Image processing apparatus and method for synthesizing first and second image data

• US 5,857,038 A
• Filed: 06/29/1994
• Issued: 01/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Owada, Mitsuru, Kimura, Takeo, Nagashima, Yoshitake
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, KIM Y
• Application Number:
  US08/267,403
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 358/538, 358/539, 358/540, 358/450, 358/453, 358/458, 358/447, 358/448
• US Class Current: 382/284
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32208 involving changing the magnitude of selected pixels, e.g. overlay of information or super-imposition H04N1/32219, H04N1/32224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32229 with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected regions of the image H04N1/32213 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32251 in multilevel data, e.g. greyscale or continuous tone data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 Processing of the additional information

Abstract

An apparatus and method for adding information to image data of a multicolor image and a monochromatic image includes the performing of a dispersion conversion on the spectrum of additional information to be added to the image data by multiplying a code sequence of a PN sequence generator by the additional data which is inputted from an input terminal and converted into serial data in a P/S converter. At this time, the data sequence transmitted from an image signal processor to a printer engine 107 is converted by a scan converter to correspond to the spatial axis for dispersion. The converted data sequence is added to the output from an adder by another adder 110, and reconverted to the original scan by a scan inverter.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

first generating means for generating first image data representing an original;

second generating means for generating second image data representing additional information;

converting means for converting a spectrum characteristic of the second image data in a frequency space using a reference signal; and

synthesizing means for synthesizing the converted second image data with the first image data.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said converting means converts the spectrum characteristic of the additional information by multiplying a pseudo noise sequence which has a strong self-correlation by the additional information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for changing a frequency of the converted image data.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for changing a phase of the converted second image data.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for amplifying an amplitude of the converted second image data.

6. An image processing method comprising:

a first generating step of generating image data representing an original image;

a second generating step of generating additional data representing predetermined additional information;

a converting step of converting a spectrum characteristic of the additional data in a frequency space;

a synthesizing step of synthesizing the image data generated in said first generating step, and the converted additional data converted in said converting step; and

an image forming step of forming an image on the basis of the image data in the frequency space generated by said synthesizing means.

7. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

generating first image data representing an original;

generating second image data representing additional information;

converting a spectrum characteristic of the second image data in a frequency space using a reference signal; and

synthesizing the converted second image data with the first image data.

8. An image processing apparatus comprising:

first generating means for generating image data representing an original image;

second generating means for generating additional data representing predetermined additional information;

converting means for converting a spectrum characteristic of the additional data in a frequency space; and

synthesizing means for synthesizing the image data generated by said first generating means, and the converted additional data converted by said converting means.

9. An image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an image generated by said synthesizing means substantially represents the original image.

10. An image processing method comprising:

a first generating step of generating image data representing an original image;

a second generating step of generating additional data representing predetermined additional information;

a converting step of converting a spectrum characteristic of the additional data in a frequency space; and

a synthesizing step of synthesizing the image data generated in said first generating step, and the converted additional data converted in said converting step.

11. An image processing apparatus comprising:

first generating means for generating image data representing an original image;

second generating means for generating additional data representing predetermined additional information;

converting means for converting a spectrum characteristic of the additional data in a frequency space;

synthesizing means for synthesizing the image data generated by said first generating means and the converted additional data; and

image forming means for forming an image on the basis of the image data in the frequency space generated by said synthesizing means.

12. An image processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein an image generated by said synthesizing means substantially represents the original image.