IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD AND RECORDING MEDIUM THEREFOR

• US 20030123696A1
• Filed: 07/16/1998
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: MATSUMOTO, KENTARO, UCHIO, HIROKAZU
• Granted Patent: US 6,647,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00867 with additional data, e.g. by adding a warning message details of embedding additional information in an image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0087 with hidden additional data, e.g. data invisible to the human eye
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes

Abstract

The invention intends, in the storage of image information with a predetermined image storage format, to add predetermined information to the input image matching such storage format.

There is disclosed a configuration which generates plural image data of mutually different resolution levels, representing a same input image, and adding the predetermined information to each of the images of the plural resolution levels in a manner inconspicuous to the human eyes.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

division means for dividing an input image into plural areas;

control means for controlling the storage format of image data representing the input image in the unit of the divided area;

conversion means for converting said image data into said storage format; and

addition means for adding predetermined information to said input image in the unit of said area.

2. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said addition means is adapted to add the predetermined information with a method variable according to the storage format of said image data.

3. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said addition means is adapted to add the predetermined information with an intensity variable according to the storage format of said image data.

4. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said addition means is adapted to add the predetermined information to the image data of a predetermined storage format within said image data.

5. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said addition means is adapted to add said predetermined information in a completed form within said area.

6. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said addition means is adapted to add the predetermined information to the image data of a predetermined color component within said image data.

7. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said addition means is adapted to add said predetermined information in a manner inconspicuous to the human eyes.

8. An image processing apparatus comprising:

division means for dividing an input image into plural areas;

storage means for storing the input image in the unit of the divided area; and

addition means for adding predetermined information to said input image in the unit of said area.

9. An image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said addition means is adapted to add the predetermined information with a method variable according to the storage format of the input image by said storage means.

10. An image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said addition means is adapted to add the predetermined information with an intensity variable according to the storage format of the input image by said storage means.

11. An image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said addition means is adapted to add the predetermined information to the image data of a predetermined storage format within said input image.

12. An image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said addition means is adapted to add said predetermined information in a completed form within said area.

13. An image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said addition means is adapted to add the predetermined information to the image data of a predetermined color component within the image data representing said input image.

14. An image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said addition means is adapted to add said predetermined information in a manner inconspicuous to the human eyes.

15. An image processing method comprising steps of:

dividing an input image into plural areas;

controlling the storage format of image data representing the input image in the unit of the divided area;

converting said image data into said storage format; and

adding predetermined information to said input image in the unit of said area.

16. An image processing method comprising steps of:

dividing an input image into plural areas;

storing the input image in the unit of the divided area; and

adding predetermined information to said input image in the unit of said area.

17. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for executing an image processing method for adding predetermined information to an input image, the program comprising:

a division step of dividing an input image into plural areas;

a selection step of selecting the storage format of the image data representing the input image, in the unit of the divided area;

a conversion step of converting said image data into said storage format; and

an addition step of adding predetermined information to said input image in the unit of said area.

18. A computer storage medium storing a program for executing an image processing method for adding predetermined information to an input image, the program comprising:

a division step of dividing an input image into plural areas;

a storage step of storing the input image in the unit of the divided area; and

an addition step of adding predetermined information to said input image in the unit of said area.

19. An image processing apparatus comprising:

generation means for generating plural image data of mutually different resolution levels, representing a same input image; and

hiding means for hiding predetermined information in each of the images of said plural resolution levels in a manner inconspicuous to the human eyes.

20. An image processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said hiding means is adapted to hide said predetermined information in an algorithm variable according to the resolution level of said image data.

21. An image processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said hiding means is adapted to hide said predetermined information in an intensity variable according to the resolution level of said image data.

22. An image processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said hiding means is adapted to select whether or not to hide said predetermined information according to the resolution level of said image data.

23. An image processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said hiding means is adapted to select the content of said predetermined information according to the resolution level of said image data.

24. An image processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said hiding means is adapted to control the amount of said predetermined information according to the resolution level of said image data.

25. An image processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said hiding means is adapted to add predetermined information to the image data of a predetermined color component among said image data.

26. An image processing method comprising steps of:

generating plural image data of mutually different resolution levels, representing a same input image; and

hiding predetermined information in each of the images of said plural resolution levels in a manner inconspicuous to the human eyes.

27. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for executing an image processing method for adding predetermined information to an input image, the program comprising:

a generation step of generating plural image data of mutually different resolution levels, representing a same input image; and

a hiding step of adding predetermined information in each of the images of said plural resolution levels in a manner inconspicuous to the human eyes.

28. An image processing apparatus comprising:

addition means for adding predetermined information to an input image;

encoding means for encoding said input image; and

control means for controlling the encoding of said input image according to the addition state of said predetermined information.

29. An image processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said addition means is adapted to add said predetermined information in the unit of a predetermined area.

30. An image processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said addition means is adapted to add said predetermined information in a completed form within said area.

31. An image processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said addition means is adapted to add the predetermined information to the image data of a predetermined color component within said image data.

32. An image processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said addition means is adapted to add said predetermined information in a manner inconspicuous to the human eyes.

33. An image processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said control means is adapted to select a predetermined encoding method by said encoding means in case said predetermined information is added by said addition means.

34. An image processing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said predetermined encoding method is a lossless encoding.

35. An image processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said control means is adapted to select a predetermined encoding parameter by said encoding means in case said predetermined information is added by said addition means.

36. An image processing apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said predetermined encoding parameter is an encoding parameter involving little deterioration in the image quality in the encoding.

37. An image processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said control means is adapted not to execute the encoding by said encoding means in case said predetermined information is added by said addition means.

38. An image processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said control means is adapted to control the encoding by said encoding means in the unit of a predetermined block.

39. An image processing method comprising steps of:

adding predetermined information to an input image;

encoding said input image; and

controlling the encoding of said input image according to the addition state of said predetermined information.

40. An image processing apparatus comprising:

division means for dividing an input image into plural areas;

storage control means for storing the input image in the unit of the area divided by said division means; and

addition means for adding predetermined information to said input image in the unit of said area.

41. An image processing apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said addition means is adapted to add said predetermined information in a completed form within said area.

42. An image processing apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said addition means is adapted to add the predetermined information to the image data of a predetermined color component within said image data.

43. An image processing apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said addition means is adapted to add said predetermined information in a manner inconspicuous to the human eyes.

44. An image processing method comprising steps of:

dividing an input image into plural areas;

storing the input image in the unit of the divided area; and

adding predetermined information to said input image in the unit of said area.

45. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for executing an image processing method of adding predetermined information to an input image, the program comprising:

an addition step of adding predetermined information to an input image;

an encoding step of encoding said input image; and

a control step of controlling the encoding of said input image according to the addition state of said predetermined information.

46. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for executing an image processing method for adding predetermined information to an input image, the program comprising:

a division step of dividing an input image into plural areas;

a storage control step of storing the input image in the unit of the area divided by said division means; and

an addition step of adding predetermined information to said input image in the unit of said area.