Image processor, method thereof, computer program, and computer readable storage medium

• US 20040148507A1
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Iwamura, Keiichi, Kaneda, Kitahiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,571,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0062 Embedding of the watermark in text images, e.g. watermarking text documents using letter skew, letter distance or row distance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00005 relating to image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00037 Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state H04N1/00031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00846 based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00864 Modifying the reproduction, e.g. outputting a modified copy of a scanned original details of composing or otherwise geometrically modifying originals H04N1/387
• 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 1/00875 Inhibiting reproduction, e.g. by disabling reading or reproduction apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00883 Auto-copy-preventive originals, i.e. originals that are designed not to allow faithful reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3246 of data relating to permitted access or usage, e.g. level of access or usage parameters for digital rights management [DRM] related to still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes

Abstract

A method for image processing comprising inputting and reading a combined image that includes a latent image unperceivable by the human eye, a patterned image in the background allowing the latent image to appear clearly on a recording medium when data recorded on a recording medium is copied onto another recording medium, and text and/or image data embedded with a digital watermark. The text and/or image data is extracted from the combined image and the digital watermark extracted from the text and/or image data. A permission code enabling copying of image data composed of a combination of a patterned image and the extracted text and/or image data onto a recording medium is input. The copying is regulated based on the extracted digital watermark and the permission code.

Claims

1. An image processor for generating and outputting a combined image including a latent image unperceivable by the human eye and a patterned image in the background allowing the latent image to appear clearly on a recording medium when data recorded on a recording medium is copied onto another recording medium, the image processor comprising:

digital watermark embedding means for embedding digital watermark data in text and/or image data combined with the patterned image to produce the combined image.

2. An image processor for generating and outputting a combined image including a latent image unperceivable by the human eye and a patterned image in the background allowing the latent image to appear clearly on a recording medium when data recorded on a recording medium is copied onto another recording medium, the image processor comprising:

digital watermark embedding means for embedding digital watermark data in the patterned image,

wherein combining text and/or image data with the digitally watermarked patterned image produces the combined image.

3. An image processor comprising:

inputting means for inputting and reading a combined image including a latent image unperceivable by the human eye, a patterned image in the background allowing the latent image to appear clearly on a recording medium when data recorded on a recording medium is copied onto another recording medium, and text and/or image data embedded with a digital watermark;

extracting means for extracting the text and/or image data from the combined image and extracting the digital watermark from the extracted text and/or image data;

inputting means for inputting a permission code for copying image data composed of a combination of patterned image and the extracted text and/or image data onto a recording medium; and

copy regulation means for regulating the copying based on the extracted digital watermark and the permission code.

5. An image processor according to claim 3, wherein the copying regulation means regulates the copying of the combined image onto a recording medium when the extracted digital watermark indicates that copying of the combined image is permitted.

6. An image processor according to claim 3, wherein the copying regulation means regulates the copying of part of the combined image onto a recording medium when the extracted digital watermark indicates that copying of part of the combined image is permitted.

7. An image processor according to claim 3 wherein the copying regulation means prohibits or stops the operation of the copying of the combined image onto a recording medium when the extracted digital watermark indicates that copying of the combined image is prohibited.

4. An image processor comprising:

inputting means for inputting and reading a combined image as digital data, the combined image including a latent image unperceivable by the human eye, a patterned image in the background allowing the latent image to appear clearly on a recording medium when data recorded on a recording medium is copied onto another recording medium, the background being a patterned image with an embedded digital watermark, and the combined image being a combination of the background image and text/and or image data;

extracting means for extracting digital watermark data embedded in the patterned image by separating and extracting the text and/or image data included in the combined image from the patterned image;

inputting means for inputting a permission code for copying image data onto a recording medium, the image data being composed of a combination of a patterned image and the extracted text and/or image; and

copy regulation means for regulating the copying based on the extracted digital watermark and the permission code.

8. A method for image processing for generating and outputting a combined image that includes a latent image unperceivable by the human eye and a patterned image in the background allowing the latent image to appear clearly on a recording medium when data recorded on a recording medium is copied onto another recording medium, the method comprising:

a step of embedding a digital watermark into text and/or image combined with the patterned image;

wherein combining the digitally watermarked text and/or image data and the patterned image produces the combined image.

12. A program commanding a computer to execute the image processing according to claim 8.

16. A storage medium readable by a computer for storing the program according to claim 12.

9. A method for image processing for generating and outputting a combined image that includes a latent image unperceivable by the human eye and a patterned image in the background allowing the latent image to appear clearly on a recording medium when data recorded on a recording medium is copied onto another recording medium, the method comprising:

a step of embedding a digital watermark into the patterned image,

wherein combining text and/or image data with the digitally watermarked patterned image produces the combined image.

13. A program commanding a computer to execute the image processing according to claim 9.

17. A storage medium readable by a computer for storing the program according to claim 13.

10. A method for image processing comprising:

an inputting step for inputting and reading a combined image, including a latent image unperceivable by the human eye, a patterned image in the background allowing the latent image to appear clearly on a recording medium when data recorded on a recording medium is copied onto another recording medium, and text and/or image data embedded with a digital watermark;

an extracting step for extracting the text and/or image data from the combined image and extracting the digital watermark from the extracted text and/or image data;

an inputting step for inputting a permission code for copying image data composed of a combination of a patterned image and the extracted text and/or image data onto a recording medium; and

a copy regulating step for regulating the copying based on the extracted digital watermark and the permission code.

14. A program commanding a computer to execute the image processing according to claim 10.

18. A storage medium readable by a computer for storing the program according to claim 14.

11. A method for image processing comprising:

inputting and reading a combined image of digital data, including a latent image unperceivable by the human eye, a patterned image in the background allowing the latent image to appear clearly on a recording medium when data recorded on a recording medium is copied onto another recording medium, the background being a patterned image with an embedded digital watermark, the combined image being a combination of the background image and text/and or image data;

extracting digital watermark data embedded in the patterned image by separating and extracting the text and/or image data included in the combined image from the patterned image;

inputting a permission code for copying image data composed of a combination of a patterned image and the extracted text and/or image data onto a recording medium; and

regulating the copying based on the extracted digital watermark and the permission code.

15. A program commanding a computer to execute the image processing according to claim 11.

19. A storage medium readable by a computer for storing the program according to claim 15.