DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-27 are pending on this application. Claims 1, 15-16, and 27 are in independent forms.
Priority
3. Foreign priority has been claimed to JP application # 2000-342753 filed on 11/10/2000.
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The information disclosure statements (IDS's) submitted on 05/04/2025 is in compliance with provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
5. The drawings filed on 05/04/2025 are accepted by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
7. Claims 1, 4-9, 11-18, 20-24 and 26-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0059522 (hereinafter Hirano) in view of Rhoads et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0231785 (hereinafter Rhoads).
Regarding claim 1, a computer implemented process of embedding a probabilistic digital watermark in synthetically generated data (see Hirano par. 0017, producing a consent information added header data section in which consent information containing the information of a contents key used as a encryption key when the digital content are encrypted is embedded in the header data section as an electronic watermark; and producing synthetic data obtained by synthesizing the real data section and said consent information header data section to distribute the synthetic data); the process comprising:
“generating synthetic data values, wherein a probabilistic digital watermark is embedded in the synthetic data values during generation and in a streaming fashion” (see Hirano pars. 0025, 0079, producing a consent information added header data section in which consent information containing the information of a contents key used as a encryption key when the digital content are encrypted is embedded in the header data section as a visually or auditorily unrecognizable electronic watermark; and synthesizing synthetic data obtained by synthesizing the real data section and the consent information added header data section after a hash value produced by using a hash function from the real data section is embedded in the header data section as a visually or auditorily unrecognizable electronic watermark, and distributing the synthetic data. In Step S13, the header data section 16 in which the symbol information produced in correspondence with the respective digital content is produced. In the header data section 16, for example, the symbol information of the respective digital content produced as the image data can be so structured as to be embedded in one image data. Also, in case of the audio data, the symbol information of the respective digital content can be one audio data sequentially connected to each other. Also, the symbol information embedded in the image data can be so structured as to have the audio data); and “wherein each synthetic data value is independently evaluated for inclusion based on a predefined rule” (see Hirano par. 0080, In Step S14, the privileges information is embedded in the respective digital content stored in the synthetic data 12. The privileges information exhibits the copyright information and the publish privileges information of the digital content, and the information is embedded in the digital content as occasion demands. The process of embedding the privileges information in the digital content can be embedded as an invisible or unauditory electronic watermark and can be embedded as a visual and auditory electronic watermark);
Hirano does not explicitly discloses ensuring the probabilistic digital watermark is embedded in the synthetic data values and not in metadata or redundant data; providing a watermarked data release using the synthetically generated data.
However, in analogues art, Rhoads discloses ensuring the probabilistic digital watermark is embedded in the synthetic data values and not in metadata or redundant data (see Rhoads par. 0397, Watermarks can be used to indelibly associate meta-data within content (as opposed to stored in a data structure that forms another part of the object, as is conventionally done with meta-data). The watermark can include text saying "sunset" or the like. More compact information representations can alternatively be employed (e.g. coded references). Still further, the watermark can include (or consist entirely of) a Unique ID (UID) that serves as an index (key) into a network-connected remote database containing the meta data descriptors. By such arrangements, web crawlers and the like can extract and index the meta-data descriptor tags, allowing searches to be conducted based on semantic descriptions of the file contents, rather than just by file name.); providing a watermarked data release using the synthetically generated data (see Rhoads par. 0405, An example is a digital movie that, when double-clicked, automatically executes a watermark-embedded Java applet which links through a browser to the movie's distributor. The user is then prompted to input a credit card number. After the number has been verified and a charge made, the applet releases the content of the file to the computer's viewer for viewing of the movie).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rhoads into the system of Hirano provide an encoder to embed watermark data in the content as it is released from the secure container, before it is provided to the user (see Rhoads par. 0410).
Regarding claims 4 and 20, Hirano in view of Rhoads discloses the process of claim 1, the process of claim 18,
Hirano further discloses wherein the predefined rule comprises selecting among synthetically generated tokens based on a tokenization constraint or selection criteria (see Hirano par. 0082, the user information 14 inherent to the user can be a password preset with respect to the user. Also, the user information 14 can be ID information of the information device used when the user operates the digital content, and for example, the serial No. of a CPU mounted on a personal computer, the serial No. of a drive such as a CD-ROM, a DVD, an MO, an FD or an HD may be applied. In this case, the password of the user or the ID information of the used information device are registered at the contents manager 2 side, and the contents key can be encrypted on the basis of the user information 14 thus registered).
