An image forming apparatus includes circuitry that binarizes image data, a memory, and a print engine unit that forms an image of the binarized image data. When the image data is low in resolution, the circuitry has the image data stored in the memory and thereafter performs on the image data, detection processing for detecting whether or not the image data includes a predetermined pattern before binarization processing. When the image data is high in resolution, the circuitry binarizes the image data, thereafter has the image data stored in the memory, thereafter further performs multivalue converting processing on the image data, and thereafter performs detection processing.

The invention provides methods and apparatus for securing personalized or sensitive information appearing in digital images. Digital images containing information to be secured is processed and divided into a plurality of image cells. At least one image cell from the plurality of image cells is selected and redacted or altered to render the information to be secured with the selected image cells indecipherable. The invention also provides methods and apparatus for transmitting or streaming unredacted image cells alone or in combination with redacted image cells for secured viewing on a user browser or computer.

Digital redacting stylus enabling footprint-less marking of redaction targets on a physical original document, and system involving the stylus and a multifunction peripheral device that uses the unaltered physical original document itself, together with data from the stylus to print out, or otherwise visually represent, an accordingly redacted copy of the physical original document. The stylus can also enable a user to add words, not present in the physical original document, to an OCR-scanned digital copy of the original document that is then printed out or visually represented.

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may comprise: a display; a processor for generating a frame image; and a display driving circuit for driving the display, the display driving circuit including an image processing module and a memory, wherein the display driving circuit is configured to acquire the frame image from the processor, generate a different frame image by applying a designated effect to at least a partial area of the frame image, and display the different frame image through the display.

An electronic apparatus which prevents and/or reduces photographing of contents is provided. The electronic apparatus includes a camera and a processor configured to cause the electronic apparatus to turn off the display and/or control a display to display a UI for restricting photographing of the content in response to a predetermined object being detected in an image received by the camera.

A visual privacy system unilaterally blocks rolling shutter cameras by providing a periodically interrupted ambient light source imposing bright and dark bands on the image yet at a frequency imperceptible to human observers in the environment. Communication of the modulation pattern to authorized cameras allows unaffected imaging in these regions by authorized individuals. The system also contemplates operation in a barcoding mode with a light modulation providing embedded barcodes that can be extracted from images taken in the region to indicate that the images were improperly acquired and to block the images in certain applications.

Systems and methods applicable, for instance, to the generation and usage of authentication images. In one aspect, unauthorized attempts to duplicate authentication images can be thwarted. In another aspect, there can be provision for authorized authentication image generation using low-resolution print devices.

A visual privacy system unilaterally blocks rolling shutter cameras by providing a periodically interrupted ambient light source imposing bright and dark bands on the image yet at a frequency imperceptible to human observers in the environment. Communication of the modulation pattern to authorized cameras allows unaffected imaging in these regions by authorized individuals. The system also contemplates operation in a barcoding mode with a light modulation providing embedded barcodes that can be extracted from images taken in the region to indicate that the images were improperly acquired and to block the images in certain applications.

A system and a method for processing an image. The method includes the steps of: receiving a source image having at least one sensitive portions arranged to present intelligible sensitive information; and processing, with a predetermined redacting method, the at least one sensitive portions of the source image to generate an output image including the intelligible sensitive information being transformed into an unintelligible form; wherein the sensitive information in the unintelligible form is adapted to be restored to an intelligible form.

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may comprise: a display; a processor for generating a frame image; and a display driving circuit for driving the display, the display driving circuit including an image processing module and a memory, wherein the display driving circuit is configured to acquire the frame image from the processor, generate a different frame image by applying a designated effect to at least a partial area of the frame image, and display the different frame image through the display.