An image forming apparatus includes a communication interface, an encoder, and a processor. The communication interface communicates with a cloud server that executes decoding by any of a plurality of decoding methods corresponding to a plurality of autoencoder models. The encoder performs encoding by any of a plurality of encoding methods corresponding to the plurality of autoencoder models. The processor specifies an encoding method to the encoder to encode image data into intermediate layer data that is configured to be decoded by the cloud server and transmits the intermediate layer data and model information indicating the specified encoding method used for the encoding to the cloud server through the communication interface.

Methods and systems for tracking image senders using client devices are described herein. A computing system may receive an image containing a first watermark vector corresponding to a user account of an image sender. The computing system may convert the image to a frequency domain image that contains the first watermark vector. From the frequency domain image, the computing system may identify the first watermark vector. The computing system may compare the first watermark vector to each of a plurality of stored watermark vectors, each corresponding to a known user account, to determine a probability of a match. The computing system may determine the user account of the sender of the image by determining which of the plurality of stored watermark vectors has a highest probability of a match, and may send, to a workplace administrator platform, an indication of the user account.

Reduce image quality deterioration of an object area that is gazed viewed by a user in a case where information is embedded in an image. An image processing apparatus including a recognition unit configured to recognize an object within an image and a layout unit configured to lay out information relating to an object recognized by the recognition unit in an area except for an object area for the recognized object within the image.

The objective of the present invention is to provide an information recording body, a medium and a printed product having improved design properties. An information recording body provided with a superimposed image including a brilliant layer and a transparent layer formed on the brilliant layer is characterized in that: the brilliant layer is a chromatic color image formed from a brilliant material; the transparent layer is a regular pattern image formed from a transparent starting material; the transparent starting material is configured in such a way that an amount of light reflected therefrom differs depending on an observation angle; and the superimposed image is formed in such a way that the transparent layer is recognizable in accordance with a specific observation angle.

A marking color of a marking material (e.g., ink, toner, etc.) within a printer has a marking spectral reflectance property. Print media that has a media color approximately matching the marking color, but a different media spectral reflectance property, is identified (to form a geometric metameric pair). Differently colored calibration patches of the marking material are printed on a test sheet of the print media. A calibration patch, in which the printed color of the marking material most closely visually matches the media color, is used to identify a revised marking color. A watermark is printed on the print media using the revised marking color. The difference between the marking spectral reflectance property and the media spectral reflectance property causes the watermark to be visibly observable on the print media from one angle but prevents the watermark from being visibly observable from a different angle.

A content processing system obtains an identification associated with a device configured to receive content, generates a digital watermark reflecting the receiving device's identification, provides watermarked content by including the digital watermark in the content, and transmits the watermarked content from an edge computing device to the receiving device for the playback. The digital watermark is not visually observable during playback of the watermarked content, and it enables tracking of transmission of the watermarked content.

The disclosure relates to image processing and embedding machine-readable codes into image data. One combination estimates embedded signal strength from embedded image data transformed according to anticipated color space, printer data and/or substrate data. Other combinations are also provided.

To make it possible to easily extract additional information from printed matter by using a built-in camera of a mobile terminal. An information processing apparatus that reads additional information by capturing printed matter in which the additional information is embedded by using a built-in camera, including: a control unit configured to acquire a first captured image obtained by capturing the printed matter under a first image capturing condition and a second captured image obtained by capturing the printed matter under a second image capturing condition different from the first image capturing condition; and an extraction unit configured to extract the additional information by analyzing the first captured image and the second captured image.

The present disclosure relates generally to signal encoding for product packaging and other printed objects. One implementation utilizes a target reflectance value for image content combined with an encoded signal at or around 660 nm to guide color changes. Luminance change is controlled through opposing color shifts, while maintaining the target reflectance value. Other implementations are provided.

This disclosure relates to advanced signal processing technology including signal encoding and image processing. One implementation describes an encoding system including a masking module. The masking module scales or eliminates signal encoding adjustments based on an image's luminance or chrominance values. Of course, other implementations, combinations and claims are also provided.