Regarding claims 5 and 21, Hirano in view of Rhoads discloses the process of claim 1, the process of claim 16,
Rhoads further discloses wherein embedding the digital watermark enables detection or attribution of unauthorized distribution or publishing of data (see Rhoads par. 0025, A watermark system may include an embedder, detector, and reader. The watermark embedder encodes a watermark signal in a host signal to create a combined signal. The detector looks for the watermark signal in a potentially corrupted version of the combined signal, and computes its orientation. Finally, a reader extracts a message in the watermark signal from the combined signal using the orientation to approximate the original state of the combined signal).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rhoads into the system of Hirano to provide an encoder to embed watermark data in the content as it is released from the secure container, before it is provided to the user (see Rhoads par. 0410).
Regarding claims 6 and 22, Hirano in view of Rhoads discloses the process of claim 1, the process of claim 16,
Hirano further discloses wherein embedding the digital watermark enables detection that the watermarked data release was synthetically generated (see Hirano par. 0017, producing a header data section having a symbolized symbol information so as to visually and auditorily recognize the attribute of the digital content; producing a consent information added header data section in which consent information containing the information of a contents key used as a encryption key when the digital content are encrypted is embedded in the header data section as an electronic watermark; and producing synthetic data obtained by synthesizing the real data section and said consent information header data section to distribute the synthetic data).
Regarding claims 7 and 23, Hirano in view of Rhoads discloses the process of claim 1, the process of claim 16,
Rhoads further discloses wherein the watermark is randomly generated (see Rhoads par. 0140, The embedder uses spread spectrum modulation as part of the process of creating a watermark signal from the raw bits. A spread spectrum modulator 804 spreads each raw bit into a number of "chips." The embedder generates a pseudo random number that acts as the carrier signal of the message)
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rhoads into the system of Hirano to provide an encoder to embed watermark data in the content as it is released from the secure container, before it is provided to the user (see Rhoads par. 0410).
Regarding claims 8 and 24, Hirano in view of Rhoads discloses the process of claim 1, the process of claim 16,
Rhoads further discloses wherein the watermark is deterministically generated (see Rhoads par. 0090, Based on this information, it can look for the message properties in the watermarked signal. For example, it can test the watermarked signal to see if it has attributes of each message symbol (e.g., a one or zero) at a particular location and generate a probability measure as an indicator of the likelihood that a message symbol has been encoded. Knowing the approximate location of the watermark in the watermarked signal, the reader implementation may compare known message properties with the properties of the watermarked signal to estimate message values, even if the original signal is unavailable).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rhoads into the system of Hirano to provide an encoder to embed watermark data in the content as it is released from the secure container, before it is provided to the user (see Rhoads par. 0410).
Regarding claim 9, Hirano in view of Rhoads discloses the process of claim 1,
Rhoads further discloses wherein the method further comprises detecting the probabilistic digital watermark by analysing statistical deviations in the watermarked data release (see Rhoads par. 0075, Various forms of statistical analyses may be performed on a signal to identify places to locate the watermark, and to identify places where to extract the watermark. For example, a statistical analysis can identify portions of a host image that have noise-like properties that are likely to make recovery of the watermark signal difficult. Similarly, statistical analyses may be used to characterize the host signal to determine where to locate the watermark).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rhoads into the system of Hirano to provide an encoder to embed watermark data in the content as it is released from the secure container, before it is provided to the user (see Rhoads par. 0410).
Regarding claim 11, Hirano in view of Rhoads the process of claim 9,
Rhoads further discloses wherein there is no requirement to exactly reconstitute the digital watermark but merely to be able to perform a fuzzy match between the detected statistical deviations and known watermark patterns (see Rhoads par. 0090, Knowing the approximate location of the watermark in the watermarked signal, the reader implementation may compare known message properties with the properties of the watermarked signal to estimate message values, even if the original signal is unavailable. Distortions to the watermarked signal and the host signal itself make the watermark difficult to recover, but accurate recovery of the message can be enhanced using a variety of techniques, such as error correction coding, watermark signal prediction, redundant message encoding, etc.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rhoads into the system of Hirano to provide an encoder to embed watermark data in the content as it is released from the secure container, before it is provided to the user (see Rhoads par. 0410).
