Abstract: Digitized images are associated with English language captions and other data, collectively known as the metadata associated with the images. A natural language processing database removes ambiguities from the metadata, and the images and the metadata are stored in databases. A user formulates a search query, and natural language processing is used to determine matches between the query and the stored metadata. Images corresponding to the matches are then viewed, and desired images are selected for licensing. The license terms for selected images are displayed, and a subset of the selected images are ordered as desired by the user.

Abstract: A system for restricting the copying of a color-reversal document having one or more microdots embedded in the color-reversal document. The system of detecting the presence of one or more of the embedded microdots and controllably disabling a copy machine to prevent it from copying the color-reversal document when at least one microdot is detected.

Abstract: In the subject invention, source information indicating an author, designer r other source of a three-dimensional computer model is embedded in the low-order digits or bits of floating point values representing vertices in the model. The changes in these low-order bits are undetectable visually because the lower-order bits provide more accuracy than is needed to display an image. In one embodiment, the first floating point value representing the model has its least significant digits in its mantissa set to a code representing the first character of the source information. The second floating point value in the model has its least significant digits in the mantissa set to a code representing the second character of the source information. With the third and following floating point values, a similar pattern is followed. Additional other methods may be used and a variety of pattern making and encoding techniques would allow someone to determine the source of a model and whether it was modified.

Abstract: An image processor having a circuit for holding data on features of registered specific images, a circuit for determining the degree of similarity between features of an input image and the held features of each of the specific images, and a circuit for updating the held content of the holding circuit from the outside through a line. The image processor also has a judgment circuit for determining the degree of similarity between an input image and each of the specific images according to tint distributions of these images, and a circuit for registering data on the tint distribution of each specific image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus supplies image data, forms an image on a medium based on the image data, and adds predetermined information to the image formed on the medium. The predetermined information is added in the apparatus by using a combination of substantially representable maximum and minimum densities.

Abstract: A robust means of watermarking a digitized image with a highly random sequence of pixel brightness multipliers is presented. The random sequence is formed from `robust-watermarking-parameters` selected and known only by the marker and/or the marking entity. A watermarking plane is generated which has an element array with one-to-one element correspondence to the pixels of the digitized image being marked. Each element of the watermarking plane is assigned a random value dependent upon a robust random sequence and a specified brightness modulation strength. The so generated watermarking plane is imparted onto the digitized image by multiplying the brightness value or values of each pixel by its corresponding element value in the watermarking plane. The resulting modified brightness values impart the random and relatively invisible watermark onto the digitized image. Brightness alteration is the essence of watermark imparting.

Abstract: Disclosed is a copy protection method for identifying copied images that have been captured or generated in electronic form. The method generates information in electronic form for causing the printing of copy restrictive information as a plurality of contiguous pixels, of substantially yellow color onto the hard copy. The visibility of the yellow pixels is very low until a cyan illumination is applied to the protected image then the copy restrictive information becomes highly visible.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying machine having a control unit is provided.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, is provided with a function of detecting in an original presented for copying, a particular image which should not be copied, for example, banknotes and other negotiable instruments. Upon detection of such image in an original presented for copying, the apparatus, in reproducing the image, synthesizes with that image a pattern denoting information which identifies the particular machine on which the copying was performed. For example, the pattern used for that purpose may be the manufacturer's serial number. In particular, the machine may binary-code input image data before synthesis with the pattern.

Abstract: There is provided by the present invention an image processing apparatus which accurately determines a copying-inhibited document prepared by using paper with a copying-inhibited pattern printed or copied on the entire surface thereof by checking for each pixel data constituting image data whether an object pixel has a black peak density coincident to that of a copying-inhibited document, whether a white area having a specified size exists at a peripheral area at a distance therefrom, whether the object pixel is a screen tone graph or character area pixel, or an illegal area pixel or not.

Abstract: A data security system envisages the identification of a pre-authorized user of data handling equipment and the storage of both the data processed by that user and the identification of the user, for subsequent accessing by security staff. Unless the user has been pre-authorized, the system will fail to activate even when identity has been established. In one embodiment image data representing a copied original and the identification of the user are stored.

