A method of generating a semi transparent QR code in which a QR code image and an ordinary color background image are synthesized, and a QR code detection method of separating a QR code and a normal color image from an image obtained by capturing a semi transparent QR code are disclosed.

An area where development processing is irregular in imaging data are detected as an irregularity area. At least two areas having approximate feature amounts in the imaging data are detected as approximate areas. An altered region in the imaging data is specified from the approximate areas based on the irregularity area and the approximate areas.

A monochrome imager used in such systems as a scanner can detect watermarks that have been encoded in the color space or chrominance. Such watermarks are called chroma watermarks and are considered more reliable than the traditional classic watermarks, which are encoded based on luminance. The monochrome imager detects the chroma watermark, which has been illuminated with ambient white light from a blue light emitting diode (LED) coated with phosphor.

A system and method is provided for management of digital watermarks, including a system and method for identifying the source of counterfeit copies of multimedia works using layered simple digital watermarks which are difficult to locate, identify and circumvent. The layered digital watermarks may be modulated in a variety of ways, and may be individualized to assist in detection of unlawful copyrighted material infringement by endpoint device and/or the user committing the copyright infringement. In addition, multiple layers of watermarks may be selected and applied by various schemes, such as on-the-fly remotely by the distributor of the copyrighted material. This system and method for management of digital watermarks effectively makes it impossible for a potential copyright infringer to have complete confidence that they located and disabled all of the watermarks in the copyrighted material, and therefore substantially increases the risk of infringer identification and prosecution for copyright violations.

Encryption systems for initiating, encrypting, decrypting, storing and transporting undetectable secure electronic data communications over public and private networks, including the Internet or the like.

An image code is for information storage, transfer and identification, a method of generating and analyzing the same, and an apparatus for implementing the method, the image code includes a standard image area, at least one image filled in the standard image region, at least one segment of information stream implanted in the at least one image by using digital watermarking technique and 4 location identification graphics arranged in different positions of the standard image region, the location identification graphics are arranged in the 4 vertex angles of the standard image region, including 1 feature location identification graphic and 3 basic location identification graphics; the 3 basic location identification graphics are identical and the feature location identification graphic is different from the basic location identification graphic.

An image processing apparatus includes: an embed-data generating unit configured to generate embed-data, which is to be embedded in input-image-data, the input-image-data representing an image including a first color, the embed-data representing an image including a second color; an inverting unit configured to invert the image represented by the embed-data, in response to meeting a predetermined condition relating to the first color and the second color; and an output-image-data generating unit configured to embed, in the input-image-data, embed-data representing the image that is inverted by the inverting unit, in order to generate output-image-data in a case where the predetermined condition is met, and configured to embed, in the input-image-data, embed-data representing the image that is not inverted by the inverting unit, in order to generate output-image-data in a case where the predetermined condition is not met.

Information bits may be superimposed onto a transmitted image while reducing or minimizing the effects of the superimposed information bits on the transmitted image signal's frequency spectrum or image quality. A placement of superimposed information bits onto pixels of an image signal to be transmitted may be determined by testing a placement functions to determine whether the spectrum and/or image quality of the image signal with the superimposed information bits placed according to a placement function meets system criteria. Successive placement functions may he tested until an acceptable placement function is found. The information bits may be superimposed onto complete pixels or the information bits may be superimposed onto one or more least significant bits (LSBs) of each of the selected pixels. A transmitter may transmit superimposition information associated with a transmitted image to a receiver. A receiver may use the superimposition information to extract the information bits.

A reception apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for processing an image in which a plurality of symbols is encoded, and an information providing apparatus for providing the image. The reception apparatus includes circuitry configured to receive or retrieve an image in which a plurality of symbols is encoded. The circuitry determines a set of luminance values used to encode the symbols based on luminance values of a plurality of pixels included in the image. The circuitry determines a highest luminance value used to encode the symbols in the image based on the determined set of luminance values. Further, the circuitry derives data values of the symbols encoded in the image based on the set of luminance values and using the determined highest luminance value.

Differential modulation schemes encode a data channel within host signal or noisy environment in a manner that is robust, flexible to achieve perceptual quality constraints, and provides improved data capacity. Differential arrangements enable a decoder to suppress host signal or other background signal interference when detecting, synchronizing and extracting an encoded data channel. They also enable the incorporation of implicit or explicit synchronization components, which are either formed from the data signal or are complementary to it.