TOPICS

Technical Program:

Registration:

ICASSP2000 Connections:

Tutorial 3: 08:30 - 12:00, Monday, June 5, 2000

Data Hiding/Watermarking
by
Edward J. Delp (Purdue University, USA)



Abstract

     In the past several years there has been an explosive growth in digital media technology and applications. Digital images, video, and audio are now widely distributed on the Internet, via CD-ROM and DVD. One problem with a digital media element, such as a digital image, is that an unlimited number of copies of an "original" can be easily distributed and/or forged.  This presents problems if the material is copyrighted. The protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights has become an important issue in the "digital world." One approach for the protection of a media element is to introduce an invisible or hidden signal, known as a digital watermark, into an image, video sequence, or audio sequence.  Recently, the US Congress passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) which addresses copyright issues for digital content. This act makes it illegal to attempt to circumvent any technological measure, including digital watermarking, that effectively protects an owner's intellectual property rights of digital content. This move by the US Congress should act as a catalyst to further advance the current state-of-the-art technology as well as help define new applications for watermarking.

      Many approaches are available for protecting digital multimedia; traditional methods include encryption, authentication and time stamping. In this course we present algorithms for authentication and forgery prevention known as digital watermarking. A digital watermark is a signal that is embedded in a digital image, video sequence, or audio sequence that allows one to establish ownership, identify a buyer or provide some additional information about the digital content.

      This course will present an overview of advances in image, video, audio watermarking.  The unique nature of these new technologies relative to intellectual property rights will be presented.