Abstract: An apparatus for creating copy restrictive media is disclosed comprising a linear array (20) comprised of at least two spatially distributed light sources (22) and an aperture mask (28) for forming two or more micro-light sources from the light sources (22). An optical element (32) focuses light from the micro-light sources onto a media (40) moving relative to the linear array (20). An encoder (16) turns the light sources (22) on and off at regular intervals relating to movement of the media (40).

Abstract: A discrimination device and method that generates a control signal used for controlling a color image processing apparatus that processes color image data in a first color space and generates color image data in a second color space different from the first space. The color image data in the first color space is input and then a discrimination is performed to determine whether an image represented by the input color image data includes a specific image. A control signal is generated based on the discrimination result.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus decrypts encrypted image data and synchronously outputs predetermined information with the decrypted image data such that the predetermined information is not visually recognizable on an image reproduced from the decrypted image data. The apparatus outputs the decrypted image data and the synchronously output predetermined information to an image forming unit.

Abstract: A system of preserving the integrity of research and comparable data regularly entered into an electronically accessible memory by printing it out periodically upon a form of protected document stock which reveals the fact of copying in every xerographic copy of an original sheet of such stock, and which is accounted for, sheet by sheet, through the use of a unique serial number assigned by the manufacturer of the stock and recorded by him as issued to a given customer/user, and by the use of a record of distribution maintained by the records custodian of a given customer/user to identify specific serially-numbered sheets of such stock as having been issued to a particular person on a particular date, and who collects or receives the printed out stock as a permanent record of the information recorded.

Abstract: A system and associated method for restricting the copying of an image document that contains an image of arbitrary and undetermined character that is formed in or on a document medium having a predetermined pattern of microdots. One embodiment of the system includes a copy machine and associated software that scans for the presence of microdots in an image document and if present prevents the copy machine from making a copy. The microdots are of such a size that they are not visible to the unaided eye, but when machine scanned their presence is sensed.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus previously stores information on particular kinds of image, determines the degree of similarity between an input full-color image signal and the information on particular kinds of image, controls conditions for addition of a particular pattern previously stored according to a result of the determination, and outputs an image by adding or not adding the particular pattern to the full-color image signal according to the addition conditions.

Abstract: An information carrying sheet of securities, identification cards and the like which is provided with an illegal copying preventive image pattern in which the existence of an illegal copying preventive image pattern is hardly discriminated by the naked eye. An illegal copying preventive image pattern which prevents an unnecessary exposure by combining a plurality of patterns having an absorption in different regions used in the sheet and incorporating a dummy pattern, and which is difficult to perform falsifying/altering/counterfeiting action; and an ink composition which is used for the image pattern, and has a high IR absorption. Whether copying is acceptable or not can be promptly judged with a less memory capacity to shorten copying processing time, and falsifying/altering/counterfeiting action can be securely prevented in such a manner that the application of an illegal copying preventive processing is not noticed easily by a third party.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for processing images, with which a specific original can be discriminated from others with a high accuracy. An image processing apparatus includes an input unit (210) for producing visible information and invisible information, a detecting unit for detecting a line image portion of an image represented by the visible information, and a discriminating unit (3) for discriminating an original having a predetermined pattern in accordance with the detection by the detecting unit and the visible information.

Abstract: An image processor in which information or a pattern is added to input image data, with the added information or pattern having a resolution or density which is different from that of the input image data.

Abstract: A character-detecting section detects characters from an image that has been read from a document. In order to allow a character-recognizing section to make a judgement as to whether or not the character is identical to any character of specific documents such as paper money and securities stored in a RAM, a discrimination-level setting section generates discrimination patterns corresponding to the discrimination level, and supplies them to the character-recognizing section. As a result of the judgement based on the discrimination at a low level, if the document is judged as one of the specific documents, a specific-document judging section controls the discrimination-level setting section in order to allow the character-recognizing section to make a re-judgement for identification. Thus, the discrimination-level setting section supplies discrimination patterns at a higher level to the character-recognizing section.

