In an example, a method includes, at least one processor, in response to each of a plurality of requests, determining a halftone screen. Determining the halftone screen comprises encoding a signature pattern in the halftone screen, and halftone screens for different requests may be encoded with a different signature pattern. The halftone screen may be arranged such that, when applied to image data to provide a printed output, the pattern is discernible therein to provide a signature for the printed output.

A reading apparatus includes a communication unit, a scanner, and a processor. The communication unit communicates with a wireless tag provided on paper. The scanner scans the paper. The processor acquires data from the wireless tag through the communication unit, acquires an image from the paper by using the scanner, and generates a file in which the data is embedded in the image as hidden characters.

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.

An image processing system for verifying that embedded digital content satisfies a predetermined criterion associated with display of the content, the image processing system a content embedding engine that embeds content in a resource provided by a content provider and that configures the resource for rendering, a rendering engine that renders the content embedded in the resource; an application interface engine that interfaces with the rendering engine and that generates a visualization of the resource and of the embedded content rendered in the resource; and an image processing engine that processes one or more pixels of the generated visualization of the resource and of the embedded content and the resource to verify that the specified visual element satisfies the predetermined criterion; and transmits verification data comprising an indication of whether the predetermined criterion is satisfied.

An information processing system includes an image processing apparatus including first circuitry and an information processing apparatus including second circuitry The first circuitry of the image processing apparatus reads an application form with a scanner to generate image data, acquires electronic watermark data from the image data, acquires, from an integrated circuit card, first identification information of the integrated circuit card, and creates application data based on the application form. The second circuitry of the information processing apparatus communicates with the image processing apparatus via a network, and performs user authentication based on the first identification information of the integrated circuit card acquired from the integrated circuit card and second identification information of the integrated circuit card previously associated with identification information of the application form. The first circuitry of the image processing apparatus stops creating the application data when the user authentication fails.

A supporting program is executable by a controller of an information processing apparatus and corresponds to a printer connected to the information processing apparatus. The supporting program causes the information processing apparatus to perform processing intermediate image data in accordance with a print parameter received in a print parameter editing process, displaying an image indicated by the processed inter mediate image data on a print preview screen. The information processing apparatus does not restrict printing when print continuation is instructed, while restricting the printing when re-edit or print cancel is instructed.

Techniques for reducing piracy of media content are described. In some embodiments, a collusion resistant method is performed at a device, where the device receives a first request for a base copy of a media content item. In response, the device determines a first transformation based on a statistical performance criterion and a viewing performance criterion. The device further generates a first copy of the media content item by replicating and applying a first transformation to the base copy, where the first copy of the media content item satisfies the viewing performance criterion, and the first copy of the media content item is statistically different from the base copy or other copies in accordance with the statistical performance criterion. The device then causes transmission of the first copy of the media content item in combination with a first watermark for the base copy of the media content item.

The disclosed computer-implemented method includes determining that audio quality is to be adjusted for a multimedia streaming connection over which audio data and video data are being streamed to a content player. The audio data is streamed at a specified audio quality level and the video data is streamed at a specified video quality level. The method also includes determining that a specified minimum video quality level is to be maintained while adjusting the audio quality level. Still further, the method includes dynamically adjusting the audio quality level of the multimedia streaming connection while maintaining the video quality level of the multimedia streaming connection at at least the specified minimum video quality level. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

An image processing apparatus includes an acquisition section that acquires a document, a first extraction section that extracts elements that need processing regarding copyrights from elements constituting the acquired document, a second extraction section that extracts use conditions of the extracted elements, a first presenting unit that presents at least part of the extracted use conditions, a receiving section that receives designation of wanted and unwanted elements among the extracted elements, a second presenting section that presents a total fee obtained by adding fees indicated by use conditions of the wanted elements to a fee for outputting the document, and an output section that, in response to payment of the total fee, outputs the edited document. In the edited document, the unwanted elements have been edited to comply with the use conditions.

An example image forming apparatus includes a user interface device, an image forming job operator, a processor, and a memory. The processor executes instructions to display a preview screen of a document through the user interface device, perform an embedding process of embedding user-specific information into a plurality of user-specific information input areas included in the document, display state information of the plurality of user-specific information input areas on the preview screen in synchronization with progress of the embedding process, and, when the embedding process is completed, perform an image forming job with respect to the document in which the user-specific information is embedded, through the image forming job operator.