Abstract: A void pantograph and a method for generating the same are disclosed herein. The void pantograph includes a foreground portion based on a region of an image that is defined using a predetermined filter, and a background portion based on another region of the image that is defined using the predetermined filter.

Abstract: To facilitate sorting sheets of paper for recycling, a MFP includes an image data accepting portion to accept image data output from an image reader, a recycling information determining portion to determine recycling information corresponding to the image data, and an image forming portion to form an image of the image data together with the determined recycling information on a sheet of paper.

Abstract: An image forming system includes: a resource information storage unit that previously stores resource information to be combined with input print information; a first setting unit that sets an image characteristic of the resource information stored in the resource information storage unit; a second setting unit that sets an image characteristic of the input print information; and a color conversion unit that, when the image characteristic set by the first setting unit and the image characteristic set by the second setting unit are different, performs color conversion on the resource information based on the image characteristic set by the first setting unit, and performs color conversion on the print information based on the image characteristic set by the second setting unit.

Abstract: A printer is provided having a coded tag generator configured to generate coded tags based on identity data indicative of an identity associated with an interface and position data defining a relative position of each tag on the interface, and a controller for controlling printing of the interface with the coded tags at the positions defined by the position data and having the identity data.

Abstract: In a copy generation management on paper, the present invention aims to detect a falsification in embedded information and increase the capacity of embedded information while maintaining security. The image processing device embeds second additional information into document image data embedded with first additional information. The image processing device deletes a part where the first additional information is embedded in the document image data, and embeds the second additional information into the part of the first additional information thus deleted. The image processing device further embeds third information different from the first and second additional information at a position different from position at which the second additional information is embedded. Further, the embedding means embeds the third information at a position indicated by the second additional information.

Abstract: A method of delivering an electronically transmitted document is provided. The method starts by printing, by a printer, a document on a substrate. The document has printed thereon visible user information and invisible coded tags. The user information includes information indicative of a send instruction. Each tag encodes an identity of the document and a location of the tag on the substrate. A sensing device senses the printed coded tags when the sensing device is moved relative to the document by a user so as to compose a message. The message is electronically captured by the sensing device using the identity of the document and a sequence of the respective locations of tags sensed by the sensing device. Upon sensing coded tags coincident with the send instruction, the message is transmitted to a recipient address for electronically transmitted document delivery.

Abstract: Provided is a digital watermarking technology for embedding digital watermark information in text data thereby to generate a digitally watermarked image. The technology includes a digital watermarking program, a digital watermarking device and a digital watermarking method, in which digital watermark information can be embedded in document in such a way as not to be easily detected visually and be stably detected even after being printed out, copied or scanned by detecting the features of a character as data to be digitally watermarked, such as the direction and thickness of a line composing the character as the features thereof and embedding the digital watermark information in the character on the basis of the detected features.

Abstract: An image displaying medium, a method of generating composite image displaying data, and an image generating system are disclosed. A color image on the image displaying medium is composed of plural mesh points whose shape is an ellipse having linearity. The mesh point has, for example, a color of cyan, magenta, yellow, or black in the CMYK system. The color image is a composite image composed of a displaying image and a latent image. When the composite image is viewed through a lenticular lens, a moire pattern having thick vertical lines corresponding to the displaying image and a moire pattern having thin oblique lines corresponding to the latent image appear.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate sorting used printed sheets of paper or other media, identifying reusable pages (i.e., pages without print on one or both sides), and outputting the reusable pages for reuse. If print is detected on one side of a used page, a security or interference pattern, or a blackout pattern, is printed over the detected print (e.g., text or the like) to conceal or obscure the print to render it illegible. In this manner, potentially sensitive or confidential information is concealed, and the reusable pages are output for use in a user-selected application (e.g., label printing, etc.) while ensuring that confidential information is obscured.

Abstract: An information embedding apparatus (200) which embeds information in each character in an original document includes an extraction unit (202) which extracts the circumscribed rectangles of characters from the original document, a selection unit (203) which selects, based on a predetermined condition, a character in which information is to be embedded, from the characters included in the respective circumscribed rectangles, an information embedding unit (204) which embeds information in a character selected by the selection unit (203) as the character in which information is to be embedded, a character generation unit (205) which generates a character not selected by the selection unit (203) at a lower pixel density per unit area than that of the character in which the information embedding unit (204) embeds the information, and an output unit (206) which outputs the original document processed by the information embedding unit (204) and the character generation unit (205).