Abstract: A device for obliterating printed information on a sheet utilizes an information concealing printing unit for printing an information concealing pattern over a surface of a sheet carrying printed information. On printing the information concealing pattern over the surface of the sheet carrying the printed information, the printed information becomes unreadable. Various types of printing devices may be used and the printed information which is obliterated may be first recorded in electronic format for later retrieval.

Abstract: In a digital copier, facsimile machine, scanner, image filing apparatus or similar apparatus, an image processing device is provided with a capability of surely identifying confidential or secrecy documents which should be protected from unauthorized persons. The confidential or inhibited documents are provided with inhibition patterns by printing or copying over the entire surfaces thereof. The device prevents image data representative of this kind of documents from being improperly copied, transferred, stored or input.

Abstract: A digital copier or a complex copier having a facsimile function is provided with a security function for keeping a record of persons who copied or transmitted images, the dates of copying or transmission and the kinds of the images in a manner which is not known to a third person. When a scanner included in the copier is used, a document image is electrically or magnetically recorded in a security unit removably mounted on the copier. The document image is thinned or otherwise reduced in scale before written to the security unit. A keyword, password or similar information identifying a person is input on the copier. The document image is recorded in the security unit together with the person's identification and the date and time when the scanner is used. A plurality of such document images stored in the security unit are printed on a single paper at the same time.

Abstract: Color image data is stored while being added with an attribute associated with a copy limit of image data in correspondence with a type or level of secrecy to be maintained (e.g., allowing only a specific person to make a full color copy, or to make any copy, of a particular image, or allowing only monochrome copies to be made of a specific image regardless of who is making the copy, etc.) When the color image data is output, an output mode is selected according to the designated type of secrecy to execute image processing and an image output operation, thereby maintaining the desired degree of secrecy of the color image.

Abstract: A scanning system enables a user to nondestructively mark certain pages in a document stack and cause these page to be skipped during the scanning on a digital scanner. The pages of the document stack to be skipped are marked with a small adhesive backed label placed at a pre-defined location on the page by the user. The label is large enough to carry a simple, but unique image (machine-readable code) that can be read by a single sensor. The machine-readable code may be a barcode, glyph, color pattern, or reflective/nonreflective pattern, etc. The label's adhesive is such that it can be easily removed from the document stack without destroying the integrity of the page to which it was attached. In operation, the scanner utilizes a label sensor located before the scanning station/platen area so as to sense the skip label prior to the actual image capturing operation.

Abstract: A controller accurately discriminates a copying-inhibited document prepared by using paper on which a copying-inhibited pattern is printed or copied on the entire surface, executes the copying inhibition control, detects a hardware error, and executes the copying inhibition control upon detection of the hardware error by recognizing a copied document as a copying-inhibited document and executing copying inhibition control when a copying-inhibited document detected signal is inputted during an operation for reading a copied document from the copying-inhibited document discriminator, and also by determining that a hard error has occurred in the copying inhibition discriminating board, giving a warning through an operation displaying unit, and executing a copying inhibition control when a copying-inhibited document signal or a copying-inhibited document not-detected signal is inputted during a period other than that for reading a copied document.

Abstract: In a method of maintaining security in a common output means such as a print server and a system for maintaining security for realizing the method of maintaining security, an output request unit serving as a client sends the output process, i.e., a job to be processed, to an output unit such as a print server. The output unit accepts and puts the job in a queue. The output unit creates a collation key and sends it to the output request unit. The output request unit stores the collation key in a storage medium. The output unit searches the storage medium for the collation key. If the output unit finds the collation key, it processes the queued job corresponding to the collation key. The print server may have a locked stacker, to minimize the output waiting time of the print job.

