In an approach for determining printability of an electronic file, a computer electronically receives a file for printing. The computer parses the file for one or more of text, images, and formatting indicative of potential copyrighted material. The computer, in response to identifying any text, images, or formatting indicative of potential copyrighted material, identifies potential copyrighted material within the file. The computer determines whether the file may be printed based, at least in part, on the identified potential copyrighted material. In another approach for determining printability of an electronic document, a computer electronically receives a document for printing. The computer locates attributes associated with the document and stored in a separate database, which includes one or more of the following: ownership, licensing information, printability, and number of prints allowed. The computer determines the document is printable based on the attributes and prints the document.

An image processing apparatus includes: a raster data output that executes a first process of outputting raster data; a data transferer that generates image determination-purpose data, and executes a second process of storing the generated image determination-purpose data in a buffer; and a hardware processor that: executes a third process of determining whether an image presented by the image determination-purpose data contains a specific image, generates schedule information indicating a time schedule of the first, second, and third processes, determines each set of raster data on whether the time schedule satisfies an overflow condition, and performs control to extend the buffer, wherein the overflow condition is a condition that a part of a period of the second process overlaps with a part of a period during which the image determination-purpose data for which the third process has not been completed occupies an entire area of the buffer.

Systems and methods are described that protect intellectual property rights in connection with 3-dimensional printing processes. In certain embodiments, an object a user would like to render with a 3-dimensional printing device may be compared with one or more managed objects having certain associated intellectual property rights. If the object is found to be similar to a managed object (e.g., similar in shape, function, composition, etc.), policy associated with the managed object may be enforced in connection with rendering the object. In this manner, intellectual property rights associated with the managed objects may be enforced.

Systems and methods are described that protect intellectual property rights in connection with 3-dimensional printing processes. In certain embodiments, an object a user would like to render with a 3-dimensional printing device may be compared with one or more managed objects having certain associated intellectual property rights. If the object is found to be similar to a managed object (e.g., similar in shape, function, composition, etc.), policy associated with the managed object may be enforced in connection with rendering the object. In this manner, intellectual property rights associated with the managed objects may be enforced.

An image forming apparatus includes one or more controllers that control giving of additional information to image information, and an image former that forms an image of a code related to the additional information to be given to an image of the image information in a case where the additional information is given under control of the one or more controllers. The one or more controllers give, to the image information, the additional information that differs in response to a type of the image information.

A document verification system may verify modification to a physical document through digital image processing. Imaging sensors capture images of a modified physical document. A digital image processing circuit measures pixel parameters for a plurality of regions of the digital images for comparison to a verification pattern to verify the document.

An image processing apparatus comprises a camera, a reading unit, a memory unit and a control unit. The camera acquires an image of a portion of a user's body to generate image data of the user. The reading unit reads the image on a sheet to generate image data for the sheet. The control unit determines, according to the image data of the sheet and specific image data, whether or not the sheet read by the reading unit is a sheet the image of which is prohibited to be copied and stores the image data of the sheet and the image data of the user in the memory unit after determining that the sheet is a sheet the image of which is prohibited to be copied.