An example method for forming a data-bearing medium in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes setting variables associated with the data-bearing medium, the variables comprising a bit length of a codeword, identifying a phase-invariant codeword based on the variables, and arranging rows of the data-bearing medium with the phase-invariant codewords.

The present disclosure relates to digital watermarking. One claim recites a method to detect two or more different digital watermarks in media. The method includes: receiving captured imagery of the media, the captured imagery comprising a plurality of image frames; for a first image frame applying a first watermark detector to search for a first digital watermark hidden within the first image frame, in which an electronic processor is programmed as the first watermark detector; and for a second image frame applying a second, different watermark detector to search for a second, different watermark hidden within the second image frame, in which an electronic processor is programmed as the second watermark detector. Other claims and combinations are provided too.

2D machine readable symbologies are stylized and made aesthetically-appealing, facilitating their use to convey plural-symbol data on product packaging and other articles. In some arrangements, a symbology is mimicked as a collage of excerpts from a style image (e.g., a photograph or other artwork). To human viewers, the stylized symbology resembles the style image, rather than the 2D symbology. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Systems and methods are directed towards generating a verified unique watermark. More specifically, the systems and methods are directed towards generating a watermark that is as long as possible without any repetition. Such watermarks are possible by selecting characteristics of the watermark and methods for producing the watermarks (e.g., dandy rollers). By producing longer unique watermarks, users would be capable of generating longer rolls of paper whereby more sheets can be produced that each possesses a unique watermark. With the unique watermark, users can identify what information is printed on each sheet as well as authenticate the contents of each individual sheet.

A security pattern generation method includes generating a plurality of draw instructions to define a plane filling line pattern, wherein the plane filling line pattern includes a repeating sub-pattern that defines a line by a sequence of draw instructions, and searching the sequence of draw instructions in the plurality of draw instructions and, if found, overlaying the searched sequence of draw instructions by a graphic object that is scaled to fit and scaled between the two distinct end points of the line.

A memory stores video information obtained by photographing an object that reflects light in which embedded information is superimposed onto a plurality of components in a color space. A processor emphasizes a signal obtained from an image included in the video information on the basis of a result of emphasizing a first color component more than a second color component according to a spectral reflection characteristic in a range including the object, and detects the embedded information from the emphasized signal, the first color component and the second color component being from among a plurality of color components that correspond to a plurality of wavelengths, the first color component having a reflectance higher than a reflectance of the second color component. A display device outputs information on the basis of the embedded information detected by the processor.

Systems and methods are directed towards generating a verified unique watermark. More specifically, the systems and methods are directed towards generating a watermark that is as long as possible without any repetition. Such watermarks are possible by selecting characteristics of the watermark and methods for producing the watermarks (e.g., dandy rollers). By producing longer unique watermarks, users would be capable of generating longer rolls of paper whereby more sheets can be produced that each possesses a unique watermark. With the unique watermark, users can identify what information is printed on each sheet as well as authenticate the contents of each individual sheet.

Systems and methods are directed towards generating a verified unique watermark. More specifically, the systems and methods are directed towards generating a watermark that is as long as possible without any repetition. Such watermarks are possible by selecting characteristics of the watermark and methods for producing the watermarks (e.g., dandy rollers). By producing longer unique watermarks, users would be capable of generating longer rolls of paper whereby more sheets can be produced that each possesses a unique watermark. With the unique watermark, users can identify what information is printed on each sheet as well as authenticate the contents of each individual sheet.

When printing 3D objects a print file to be executed by a 3D printer to generate a 3D object is analyzed to identify candidate regions for insertion of printer ID information that identifies the printer printing the 3D object. Code describing the printer identification information is inserted into the print file at appropriate locations to cause the 3D printer to print one or more structures representing the printer identification information in one or more identified candidate regions. The printer identification information is printed by omitting or replacing one or more voxels in the printed object. Structures representing the printer identification information may include, e.g., barcodes, glyphs, alphanumeric sequences, etc. The printer identification information may include, e.g., a printer serial number and/or time stamp, manufacturer copyright and/or trademark information, etc.

An image forming device includes: a reader configured to generate an image of a document; a setting receiving circuit configured to receive a plurality of set values on a print setting when test printing is executed for confirming a test result; an area dividing circuit configured to divide an area of an image on the read document based on number of the set values; an image processing circuit configured to perform image processing corresponding to each of the set values, on each of the divided areas; a combined image generating circuit configured to generate a combined image acquired by combining the areas of the image on the document to which the image processing corresponding to each of the set values is performed; and a printer configure to print the combined image generated by the combined image generating circuit.