Abstract: A method of processing semiotic data includes receiving semiotic data including at least one data set P, selecting a function h, and for at least one of each data set P to be collected, computing h(P), destroying data set P, and storing h(P) in a database, wherein data set P cannot be extracted from h(P). The method further includes selecting a private key/public key (K, k) once for all cases, one of destroying the private key K and sending the private key K to a trusted party, and choosing function h as the public encryption function corresponding to k.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for generating threshold values in a dither matrix. A dither matrix of threshold values is generated.

Abstract: A system and method for resource allocation in peer to peer streaming includes steps of: inferring global properties of a neighborhood made up of peer nodes, wherein the global properties are inferred from a summarization of information obtained locally at each peer node; allocating resources for each peer node to its neighbor nodes in accordance with propagated dependency information; and periodically updating the target rates as peer nodes join and leave the neighborhood.

Abstract: A system and method for improving content diversification in data driven streaming includes computing a weight factor and a qualification factor for each of at least two nodes among a plurality of nodes, based upon a bandwidth of each node. Content is pushed to a node based on the qualification factor and the weight factor of each node. The qualification factor is updated for the node which received pushed content.

Abstract: A method (and system) of multi-bit halftoning includes comparing values of an image to threshold values of a halftone threshold matrix, and generating output values that provide a greater than minimum level of contrast.

Abstract: A method and system for generating halftone tables, using a spot function, subdivides the pixels within the halftone cell of a halftone matrix into a plurality of sub-pixels, determines the value of the spot function corresponding to the position of each of the sub-pixels within the halftone matrix, repeats the subdividing and determining for all of the sub-pixels in the halftone matrix, ranks the values for the entire halftone matrix, normalizes the ranked values, generates a cumulative histogram based upon the normalized values, and stores the cumulative histogram as a halftone table.

Abstract: A multiple beam printer system having N laser beams receives print job information from a print host. A rendering application uses a threshold array to generate halftone image data from the print job. The threshold array is defined based on a spot function. The defined screen is non-orthogonal and includes Y pels in a direction that is perpendicular to a scanning direction of the laser beams where Y is an integer multiple of N. A distance between screen dots in pels is preferably equal to an integer multiple of N. The screen dot may be defined by a supercell encompassing two screen dots and having an odd number of pels in a direction that is parallel to the scanning direction. The spot function may include a snap feature that snaps a screen dot to the nearest printer grid pel. The spot function may include scaling to compensate for the distortion of the non-orthogonal screen dot.

Abstract: A method and system embeds an image into two images by performing a digital halftoning process on a Cartesian product of color spaces.

Abstract: Nonlinear optimization is applied to resource allocation, as for example, buffer pool optimization in computer database software where only the marginal utility is known. The method for allocating resources comprises the steps of starting from an initial allocation, calculating the marginal utility of the allocation, calculating the constraint functions of the allocation, and applying this information to obtain a next allocation and repeating these steps until a stopping criteria is satisfied, in which case a locally optimal allocation is returned.

Abstract: Techniques for generating dither masks are provided. A dither mask is generated by selecting a sequence of at least three original patterns comprising pixels of at least one of a first color and a second color. At least two patterns are interpolated to generate interpolated patterns in the sequence between the at least three original patterns. If a pattern having at least one specified characteristic exists in the sequence, the steps of interpolating between at least two patterns, and determining if a pattern having at least one specified characteristic exists in the sequence, are repeated. The interpolation is between at least one pattern from each side of the pattern having at least one specified characteristic in the sequence.

Abstract: Nonlinear optimization is applied to resource allocation, as for example, buffer pool optimization in computer database software where only the marginal utility is known. The method for allocating resources comprises the steps of starting from an initial allocation, calculating the marginal utility of the allocation, calculating the constraint functions of the allocation, and applying this information to obtain a next allocation and repeating these steps until a stopping criteria is satisfied, in which case a locally optimal allocation is returned.

