Abstract: The invention describes a process to prevent counterfeiting or alteration of a printed or engraved surface, characterized by the incorporation of a signature of the form of a digital mark into parts or the entire document, and in particular a digital mark technology to hide information in an invisible way through over-printing by using a method called asymmetric amplitude modulation. This method can be applied to any type of printed material such paper, packaging, or any other surface. Visible information can also be printed over the digital mark. As an application example, applied to a paper document the digital mark can be used to guarantee the document authenticity, as it would be destroyed by a copy process.

Abstract: An image processing device including a detector for detecting a characteristic feature formed from image data and a separator for separating halftone dot graphic regions and halftone dot photographic regions from the image data based on the characteristic feature.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus combines a background image, handwritten image, and a standard image. A reference image acquired by increasing the luminance value of the background image and the standard image is printed on a recording sheet. A recording sheet is read after being filled in, and a region whose luminance value is lower than a predetermined threshold value and a region indicated by standard image mask data are extracted. The extracted regions are combined with the background image and printed. In particular, the standard image mask data indicates a region in the standard image which is easily affected by a background color of a paper, so that color adjustment is performed on the region in the extracted image which is indicated by the mask data. As a result, the region in the standard image is prevented from being affected by the background color of the recording sheet in the combined result, and the images can be combined and printed according to the original color of the standard image.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: an image reader that optically reads a first image of an image processing object having a non-contact element attached thereto, the non-contact element including a memory member; an identification information reader that reads identification information from the memory member, the identification information being used for identifying the image processing object; an incorporating unit that combines the first image and a second image corresponding to the identification information; and a controller that performs a control operation so that the first image reduced to a size corresponding to the output region of the second image is recovered to the original size of the first image and is output, when a combined image of the first image and the second image is output.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus causes a composite image to be printed, on a recording sheet, as an entry area to be written in by a user. The composite image is formed by superimposing a fixed image on a reference image. The image processing apparatus extracts an image of an area having luminance lower than a predetermined threshold value from an image corresponding to the entry area contained in an image obtained by reading the recording sheet having the entry area that is written in, and the image processing apparatus uses mask data for extracting an image of an area corresponding to the fixed image to perform image extraction.

Abstract: A method for producing mottling in an image includes modifying digital colorant information in a digital image data file for at least one of a plurality of colorants. The degree of modification is based on digital colorant information in the digital image data file, mottling information from a mottling tile, and a colorant gain curve for at least one colorant. The colorant gain curve is obtained by determining a tint percentage, the variation of the tint of the printed at least one colorant when printed at a tint percentage on volume printing stock. The mottling information has a spatial frequency distribution substantially equal to the spatial frequency distribution of the mottling produced by at least one colorant on a volume printing stock. The method allows the digital image to emulate the image that would result if the digital image was printed on a volume printer on high volume printing stock.

Abstract: In a computer implemented method of creating a collage of images, a first image is seeded into a viewing region to start the collage. A plurality of trial layout arrangements are provided with an additional image added to the collage. An occlusion cost is generated for a trial layout arrangement. The occlusion cost represents image saliency occluded and viewing region saliency occluded by the trial arrangement. An image is added to the collage, by updating the collage to reflect one of the trial layout arrangements for which the occlusion cost has been generated.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, system, computer program and product, each capable of inputting an input image; obtaining an image object indicating image processing to be applied to the input image; and managing a state of the image object and transition of the state.

Abstract: A reader and printer system is provided that is capable of reading data from a substrate, decoding the data and printing information derived from the data. The data is carried on the substrate as an array of dots. The substrate carries an image and the data is a digital representation of the image and so a digital copy of the image may be made from the data carried on the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing advertising, comprising the following steps: in a first step, individual image information that is stored on a storage medium is prepared for image processing; during a subsequent image processing step, the individual information is at least partially replaced by advertising information that is not part of the image; in the next step, the remaining individually recorded image information and the advertising information that is not part of the image is transferred to a positive material. The invention also relates to the advertising produced according to this method, which comprises individually recorded image information and advertising information that is not part of the image. The advertising information partially or wholly overlaps the individually recorded image information in determinable areas.

Abstract: An image processing system includes a first obtaining section for obtaining a first image and a color mode for the first image; a second obtaining section for obtaining a second image and a color mode for the second image; a priority setting section for setting which of the color mode for the first image and the color mode for the second image priority is to be given to; a color-mode setting section for setting a color mode for a composite image based on the color mode for the first image, the color mode for the second image, and the setting of the priority setting section; a combining section for combining the first image and the second image to produce the composite image; and an outputting section for outputting the composite image with the color mode set by the color-mode setting section.

