A method of light messaging, in which a hidden message is transmitted via coded image emitted from a display device and retrieved using a camera, comprises training a camera-display transfer model that receives images with hidden messages from an embedding model and generates modified coded images based on training data that accounts for properties of displays and cameras, the modified coded images delivered to a recovery model that decodes the hidden messages and outputs hidden message determinations, training both the embedding and recovery models using the CDTF model and training data to minimize differences between the input hidden messages and the hidden message determinations. After training the CDTF model and other models, embedding a hidden message in a carrier image using the embedding model, displaying the coded image using the display device, receiving the coded image at the camera, and retrieving the hidden message using the recovery model.

Provided is an image processing apparatus for generating a printed document with specific information embedded therein, including: a first obtaining unit configured to obtain image data to be used in printing; a second obtaining unit configured to obtain the specific information; an acceptance unit configured to accept designation of a printing apparatus for executing printing; an embedding condition determination unit configured to determine a condition for embedding the specific information into the image data according to a type of the accepted printing apparatus; a multiplexed image generation unit configured to generate a multiplexed image by executing embedding of the specific information under the condition determined by the embedding condition determination unit; and a control unit configured to perform control such that the printing apparatus prints the multiplexed image.

An image processing method determines a geometric transform of a suspect image by efficiently evaluating a large number of geometric transform candidates in environments with limited processing resources. Processing resources are conserved by using complementary methods for determining a geometric transform of an embedded signal. One method excels at higher geometric distortion, and specifically, distortion caused by greater tilt angle of a camera. Another method excels at lower geometric distortion, for weaker signals. Together, the methods provide a more reliable detector of an embedded data signal in image across a larger range of distortion while making efficient use of limited processing resources in mobile devices.

This disclosure relates to advanced image signal processing technology including encoded signals and digital watermarking. One implementation is directed to a printed object comprising: a white substrate or background comprising a first area; an ink mixture printed at a first plurality of spatial locations within the first area, the ink mixture printed such that the first area comprises a second plurality of spatial locations without the ink mixture, the ink mixture comprising extender white and Green 7 ink, the ink mixture comprising a volume or weight ratio of 97.5% to 99.75% white extender and 2.5%-0.25% Green 7 ink; in which the first plurality of spatial locations is arranged in a pattern conveying an encoded signal, and in which the white substrate or background and the ink mixture comprise a spectral reflectivity difference at or around 660 nm in a difference range of 8%-30%. Of course, other implementations, methods, packages, systems and apparatus are described in this patent document.

Provided is an image processing apparatus for generating a printed document with specific information embedded therein, including: a first obtaining unit configured to obtain image data to be used in printing; a second obtaining unit configured to obtain the specific information; an acceptance unit configured to accept designation of a printing apparatus for executing printing; an embedding condition determination unit configured to determine a condition for embedding the specific information into the image data according to a type of the accepted printing apparatus; a multiplexed image generation unit configured to generate a multiplexed image by executing embedding of the specific information under the condition determined by the embedding condition determination unit; and a control unit configured to perform control such that the printing apparatus prints the multiplexed image.

A method for detection of modification of an item of content, the method comprising: obtaining, for the item of content, a respective first value of each attribute in a set of one or more attributes of the item of content, the set of one or more attributes selected such that, for each of one or more predetermined types of modification, said type of modification affects the value of at least one attribute in the set of one or more attributes; performing a watermark decoding operation on the item of content; and in response to the watermark decoding operation producing payload data from the item of content: determining that the one or more predetermined types of modification have not been applied to the item of content if, for each attribute in the set of one or more attributes, the respective first value for that attribute matches a respective second value for that attribute determined using the payload; or determining that a modification has been applied to the item of content if, for at least one attribute in the set of one or more attributes, the respective first value for that attribute does not match a respective second value for that attribute determined using the payload.

The present disclosure relates generally to data hiding for retail product packaging and other printed objects such as substrates. One embodiment embeds an information signal in a spot color for printing on various substrates. The spot color is screened, and overprinted with process color tint. The tint is modulated prior to overprinting with optimized signal tweaks. The optimization can include consideration of a detector spectral dependency (e.g., red and/or green illumination). Many other embodiments and combinations are described in the subject patent document.

This disclosure relates to advanced signal processing technology including steganographic embedding and digital watermarking. One combination disclosed in the description includes an image processing method. The method includes: obtaining an image comprising a plurality of color channels; for each color channel of the plurality of color channels, creating a grayscale version of the color channel and creating an inverted greyscale version of the color channel; analyzing the grayscale inverted version and the grayscale non-inverted version to locate image areas including an encoded signal, said analyzing yielding a plurality of image areas; generating one or more detectability measures corresponding to the encoded signal for each of the plurality of image areas; for each color channel selecting only one (1) image area as a validation point based on one or more generated detectability measures for that color channel; and generating information associated with a spatial location of each of the validation points in the image. Of course, other features and combinations are described as well.

The present technology relates to image signal processing. One aspect of the present technology involves analyzing reference imagery gathered by a camera system to determine which parts of an image frame offer high probabilities of—relative to other image parts—containing decodable watermark data. Another aspect of the present technology whittles-down such determined image frame parts based on detected content (e.g., a cereal box) vs expected background within such determined image frame parts.

The present disclosure relates to systems, non-transitory computer-readable media, and methods for generating marked digital images with content adaptive watermarks. In particular, in one or more embodiments, the disclosed systems intelligently evaluate a plurality of watermark configurations to select one or more content adaptive watermarks for one or more target digital images and generate one or more marked digital images by adding the selected content adaptive watermarks to the one or more target digital images.