Abstract: The disclosure provides pantograph methods, apparatus and systems. Specifically disclosed is a method of rendering a pantograph including defining a foreground region associated with a pantograph, defining a background region associated with the pantograph, and applying a first UCR/GCR strategy to the background region and a second UCR/GCR strategy to the foreground region, whereby the foreground region is less discernable after the pantograph is rendered with a printing device relative to a reproduction of the rendered pantograph.

Abstract: Provided are methods, apparatus and systems related to watermark decoding via spectral analysis of an image. According to one exemplary method, spectral analysis is performed to decode a watermark within an image, where the pixel spacing associated with the image was modulated to encode the watermark.

Abstract: Provided are methods, apparatus and systems related to watermark encoding via pixel spacing modulation. According to one exemplary embodiment, a method modulates the pixel spacing associated with an image to encode a watermark.

Abstract: Provided is a 3-colorant DOD (dot-off-dot) periodic halftone geometry used to render an image. The DOD 3-colorant halftone geometry includes a base colorant halftone screen with hexagonally tiled halftone dots arranged in a hexagonal pattern, the hexagonally tiled halftone dots having a first fundamental frequency vector Vh1, a second fundamental frequency vector Vh2, and a third fundamental frequency vector Vh3, where Vh3 is substantially equivalent to Vh1+Vh2.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for compensating for spatial non-uniformities in a printer by deriving a true spatial non-uniformity tone response curve (TRC) that characterizes the printer in terms of color output variation for each addressable pixel location in a spatial range. The “true average” tone response curve is determined for a color channel. A prediction of the true response as a function of the spatial location is derived by printing and scanning a specially designed halftone-independent target of binary patterns. The predicted tone response curve for each color channel and halftone is predicted using a binary printer model, wherein the “predicted tone response curve” provides a model based approximation of the actual response for each addressable pixel location in the spatial range. Also stored is an “average predicted tone response” by averaging the “predicted tone response curve” over the spatial range of the printer.

Abstract: Methods are provided for creating a fluorescent watermark within an image on a substrate, such as paper. The method involves creating a halftone image using two different halftone strategies. The halftone method is combined with a binary watermark mask to form two color patterns (e.g., one in a background region of the image and one in a watermark region of the image) and two successive-filling halftone algorithms, such that the ink droplets deposited by one color pattern cover more of the substrate than the ink droplets deposited by the other color pattern, with the two color patterns having approximately the same reflectance under normal light. However, under UV illumination, a visible difference (e.g., the watermark) is seen in the two patterns.

Abstract: A system is adapted for simulating a textured pattern on a non-textured substrate. The system includes generating at least a first textured description in a controller unit operatively associated with at least one image forming apparatus. The first textured description is combined with at least one image of an original print job to generate a first print job. The first textured description is printed on at least one face of a substrate to provide a perceived first textured substrate. The at least one image is then printed on the perceived first textured substrate.

Abstract: A method of registering a print between print stages in a printing system is provided. The method comprises: printing a first part of a digital image on a substrate with a first print engine, wherein the first part of the digital image includes a plurality of reference features; scanning image content on the substrate as it is readied for the second print engine; determining the actual positions of the reference features; using the actual positions of the reference features to determine desired adjustments for the second part of the digital image; applying electronic registration according to the desired adjustments to modify image content of the second print to be aligned with content already on the substrate; and printing a second part of the digital image on the substrate.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a system and method for efficiently and accurately estimating the complete TRC for a color marking device equipped with a multi-center cluster halftone screen which has a similar halftone tiling geometry and a similar growth specified by a corresponding single-center cluster halftone screen. The present method introduces a cluster-based printer model which establishes a relationship between a color output of a single-center cluster halftone screen and a color output of a multi-center cluster halftone screen. The present cluster-based printer model determines the complete TRC for the multi-center cluster halftone screen using the measurements for the single-center cluster halftone screen. Results of halftone dot linearization with different printing devices demonstrates that high accuracy can be achieved using the reduced measurements from the single-center cluster halftone screen.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate reducing a number of patches used in characterizing a color halftone printer via a binary color printer model. A binary printer model involves printing of a fundamental set of color binary patterns that encompass all possible halftone outputs. A k-center clustering technique is employed to automatically find and eliminate redundancies in the initial set of binary color patterns. Once the number of patches is reduced to an acceptable number, a multiplicative reflectance model is applied that better approximates the physical process and therefore improves accuracy.