Abstract: A method for aligning a pair of images includes providing a pair of images, identifying salient feature regions in both a first image and a second image, wherein each region is associated with a spatial scale, representing feature regions by a center point of each region, registering the feature points of one image with the feature points of the other image based on local intensities, ordering said feature pairs by a similarity measure, and optimizing a joint correspondence set of feature pairs by refining the center points to sub-pixel accuracy.

Abstract: A method is described for segmenting an image of pixels into a number of fields. A graph is constructed for representing the image. First, separating elements are constructed that are oblong areas of adjacent pixels having a background property indicative of a background of the image. Then vertices of the graph are defined based on intersections of separating elements that are substantially oriented in different separation directions, in particular horizontal and vertical direction, and edges of the graph are defined between the vertices corresponding to the separating elements. Finally, the edges of the graph are interpreted as lines that separate the fields.

Abstract: It is required to provide a framework for an automated process for forming a visually appealing collage from a plurality of input images. It is required to provide a framework for this type of automated process which is flexible and robust and which can easily be interfaced to a related software application. An image synthesis framework is provided with a modular architecture having a first module, a plurality of prior compute modules and an image synthesis module. The first module provides an application programming interface, the prior compute modules compute information about input images, and the image synthesis module uses the computed information together with the input images to form a digital collage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that annotates an image with a barcode is disclosed. The method may include receiving one or more image parameters from a user, determining information concerning a device to be used for processing, determining a date on which image processing occurs, determining a number of copies of the image to be processed, generating a barcode that contains at least coded information concerning the device to be used for processing, the date on which the image is processed, the number of copies of the image to be processed, and at least one of the one or more image parameters received from the user, and sending the generated barcode to the device to be used for processing to enable the barcode to be placed near the image when processed.

Abstract: It is required to provide an automated process for forming a visually appealing digital collage (also referred to as a tapestry or photomontage) from a plurality of input images. Input images and a collage are labeled. Labels in the collage specify which regions of the input images are used to form those collage regions. An energy function is created for the labeling which contains terms that take into account various criteria to produce a collage. For example, those criteria may relate to the amount of information in the images, similarity of the images, entropy in the images or object class information. A multi-stage optimization process is applied to the energy function which is fast and enables large numbers of input images to be used to produce a collage.

Abstract: A system for enabling depth perception of image content in a rendered composite image, wherein illuminant/colorant depth discrimination encoding provides encoding of first and second source images in a composite image, for the purposes of subsequent illuminant/colorant depth discrimination decoding. Composite image rendering allows for rendering the composite image in a physical form. Illuminant/colorant depth discrimination decoding allows recovery of the first and second source images, thus offering to an observer the perception of spatial disparity between at least one of the recovered source images and some or all of the remaining image content perceived in the rendered composite image.

Abstract: An image processing device has a storage unit, a read-out unit, a color information generating unit, a color information converting unit and a color replacing unit. The storage unit stores color information of spot colors. The read-out unit reads out the color information from the storage unit. The color information generating unit generates color information of an alternate color based on the color information of the spot color. The color information converting unit generates each of first and second color information, the first color information is generated by converting the color information of the color plate for which color replacement is instructed into the color information of the spot color, the second color information is generated by converting the color information of the color plate for which the color replacement is instructed into the color information of the alternate color. The color replacing unit generates new color information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a multicolor image using halftone screens employs a dot structure dot growth pattern for one or more of the colors and a line structure dot growth pattern for at least two or more of the other colors.

Abstract: A bright luminance value, a dark luminance value, and an average luminance value relating to a face image portion included in an image represented by fed image data are calculated in calculating circuits. Further, a target bright luminance value and a target dark luminance value are calculated in a calculating circuit on the basis of a target average luminance value and a dynamic range that are inputted from an input device and the calculated bright luminance value, dark luminance value, and average luminance value. Interpolation processing based on a correspondence between the calculated bright luminance value, dark luminance value, and average luminance value relating to the face image portion and the target bright luminance value, the target dark luminance value, and the target average luminance value respectively corresponding thereto is performed in a corrected value calculating circuit, to create a look-up table.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus that generates image data from which it can be determined from the processed image what kind of processing has been performed on the image, and that enables bulge correction of the image and transformation of the image to be carried out with ease.