Abstract: An electronic image processing apparatus has a controller and a plurality of resources in an arbitrary configuration. Each of the resources includes an associated processor storing data related to operational constraints of the associated resource and a bus interconnects the processors to the controller for directing the operation of the resources. The controller is adapted to operate independent of a particular configuration of the plurality of resources by receiving from each of the processors the data related to the operational constraints of each associated resource and interrogating each of the processors to determine the geometrical relationship of the interconnection of the resources.

Abstract: A method is provided that deters the illicit copying of electronically published documents. It includes publishing a plurality of copies of electronically created material to be distributed to a plurality of subscribers. Each copy of subscriber's document has a unique identification code embedded in the document. The arrangement of the code on the document is based on the line-shifting and word-shifting techniques. This is to minimize the effects from noise and distortions on future illicit copies to simplify detection and decoding of the unique code. A codebook is created to correlate each unique code with each subscriber.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, is provided with a function of detecting in an original presented for copying, a particular image which should not be copied, for example, banknotes and other negotiable instruments. Upon detection of such image in an original presented for copying, the apparatus, in reproducing the image synthesizes with that image a pattern denoting information which identifies the particular machine on which the copying was performed. For example, the pattern used for that purpose may be the manufacturer's serial number. In particular, the machine may binary-code input image data before synthesis with the pattern. In another aspect, the apparatus and method of the invention discriminate a degree of similarity between input image data and the predetermined image which is not to be copied, delays the input image data during performance of the discrimination, and processes the delayed image data in a way which depends upon the degree of similarity discriminated.

Abstract: Digitized images are associated with English language captions and other data, collectively known as the metadata associated with the images. A natural language processing database removes ambiguities from the metadata, and the images and the metadata are stored in databases. A user formulates a search query, and natural language processing is used to determine matches between the query and the stored metadata. Images corresponding to the matches are then viewed, and desired images are selected for licensing. The license terms for selected images are displayed, and a subset of the selected images are ordered as desired by the user.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus stores an ID number input through an auditor in a memory section when a paper money judging section judges that image data obtained from an image reading section is the image data of paper money. With this structure, the fact that an attempt to perform counterfeiting was made is known by reading out the ID number stored in the memory section. In this case, since it is understood that a counterfeiter knew a specific ID number, the counterfeiter can be detected from a limited number of people. It is thus possible to take some measures to prevent recurrence of counterfeiting by, for example, enhancing the inspection of the image forming apparatus and giving a warning to the counterfeiter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for totalizing data obtained at the time of operation, such as the number of copying operations performed for each user, by using a single portable medium is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a first memory for storing identification information which identifies operators who are permitted to use the apparatus. Data which is entered by the user is compared with the stored data in order to verify if the user is in fact authorized to use the apparatus. Additional data, such as the number of copies made, is stored corresponding to each user. Additional categories for which data may be collected and stored are disclosed including the time frame, the particular machine, and the size of the paper being used.

Abstract: A copying apparatus includes an image reading unit for optically reading an original and for outputting image signals, an image processing unit for processing the image signals from the image reading unit in accordance with a predetermined method and for outputting image data, a printer unit for forming an image corresponding to the image data from the image processing unit on a recording sheet, a determination unit for determining whether the rank of certainty that the original is the same as the special original such as paper money is a first rank or a second rank, a control unit for prohibiting the image corresponding to the image data from being formed on the recording sheet when the determination result obtained by the determination unit is the first rank, and a marking unit for adding a predetermined mark on the recording sheet when the determination result obtained by the determination unit is the second rank.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for removing an image forming substance such as toner from an image holding member such as a sheet of transfer paper, an unstabilizing agent is provided to the image holding member. An attaching state between the image forming substance and the image holding member stably attaching the image forming substance on a surface thereof is changed to an unstable state by the unstabilizing agent. The image forming substance is separated and removed from the image holding member by making a separating member come in close contact with the image forming substance on the image holding member having the provided unstabilizing agent. A processing situation mark showing a processing situation of removal of the image forming substance is formed in the image holding member. The processing situation mark can be removed from the image holding member by the image forming substance removing processing.