Abstract: A system is employed to reveal a watermark in a document. A watermark generator is utilized to select the placement and at least one colorant combination of an image and at least one colorant combination for a watermark on a document, where the at least one colorant combination of the image and the watermark form a metameric pair. A printing system receives data from the watermark generator and places the image and the watermark on the document. A decoder comprising a narrow band illumination element is selected or tuned to a wavelength corresponding to the colorant combinations utilized by the printing system to reveal the watermark placed thereon.

Abstract: A history image generating system and method is configured such that a determining unit determines whether or not an image to be combined with a history image stored as a history is a digital watermark image, and when it has been determined by the determining unit that the image is a digital watermark image, a processing unit performs, with respect to the digital watermark image, processing including enhancement processing such that the visibility of the image is increased, and a generating unit generates an image in which the digital watermark image with respect to which processing has been performed by the processing unit and the history image are combined. Further, a recording medium stores a computer program that causes a computer to execute operation of each unit of this history image generating system.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for generating an infrared mark indicator comprised of security information in a printed image. Image data is rendered to a CMYK image. A black plane of the CMYK image is separated and transformed to a frequency domain wherein the frequency components are alternated to encode the watermarking message. The CMY values are selected based on the encoded black value in order to maintain a same color appearance image for the printed image under a normal visual light illuminant. The image data is printed on the substrate in accordance with the transformed planes wherein upon the resultant printed image being exposed to infrared illuminant, a print pattern is detectable as an infrared mark when scanned with an infrared sensing device.

Abstract: A pattern producing unit performs arithmetic on values of pixels corresponding to a pattern and a basic pattern read from a data storing unit with an AND operation unit, and thereby produces a pattern having substantially the same shade level as the pattern. The latent-image-containing image producing unit produces the latent-image-containing image by selectively combining the pattern and the produced pattern according to the values of respective pixels of mask image data read from the data storing unit for producing a latent image.

Abstract: There are provided an output information management system and a method therefor that prevent an output device, which outputs information onto media from being used by an unauthorized third party and allow efficient investigation of an unauthorized activity by an authorized user. A server which constitutes the output information management system stores ID information stored on an IC card for a user and information to be outputted by the output device in an output information database in association with each other. Thus, in case that an unauthorized output is performed, specific evidence as to who outputted what information on the output device is preserved. Therefore, an unauthorized output can be deterred and, if by any chance an unauthorized activity is committed, the activity can be efficiently identified.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming device, comprising: a print unit configured to form an image on a recording medium in which a memory device is embedded; a detection unit configured to detect a condition of the memory device embedded in the recording medium, the detection unit being positioned on a downstream side in a feeding direction with respect to the print unit; and a notification control unit configured to provide notification concerning the condition of the memory device, in response to a fact that the detection unit detects that the memory device embedded in the recording medium is defective.

Abstract: A method is provided of associating in computer memory (i) a digital electronic version of printed human-discernible content of a printed document comprising a sheet having a machine-readable pattern adapted to enable the position of a digital pattern reading device to be determined and said human-discernible content with (ii) the identity of a sheet upon which the content is printed, the method comprising: printing the content onto a sheet using a printer, said sheet comprising a pre-patterned sheet that has been pre-printed with said pattern; transferring a machine-readable identity code between said printer and said sheet at around the time of printing said content; and storing a correlation between said identity code and said digital electronic version in computer memory.

Abstract: A primary test printing process of a plurality of copy-forgery-inhibited pattern images generated by changing one or both of print densities of the latent-image and background-image parts in a first pattern on the basis of a predetermined parameter is performed. The user selects one copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image which has the latent-image and background-image parts with approximate print densities from the plurality of copy-forgery-inhibited pattern images generated by the primary test printing process. A secondary test printing process of a plurality of copy-forgery-inhibited pattern images generated by changing one or both of print densities of the latent-image and background-image parts in a second pattern on the basis of the parameter used to determine the print densities of the latent-image and background-image parts of the selected copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is performed.

Abstract: The image processing apparatus of the present invention includes: a specific pattern detecting unit which detects a background pattern representing additional information from inputted original document image data; an information detecting unit which extracts the additional information represented by the background pattern which is detected by the specific pattern detecting unit; an erase processing unit which erases a prescribed region of the original document image and outputs erase-processed document image data; a re-embedding background pattern generating unit which generates a re-embedding background pattern representing the additional information extracted by the information detecting unit; a background pattern composition processing unit which embeds the re-embedding background pattern into the erase-processed document image data and outputs re-embedded document image data; and a processor which controls the units mentioned above.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image acquiring unit that acquires an original image data containing first data, and a data processing unit that edits the first data in the original image data thereby generating edited original image data, and outputs the edited original image data.

