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.

This disclosure relates to advanced signal processing technology including signal encoding. One combination includes an apparatus comprising: memory for storing image data, the image data comprising a plurality of color separations or channels, in which the image data comprises at least a first type of machine-readable symbology comprising a 1D barcode represented therein and a second type of machine-readable symbology comprising a first signal represented therein, in which the second type of machine-readable symbology comprises a different type of machine-readable symbology relative to the first type of machine-readable symbology, the 1D barcode comprising a first plural-bit code and the first signal comprising a second plural-bit code; a barcode reader configured to analyze the image data to decode the 1D barcode to obtain the first plural-bit code; a signal decoder configured to analyze one or more color separations or channels of the plurality of color separations or channels to decode the first signal to obtain the second plural-bit code; one or more processors configured to determine whether the second plural-bit code and the first plural-bit code conflict; and to identify a conflict based on a conflict determination. Of course, other features and combinations are described as well.

The present technology relates to image signal processing. One aspect of the present technology involves analyzing reference imagery gathered by a camera system to determine which parts of an image frame offer high probabilities ofrelative to other image partscontaining decodable watermark data. Another aspect of the present technology whittles-down such determined image frame parts based on detected content (e.g., a cereal box) vs expected background within such determined image frame parts.

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.

This disclosure relates to advanced signal processing technology including signal encoding. One combination includes an apparatus comprising: memory for storing image data, the image data comprising a plurality of color separations or channels, in which the image data comprises at least a first type of machine-readable symbology comprising a 1D barcode represented therein and a second type of machine-readable symbology comprising a first signal represented therein, in which the second type of machine-readable symbology comprises a different type of machine-readable symbology relative to the first type of machine-readable symbology, the 1D barcode comprising a first plural-bit code and the first signal comprising a second plural-bit code; a barcode reader configured to analyze the image data to decode the 1D barcode to obtain the first plural-bit code; a signal decoder configured to analyze one or more color separations or channels of the plurality of color separations or channels to decode the first signal to obtain the second plural-bit code; one or more processors configured to determine whether the second plural-bit code and the first plural-bit code conflict; and to identify a conflict based on a conflict determination. Of course, other features and combinations are described as well.

A hidden information detector for image files extracts N least significant bits from each of a first set of pixels of an image file, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 1. The detector then applies a mask to each of the extracted N least significant bits to form a second set of pixel values and determines a first probability as to whether the second set of pixels encodes a hidden image. Responsive to the first probability exceeding a first threshold, the detector determines a second probability as to whether the second set of pixels matches an image encoded in the first set of pixels. Responsive to a determination that the second probability is less than a second threshold, the detector performs a non-image classifier on the second set of pixels.

This disclosure relates to advanced signal processing technology including signal encoding. One combination includes an apparatus comprising: memory for storing image data, the image data comprising a plurality of color separations or channels, in which the image data comprises at least a first type of machine-readable symbology comprising a 1D barcode represented therein and a second type of machine-readable symbology comprising a first signal represented therein, in which the second type of machine-readable symbology comprises a different type of machine-readable symbology relative to the first type of machine-readable symbology, the 1D barcode comprising a first plural-bit code and the first signal comprising a second plural-bit code; a barcode reader configured to analyze the image data to decode the 1D barcode to obtain the first plural-bit code; a signal decoder configured to analyze one or more color separations or channels of the plurality of color separations or channels to decode the first signal to obtain the second plural-bit code; one or more processors configured to determine whether the second plural-bit code and the first plural-bit code conflict; and to identify a conflict based on a conflict determination. Of course, other features and combinations are described as well.

This disclosure relates to advanced signal processing technology including signal encoding. One combination includes an apparatus comprising: memory for storing image data, the image data comprising a plurality of color separations or channels, in which the image data comprises at least a first type of machine-readable symbology comprising a 1D barcode represented therein and a second type of machine-readable symbology comprising a first signal represented therein, in which the second type of machine-readable symbology comprises a different type of machine-readable symbology relative to the first type of machine-readable symbology, the 1D barcode comprising a first plural-bit code and the first signal comprising a second plural-bit code; a barcode reader configured to analyze the image data to decode the 1D barcode to obtain the first plural-bit code; a signal decoder configured to analyze one or more color separations or channels of the plurality of color separations or channels to decode the first signal to obtain the second plural-bit code; one or more processors configured to determine whether the second plural-bit code and the first plural-bit code conflict; and to identify a conflict based on a conflict determination. Of course, other features and combinations are described as well.

A hidden information detector for image files extracts N least significant bits from each of a first set of pixels of an image file, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 1. The detector then applies a mask to each of the extracted N least significant bits to form a second set of pixel values and determines a first probability as to whether the second set of pixels encodes a hidden image. Responsive to the first probability exceeding a first threshold, the detector determines a second probability as to whether the second set of pixels matches an image encoded in the first set of pixels. Responsive to a determination that the second probability is less than a second threshold, the detector performs a non-image classifier on the second set of pixels.

This disclosure relates to advanced signal processing technology including signal encoding. One combination disclosed in the description is an image processing method comprising: accessing a design file to obtain image data, the image data comprising a plurality of color separations or channels, in which the image data comprises at least a 1D or 2D barcode represented therein and a first encoded signal encoded therein, the 1D or 2D barcode comprising a first plural-bit code and the first encoded signal comprising a second plural-bit code; operating a barcode reader to analyze the image data to decode the 1D or 2D barcode to obtain the first plural-bit code; operating a signal decoder to analyze one or more combinations of color separations or channels of the plurality of color separations or channels to decode the first encoded signal to obtain the second plural-bit code; determining whether the second plural-bit code conflicts with the first plural-bit code; and identifying a conflict based on said act of determining. Of course, other features and combinations are described as well.