DECODING MESSAGE DATA EMBEDDED IN AN IMAGE PRINT VIA HALFTONE DOT ORIENTATION
First Claim
1. A method for decoding data embedded in an image via halftone dot orientation, the method comprising:
- scanning an image print containing a data message embedded therein, said message comprising a plurality of single data values, each single data value taking only one unique state;
synchronizing said scanned image to a uniform periodic tiling utilized for generating said image print to compensate for geometric distortions introduced by print/scan processes performed on said image print;
associating a unique orientation direction with each of said unique states, each of said unique orientation directions being oriented with respect to a horizontal and vertical axis of said scanned image print;
defining a uniform periodic tiling for said scanned image; and
for each of said uniform periodic tiles in said uniform tiling,calculating a plurality of image moments for a halftone dot of said current tile, one image moment being calculated along each of said unique orientation directions;
determining a largest of said calculated moments, said largest moment identifying a dominant orientation direction for said current halftone dot; and
decoding a single data value embedded in said current tile based on which of said unique states is associated said determined dominant orientation direction.
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Abstract
What is disclosed is a novel system and method for encoding/decoding data in a cover contone image via halftone dot orientation modulation. Arrays of halftone threshold values are used to determine a desired orientation, e.g. 0/90°+/−45° for a given single data value of the original message to be embedded. Message data is embedded as a function of halftone dot orientation. Detection modeling of the print-scan process enables the determination of dot orientation from the image scan via statistically motivated image moments. A probabilistic model of the print-scan channel conditions received moments on input orientation. Density values of the received moments are used to determine dot orientation for each halftone cell. The embedded data is retrieved based on the determined orientations. The present method is applicable to areas of data embedding, document security, and the like.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for decoding data embedded in an image via halftone dot orientation, the method comprising:
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scanning an image print containing a data message embedded therein, said message comprising a plurality of single data values, each single data value taking only one unique state; synchronizing said scanned image to a uniform periodic tiling utilized for generating said image print to compensate for geometric distortions introduced by print/scan processes performed on said image print; associating a unique orientation direction with each of said unique states, each of said unique orientation directions being oriented with respect to a horizontal and vertical axis of said scanned image print; defining a uniform periodic tiling for said scanned image; and for each of said uniform periodic tiles in said uniform tiling, calculating a plurality of image moments for a halftone dot of said current tile, one image moment being calculated along each of said unique orientation directions; determining a largest of said calculated moments, said largest moment identifying a dominant orientation direction for said current halftone dot; and decoding a single data value embedded in said current tile based on which of said unique states is associated said determined dominant orientation direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for decoding data embedded in an image via halftone dot orientation, the system comprising:
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a storage medium capable of storing data; and a processor in communication with said storage medium, said processor capable of executing a machine readable instruction for performing the method of; scanning an image print containing a data message embedded therein, said message comprising a plurality of single data values, each single data value taking only one unique state; synchronizing said scanned image to a uniform periodic tiling utilized for generating said image print to compensate for geometric distortions introduced by print/scan processes performed on said image print; associating a unique orientation direction with each of said unique states, each of said unique orientation directions being oriented with respect to a horizontal and vertical axis of said scanned image print; defining a uniform periodic tiling for said scanned image; and for each of said uniform periodic tiles in said uniform tiling, calculating a plurality of image moments for a halftone dot of said current tile, one image moment being calculated along each of said unique orientation directions; determining a largest of said calculated moments, said largest moment identifying a dominant orientation direction for said current halftone dot; and decoding a single data value embedded in said current tile based on which of said unique states is associated said determined dominant orientation direction. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer program product for decoding data embedded in an image via halftone dot orientation, the computer program product comprising:
a computer-usable data carrier storing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising; scanning an image print containing a data message embedded therein, said message comprising a plurality of single data values, each single data value taking only one unique state; synchronizing said scanned image to a uniform periodic tiling utilized for generating said image print to compensate for geometric distortions introduced by print/scan processes performed on said image print; associating a unique orientation direction with each of said unique states, each of said unique orientation directions being oriented with respect to a horizontal and vertical axis of said scanned image print; defining a uniform periodic tiling for said scanned image; and for each of said uniform periodic tiles in said uniform tiling, calculating a plurality of image moments for a halftone dot of said current tile, one image moment being calculated along each of said unique orientation directions; determining a largest of said calculated moments, said largest moment identifying a dominant orientation direction for said current halftone dot; and decoding a single data value embedded in said current tile based on which of said unique states is associated said determined dominant orientation direction. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
Specification