Systems and methods for rendering a secure document with a text selection capability. The methods comprise: performing first operations, by a computing device, to determine which objects of a source document are non-text objects; creating, by the computing device, an image file representing a graphic consisting of the non-text objects of the source document and a watermark merged together as a single image; drawing the graphic represented by the image file to a base document having a first file format different than a second file format of the source document; and drawing text objects to the base document from the source document so as to create the secure document with the text selection capability.

A method of verifying an authenticity of a printed item includes: photographing the printed item to obtain a photographic image of the printed item, retrieving reference data of the printed item, the reference data including a reference image of the printed item, determining a test noise parameter from the photographic image of the printed item, determining a reference noise parameter from the reference image, comparing the test noise parameter of the photographic image of the printed item to the reference noise parameter of the reference image, and determining an authenticity of the printed item from a result of the comparing. The determining the authenticity of the printed item from the result of the comparing may include establishing from the reference noise parameter of the reference image and the test noise parameter of the printed item.

A method is disclosed comprising: connecting, by a part scanner, to a blockchain platform; outputting a user interface, the user interface including at least a first input component and a second input component; capturing an image of a surface of a part; outputting the image in the user interface; generating a surface descriptor based on the image; when the first input component is activated, attempting to store, in the blockchain platform, an authentication record that is generated based on the surface descriptor, and outputting, in the user interface, an indication of an outcome of the attempt to store the authentication record in the blockchain platform; and when the second input component is activated, attempting to authenticate the part based on the surface descriptor and outputting, in the user interface, an indication of an outcome of the attempt to authenticate the part.

A watermark image may be generated that includes a first set of encoded pixels each of which is assigned a first transparency value and a second set of encoded pixels each of which is assigned a second transparency value, the second transparency level being different from the first transparency level. The encoded pixels may be distributed among a set of blank pixels such that each encoded pixel neighbors one or more blank pixels in the watermark image, and in particular at least two blank pixels in the watermark image. Herein, each blank pixel may be assigned the second transparency value. The watermark image may be overlaid and blended over a background source image to create an encoded source image. A decoder system may recover encoded information from the encoded source image.

A function of a device is displayed as a first display on a client device, and local user authentication information is displayed as a second display according to the function of the device selected on the first display on the client device.

Provided is a method of embedding and extracting watermark data that is robust against geometric distortion and low-quality photographing and for which the probability of successfully extracting watermark data for an original image is high, while the probability of successfully extracting the watermark data in the case of unauthorized copying is seriously impaired. The data embedding method according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a step of converting the noise-based image using watermark data, and a step of adjusting the original image using the converted noise-based image.

An image forming apparatus that executes a password-protected job includes a function for omitting an input of a job password, manages a user password for keyboard authentication in association with a user, manages a personal identification number for icon authentication in association with the user, accepts login to an account of the user based on the keyboard authentication, permits execution of a password-protected print job associated with the user based on a print instruction without inputting a job password, accepts login to the account of the user based on the icon authentication, and permits execution of a password-protected print job associated with the user based on a print instruction with an input of a job password.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for transmitting streams of data. The present invention also relates to generating packet watermarks and packet watermark keys. The present invention also relates to a computerized system for packaging data for transmission to a user. The system may utilize computer code to generate a bandwidth rights certificate that may include: at least one cryptographic credential; routing information for the transmission; and, optionally, a digital signature of a certificate owner; a unique identification code of a certificate owner; a certificate validity period; and pricing information for use of bandwidth. The present invention also relates to an electronic method and system for purchasing good and services by establishing an account whereby a customer is credited with a predetermined amount of bandwidth usage, and then charges are assessed against the account in an amount of bandwidth usage which corresponds to the agreed upon purchase value for the selected item.

An information bearing device comprising a data bearing pattern, the data bearing pattern comprising MN pattern defining elements which are arranged to define a set of characteristic spatial distribution properties (.sub.u,v.sup.M,N(x,y)), wherein the set of data comprises a plurality of discrete data and each said discrete data (u.sub.i,v.sub.i) has an associated data bearing pattern which is characteristic of said discrete data, and the set of characteristic spatial distribution properties is due to the associated data bearing patterns of said plurality of discrete data, wherein said discrete data and the associated data bearing pattern of said discrete data is related by a characteristic relation function (.sub.k.sub.1.sub.,k.sub.2.sup.u.sup.i.sup.,v.sup.i(x,y), the characteristic relation function defining spatial distribution properties of said associated data bearing pattern according to said discrete data (u.sub.i,v.sub.i) and a characteristic parameter (k) that is independent of said discrete data.

A method for providing watermark to subscribers is provided. The method comprises observing a request for a first content from a subscriber, determining if the subscriber can receive a watermark, generating a second content comprising the watermark if the subscriber can receive a watermark, causing the subscriber to fetch the first content, and causing the subscriber to fetch the second content comprising the watermark overlaying the first content.