Abstract: Methods and systems in a printer output device for improving color-imaging rendering utilizing an imaging data stream are disclosed herein. An imaging order is generally associated with the imaging data stream for a plurality of images and overlapping objects to be rendered. The imaging data stream can be designated, such that the imaging order determines color quality rendering thereof. The generated by the printer output device can be rendered utilizing the imaging data stream according to a pre-determined ink color. Imaging separations can also be generated utilizing the imaging data stream, wherein the imaging separations are based on an actual specified color for rendering thereof via the printer output device.

Abstract: Separations or images relating to film or other fields may be registered using a variety of features, such as, for example: (1) correcting one or more film distortions; (2) automatically determining a transformation to reduce a film distortion; (3) applying multiple criteria of merit to a set of features to determine a set of features to use in determining a transformation; (4) determining transformations for areas in an image or a separation in a radial order; (5) comparing areas in images or separations by weighting feature pixels differently than non-feature pixels; (6) determining distortion values for transformations by applying a partial distortion measure and/or using a spiral search configuration; (7) determining transformations by using different sets of features to determine corresponding transformation parameters in an iterative manner; and (8) applying a feathering technique to neighboring areas within an image or separation.

Abstract: A document analysis tool may generate a halftone image corresponding to the output of an image forming device and may display the generated halftone image for a document designer. The halftone image may include halftone dots displaced from each other, depending on a misregistration between image forming stations in the image forming device. Based on the quality of the displayed halftone image, the document designer may revise the document to account for the misregistration.

Abstract: An image input and output system is provided in which a common operation screen for a plurality of image output devices having different attributes is displayed. Based on attribute information of each of printers, the server generates a signal for generating an operation screen, and transmits the signal to the scanner. At the scanner, image data is inputted, and a common operation screen, which is generated based on the signal for generating the operation screen, is displayed on a display panel. When information designating the printer and information relating to an output format of an image is inputted from the display panel, the inputted information and the image data are transmitted to the server. The server transmits, to a designated printer, the image data and the information relating to the output format of the image, which are transmitted from the scanner, and images are outputted.

Abstract: A method is described for producing a composite image that is viewable through lenticular lenses to create a special visual effect. The method includes the steps of storing a first source image and a second source image and selecting a pair of reference points in the first source image and corresponding reference points in the second source image. First and second intermediate images are created such that objects in the source images are better aligned, and the intermediate images are interlaced to produce the composite image.

Abstract: A method of inserting an object into an image, the method comprising the steps of assessing the homogeneity of the image; identifying one or more areas of the image having similar homogeneity according to the assessed homogeneity; and selecting a homogeneous area in which to insert the object.

Abstract: Image acquisition refers to the taking of digital images of multiple views of the object of interest. In the processing step, the constituent images collected in the image acquisition step are selected and further processed to form a multimedia sequence which allows for the interactive view of the object. Furthermore, during the Processing phase, the entire multimedia sequence is compressed and digitally signed to authorize it viewing. In the Storage and Caching Step, the resulting multimedia sequence is sent to a storage servers. In the Transmission and viewing step, a Viewer (individual) may request a particular multi-media sequence, for example, by selecting a particular hyperlink within a browser, which initiates the downloading, checking of authorization to view, decompression and interactive rendering of the multi-media sequence on the end-users terminal, which could be any one of a variety of devices, including a desktop PC, or a hand-held device.

Abstract: An image composition system. The image composition system comprises an image detection unit and an image composition unit. The image detection unit detects marked parts in low dynamic range images. The low dynamic range images are images of the same scene taken at different exposure levels. The image composition unit sets exposure history data of the low dynamic range images according to the marked parts. The image composition unit then synthesizes the low dynamic range images into a high dynamic range image according to the exposure history data.

Abstract: A misalignment correction method for forming a plurality of color images on a transfer belt to form a multi-color image and correcting a misalignment of each color using a detection sensor, including forming a patch by superposing a reference pattern as a last color to be superposed on a color pattern to be corrected, preparing a plurality of patches, arranging the plurality of patches on the transfer belt, optically detecting a value of each of the patches with respect to the shift quantity of the respective patches of the continuously formed patch group in the correction pattern, calculating an intersection point of two approximate lines as output obtained on opposite sides of an inflection point of the two lines, and performing misalignment correction based on the intersection point.

Abstract: A signal processing unit that generates data signals for controlling gray-scale levels of electro-optical elements includes a first D/A conversion unit that generates gray-scale signals from gray-scale data for designating the gray-scale levels of the electro-optical elements; a storage unit that stores correction data indicating correction values with respect to the gray-scale signals; a second D/A conversion unit that has resolution different from that of the first D/A conversion unit, and that generates correction signals from the correction data stored in the storage unit; and a synthesizing unit that synthesizes the gray-scale signals generated by the first D/A conversion unit with the correction signals generated by the second D/A conversion unit to generate the data signals.

