Digital watermarking is adapted for the variable data printing. A reference signal serves as a proxy for optimizing the embedding a watermark in a host image to be printed. Using the reference signal, embedding parameters are generated, which are a function of constraints such as visual quality and robustness of the machine readable data. Adjustments needed to embed a unique payload in each printed piece are generated using the embedding parameters. These adjustments are stored in a manner that enables them to be efficiently obtained and applied within the RIP or press during operation of the press. Various other methods, system configurations and applications are also detailed.

The present disclosure relates generally to data hiding for retail product packaging and other printed objects such as substrates. One embodiment embeds an information signal in a spot color for printing on various substrates. The spot color is screened, and overprinted with process color tint. The tint is modulated prior to overprinting with optimized signal tweaks. The optimization can include consideration of a detector spectral dependency (e.g., red and/or green illumination). Many other embodiments and combinations are described in the subject patent document.

A method for embedding information in a video signal is described. The method comprises receiving (305) a message (30) including the information; dividing (310) the message (30) in a first message part (132) and a second message part (134); acquiring (320) a first video frame (9) and a second video frame (10) from the video signal, wherein the second video frame (10) is temporally subsequent to the first video frame (9), and the video frames (9, 10) each include a pre-set number of pixels; and determining (330) a motion map (122) associated with the second video frame (10), wherein the motion map (122) indicates a movement of each of the pixels of in the second video frame (10) compared to the first video frame (9). The method further comprises embedding (360) the first message part (132) in the pixels of the second video frame (10) including weighting the first message part (132) for each pixel of the second video frame (10) based on the motion map (122); and embedding (365) the second message part (134) in the pixels of the second video frame (10) including weighting the second message part (134) for each pixel of the second video frame (10) based on an inverse of the motion map (122). Furthermore, a graphical encoder (100) and a system (1) are described, which are configured to perform such method.

Authenticity of a sticker (e.g., a mark-down sticker on a retail item), or integrity of a closure (e.g., on a delivery bag or package), is confirmed by reference to spatial information. In some embodiments a fingerprint is formed from parameters describing spatial placement of a sticker or pattern on a substrate. In some embodiments a digital watermark pattern provides a spatial frame of reference within which one or more other features can be located. A great many other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Data is encoded into one or more optically encoded images. The optically encoded images are then inserted as image data into a video sequence - i.e., in video frames. Data are transmitted in-band within the video, via any conceivable video distribution channel or format. The video may be trans-coded as required - because the data are optically encoded, any video processing that even crudely preserves the frame images will preserve the optically encoded data. This scheme of in-band data transfer in video is very robust. A video receiving apparatus receives the video, inspects the image data from video frames in memory, detects optically encoded images in the image data, and decodes the optically encoded images to recover the data. The frames carrying optically encoded images are typically discarded and not rendered to a display. The receiver controls connected equipment, other than a display (e.g., a musical instrument), based on the extracted data.

Systems and methods are described for obfuscating variants of content segments. Variants of content segments can be used to encode an identifying sequence in a transmission of content. The variants of the content segments can each include one or more marked frames and one or more unmarked frames. Variations can be introduced into the unmarked frames for each of the variants of the content segments.

A video signal processing method according to an embodiment includes receiving first data, generating second data by converting the first data into an RGB value, receiving a first video signal including an RGB value for each pixel, generating a second video signal from the first video signal by replacing an RGB value of a pixel in a first area in the first video signal with the RGB value of the second data, and outputting the second video signal

A video stream management system includes a video controller that live renders video. Moreover, the video stream management system also includes a display that is communicatively coupled to the video controller and displays a primary video feed that includes the live rendered video. The video controller, the display, or a combination thereof, embeds a pixel pattern in the primary video feed. Additionally, the video feed management system monitors one or more displayed images on the display to identify an error in the primary video feed.

A method for authenticating digital information includes obtaining, in digital form, information for authentication; preparing the information for processing, such preparation including converting the information into a digital image; identifying segments of content in the digital image; grouping the segments of content into one or more segment groups; generating a marking sequence comprising shifting at least one of the one or more segment groups in one or more directions; and applying the marking sequence to the digital image, creating a unique marked copy of the digital image.

Artwork carrying machine readable data is generated by editing artwork according to a data signal or transforming the data signal into artwork. The machine-readable data signal is generated from a digital payload and converted into an image tile. Artwork is edited according to the image tile by moving graphic elements, adapting intersections of lines, or altering line density, among other techniques. Artwork is generated from the data signal by skeletonizing it and applying morphological operators to a skeletal representation, such as a medial axis transform. Artistic effects are introduced by filtering the data signal with directional blurring or shape filters.