Abstract: A system for generating a security mark includes a data reception component that receives information. A security mark generation component in communication with the data reception component generates at least one security mark configuration based at least in part upon the received information. The at least one security mark configuration includes at least one simulation mark which resembles a natural feature. An application component applies one configuration of the at least one security mark configurations to a recipient. The applied security mark configuration obeys at least one rule whereby the security mark is distinguishable from the natural feature which it resembles by a system for detection of security marks.

Abstract: A watermark is provided for use with images or image portions, such as saturated text. The watermark is provided as a modulation to the optical density of a public image or image portion wherein both modulated and unmodulated portions of the public image or image portion have an optical density that is beyond a threshold optical density beyond which the human visual system has a low sensitivity to optical density variations. Alternatively, the modulation is made at such a low amplitude as to be difficult to perceive by the human visual system. The modulation may be applied via an overprinting operation. Alternatively the modulation may be applied to image data prior to printing.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods directed to the generation of multi-layer digital watermarks, including the generation of distinct watermarks on each of at least two color layers or channels within an image such that each may be retrieved or viewed independently of the other in the output image.

Abstract: As provided herein, there are supplied teachings to systems and methods for resizing a digital uniform rosette halftone image composed of multiple colorant separations, by using uniform rosette halftone tile parameters and iterative determination of energy metrics. One approach entails receiving into a digital imaging system, a digital uniform rosette halftone image and a desired resizing factor for that digital uniform rosette halftone image. Subsequently the system will define uniform rosette screen parameters to define uniform rosette Holladay halftone tiles within the color uniform rosette digital halftone image. From the defined uniform rosette cells, a number of uniform rosette halftone tile seams are determined for manipulation. The orientation of the number of uniform rosette halftone tile seams is dictated by the received desired resizing factor.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for determining preferred image locations for placing watermark information (both hidden and obvious). The disclosure includes at least three criteria (image similarity, contrast, and image value range) that may be used alone or in combination to determine a preferred area of the target image for placing the watermark depending upon the user's intent for the mark (hiding or showing watermark).

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods directed to digital watermarks, and more particularly, the generation of invisible correlation-based digital watermarks embedded in halftone images.

Abstract: As provided herein, there are supplied teachings to systems and methods for resizing a digital uniform rosette halftone image composed of multiple colorant separations, by using uniform rosette halftone tile parameters. One approach entails receiving into a digital imaging system, a digital uniform rosette halftone image and a desired resizing factor for that digital uniform rosette halftone image. Subsequently the system will define uniform rosette cells within the color uniform rosette digital halftone image. From the defined uniform rosette cells, a number of uniform rosette halftone tile seams are determined for manipulation. The orientation of the number of uniform rosette halftone tile seams is dictated by the received desired resizing factor. An energy map of the digital uniform rosette halftone image is determined according to an energy metric derived from the multiple colorant separations.

Abstract: The predicted tone response curve for each color channel and halftone is predicted using a binary printer model and stored, wherein the “predicted tone response curve” provides a model based approximation of the actual response for the printer for each addressable pixel location in the spatial range. Also stored is an “average predicted tone response” by averaging the “predicted tone response curve” over the spatial range of the printer. With the “true average” tone response curve, the “predicted tone response curve”, and the “average predicted tone response curve”, an estimate of the true tone response curve for the color channel can then be mathematically obtained, wherein the true tone response curve defines a predicted actual response for the printer for each addressable print location in the spatial range. The “predicted” and “average” tone response curves are obtained using the 2×2 binary printer model.

Abstract: A system for generating a security mark includes a data reception component that receives information. A security mark generation component in communication with the data reception component generates at least one security mark configuration based at least in part upon the received information. The at least one security mark configuration includes at least one simulation mark which resembles a natural feature. An application component applies one configuration of the at least one security mark configurations to a recipient. The applied security mark configuration obeys at least one rule whereby the security mark is distinguishable from the natural feature which it resembles by a system for detection of security marks.

Abstract: A digital image processing method. The method includes printing a first set of reference marks on one side of a substrate with a first print engine; printing a second set of reference marks on the same side of the substrate as the first set of reference marks with a second print engine; sensing both sets of reference marks on the substrate with an image sensing unit and generating a digital image of the reference marks; performing image analysis on the digital image to obtain an image-to-image distortion map where the image-to-image distortion map is a local measure of difference between the first set of reference marks and the second set of reference marks; and generating a compensated customer image by using the image-to-image distortion map to reduce registration errors when using the first and second print engines.