Regarding claims 12 and 26, Hirano in view of Rhoads the process of claim 1, the process of claim 16,
Rhoads further discloses wherein a distinct probabilistic digital watermark is generated per watermarked data release (see Rhoads par. 0410, When access rights are granted to that container, the database record can be updated to reflect the purchaser, the purchase date, the rights granted, etc. An alternative is to include a watermark encoder in the software tool used to access (e.g. decrypt) the content. Such an encoder can embed watermark data in the content as it is released from the secure container, before it is provided to the user. The embedded data can include a UID, as described above).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rhoads into the system of Hirano to provide an encoder to embed watermark data in the content as it is released from the secure container, before it is provided to the user (see Rhoads par. 0410).
Regarding claim 13, Hirano in view of Rhoads the process of claim 1,
Hirano further discloses wherein the digital watermark is embedded by altering the frequency distribution of digits or tokens in the synthetically generated data values (see Hirano par. 0084, In Step S16, the consent information 13 obtained by encrypting the contents key by the user information 14 is embedded in the header data section 16 as the electronic watermark. The embedment of the header data 16 in the consent information 13 can be made as the invisible or unauditory electronic watermark, and the consent information 13 may be inserted into a specific frequency band of the header data 16, a part of the data may be interpolated so that the consent information is inserted therein, and other methods are proposed).
Regarding claim 14, Hirano in view of Rhoads the process of claim 1,
Rhoads further discloses wherein the watermarked data release includes text strings (see Rhoads par. 0398, Existing watermarks commonly embed information serving to communicate copyright information. Some systems embed text identifying the copyright holder. Others embed a UID which is used as an index into a database where the name of the copyright owner, and associated information, is stored).
Regarding claim 15, Hirano discloses a computing system comprising:
“one or more processors” (Fig. 1, content user 3) and
one or more memories (Fig. 3, annex data section 17) storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:
“generate synthetic data values, wherein a probabilistic digital watermark is embedded in the synthetic data values during generation and in a streaming fashion” (see Hirano pars. 0025, 0079, producing a consent information added header data section in which consent information containing the information of a contents key used as a encryption key when the digital content are encrypted is embedded in the header data section as a visually or auditorily unrecognizable electronic watermark; and synthesizing synthetic data obtained by synthesizing the real data section and the consent information added header data section after a hash value produced by using a hash function from the real data section is embedded in the header data section as a visually or auditorily unrecognizable electronic watermark, and distributing the synthetic data. In Step S13, the header data section 16 in which the symbol information produced in correspondence with the respective digital content is produced. In the header data section 16, for example, the symbol information of the respective digital content produced as the image data can be so structured as to be embedded in one image data. Also, in case of the audio data, the symbol information of the respective digital content can be one audio data sequentially connected to each other. Also, the symbol information embedded in the image data can be so structured as to have the audio data); and
“wherein each synthetic data value is independently evaluated for inclusion based on a predefined rule” (see Hirano par. 0080, In Step S14, the privileges information is embedded in the respective digital content stored in the synthetic data 12. The privileges information exhibits the copyright information and the publish privileges information of the digital content, and the information is embedded in the digital content as occasion demands. The process of embedding the privileges information in the digital content can be embedded as an invisible or unauditory electronic watermark and can be embedded as a visual and auditory electronic watermark);
Hirano does not explicitly discloses ensure the probabilistic digital watermark is embedded in the synthetic data values and not in metadata or redundant data; provide a watermarked data release using the synthetically generated data.
However, in analogues art, Rhoads discloses ensure the probabilistic digital watermark is embedded in the synthetic data values and not in metadata or redundant (see Rhoads par. 0397, Watermarks can be used to indelibly associate meta-data within content (as opposed to stored in a data structure that forms another part of the object, as is conventionally done with meta-data). The watermark can include text saying "sunset" or the like. More compact information representations can alternatively be employed (e.g. coded references). Still further, the watermark can include (or consist entirely of) a Unique ID (UID) that serves as an index (key) into a network-connected remote database containing the meta data descriptors. By such arrangements, web crawlers and the like can extract and index the meta-data descriptor tags, allowing searches to be conducted based on semantic descriptions of the file contents, rather than just by file name.); provide a watermarked data release using the synthetically generated data (see Rhoads par. 0405, An example is a digital movie that, when double-clicked, automatically executes a watermark-embedded Java applet which links through a browser to the movie's distributor. The user is then prompted to input a credit card number. After the number has been verified and a charge made, the applet releases the content of the file to the computer's viewer for viewing of the movie).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rhoads into the system of Hirano to provide an encoder to embed watermark data in the content as it is released from the secure container, before it is provided to the user (see Rhoads par. 0410).
