Image processing apparatus and method and storage medium

• US 6,822,761 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• 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, TOMMY D
• Application Number:
  US10/135,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20020126316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 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:

an input unit, said input unit inputting an image to which first additional information is added by a first addition method so that it is difficult to discriminate by human eyes and to which second additional information is added by a second addition method so that it is difficult to discriminate by human eyes; and

an extraction unit, said extraction unit extracting from the image the first additional information according to a first extraction method corresponding to the first addition method and extracting from the image the second additional information according to a second extraction method corresponding to the second addition method,

wherein the second extraction method is specified by the first additional information.

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

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

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

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first additional information is an equipment number or product name of said image processing apparatus.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first additional information is a pattern composed of plural dots.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second additional information is a pattern composed of plural dots.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first additional information is periodically added to the input image.

9. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

inputting an image to which first additional information is added by a first addition method so that it is difficult to discriminate by human eyes and to which second additional information is added by a second addition method so that it is difficult to discriminate by human eyes; and

extracting from the image the first additional information according to a first extraction method corresponding to the first addition method and extracting from the image the second additional information according to a second extraction method corresponding to the second addition method,

wherein the second extraction method is specified by the first additional information.

10. A computer-executable image processing program comprising program codes for controlling an image processing apparatus to perform the steps of:

inputting an image to which first additional information is added by a first addition method so that it is difficult to discriminate by human eyes and to which second additional information is added by a second addition method so that it is difficult to discriminate by human eyes; and

extracting from the image the first additional information according to a first extraction method corresponding to the first addition method and extracting from the image the second additional information according to a second extraction method corresponding to the second addition method,

wherein the second extraction method is specified by the first additional information.