This disclosure relates to advanced image signal processing technology including encoded signals and digital watermarking. The technology may be applied to retail packages and other printed objects, e.g., such as hang tags, labels and receipts.

Data processing is disclosed including acquiring a first target image to be embedded with information and to-be-embedded information, acquiring, using the first target image, a second target image corresponding to the first target image, the second target image corresponding to an image including low-luminance pixels in the first target image, the low-luminance pixels being pixels having a luminance no higher than a luminance threshold value in the first target image, selecting candidate image areas from the second target image, determining a target embedding position for the to-be-embedded information in the first target image based on the candidate image areas, and embedding the to-be-embedded information in the target embedding position in the first target image.

There is disclosed a method and apparatus for annotating a first portion of medical imaging data with one or more words corresponding to a respective one or more features represented in the first portion of medical imaging data. A similarity metric indicating a degree of similarity between the first portion and each of a plurality of second portions of reference medical imaging data is determined, at least one of the plurality of second portions being annotated with one or more first words corresponding to a respective one or more features represented in the second portion. A second portion is selected based on the similarity metrics, and the first portion is annotated with the one or more first words with which the second portion, selected for the first portion, is annotated.

A sales data processing system includes a first reader that reads a code symbol as a visible image included in image information output by an imaging unit, a second reader that reads a code symbol as an invisible image in the image information, and a third reader that recognizes a service image in the image information. The system includes a registrar that registers information as sales data on a commodity identified by the code symbol read by the first or second reader, and a standby processor that suspends reading by the second reader and waits for recognition of a service image by the third reader in response to a commodity being identified by the code symbol read by the second reader. The system includes a service processor that reflects a service in the sales data registered by the registrar in response to the third reader recognizing the service image.

A method and apparatus for embedding a digital watermark in image content that is not visible to the human eye is performed on single-sensor digital camera images (often called ‘raw’ images) from a pixel-array. The raw image is transformed to generate preprocessed image coefficients, a watermark message is encrypted using a first key; the encrypted watermark message is randomized using a second key to form a watermark; and the watermark is embedded in randomly selected preprocessed image coefficients.

Digital watermarking is adapted for the variable data printing. A reference signal serves as a proxy for optimizing the embedding a watermark in a host image to be printed. Using the reference signal, embedding parameters are generated, which are a function of constraints such as visual quality and robustness of the machine readable data. Adjustments needed to embed a unique payload in each printed piece are generated using the embedding parameters. These adjustments are stored in a manner that enables them to be efficiently obtained and applied within the RIP or press during operation of the press. Various other methods, system configurations and applications are also detailed.

A solid modeling and non-fungible virtual and anti-counterfeiting integration system mainly comprises a 3D modeling device, an elliptic curve cryptographic module, and a non-fungible transaction platform. The 3D modeling device mainly obtains a 3D image file with a characteristic value from a physical object, the elliptic curve cryptographic module generates a sub-public key and a sub-private key, and the non-fungible transaction platform comprises a master private key and a master public key. The sub-public key is capable of encrypting the characteristic value, the sub-private key decrypts the sub-public key to restore the characteristic value and display the 3D image file, the master private key signs the sub-public key and the sub-private key, the master public key verifies the signature, by obtaining the sub-public key and the sub-private key, the sub-private key is capable of decrypting the sub-public key to restore the characteristic value and display the 3D image file.

Provided herein are methods and systems for the custom-printing of an item including, e.g., a) accepting customer request data for a workpiece and customer request data for a graphic design to cover at least a portion of the workpiece; b) accepting workpiece identifier data from a workpiece database based on the customer request data; c) accepting print design data from a print design database based on the customer request data for a graphic design; d) associating the print design data with the workpiece identifier data; e) printing the print design data onto a hydrofilm portion; f) placing the hydrofilm portion onto a fluid surface in a dip tank; g) applying an activator to the hydrofilm portion to yield an activated hydrofilm portion; and h) dipping the workpiece into the dip tank, whereby the activated hydrofilm portion is bonded to the workpiece as a result of the dipping.

The present disclosure relates generally to data hiding for retail product packaging and other printed objects such as substrates. One embodiment embeds an information signal in a spot color for printing on various substrates. The spot color is screened, and overprinted with process color tint. The tint is modulated prior to overprinting with optimized signal tweaks. The optimization can include consideration of a detector spectral dependency (e.g., red and/or green illumination). Many other embodiments and combinations are described in the subject patent document.

Apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed for multiple scrambled layers for audio watermarking. An example system includes a processor to execute instructions to: divide the watermark into a plurality of watermark symbols; map the watermark symbols to a plurality of frequency bins according to a first distribution scheme to create a first watermark layer having a first combination of the frequency bins and a second watermark layer having a second combination of the frequency bins, subsets of adjacent ones of the plurality of frequency bins grouped into a corresponding plurality of frequency clumps; determine a sequence for shifting watermark symbols between the frequency clumps to cause different combinations of watermark symbols that include one watermark symbol from each watermark layer to share up to a first number of frequency bins, the first number of frequency bins to be less than a number of watermark symbols in respective ones of the different combinations; and generate a second distribution scheme to map the watermark symbols in accordance with the sequence.