Regarding claim 16, Hirano discloses a computing implemented process for detecting a watermark in a dataset (see Hirano par. 0034, a form of the electronic watermark embedded in the digital content and the code level can be determined on the basis of a data quality level and a security level which are required by the digital content), the process comprising:
“receiving a dataset comprising synthetically generated data, wherein a probabilistic digital watermark is embedded in the synthetically generated data” (see Hirano pars. 0025, 0079, producing a consent information added header data section in which consent information containing the information of a contents key used as a encryption key when the digital content are encrypted is embedded in the header data section as a visually or auditorily unrecognizable electronic watermark; and synthesizing synthetic data obtained by synthesizing the real data section and the consent information added header data section after a hash value produced by using a hash function from the real data section is embedded in the header data section as a visually or auditorily unrecognizable electronic watermark, and distributing the synthetic data. In Step S13, the header data section 16 in which the symbol information produced in correspondence with the respective digital content is produced. In the header data section 16, for example, the symbol information of the respective digital content produced as the image data can be so structured as to be embedded in one image data. Also, in case of the audio data, the symbol information of the respective digital content can be one audio data sequentially connected to each other. Also, the symbol information embedded in the image data can be so structured as to have the audio data);
Hirano does not explicitly discloses applying statistical analysis on the received dataset to detect deviations in at least one of: token frequency, numerical value distribution, or record structure; and determining based on a fuzzy match between the detected statistical deviations and known watermark patterns, whether the received dataset includes the embedded probabilistic digital watermark.
However, in analogues art, Rhoads discloses applying statistical analysis on the received dataset to detect deviations in at least one of: token frequency, numerical value distribution, or record structure (see Rhoads par. 0090, Knowing the approximate location of the watermark in the watermarked signal, the reader implementation may compare known message properties with the properties of the watermarked signal to estimate message values, even if the original signal is unavailable. Distortions to the watermarked signal and the host signal itself make the watermark difficult to recover, but accurate recovery of the message can be enhanced using a variety of techniques, such as error correction coding, watermark signal prediction, redundant message encoding, etc.); and determining based on a fuzzy match between the detected statistical deviations and known watermark patterns, whether the received dataset includes the embedded probabilistic digital watermark (see Rhoads par. 0090, Knowing the approximate location of the watermark in the watermarked signal, the reader implementation may compare known message properties with the properties of the watermarked signal to estimate message values, even if the original signal is unavailable. Distortions to the watermarked signal and the host signal itself make the watermark difficult to recover, but accurate recovery of the message can be enhanced using a variety of techniques, such as error correction coding, watermark signal prediction, redundant message encoding, etc.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rhoads into the system of Hirano to provide a statistical analysis plots a distribution of peak ratio values found in unmarked images. The ratio values are mapped to a detection value based on the probability that the value came from an unmarked image (see Rhoads par. 0197).
Regarding claim 17, Hirano in view of Rhoads discloses the process of claim 16,
Rhoads further discloses wherein the digital watermark is embedded in the synthetically generated data values and not in any metadata or redundant data (see Rhoads par. 0397, Watermarks can be used to indelibly associate meta-data within content (as opposed to stored in a data structure that forms another part of the object, as is conventionally done with meta-data). The watermark can include text saying "sunset" or the like. More compact information representations can alternatively be employed (e.g. coded references). Still further, the watermark can include (or consist entirely of) a Unique ID (UID) that serves as an index (key) into a network-connected remote database containing the meta data descriptors. By such arrangements, web crawlers and the like can extract and index the meta-data descriptor tags, allowing searches to be conducted based on semantic descriptions of the file contents, rather than just by file name.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rhoads into the system of Hirano to provide an encoder to embed watermark data in the content as it is released from the secure container, before it is provided to the user (see Rhoads par. 0410).