Abstract: This invention provides systems and methods that use a meta job description that combines a number of scan jobs into a single combined job and use a meta job description that incorporates the scan parameters for a plurality of scan. Scanning documents with a meta job description provides user with the ability to scan any number of different documents with different parameters and combine them into a single combined job before the job is sent to its final destination. This allows the user to compose a single electronic document from any number of documents with different parameters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing, in response to image signals originating in an object space, mixed image signals for providing nonuniform resolution images for stimulating simulated active percepts for passive perception by a viewer in an image space. The images have a highly detailed component which has its image content changed according to changes in the direction of a simulated observer's eye position in an object space. The images may be provided stereoscopically. The images may be provided at various apparent distances and the relationship between accommodation and convergence may be preserved. Audio waves for directionally simulating that which would be heard by the simulated observer may be provided.

Abstract: A print controller for making a print device print in such a manner that a grouping for each record included in printed matter can be easily recognized is provided. A print control program stored on computer readable storage media for outputting a business form by sending output form data to a print device includes the steps of inputting form data which indicates a layout of the business form; inputting variable length field data consisting of a plurality of records; setting a print condition for each record included in the input field data; generating output form data of the business form by overlaying the field data set with the print condition on the input form data; and outputting the business form by sending the generated output form data to the print device.

Abstract: Two sets of image data are combined into one set of image data producing no unnatural feeling with a simple procedure. A direction for each set of image data is designated on a touch panel (26). The directions of the image data are compared, and a tilt of one of the sets of image data is adjusted relative to the other set of image data based on the result of the comparison. The adjusted image data and the other image data are combined into one set of image data producing a natural feeling.

Abstract: A color printing apparatus includes an image memory that stores input image data, an image data region extracting device that extracts an image data existing region in the image memory, a pattern data superposing device that superposes specified pattern data only on the image data stored in the image memory in accordance with a result of extraction performed by the image region extracting device, a data reordering device that reorders the image data in accordance with a printing manner, and a data launching device that launches data to an image formation system.

Abstract: The present invention aims at depth or field improvements or digital cameras, where differently-focused images of a scene, to be photographed, are exposed. A final image is produced from these primary-shots, where depth of field-limitations related to classic photo-lenses, are essentially eliminated. Specific new problems related to camera-viewfinders and camera-focusing are emerging however, due to the increasing number of images being registered. Following the present invention, advantageous procedures regarding camera viewfinders, for visualizing the individual primary shots as well as images processed for improved depth of field, are outlined. A simple technique for upgrading a standard digital camera for depth of field-improvement operation, including an adequate method for preselecting focuses, is illustrated by FIG. 5. These problems and others, related to a photographers adjustments and handling of various kinds of depth of field-enhancing cameras are remedied by applying the present invention.

Abstract: This facsimile device comprises inputting means for inputting image data of a subject copy having a width in a main scanning direction larger than an A3-size width, reading means for divisively reading lines of the image data in a sub-scanning direction by dividing the image data into divisional lines of data having a predetermined width, image rotating means for performing an image rotation with respect to each of the divisional lines of data so as to supply rotated divisional lines, encoding means for encoding each of the rotated divisional lines into encoded data, and outputting means for outputting the encoded data.

Abstract: An image processing system of the present invention includes a partial enlarge unit for enlarging a part of an image so as to create an enlarged partial image, a display unit for displaying the image and the enlarged partial image created by the partial enlarge unit so that the enlarged partial image overlaps the image, a zoom processing unit for zooming the image displayed by the display unit, and a zoom process control unit for changing a position to be a criterion in case of the image zoom processing unit zooms the image according to whether the display unit displays the enlarged partial image so that the enlarged partial image overlaps the image.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a method for embedding key information into a printed document is disclosed. The method comprises creating a first section comprising a first ink having a first color under white light; and creating a second section comprising a second different ink. The second ink comprises a fluorescent ink and has a second color under white light which is substantially the same as the first color, and the fluorescent ink has a fluorescence when subjected to fluorescent-exciting radiation. The first section and the second section are visually indiscernible from each other on the printed document in white light. Also, the second section comprises key information, which is selected or highlighted by a user during creation of the document, and the first section comprises non-selected information.

