Image processing apparatus and method and storage medium

• US 6,411,402 B1
• Filed: 11/27/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Hiroyuki, Sakaki, Eihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas D.
• Application Number:
  US09/721,698
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 358/448, 358/450, 358/1.9, 358/443, 358/540, 399/1, 399/6, 399/366, 283/901
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00838 Preventing unauthorised reproduction
• 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 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 1/32256 in halftone data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32267 combined with processing of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32288 Multiple embedding, e.g. cocktail embedding, or redundant embedding, e.g. repeating the additional information at a plurality of locations in the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32299 using more than one embedding method
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32309 in colour image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3281 Encryption; Ciphering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3284 for error correction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/901 Concealed data

Abstract

It is an object to provide an adding technique for enabling additional information to be certainly decoded from an image to which two or more kinds of additional information was added to an input image so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes. To accomplish this object, for example, a plurality of kinds of additional information is periodically added to the input image at different periods so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes. The image to which those additional information was added is outputted to an image forming unit.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

adding means for adding first additional information to an input image by a first method so that the first additional information is difficult to discriminate by the human eye and for adding second additional information by a second method so that the second additional information is difficult to discriminate by the human eye; and

output means for outputting the image to which the additional information was added by said adding means to an image forming unit,

wherein said first additional information is information which can specify said second method.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first adding method and said second adding method are different.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first adding method and said second adding method are the same.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input image is a color image constructed by planes of a plurality of colors, and said adding means adds said first and second additional information to only a partial plane among said planes of said plurality of colors.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first additional information is a manufacturer ID of said image processing apparatus.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second additional information is a model number or a product name of said image processing apparatus.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second additional information is an apparatus number or a manufacturing number of said image processing apparatus.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising said image forming unit.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first additional information is a pattern constructed by a plurality of dots.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second additional information is a pattern constructed by a plurality of dots.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said additional information is periodically added to said input image.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first additional information is added to a first area of said input image and said second additional information is added to a second area different from said first area.

13. An image processing method comprising:

an adding step of adding first additional information to an input image by a first method so that the first additional information is difficult to discriminate by the human eye and adding second additional information by a second method so that the second additional information is difficult to discriminate by the human eye; and

an outputting step of outputting the image to which the additional information was added by said adding step to an image forming unit,

wherein said first additional information is information which can specify said second method.

14. A storage medium for storing an image processing program in a state where said program can be read out from a computer, said program comprising:

an adding step of adding first additional information to an input image by a first method so that the first additional information is difficult to discriminate by the human eye and adding second additional information by a second method so that the second additional information is difficult to discriminate by the human eye; and

an outputting step of outputting the image to which the additional information was added by said adding step to an image forming unit,

wherein said first additional information is information which can specify said second method.