Regarding claim 18, Hirano in view of Rhoads discloses the process of claim 16,
Hirano further wherein the digital watermark is embedded in the synthetically generated data during data generation, and in a streaming fashion (see Hirano pars. 0025, 0079, producing a consent information added header data section in which consent information containing the information of a contents key used as a encryption key when the digital content are encrypted is embedded in the header data section as a visually or auditorily unrecognizable electronic watermark; and synthesizing synthetic data obtained by synthesizing the real data section and the consent information added header data section after a hash value produced by using a hash function from the real data section is embedded in the header data section as a visually or auditorily unrecognizable electronic watermark, and distributing the synthetic data) ; wherein each synthetically generated data value is independently evaluated for inclusion based on a predefined rule (see Hirano par. 0080, In Step S14, the privileges information is embedded in the respective digital content stored in the synthetic data 12. The privileges information exhibits the copyright information and the publish privileges information of the digital content, and the information is embedded in the digital content as occasion demands. The process of embedding the privileges information in the digital content can be embedded as an invisible or unauditory electronic watermark and can be embedded as a visual and auditory electronic watermark);
Regarding claim 27, Hirano discloses a computing system comprising:
“one or more processors” (Fig. 1, content user 3) and
one or more memories (Fig. 3, annex data section 17) storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:
“receive a dataset comprising synthetically generated data, wherein a probabilistic digital watermark is embedded in the synthetically generated data” (see Hirano pars. 0025, 0079, producing a consent information added header data section in which consent information containing the information of a contents key used as a encryption key when the digital content are encrypted is embedded in the header data section as a visually or auditorily unrecognizable electronic watermark; and synthesizing synthetic data obtained by synthesizing the real data section and the consent information added header data section after a hash value produced by using a hash function from the real data section is embedded in the header data section as a visually or auditorily unrecognizable electronic watermark, and distributing the synthetic data. In Step S13, the header data section 16 in which the symbol information produced in correspondence with the respective digital content is produced. In the header data section 16, for example, the symbol information of the respective digital content produced as the image data can be so structured as to be embedded in one image data. Also, in case of the audio data, the symbol information of the respective digital content can be one audio data sequentially connected to each other. Also, the symbol information embedded in the image data can be so structured as to have the audio data);
Hirano does not explicitly discloses apply statistical analysis on the received dataset to detect deviations in at least one of: token frequency, numerical value distribution, or record structure; and determine based on a fuzzy match between the detected statistical deviations and known watermark patterns, whether the received dataset includes the embedded probabilistic digital watermark.
However, in analogues art, Rhoads discloses apply statistical analysis on the received dataset to detect deviations in at least one of: token frequency, numerical value distribution, or record structure (see Rhoads par. 0090, Knowing the approximate location of the watermark in the watermarked signal, the reader implementation may compare known message properties with the properties of the watermarked signal to estimate message values, even if the original signal is unavailable. Distortions to the watermarked signal and the host signal itself make the watermark difficult to recover, but accurate recovery of the message can be enhanced using a variety of techniques, such as error correction coding, watermark signal prediction, redundant message encoding, etc.); and determine based on a fuzzy match between the detected statistical deviations and known watermark patterns, whether the received dataset includes the embedded probabilistic digital watermark (see Rhoads par. 0090, Knowing the approximate location of the watermark in the watermarked signal, the reader implementation may compare known message properties with the properties of the watermarked signal to estimate message values, even if the original signal is unavailable. Distortions to the watermarked signal and the host signal itself make the watermark difficult to recover, but accurate recovery of the message can be enhanced using a variety of techniques, such as error correction coding, watermark signal prediction, redundant message encoding, etc.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rhoads into the system of Hirano to provide a statistical analysis plots a distribution of peak ratio values found in unmarked images. The ratio values are mapped to a detection value based on the probability that the value came from an unmarked image (see Rhoads par. 0197).
8. Claims 2-3 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0059522 (hereinafter Hirano) in view of Rhoads et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0231785 (hereinafter Rhoads) in further view of Badstieber et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0067881 (hereinafter Badstieber).
Regarding claim 2, Hirano in view of De Vuono in further view of Rhoads discloses the process of claim 1, Hirano in view of Rhoads does not explicitly discloses wherein the predefined rule is applied independently to each data value, without requiring knowledge of other data values.