Abstract: An image synthesization method, whereby a plurality of images, each of which has a partially overlapping image area, are synthesized to create a single synthetic image, comprises a determination step of inputting a plurality of image data sets that correspond to the plurality of images that are input, and of determining whether or not an image in the partially overlapping image area of each of images that are indicated by the plurality of image data sets includes mainly characters an image processing step of performing, for the plurality of image data sets that are input, image processing in consonance with a result of a determination performed at the determination step and an image synthesization step of synthesizing images that are indicated by the resultant plurality of image data, for which the image processing has been performed at the image processing step. With this arrangement, a plurality of images can be easily and effectively synthesized.

Abstract: An print control apparatus for printing a reproduction checking image in colors. In a print control apparatus 1 that has a printing device 6 to print a document, a CPU 2 combines a remaining pattern image composed of dots larger than a minimum dot size readable by a color copying machine and a vanishing pattern image composed of dots having the same size as the larger dot and dots smaller than the minimum dot readable by the color copying machine to produce a reproduction checking image and causes the printing device 6 to print the reproduction checking image along with document print data on paper (FIG. 1).

Abstract: 600 dpi binary character shape data is created from 600 dpi character data inputted by a PC and written sequentially to a memory. The 600 dpi character data inputted from the PC and 300 dpi image data are stored as 300 dpi 8-bit graphics data. Next, 600 dpi 8-bit multi-value graphics data is created by dividing each pixel in the 300-dpi 8-bit graphics data into four small pixels. First and second correction processes are performed using a first correction table and the superimposed data is printed at a uniform 600 dpi printing density.

Abstract: A sheet image scanner of the present invention has plural image sensors to output electric signals by detecting optical image data that are obtained by applying a light from a light source to documents, amplifiers to amplify outputs from the plural image sensors, and a peak detection processing unit to detect a peak value of sensitivity of at least one of the plural image sensors and set a gain value for each of amplifiers for the plural image sensors using the detected peak value.

Abstract: The invention is an image pickup apparatus comprising an LE-SE buffer for storing multiple images with different exposure amounts that have been taken with a CCD, an SL synthesizing circuit for performing Super Latitude (SL) processing for the multiple images to generate a synthesized image with a wide dynamic range, a suitability evaluating circuit for evaluating whether the photography scene is suitable for performing SL processing with the SL synthesizing circuit, an image quality evaluating circuit for comparing the synthesized image with the images before synthesizing and evaluating image quality, and a recording format selecting circuit for which of the multiple images before synthesizing and the synthesized image to be recorded by a recording circuit, based on the image quality evaluation results and operating input from a key input circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image synthesizing apparatus which extracts plural images of different magnification ratios from a single piece of image data and combines those images to provide a moving image equivalent to a moving image zoomed up in moving image pickup. In record mode, an image acquired by a CCD is subjected to color processing and is then sent to an image memory. At the same time, a through image is displayed on a display section. If it is a zoomed moving image mode, when a shutter is pressed to pick up an image, plural images zoomed up in plural levels are created based on image data stored then in the image memory as an original image. A zoomed moving image equivalent to a zoomed moving image is obtained in moving image pickup.

Abstract: An image processing device extracts graphic areas, for example, firstly from image data received, and then extracts other remaining areas, i.e., photographic and character areas. The areas that are extracted firstly can be photographic or character areas. This prevents the areas to be extracted firstly from being extracted accompanying with other areas under the influence of isolation processes to be executed on other areas. The image processing device also can establish the order of extraction of each area depending on the contents of the image data based on the user's operation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high-precision alignment method, device and code for inspections that compare an inspection image with a reference image and detect defects from their differences. In one embodiment an inspection image and a reference image are divided into multiple regions. An offset is calculated for each pair of sub-images. Out of these multiple offsets, only the offsets with high reliability are used to determine an offset for the entire image. This allows high-precision alignment with little or no dependency on pattern density or shape, differences in luminance between images, and uneven luminance within individual images. Also, detection sensitivity is adjusted as necessary by monitoring alignment precision.

Abstract: During a display of a slideshow of a composite image comprising a plurality of images, a user operates a print bookmark, resulting in composite images and individual images that can be printed being set and stored as print candidate images. By displaying, in a list; stored candidate images on a display unit as print candidate images, an image processing apparatus is provided which enables the user to specify a desired image for printing.

Abstract: A graphic piece can be used to add a border to an image. The graphic piece is created by creating a graphic image foreground image and a graphic image background image. The foreground and background images are merged into a graphic image file, the contents of which specify pixel colors and pixel color weights of a graphic piece capable of being added to an image.