Abstract: A main control unit determines whether or not a previous version with which comparison is to be made exists regarding a document stored in a session storage unit. Next, confirmation is made regarding whether or not there is difference between both compared objects, and the control unit determines whether or not there is difference. The main control unit then executes an action embedded in the attributes of the object data. The object data with difference that has been saved in the session information storage unit is saved in a document information storage unit.

Abstract: A method of marking a substrate with an emissive image wherein the substrate includes optical brighteners, the substrate having applied thereon a substance having one or more fluorescent quenchers and a quench prevention substance. An emissive color component is applied over at least a portion of the quench prevention substance. An article with authentication features may include a substrate having a layer of one or more fluorescent quenchers, a layer of a quench prevention substance, and an emissive image component. An article with authentication features may be used to authenticate the article using an emissive image produced from an emissive color component positioned over at least a portion of a quench prevention substance.

Abstract: When a process which does not carry out printing of image data by a print function is designated, based on the setting for the process, a determination is made as to whether a print function restriction setting is to be applied or not. As a result of the determination, when it is determined that the print function restriction setting is to be applied, a predetermined image is merged with the image data.

Abstract: A communication terminal device includes a receiving unit, a printer unit, a selection registering unit, an extracting unit, and a determining unit. The receiving unit receives data. The printer unit prints an image onto printing paper according to the data received by the receiving unit. The selection registering unit registers a selection of whether or not to attach a storage medium, in which information can be electronically written, to the printing paper and to output the printing paper, by associating the selection with prescribed information. The extracting unit extracts the prescribed information from the data received by the receiving unit or data acquired in relation with transmission and reception of the data. The determining unit determines whether or not to attach the storage medium to the printing paper according to the selection registered in the selection registering unit by being associated with the prescribed information extracted by the extracting unit.

Abstract: An image processing device, which includes a reading section that reads image information on both sides; an inquiry section that inquires operational authority; and an execution section that executes a desired operation if the operational authority exists, wherein the document is synthesizedly printed, and the image processing device further includes: an extraction section that extracts added image information; a first determining section that, if the added image information is not extracted, determines whether the information is included in a next surface or in a preceding surface; a second determining section that, if included, determines whether a attribute is imparted to the information, and whether a logical page number agrees with a logical total number of pages; and an image processing section that, if the attribute is imparted and the numbers agree, ignores the image information of the printing surface, and subjects image information of another surface to image processing.

Abstract: A method is performed to hide a watermark in two halftone images or in a single halftone image. The halftone image contains information of the hidden watermark, and each pixel value of the halftone image is associated with a corresponding offset value. The offset value is determined according to a corresponding pixel value of the watermark and a corresponding pixel value of another halftone image. The offset value is used to compensate a corresponding input value and a corresponding original error value of the halftone image.

Abstract: A combination of a latent-image pattern which forms a latent-image part and a background pattern that forms a background-image part is determined so that the latent-image part and background-image part have equal print densities. The determined latent-image pattern and background pattern, color information used to determine a color of the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image, input image information as an image to be processed, copy-forgery-inhibited pattern basic information used to designate the latent-image part and background-image part, and camouflage region designation image information used to designate a camouflage region are input. A copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is generated on the basis of the input information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to carry out image forming on a recording medium by adding a specific pattern to image data inputted, having a mask creation section to create a mask area where addition of the specific pattern is prohibited and a control section to carry out image forming in a way that addition of the specific pattern is prohibited in the mask area.

Abstract: An image formation system includes a medium-pattern-information-read-unit that reads pattern information of a surface of a medium; a pattern-information-image-creation-unit that creates a pattern Information image based on the read pattern information; and a print unit that adds the pattern information image to a print image to be printed on the surface of the medium and prints the print image on the medium.

Abstract: An image forming system is supplied which is able to prevent the record medium from being taken by other people and to improve the secrecy performance of image data.

