Abstract: According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method of embedding information into an image comprises dividing the image into a plurality of blocks, providing a plurality of embedded blocks corresponding to the plurality of blocks, respectively, each of the embedded blocks having the same size as each of the blocks when each of the blocks is smaller than a predetermined size, each of the embedded blocks having the predetermined size and being placed at the center of each the block when each of the blocks is not smaller than the predetermined size and selectively modifying the characteristic value of each of the embedded blocks in accordance with the information to be embedded.

Abstract: An apparatus detects an area specified based on a mark of a specific color out of three primary colors in pigment or three primary colors in light from an image. An other-color-information eliminating unit eliminates information of other colors from a tone level of the specific color by correcting the tone level of the specific color based on tone levels of two colors other than the specific color out of the three primary colors in pigment or the three primary colors in light. An area detecting unit detects the area by specifying the mark based on the tone level from which the information of other colors is eliminated.

Abstract: When a small block area enters a first two-dimensional code during a scan and features of the image within the area of a position in the first two-dimensional code coincide with a two-dimensional code, the block area is specified as containing a code and a recognition process is performed in the nearby areas. When the recognition of the two-dimensional code has been successful, the area of the first two-dimensional code is further extracted. When the extraction of the area of the first two-dimensional code has been successful, the scan using the small block area is further continued to search for a second two-dimensional code. With an already recognized entrance to the area of the first two-dimensional code, the area is skipped to continue the search. The second two-dimensional code is detected at a high speed by repeating the operation.

Abstract: A method of obtaining information included in an image, the method includes dividing the image into a plurality of pairs of blocks. The image includes a plurality of codes. Each of the codes includes a plurality of digits. The method further includes determining a digit value of each of the block pairs on the basis of difference of a degree of characteristic value between adjacent blocks in each of the pairs. The method further includes weighing each digit value of each of the block pairs. The method further includes deciding a new digit value of associated pairs of blocks on the basis of the majority of the weighed digit values of the associated pairs of the blocks and repeating the deciding in other associated pairs of the blocks to determine the code.

Abstract: A data input device which inputs data to a navigation device includes: an image input unit capturing an image displayed on an image display carrier for displaying an image; a code extraction unit extracting a code hidden in the image; and a transmission unit transmitting the code to the navigation device.

Abstract: A dividing unit divides image data into a plurality of blocks. An extracting unit extracts a feature index of a first color component and a feature index of a second color component in each of the blocks. A registration unit registers information about a correspondence between the feature index of a second color component and a change in the feature index for the first color component. A code embedding unit embeds a predetermined code into the image data, by changing the feature index of the first color component based on the feature index of the second color component, using the information registered.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of automatically determining and recognizing a code included in image data, and, more particularly, to a method capable of determining not only a one-dimensional code and a two-dimensional code but also a steganographic code with certainty. A code image processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a block extracting step of extracting a rectangular block unit area from image data; a block feature value calculating step of calculating the feature value of a code included in the rectangular block unit area; a block determining step of determining the type of the code included in the rectangular block unit area on the basis of the feature value of the code; and a code processing selecting step of selecting processing to be performed on the basis of the determined code type.

Abstract: A decoding device has data extracting units extracting data from an image, data occurrence frequency calculating units calculating an occurrence frequency of data on a digit-by-digit basis, weighting units setting a weight corresponding to the occurrence frequency for every reference code so that the data with a smaller occurrence frequency in the extracted data becomes a majority in a decision by a weighted majority, first decision-by-majority units deciding the detection result of the data on the basis of the decision by the weighted majority, and judging units judging whether the image is falsified or non-falsified in accordance with whether the detection code decided by the first decision-by-majority units, is correct or erroneous.

Abstract: An image is split into a plurality of blocks, a feature quantity is extracted from each of the blocks, data is embedded into each of the blocks based on a difference between feature quantities of that block and at least one adjacent block, and data embedded blocks are printed.

Abstract: An apparatus that embeds data in an image includes a mark embedding unit that embeds a feature that forms a predetermined pattern in the image, as a mark to be used to specify an area in which the data is embedded, and a data embedding unit that embeds the data in the image of the area specified by the mark.

