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.

2D machine readable symbologies are stylized and made aesthetically-appealing, facilitating their use to convey plural-symbol data on product packaging and other articles. In some arrangements, a symbology is mimicked as a collage of excerpts from a style image (e.g., a photograph or other artwork). To human viewers, the stylized symbology resembles the style image, rather than the 2D symbology. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

A method for rendering visible security information of a digitally stored image which has a plurality of pixels and at least one piece of digitally coded information comprises at least the following steps: allocating at least some of the pixels to at least one image region; determining an average color value of the pixels allocated to the image region; determining two mutually complementary color values whose average color value is at least approximately identical to the determined average color value of the pixels allocated to the image region; depicting the image region and at least part of the digitally coded security information in a visually perceptible manner. The depicted image region thereby has a first of the mutually complementary color values. The part of the digitally coded security information is depicted within the image region and has a second of the mutually complementary color values.

Providing secure graphics outputs by performing at least the following: receive secure output data corresponding to a digital image, obtain one or more security keys, create a secure output marker for the secure output data, wherein the secure output marker comprises location information corresponding to a trusted output area of the digital image and data information that represents data content found within the trusted output area of the digital image, encrypt the secure output marker using the one or more security keys, embed the secure output marker within the graphics image to create a trusted graphics image; and render the trusted graphics image for exposure onto the display device.

Systems and methods are provided for decoding watermarks in video frames. A media device may receive a video frame that includes a first predetermined region comprising a watermark and a second predetermined region having pixel values selected to reduce the perceptibility of the first predetermined region. The media device may detect the watermark in the first predetermined region of the video frame and identify one or more contiguous subsets of pixels that correspond to a first pixel value and one or more contiguous subsets of pixels that correspond to a second pixel value. The media device then assigns a first symbol to the one or more contiguous subsets of pixels that correspond to the first pixel value and second symbol the one or more contiguous subsets of pixels that correspond to the second pixel value. The media device then generates a first sequence of symbols from the assigned symbols.

The present disclosure relates generally to digital watermarking for retail product packaging. A digital watermark can be carried in different color channels, and at with different signal polarities. Detection can utilize different illumination sources to highlight signal in one or more channels.

The present disclosure relates generally improving visibility artifacts associated with encoded signals. A visibility change for local image areas associated with an encoded signal can be determined through use of a plurality of channel-specific contrast sensitivity functions. Of course, other features, and related claims and combinations are provided as well.