copyright protection for digical image

Are you mentioned in your clarification, which Google Editor's have
removed, you are seeking an explanation of digital watermarking.

Digital watermarking refers to technologies used to alter an image in
order to assert ownership. There are two basic forms invisible and
visible watermarks.

Visible
Visible watermarks are when you overlay one image upon another in a
manner which makes it hard to remove, for example a company logo. The
idea is to make it more difficult for someone to use your image
without permission because it would be difficult to remove that
watermark.

Invisible 
Invisible watermarks are a bit more subtle. With invisible watermarks
the second image is overlayed in a manner which is not apparent to the
eye. The image pixels are subtlety manipulated so that 1) if someone
uses your image, you can demonstrate that it is in fact yours (because
you can algorithmically extract the second image and use it as proof);
and 2), you can determine if your image was maniuplated because of the
effect on your invisible watermark.

These concepts are explain in more detail with with sample images
which you can view here:
IBM research
http://www.research.ibm.com/image_apps/watermark.html

Kodak Research
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/researchDevelopment/technologyFeatures/aboutDW.shtml

Also, you can view an animation by kodak here:
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/researchDevelopment/technologyFeatures/watermark.shtml

Digimarc's web site also offer's explanation and sample images.
http://www.digimarc.com/watermarking/techOverview.asp

Finally here is a technical explanation of second-generation digital
watermarking technologies is provided here:
http://rleweb.mit.edu/Publications/currents/cur11-1/11-1watermark.htm

Here is a list of companies with digital watermarking products and
services:
http://www.watermarkingworld.org/companies.html

I hope my answer has met your expectation. If you need any
clarification please let me know. Your satisfaction is important to
me.

Search terms used:
digital watermark
digital watermark kodak
digital watermarking technology

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Clarification of Answer by maxhodges-ga on 05 Mar 2003 14:13 PST

Oops! typo in first word!
-Are you mentioned in your clarification...

Should be
-AS you mentioned in your clarification...

Cheers, maxhodges-ga

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Clarification of Answer by maxhodges-ga on 06 Mar 2003 13:10 PST

Staceyting-ga, your satisfaction is important to me. Since I have not
received any reply from you, I'm just check to see if there is
anything I can clarify. Thank you, maxhodges-ga

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Clarification of Answer by maxhodges-ga on 06 Mar 2003 13:59 PST

Staceyting-ga, I noticed your rating of three stars, so I wanted to
inform you that if you are even dissatisfied with an answer at Google
Answers, you can always request a clarification before you rate the
answer you were first given. Also, the quality of the question you ask
makes a big difference in the answer that you will receive. Some tips
are phrasing a question so that you get the right question are posted
here:

Google Answers: Help & Tips:
http://answers.google.com/answers/help.html#B