Abstract: An apparatus embeds data into an area of image data. The apparatus determines whether colors of the area are specific colors, modifies image data of the area based on a determination result, and embeds the data into the area.

Abstract: The information providing system according to the present invention comprises: a code transmission unit that can transmit an image acquired by reading the image that is printed on the print medium and in which the code is embedded, or can transmit the code extracted from the acquired image; an information providing unit that receives the acquired image, or the code extracted from the acquired image, and transmits information corresponding to the image or information used for acquiring the information corresponding to the image; an image receiving/acquiring unit that receives the information corresponding to the image, or receives the information used for acquiring the information corresponding to the image and can acquire the information corresponding to the image; and an information changing unit that can change the information corresponding to the image in the information providing unit.

Abstract: Using an image region detection method according to the present invention, the detection of sides in the four directions (vertical and horizontal directions) is performed on the basis of results of edge detection performed on lines having a particular width, starting from an inner point toward the periphery of the quadrangular region in an input image, and the shape and the four corners of the quadrangle formed by the detected four sides are verified. Thereby, when there is a side that has been falsely detected, redetection on sides that are closer to the periphery than the side that has been detected falsely is performed, such that the quadrangular region can be formed at high speed.

Abstract: When it is determined whether the color of each cell of an image is black or white from the gradation value of each cell, the determination is made by comparison of the gradation level of the cell with a threshold if the gradation level is sufficiently close to that of black or white. In contrast, if the gradation value of the cell is within a gray zone, the color of the cell is determined from the colors of the cells adjacent to the cell of interest. That is, if the gradation value of the cell is gray and the colors of the adjacent cells are all black, the color of the cell is determined to be white; and conversely if the colors of all the adjacent cells are white, the color of the cell is determined to be black.

Abstract: An image processing method of arranging orientation detection information for detecting an image orientation in an image includes arranging the orientation detection information in at least two positions that are symmetric with respect to a center of the image.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is attached to the top of a PDA. During the image reading operation, an operation state control signal is output from the image reading apparatus to the PDA. According to the signal, the intensity of an input display unit not required during the operation can be reduced. Additionally, the power supply or the supply of a signal not required during the operation is stopped. Furthermore, an LED of the PDA issues a notification of an operation state by lighting, blinking, or turning-off. When the input display unit displays an image, an erect image and an inverted image are appropriately switched depending on the operation state. During an image reading operation, input by input buttons and a touch panel of the input display unit are nullified to avoid the occurrence of a malfunction.

Abstract: An embedding-availability determining unit determines an availability of embedding data into an image based on an input/output characteristic of a predetermined feature amount related to a combination of an output device that outputs an image in which the data is embedded to a medium and an input device that inputs the image that is output to the medium. A result output unit outputs a result of determination by the embedding-availability determining unit.

Abstract: An image compression apparatus is provided which includes an image dividing section that divides 3D image data into a plurality of units of data, 3D image data being composed of a plurality of frames, a pixel selection section that sequentially selects a pixel in one of the plurality of units as a target pixel in a predetermined order and selects pixels located within a predetermined range near the target pixel as reference pixels, a prediction error calculation section that calculates a prediction value of a target pixel value which is a pixel value of the target pixel, according to the pixel values of the reference pixels and calculates a prediction error which is a difference between the prediction value and the target pixel value, and an entropy coding section that performs entropy coding of the prediction error in each of the plurality of units.

Abstract: In an encoding device that creates an image in which data is embedded, an embedding unit divides an image into a plurality of blocks, and embeds data in the image based on a difference in value of characteristics of adjacent blocks; and a restriction information recording unit records use restriction information that restricts use of embedded data.

Abstract: An image encoding apparatus includes an extracting unit and a replacing unit. An image is subjected to quantized orthogonal transformation and quantization, and quantized orthogonal transform coefficients are grouped and encoded group-wise. The extracting unit extracts, from among a group of quantized orthogonal transform coefficients, those quantized orthogonal transform coefficients that are within a designated range starting from boundary values of the next lower group. The replacing unit replaces values of the quantized orthogonal transform coefficients extracted, with values of the quantized orthogonal transform coefficients of the next lower group.