Abstract: An apparatus includes: a generator which generates a first pattern including a plurality of pixels having a first value, with an area of the first pattern changing in a constant cycle, and, a phase of cyclical change of the area changing based on a value of a symbol included in an inputted digital watermark information; a generator which generates a second pattern including a plurality of pixels having a second value, with an area of the second pattern changing with a frequency characteristic that is different from the cycle of change of the area; and a unit which superimposes the first and the second pattern into each image area of images in time series constituting an inputted video image to correct a value of each pixel in an image area to which the first or the second pattern is superimposed according to the first and the second value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus sections an image to be processed into a plurality of blocks, rearranges the blocks into positions specified by an encryption key that uniquely specifies the positions of the blocks in the image, determines a computing method used to convert pixel values of pixels that form a minimum area included in each of the blocks after the blocks are rearranged based on the pixel values of predetermined pixels that do not belong to the minimum area, and converts the pixel values based on the computing method.

Abstract: When creating a marker, an encryption apparatus extracts each pixel value in a region and allows a storing unit to save, as restoration information, the high-order bits of each extracted pixel value. Then, the encryption apparatus creates a marker by changing the high-order bits of the pixel value in a region in which the marker is created and embeds encrypted information in an encrypted region specified by the marker. When decoding the encrypted information, a decoding apparatus detects the marker from a digital image, decodes the encrypted information in the encrypted region specified by the marker, and overwrites bits contained in the restoration information with the high-order bits of the pixel value of the marker.

Abstract: A marker placement device includes, a marker placement method decision section that decides, for every predetermined pitch from a starting edge of a side to an end edge of the side, a placement position of a marker for detecting a position within a rectangular image region, the placement position being along the side of the image region within an image. A marker adding section that adds the marker to the image according to the placement position decided is provided, where, when a gap shorter than the pitch remains between the end edge and the decided placement position closest to the end edge of the side, the marker placement method decision section decides a first marker placement position closest to the starting edge, and decides a subsequent marker placement position.

Abstract: An area designation unit designates a processing area within an input image. An image processing unit performs predetermined processing on the processing area. A marker area detection unit detects a marker area in the input image, the marker area being capable of accommodating a marker that demarcates the processing area. A marking unit determines a position in the marker area for placing the marker, based on priority conditions.

Abstract: A digital watermark embedding apparatus includes an interface unit which acquires video data and digital watermark information, and a processing unit which embeds the digital watermark information into the video data. The processing unit is adapted to: determine the position of a watermark pattern so that the watermark pattern moves with time according to the value of a symbol contained in the digital watermark information within a first moving range that contains at least a portion of a reference region on each image, and so that the average pixel value of the reference region overlapped with the watermark pattern varies in a periodic fashion as the watermark pattern moves; and correct the value of each pixel contained in a region where the reference region and the watermark pattern overlap each other by using the value of a corresponding one of the pixels contained in the watermark pattern.

Abstract: An information providing system includes: a first device including a first memory and a first processor coupled to the first memory and configured to: transmit information regarding registered information registered in a server using user identification information for identifying a user, and receive information to be provided; and a second device including a second memory and a second processor coupled to the second memory and configured to: generate the information to be provided on the basis of the information regarding the registered information received from the first device, and transmit the information to be provided to the first device.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: an interface unit for acquiring a readout image produced by capturing an image formed on a medium; a storage unit for storing a plurality of templates generated by superimposing different amounts of blurring on a prescribed pattern contained in the image, and for storing the amounts of blurring superimposed on the respective templates; and a processing unit adapted to detect a pattern region where the prescribed pattern is located on the readout image, calculate the degree of matching between the pattern region and each of the plurality of templates and, based on the degree of matching, identify a template that most closely matches the prescribed pattern located on the readout image, and estimate that the amount of blurring corresponding to the most closely matching template represents the amount of blurring superimposed on the readout image.

Abstract: An image processor includes an image degradation measuring unit configured to compute a degradation level of block data with respect to each of blocks within an image, a degradation determining unit configured to select, with respect to each of the blocks within the image, the block data of a target block of one of a plurality of the images based on degradation levels of respective block data of the target blocks of the plurality of the images, and an image synthesis unit configured to generate a sheet of an image by synthesizing the block data selected with respect to the blocks within the image.