However, in analogues art, Badstieber discloses wherein the predefined rule is applied independently to each data value, without requiring knowledge of other data values (see Badstieber par. 0016, one refinement of the invention is characterized in that the mapping rule for ascertaining the anonymized value of the data element is designed such that the anonymized value has at least one predetermined property of the original value of the data element. Such a mapping rule that is provided with one or more properties of the original value of the data element allows the ascertainment of an anonymized value that can be processed in a similar manner to the original value of the data element. In addition, this allows a portion of the information content of the original value to be maintained, so that the anonymized value can be used to make statistical evaluations, for example, the results of which are also valid for the real data values, without revealing the complete real information content).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Badstieber into the system of Hirano and Rhoads to provide a mapping rule is selected from a plurality of mapping rules for ascertaining anonymized values, which mapping rules are stored in the database system, on the basis of an association with the data element. This allows anonymized values for various data elements to be provided on the basis of different mapping rules matched to the respective data element (see Badstieber par. 0014).
Regarding claims 3 and 19, Hirano in view of De Vuono in further view of Rhoads discloses the process of claim 1, the process of claim 18,
Hirano in view of Rhoads does not explicitly discloses wherein the predefined rule comprises modifying the synthetic data values during the data generation process.
However, in analogues art, Badstieber discloses wherein the predefined rule comprises modifying the synthetic data values during the data generation process (see Badstieber par. 0017, 0052, The invention is not limited to mapping rules of the type cited previously, however. Thus, by way of example, it is also possible to use relatively simple mapping rules for ascertaining the anonymized values, which alter particular positions in the original value on the basis of a regular pattern, for example. Although such mapping rules usually allow the original values to be inferred from the anonymized values in principle (for example by comparing a plurality of anonymized values), the computation complexity for ascertaining the anonymized values is usually lower. Such relatively simple mapping rules are suitable for applications or data elements in which a lower level of protection for the original values is sufficient).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Badstieber into the system of Hirano and Rhoads for users can use appropriate commands that are implemented by the management unit in order to alter values of data elements, to erase data elements and to create data elements within the data structure (see Badstieber par. 0038).
9. Claims 10 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0059522 (hereinafter Hirano) in view of Rhoads et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0231785 (hereinafter Rhoads) in further view of Mihcak et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0154892 (hereinafter Mihcak).
Regarding claims 10 and 25, Hirano in view of Rhoads discloses the process of claim 9, the process of claim 16,
Hirano in view of Rhoads does not explicitly discloses wherein detecting the probabilistic digital watermark comprises generating a histogram of hash values from the watermarked data release and identifying statistical anomalies indicative of a digital watermark presence.
However, in analogues art, Mihcak discloses wherein detecting the probabilistic digital watermark comprises generating a histogram of hash values from the watermarked data release and identifying statistical anomalies indicative of a digital watermark presence (see Mihcak par. 0035, Detection of the watermarked signal utilizes a variant of a correlation detector. It is assumed that the original statistics and the quantized statistics are available for detection to facilitate forensics analysis. Optionally, histogram-equalization-based pre-processing operations can be applied during both embedding and detection to gain robustness against dynamic range processing and/or histogram equalization and/or scaling type attacks. Additionally, this mark embedding scheme is applied in pseudo-randomly chosen appropriate places of the digital media).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Mihcak into the system of Hirano and Rhoads to provide a pre-processing stage consists of applying histogram equalization to the pixels that are elements of the set A. No processing is applied to the pixels that are elements of the set B. At the mark embedding stage, watermark embedding is applied after applying histogram equalization to the elements of set A (see Mihcak par. 0107).
Conclusion
10. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tehranchi et al. (US 2008/0002854 A1): discloses Methods, apparatus, and systems for signal continuity assessment using embedded watermarks are provided. The embedded watermarks are recovered from the content and one or more attributes associated with the recovered watermarks are identified. A continuity of the content can then be assessed in accordance with the one or more attributes. The continuity assessment may be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to a determined heartbeat of the recovered watermarks, a density, separation, location, or extent, of the recovered watermarks, as well as information associated with the watermarks, such as a stego key, channel bits, packet numbers, a fingerprint, or the like.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMUEL AMBAYE whose telephone number is (571)270-7635. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Pwu can be reached at (571) 272-6798. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAMUEL AMBAYE/Examiner, Art Unit 2433
/JEFFREY C PWU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2433
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