Abstract: A printed media product, such as a trading card, that has a substrate and an encoded data element applied to a surface of the substrate containing information. The encoded data element includes first, second, and third data layers with first, second, and third patterns of encoded, colored dots defined by a binary encoding scheme. The dots of the first, second, and third layers are different colors separately resolvable by a scanner with decoding software. The colors of the dots are cyan, yellow, and magenta, and the layers are printed so that the dots overlap. The binary encoding scheme includes a two dimensional run length limited code. The printed media product includes a graphics element that can be interpreted by a human user, and typically, the information encoded in the encoded data element layers is related to the information in the graphics element.

Abstract: An image display medium displays an image including a first region having a first composite image. The first composite image includes a first display image and a first latent image. The first display image includes at least one of a first halftone dot image and a first line image having a first linearity. The first halftone dot image and the first line image have such densities as are not reproduced by copying. The first latent image includes at least one of a second halftone dot image and a second line image having a second linearity. The second halftone dot image and the second line image have such densities as are not reproduced by copying. The first and second linearities produce different moiré patterns when the first display and the first latent images are enlarged by a first common optical system.

Abstract: Provided are a specific image information adding method with enhanced detection accuracy enabling multiple pieces of information to be added, and an image forming apparatus using the method. In the method of adding specific image information about a recorded image onto the recorded image, the specific image information consists of reference information and identification information, the reference information is formed so as to be able to set a reference position for reading of the specific image information, and the identification information is formed from dot images indicative of bit information at predetermined positions on an arc or a circumference around the reference position. The identification information can represent a single information item by a plurality of dot images, which are placed on a plurality of different arcs or circumferences and arranged at predetermined spacings in the circumferential direction and in the radial direction.

Abstract: A processing apparatus, method and medium storing a computer program that combine two or more designated images (S1254), and input the type of security process to be performed for the combined image (S1253). The security process is performed for the combined image using the information associated with the input type of security process (S1255).

Abstract: Systems and methods for print coating de-saturation. An embodiment of the present invention relates to a method and system for controlling the output of a printer. When content is transmitted to a printer to be printed on a surface with a location-encoding pattern, the pattern is generally printed in a material different from the content material. By way of example, the content is generally transmitted in the CMYK color spectrum. The Key or black value is translated into the CMY values resulting in the K or black value being zero. The system and method alter the C, M, and Y values of the content such that it is ensured that no conversion occurs which would cause the Key color to be used in printing the content. The adjusted output is then sent to the printer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique relating to image processing capable of searching for, from a surface of paper, a more suitable region for matching of paper fingerprint information or print paper surface unique information. Its configuration includes a region dividing section for dividing image data including a read out paper fingerprint into a plurality of regions; a section for obtaining variance of gradation values of pixels in the individual regions divided by the region dividing section; a deciding section for making a decision from each variance value obtained by the section for obtaining variance of gradation values as to whether a corresponding region is suitable for matching of the paper fingerprint information; and an extracting section for extracting the paper fingerprint information in the region decided by the deciding section.

Abstract: A document security system for securely printing documents that are uniquely marked on each page of ordinary or specialized paper with a security mark such that copying and or alteration is prevented, the security mark comprising information relating to the document and further being unique to each page having specific information relating to each page of the document.

Abstract: An image of a sample print printed to obtain parameters is picked up by using “a parameter obtaining device” that meets the standards of an instrument for the invention of “the electronic scrap system.” Then, the picked-up image is captured by a DTP system, and color data of a needed position are imported to a parameter DB. Thereby, parameters for simulation to be used in an invisible code printing support system can be easily inputted. Use of this method eliminates the necessity of figuring out parameters through experiments and the like, and of inputting these parameters as numerical values. In addition, since this method uses a physical medium and inks to be actually used, as they are, their optical characteristics, an influence of a blue component of invisible light emitted from an ultraviolet LED, and the like can be inputted all together as a picked-up image.

Abstract: A system and method for watermarking a film includes a light source array including one or more light sources having light directed toward a film to be watermarked. A control mechanism is configured to synchronize a position of the film with the light sources such that the light sources are activated to record a watermark on the film to identify an aspect of the film, wherein the watermark includes a plurality of spots aligned transversely to a direction of film motion during printing of the film.