Abstract: A position information adding apparatus includes: a reference position setting unit which sets a plurality of reference positions for each of a plurality of pictures contained in digitalized video data; a region setting unit which sets a first position information adding region at a first position defined based on at least any of the plurality of reference positions and a second position information adding region at a second position different from the first position, for each of the plurality of pictures; and a position information embedding unit which embeds a first moving pattern which moves on the pictures in a first temporal period into the first position information adding region and a second moving pattern which moves on the pictures in a second temporal period into the second position information adding region.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a dividing unit dividing at least one region on a digitalized image into multiple blocks; a scrambling unit producing an encrypted image by rearranging each block; a pixel value judging unit judging, for each block on the encrypted image, whether a difference between a statistically representative value of a pixel value of a first region included in the block and a statistically representative value of a pixel value of a second region is no smaller than a predetermined value, the second region being included in a block adjacent to the block and being adjacent to the first region; and a pixel value converting unit converting the pixel value of the first region in each block having the difference smaller than the predetermined value, while not converting the pixel value of the first region in each block having the difference no smaller than the predetermined value.

Abstract: An electronic watermark embedding device that embeds a graphic pattern representing information in image data includes a signaling feature period changing unit configured to change a period of signaling feature of a graphic pattern, a graphic pattern embedding unit configured to embed the graphic pattern in the image data as a period of the signaling feature changed by the signaling feature period changing unit, and an embedment region detecting unit configured to detect an embedding position where the graphic pattern is embedded from a region of the image data other than a background, whereby the signaling feature period changing unit changes the period of the signaling feature while maintaining the signaling feature when the image data undergo image enlargement or reduction processing, and the graphic pattern embedding unit embeds the graphic pattern in the embedding position on the region of the image data other than the background.

Abstract: Input data is converted into an image, and in the input image, an encryption region that is a region in which the image is to be encrypted. Meanwhile, on the basis of an encryption key, encryption key-related information that is information related to the encryption key is generated, and the encryption key-related information is embedded into the image in the encryption region, to generate a first intermediate image. Next, the first intermediate image is converted on the basis of the encryption key, to generate a second intermediate image. Then, the pixel values of the second intermediate image are converted so that the position of the encryption region can be specified. As a result of the conversion, an encrypted image in which the part corresponding to the encryption region in the input image is generated.

Abstract: An digital watermark embedding device including an interface unit configured to acquire content in a digital form and digital watermark information, the device includes, a codeword generating unit configured to generate a base codeword including a bit sequence including the digital watermark information; a shifting unit configured to generate a plurality of correcting codewords differing from one another by permutating an arrangement in the bit sequence included in the base codeword depending on a plurality of shift amounts, the plurality of shift amounts differing from one digital watermark information to another, under a predetermined permutation rule; and a watermark superimposing unit configured to embed the plurality of correcting codewords in the content.

Abstract: An encrypting device generates an encrypted image by converting an image of a specified region in an input image with an encryption key, by embedding information obtained by encrypting the encryption key with a public key pairing with the private key of a destination, and by performing pixel value conversion. Then, the encrypted image is transmitted to the destination as a printed matter or via a network. A decrypting device converts the encrypted image in the form of print data or electronic data into an image, and inputs it. Next, the decrypting device extracts a decryption key (the encryption key) from the image of the encryption region by executing a process reverse to that of the encrypting device for the encryption region of the converted encrypted image. Then, the decrypting device decrypts the original image of the encrypted region by using the decryption key, and restores the entire encrypted image.

Abstract: An image encryption system includes an encrypter configured to generate an encrypted image including an encrypted area by encrypting a partial area of an input image; an identification information generator configured to generate identification information for identifying the encrypted area based on an image of the encrypted area; and a registration unit configured to register the identification information and a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted area by making an association between the identification information and the decryption key.

Abstract: A marker attaching apparatus attaches to an image a positioning marker for detecting a specific area in the image, and includes: an area size detection unit detecting a size of an area to which the positioning marker is attached; a marker adjustment unit adjusting the positioning marker depending on the detected size of the area; and a marker attaching unit attaching the adjusted positioning marker to the image.

Abstract: An image encryption apparatus encrypts a digital image by specifying a partial region from the digital image, converting the selected partial region into a processing image based on an encryption key, and specifying a position of the partial region by regularly converting a pixel value of the processing image.

Abstract: A digital-watermark embedding device includes a content obtaining unit that obtains content; a watermark-information obtaining unit that obtains digital-watermark information; a generating unit that generates a synchronization flag on a basis of the digital-watermark information; and an embedding unit that embeds the digital-watermark information and the synchronization flag into the content.

Abstract: In order to encrypt a part of an input image in such a manner that the encrypted part can be located for decryption, means for regularly converting pixel values in the area to be encrypted and generating a pattern unique to the pixel value conversion in order to encrypt the area to be encrypted; means for setting a specified positioning marker for locating an encryption position at two or more of the four corners of the area to be encrypted; and means for setting one or more checking marks for verifying appropriateness of a decrypted image in the encrypted area before the decryption are included.