An information processing apparatus is for arranging at least one dot, which expresses information relating to image data, in the image data. The information processing apparatus includes processing circuitry configured to create an edge image of the image data; determine a position near an edge in the edge image to be a position of the at least one dot; and arrange the at least one dot at the determined position in the image data.

An information processing apparatus includes a manuscript reader configured to read a manuscript, an embedment processing unit configured to perform a process of embedding additional information into data of the manuscript that has been read by the manuscript reader. The embedment processing unit embeds, as the additional information, a pattern including a plurality of dots arranged in such a shape that an inclination of the manuscript is detectable.

Information may be visually encoded within visual content of an image using a distortion projection. The distortion projection may cause stretching of a visual element defined within a pixel array of the image. Information may be visually encoded within the pixel array using visual characteristic(s) of the pixel array. Presentation of the visual content based on a non-distortion projection may reduce a number of pixels that defines the visual element within the pixel array and may reduce visual impact of the information visually encoded within the pixel array.

Provided is a method for inserting a copyright information indication as a means for protecting the copyright of LF content which can be played back as multi-viewpoint images, wherein the copyright information indication is only inserted in images of a specific viewpoint. A method for generating multi-viewpoint images according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: generating multi-viewpoint images; inserting a specific information indication in images of a specific viewpoint among the generated multi-viewpoint images; and storing the multi-viewpoint images in which the specific information indication has been inserted. Accordingly, the copyright of LF content, which are expensive multi-viewpoint images, can be protected by inserting the copyright information indication only in the images of the specific viewpoint.

Information may be visually encoded within visual content of an image using a distortion projection. The distortion projection may cause stretching of a visual element defined within a pixel array of the image. Information may be visually encoded within the pixel array using visual characteristic(s) of the pixel array. Presentation of the visual content based on a non-distortion projection may reduce a number of pixels that defines the visual element within the pixel array and may reduce visual impact of the information visually encoded within the pixel array.

Information may be visually encoded within visual content of an image using a distortion projection. The distortion projection may cause stretching of a visual element defined within a pixel array of the image. Information may be visually encoded within the pixel array using visual characteristic(s) of the pixel array. Presentation of the visual content based on a non-distortion projection may reduce a number of pixels that defines the visual element within the pixel array and may reduce visual impact of the information visually encoded within the pixel array.

Identifiers or references to supplemental information or content regarding images may be steganographically encoded into the images. The identifiers or references may be encoded into least significant bits or less significant bits of pixels within the image that may be selected on any basis. The identifiers or references may include alphanumeric characters, bar codes, symbols or other features. When an image is captured of an image having one or more identifiers or references steganographically encoded therein, the identifiers or references may be interpreted, and the supplemental information or content may be accessed and displayed on a computer display. In some embodiments, the supplemental information or content may identify and relate to a commercial product expressed in an image, and may include a link to one or more pages or functions for purchasing the commercial product.

Provided is a method for inserting a copyright information indication as a means for protecting the copyright of LF content which can be played back as multi-viewpoint images, wherein the copyright information indication is only inserted in images of a specific viewpoint. A method for generating multi-viewpoint images according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: generating multi-viewpoint images; inserting a specific information indication in images of a specific viewpoint among the generated multi-viewpoint images; and storing the multi-viewpoint images in which the specific information indication has been inserted. Accordingly, the copyright of LF content, which are expensive multi-viewpoint images, can be protected by inserting the copyright information indication only in the images of the specific viewpoint.

An image processing apparatus includes an edge pixel extractor for extracting an edge pixel from an input image, an end pixel extractor for extracting an end pixel in the input image, an edge pixel addition module for adding the end pixel extracted by the end pixel extractor as an edge pixel based on a pixel value of a pixel located within a first range from the end pixel, a straight line extractor for extracting straight lines from the edge pixel extracted by the edge pixel extractor and the end pixel added as an edge pixel by the edge pixel addition module, and a rectangle region detector for detecting a rectangle region from the extracted straight lines.

Identifiers or references to supplemental information or content regarding images may be steganographically encoded into the images. The identifiers or references may be encoded into least significant bits or less significant bits of pixels within the image that may be selected on any basis. The identifiers or references may include alphanumeric characters, bar codes, symbols or other features. When an image is captured of an image having one or more identifiers or references steganographically encoded therein, the identifiers or references may be interpreted, and the supplemental information or content may be accessed and displayed on a computer display. In some embodiments, the supplemental information or content may identify and relate to a commercial product expressed in an image, and may include a link to one or more pages or functions for purchasing the commercial product.