversations).

Metadata management and generation using perceptual features

Image processing methods and arrangements

In one aspect, assembly of multi-part food packaging is checked by reference to payloads of steganographically-encoded digital watermarks printed across plural components of the packaging. Marking all surfaces of the packaging components allows arbitrary orientation of feed stock in assembly equipment, and wide latitude in placement of inspection cameras along the packaging line. In another aspect, a scanner at a retail checkout station is alert to any gap detected in steganographic encoding on retail product packaging and, if found, alerts an operator to possible presence of an adhesive label with a misleading barcode. A great variety of others features and arrangements are also detailed.

The present disclosure relates generally to the technological arts of digital watermarking and fingerprinting. One claim recites a method comprising: obtaining digital data representing imagery captured with a camera; storing the digital data at a location in electronic memory; processing the digital data with a processor, said processing comprising generating a digital fingerprint of the imagery; storing the digital fingerprint of the imagery and the location in a storage repository or index; transforming the digital data with digital watermarking upon a request to output the digital imagery to a physical domain, said digital watermarking comprising a plural bit identifier; and associating the plural bit identifier with the fingerprint and location in the storage repository or index. Of course, other combinations, features and claims are disclosed as well.

Active images through digital watermarking

The present disclosure relates to signal processing. One claim recites a method comprising: receiving an imagery or audio file; utilizing a configured multi-purpose electronic processor, identifying perceptual features in the imagery or audio file; and based on the perceptual features or data representing the perceptual features automatically creating metadata for the imagery or audio file. The act of automatically creating metadata utilizes at least some data obtained from a process in a portable computing device, the process comprises communication with a device that is separate from an apparatus that is performing the method. Of course, other claims and are provided too.

Systems and methods are provided for associating traceability codes on clamshells with unique identifiers on containers in which the empty clamshells are packed for later use. In various methods, the clamshells are marked with traceability codes and stacked together, one traceability code is read from one of the clamshells in each stack, a unique identifier is read from a container, and the stack is placed in the container. The traceability code is stored in association with the unique identifier for later retrieval. An exemplary table for making clamshell-to-container associations comprises a scanner for reading traceability codes and rails for positioning stacks of clamshells proximate to the scanner. The table can also comprise a second scanner positioned to read unique identifiers from containers placed proximate thereto. The table can further comprise a computing system to make and store the associations.

Mobile table for implementing clamshell-to-case association

The presently claimed invention relates generally to methods and apparatus employing digital watermarking. Once claim recites an apparatus including: electronic memory for storing received digital imagery or audio, in which the digital imagery or audio comprises digital watermarking including a first instruction, in which the digital watermarking is hidden in the digital imagery or audio through alterations of data representing the digital imagery or through alterations of data representing the audio; and an electronic processor programmed for: decoding the digital watermark from the digital imagery or audio to obtain a first instruction; and based at least in part on the obtained first instruction, updating said apparatus when an address associated with the digital imagery or audio changes. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too.

Growing community of inventors

Lake Oswego, OR, United States of America

Sean Calhoon