Abstract: A method, computer program product and system for detecting and compensating for color misregistration. A black/white edge or a solid color edge on a target may be scanned. A black/white edge may refer to a black image, e.g., black text, on a white surrounding background having a rapid spatial transition from black to white. A solid color edge may refer to a solid color image, e.g., solid color text, on a white surrounding background having a rapid spatial transition from color to white. A curve of gray values versus spatial pixel positions for each color channel, e.g., red, green and blue color channels, may be generated. A misregistration error may then be calculated by calculating the offset between the color channel curves. The misregistration error may then be used to calibrate the scanner to compensate for the detected color misregistration.

Abstract: A method of embedding an image into two images by performing a digital halftoning process on a Cartesian product of color spaces to embed the image into the two images. A digital halftoning process includes an iterative isotropic halftoning process. The iterative isotropic halftoning process for each iteration if Outimage has not changed between two iterations or maximum number of iterations reached, then exit the iterations loop.

Abstract: A digital halftoning technique for controlling a spot function is disclosed. A method for generating a spot for use in halftoning according to the present invention includes defining a spot function that combines two functions selected to provide a predetermined spot shape for use in a halftone cell and scaling the spot function using a scaling function that varies according to a value of a first and second spot function ordinate. Asymmetric modulation of spot functions is used to control the touching of adjacent spots, and to change the shape of the spots with the gray region.

Abstract: Pages of books are copied without distortion due to curvature of the page near the book binding or the distortion in a copied page is corrected using the spacing of equidistant bars on tape strips applied to the top and bottom edges of a page before copying. The tape is preferably transparent and rather narrow and easily attached to a page to be copied. The first step in the distortion correction procedure is to locate the bars at the top and bottom of the page. The distortion of the spacing between the imaged bars is computed based on the known distance between the equidistant bars. The computed distortion of the spacing is then input to a distortion correction algorithm. The output of the distortion correction algorithm generates a corrected image. This image may also optionally delete the bars so that they are not printed in the copy. The corrected image is then copied.

Abstract: A method (and system) for guaranteeing authenticity of an object, includes providing a sample of material obtainable only by at least one of chemical and physical processes such that the sample is random and not reproducible, associating a number reproducibly to the sample by using a specific reader, and forming at least one coded version of the number, the at least one coded version being obtained by a key signature, and the version being recorded into an area of the object.

Abstract: A watermarking scheme is provided that allows the watermarked image to be authenticated by an authentication agent without revealing the human-readable content of the image. There is disclosed an approach that combines privacy control with watermarking and authentication mechanisms. The watermark can be made to be imperceptible to humans. Public key cryptography allows the authentication agent to authenticate without being able to watermark an image. Watermark information may also be encoded in a vector graphics image that includes at least one stroke defined by coordinate values of an ordered sequence of points. This may be obtained by providing watermark information as a bit sequence, identifying one or more redundant properties of the image, modifying the redundant properties based upon the bit sequence to generate a representation of the image and storing the representation of the image for subsequent use.

Abstract: A method (and system) of embedding data into an image, includes producing an extended image using a halftoning algorithm on a collection of images, and projecting the extended image onto its first coordinates.

Abstract: In order to verify the authenticity of manufactured goods, a smart tag is attached to the goods containing encrypted authentication information, such as a serial number, a description of the good's physical appearance or chemical decomposition, its color, or digital images of the good etc. The encryption procedure comprises public/private key encryption with zero-knowledge protocols. Zero knowledge protocols allow a smart tag to be authenticatable and yet be duplication resistant by allowing the verifying agent to convince him/herself that the smart tag is authentic without revealing its authentication information. The verification procedure can be done using a reader at a point of sale (POS) machine equipped with the appropriate public key and zero-knowledge protocols to decrypt the authentication information. A printed version of the serial number or other authentication information may be placed on the goods in human readable form to quickly verify the information electronically read from the smart tag.

Abstract: Provided is a method, system, program, and data structures for halftoning an input image comprised of at least two input color components. Each input color component provides input intensity values for the color component at pixel locations in the image. At least two halftoning screens are accessed. There is one screen for each color component and halftone output generated by at least one of the screens has a lines per inch (LPI) that is at least approximately twenty percent different than the LPI of halftone output generated by one other screen. The input image is separated into the separate color components. The accessed screen for each color component is applied to the input intensity values for the color component to produce output intensity values for the color component. The combined halftone outputs for all the color components form the output pixels.