WATERMARKING 3-DIMENSIONAL POLYGONAL MODELS THROUGH GEOMETRIC AND TOPOLOGICAL MODIFICATIONS

This paper discusses techniques for embedding data into three-dimensio nal (3-D) polygonal models of geometry. Given objects consisting of po ints, lines, (connected) polygons, or curved surfaces, the algorithms described in this paper produce polygonal models with data embedded in to either their vertex coordinates, their vertex topology (connectivit y), or both. Such data embedding can be used, for example, for copyrig ht notification, copyright protection, theft deterrence, and inventory of 3-D polygonal models. A description of the background and requirem ents is followed by a discussion of where, and by what fundamental met hods, data can be embedded into 3-D polygonal models. The paper then p resents several data-embedding algorithms, with examples, based on the se fundamental methods. By means of these algorithms and examples, we show that the embedding of data into 3-D polygonal models is a practic able technique.