Abstract: A disclosed image processing apparatus enables input of various documents, addition of various types of embedded information, and implementation of various behaviors associated with embedded information detection results. Information embedded in input document data is detected, and an image processing associated with a detection result is carried out. The image processing apparatus includes a document input mechanism, an embedded information analysis mechanism, a behavior determination mechanism, a document output mechanism, and an image management mechanism. In one embodiment, an interface via which the document input mechanism and the embedded information analysis mechanism are connected, and another interface via which the document input mechanism and the image management mechanism are connected are fixed, so that the document input mechanism can be replaced with a new document input mechanism that inherits from those fixed interfaces, without affecting the other mechanisms.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming device that does not require an original image scanning operation upon copying of an original for the second time or later in a device for preventing illegal copying with the use of paper fingerprint information. Upon registration of the paper fingerprint information, original image data is scanned from the original. Also, the paper fingerprint information is scanned. The image forming device associates the original image data and the paper fingerprint information with each other to register them in an information processing device. Upon copying, paper fingerprint information scanned from an original is transmitted to the information processing device to request the device to determine whether or not the paper fingerprint information has been registered. If the paper fingerprint information has been registered is received, the original image data registered in association with the paper fingerprint information is retrieved from the information processing device.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an information input/output method that is capable of imparting different functions to dots of a dot pattern displayed on a printed matter, thereby, at the time of providing information from the dot pattern, recognizing directivity and speedily providing information and that is capable of checking an error relative to a dot layout state, and further, that is capable of enhancing security.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a paper fiber reading unit that reads fiber properties of a paper sheet; an encryption unit that encrypts at least a part of an input image based on the fiber properties read by the paper fiber reading unit; and a printing unit that prints an encrypted image portion encrypted by the encryption unit and an image including information representing the fiber properties read by the paper fiber reading unit on the paper sheet whose fiber properties are read by the paper fiber reading unit.

Abstract: The invention enables creating a mark-able document for a user to mark, and recognizing and processing the user-marked mark-able document to generate an accurate user-readable result that has broad application. The application program used to create, process, and generate a printed output based on the processing includes an array of functionality to create a wide variety of mark-able documents.

Abstract: A printer is provided having a coded tag generator configured to generate coded tags based on identity data indicative of an identity associated with an interface and position data defining a relative position of each tag on the interface, and a controller for controlling printing of the interface with the coded tags at the positions defined by the position data and having the identity data.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for embedding an identifying pattern of visible speckles into the digitized image of each page of a document. A speckle is a cluster of black or white pixels. Speckles are printed as black speckles on the white paper, or conversely, as areas of missing black removed from the black text characters, called white speckles. The collective pattern of all embedded black and white speckles on a single document page is called a specklemark. A specklemark can survive contrast manipulations on photocopiers and binary rasterization done by fax scanning prior to data transmission. The random pattern of the black and white speckles visible in the digitized image of a document page can be detected automatically, and by systematically matching the detected pattern with those known to have been embedded into marked copies of a document page, a specific document copy can be identified.

Abstract: An object is to provide a user with various options on a processing method of an original document including a code image. To accomplish the object, the image processing apparatus includes a decoding section for extracting information by decoding the code image contained in the original document image, and a decision section for making a decision according to selection of the user as to whether to output the original document image or the information extracted by the decoding section.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a first document manager stores image data in an image storage device, associates the image data with a first identifier, outputs the image data via an image output device when the first identifier is specified via an operation device, and deletes the image data from the image storage device when a first condition is satisfied. A second document manager associates the image data with a second identifier, outputs the second identifier via the image output device, and outputs the image data via the image output device when the second identifier is input via an image input device. The first document manager does not delete the image data from the image storage device and prohibits the operation device from specifying the first identifier when the image data is associated with both the first and second identifiers.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a novel system and method for encoding/decoding data in a cover contone image via halftone dot orientation modulation. Arrays of halftone threshold values are used to determine a desired orientation, e.g. 0/90°+/?45° for a given single data value of the original message to be embedded. Message data is embedded as a function of halftone dot orientation. Detection modeling of the print-scan process enables the determination of dot orientation from the image scan via statistically motivated image moments. A probabilistic model of the print-scan channel conditions received moments on input orientation. Density values of the received moments are used to determine dot orientation for each halftone cell. The embedded data is retrieved based on the determined orientations. The present method is applicable to areas of data embedding, document security, and the like.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a background image generation section and a combining section. The background image generation section generates a background image, which represents (i) background information containing copy prohibition information indicating copy is prohibited and (ii) copy prohibition release information indicating a condition to release copy prohibition, by predetermined patterns. The combining section combines a target image to be formed and the background image generated by the background image generation section to generate a composite image and that outputs the composite image to a formation section that forms an image on a recording medium. When generating the background image, the background image generation section arranges the pattern of the copy prohibition release information in an end region of the recording medium.