Image processing apparatus and method

• US 20020051237A1
• Filed: 01/25/2001
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohara, Eiji
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/468
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0065 Extraction of an embedded watermark; Reliable detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00846 based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00864 Modifying the reproduction, e.g. outputting a modified copy of a scanned original details of composing or otherwise geometrically modifying originals H04N1/387
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00875 Inhibiting reproduction, e.g. by disabling reading or reproduction apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32154 Transform domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32352 Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence

Abstract

There are provided an image processing apparatus and method which can reliably and quickly prevent forgery. To accomplish this, an image processing apparatus includes a discrimination circuit (111) for discriminating using a plurality of different discrimination processes whether or not image data is a specific image, and a control circuit (112) for controlling the process of the image data in accordance with the discrimination result of the discrimination circuit. The discrimination circuit (111) has a digital watermark detection unit (111a) for discriminating whether or not specific digital watermark information is embedded in image data, and a feature extraction unit (112a) for discriminating similarity between the feature obtained from the image data, and that of a specific image which is set in advance. The presence/absence of execution of operations and execution order of the digital watermark detection unit and feature extraction unit are set.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an input unit for inputting image data;

first discrimination means for discriminating whether or not specific digital watermark information is embedded in the image data inputted by said input unit;

second discrimination means for discriminating similarity between a feature obtained from the image data inputted by said input unit, and a feature of a specific image;

setting means for setting the presence/absence of execution and an execution order of said first and second discrimination means; and

control means for controlling operations of said first and second discrimination means in accordance with a setting state of said setting means and controlling a process of the image data on the basis of the discrimination results of said first and second discrimination means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when said first discrimination means determines that the specific digital watermark information is embedded in the image data or when said second discrimination means determines that the similarity between the features of the image data and specific image data is high, said control means prevents faithful reproduction of the image data.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing the image data inputted by said input unit, and wherein said first and second discrimination means discriminate the image data stored in said storage means.

4. An image processing apparatus comprising:

discrimination means for discriminating using a plurality of different discrimination processes whether or not image data is a specific image; and

control means for controlling a process of the image data in accordance with a discrimination result of said discrimination means,

wherein said discrimination means executes at least a discrimination process for discriminating whether or not specific digital watermark information is embedded in the image data.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said discrimination means executes at least a discrimination process for discriminating similarity between a feature obtained from the image data, and a feature of a specific image which is set in advance.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an arbitrary discrimination process of the plurality of different discrimination processes executed by said discrimination means can be selected.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an order of the plurality of different discrimination processes executed by said discrimination means can be set.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein when it is determined in at least one of the plurality of different discrimination processes that an input image is a specific image, said discrimination means aborts other discrimination processes.

9. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein only when it is determined in a first discrimination process of the plurality of different discrimination processes that an input image is a specific image, said discrimination means executes a second discrimination process.

10. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein when image data inputted by input means is a specific image, said control means executes one of control for inhibiting the image data from being stored in storage means, control for modifying the image data and storing the modified image data in the storage means, control for erasing the image data temporarily stored in the storage means, and control for modifying the image data temporarily stored in the storage means and re-storing the modified image data in the storage means.

11. An image processing method comprising:

an input step of inputting image data;

a first discrimination step of discriminating whether or not specific digital watermark information is embedded in the image data inputted at said input step;

a second discrimination step of discriminating similarity between a feature obtained from the image data inputted at said input step, and a feature of a specific image;

a setting step of setting the presence/absence of execution and an execution order of said first and second discrimination step; and

a control step of controlling operations of said first and second discrimination step in accordance with a setting state of said setting step and controlling a process of the image data on the basis of the discrimination results of said first and second discrimination step.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein when at said first discrimination step it is determined that the specific digital watermark information is embedded in the image data or when at said second discrimination step it is determined that the similarity between the features of the image data and specific image data is high, faithful reproduction of the image data is prevented at said control step.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a storage step of storing the image data inputted at said input step, and wherein at said first and second discrimination step the image data stored at said storage step is discriminated.

16. The computer readable memory according to claim 15, wherein when at said first discrimination step it is determined that the specific digital watermark information is embedded in the image data or when at said second discrimination step it is determined that the similarity between the features of the image data and specific image data is high, faithful reproduction of the image data is prevented at said control step.

17. The computer readable memory according to claim 11, said image processing program further including a program code of a storage step of storing the image data inputted at said input step, and wherein at said first and second discrimination step the image data stored at said storage step is discriminated.

14. An image processing method comprising:

a discrimination step of discriminating using a plurality of different discrimination processes whether or not image data is a specific image; and

a control step of controlling a process of the image data in accordance with a discrimination result of the discrimination step,

wherein the discrimination step includes the step of executing at least a discrimination process for discriminating whether or not specific digital watermark information is embedded in the image data.

15. A computer readable memory that stores an image processing program,

said image processing program including:

a program code of an input step of inputting image data;

a program code of a first discrimination step of discriminating whether or not specific digital watermark information is embedded in the image data inputted at said input step;

a program code of a second discrimination step of discriminating similarity between a feature obtained from the image data inputted at said input step, and a feature of a specific image;

a program code of a setting step of setting the presence/absence of execution and an execution order of said first and second discrimination step; and

a program code of a control step of controlling operations of said first and second discrimination step in accordance with a setting state of said setting step and controlling a process of the image data on the basis of the discrimination results of said first and second discrimination step.

18. A computer readable memory that stores an image processing program which can process a specific image,

said image processing program including:

a program code of a discrimination step of discriminating using a plurality of different discrimination processes whether or not image data is a specific image; and

a program code of a control step of controlling a process of the image data in accordance with a discrimination result of the discrimination step,

wherein the program code of the discrimination step includes at least a discrimination process program code for discriminating whether or not specific digital watermark information is embedded in the image data.