Frederick L Spataro

US Patent:

20080037825, Feb 14, 2008

Filed:

Aug 8, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/836071

Inventors:

Neil Lofgren - White Salmon WA, US
James Philp - Missoula MT, US
Frederick Spataro - Missoula MT, US
Michael Beltz - Missoula MT, US
Craig Macholz - Missoula MT, US

Assignee:

GCS Research LLC - Missoula MT

International Classification:

G06K 9/00

US Classification:

382100000

Abstract:

A geographic information system digitally watermarks by modifying pixels from a source image with additional spatial and non-spatial information for a destination image. When an image is digitally watermarked, the pixels of the image are modified to include an embedded redundant pattern that is imperceptible to viewers of the image. The redundant pattern of changes from the “digital watermark” can be converted back into a payload containing meaningful data, and in some examples into unique identifiers. The payload is arranged to link the image to additional information such as copyright information, geospatial data, and related applications and services. Since the payload is embedded within the pixels of the image, no additional storage space is required, and the information is arranged to survive various image manipulations that might be employed by a user such as: translation of image formats, rotation, scaling, cropping, printing and scanning, and many other image processes.