In a copyright protection assistance system 1, a content delivery device 2 stores embedded region specification information having identification information and a page of comic contents, and definition information of an embedded region in the page, and user information of a logged-in user receiving delivery of the comic contents, embeds, in response to a request for delivery of specific comic contents by a specific user, the user information of the specific user by means of a difficult-to-perceive digital watermark in the embedded region specified by the embedded region specification information corresponding to the identification information of the specific comic contents, delivers the specific comic contents to the specific user, and transmits the identification information of the delivered specific comic contents and the user information of the specific user in association with each other to a copyright management device 3 for storage purpose.

This disclosure relates to advanced signal processing technology including signal encoding and digital watermarking. Image areas are selected in an encoded digital design, and corresponding areas from a printed version of the encoded digital design are evaluated to determined signal robustness after printing. One claim recites an image processing method for selecting image areas to test for robustness of encoded signals, the method comprising: obtaining digital artwork comprising a plurality of colors, the digital artwork comprising multiple instances of an encoded signal; selecting a set encoding tiles, and for each encoding tile determining encoding detectability measure associated therewith; creating a bin for each encoding technology used to encode the encoded signal; for each bin, removing any encoding tile having a detectability measure below a predetermined threshold; for each bin, prioritizing remaining encoding tiles; selecting an encoding tile based on the prioritization per bin, and spatially locating the selected encoding tile relative to the digital artwork. Other technology is described in this patent document.

An image reading apparatus of an embodiment includes a reading unit and a controller. The reading unit simultaneously reads a plurality of documents on a document table and generates an overall scan image as color image data including images of all the documents in the plurality of documents. The controller is configured to isolate an image of each document from the overall scan image, perform a color determination on each of the isolated images to determine if the document corresponding to the isolated image is a color document or a non-color document, and encode each of the isolated images with an image encoding method selected based on the color determination for the isolated image.

A label issuing apparatus includes: a storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of product information regarding a product; a print control unit that generates print data defining that a barcode, in which at least one piece of the product information stored in the storage unit is encoded, and a digital watermark, in which at least one piece of the product information encoded as the barcode is embedded, are arranged on one product label and the barcode and the digital watermark are arranged at different positions on the one product label; and a label issuing unit that issues the product label on which the barcode and the digital watermark are displayed at different positions by printing information based on the print data on a label.

Techniques are disclosed for rendering a watermark on content in a manner as to not obfuscate or otherwise cause visual defects to data elements in the content. An example methodology implementing the techniques includes segmenting a watermark to be rendered on the content into multiple watermark pieces. Then, prior to rendering a particular watermark piece, a check is made to determine whether there is a data element at the location in the content at which the particular watermark piece is to be rendered. If a data element is detected at that location, the particular watermark piece is rendered such that the data element overlays the particular watermark piece to render the watermark as a masked watermark. Otherwise, if no data element is detected at that location, the watermark piece is rendered on the content to be visible. The process is repeated to render the remaining watermark pieces.

A label issuing apparatus includes: a storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of product information regarding a product; a print control unit that generates print data defining that a barcode, in which at least one piece of the product information stored in the storage unit is encoded, and a digital watermark, in which at least one piece of the product information encoded as the barcode is embedded, are arranged on one product label and the barcode and the digital watermark are arranged at different positions on the one product label; and a label issuing unit that issues the product label on which the barcode and the digital watermark are displayed at different positions by printing information based on the print data on a label.

This disclosure relates to advanced signal processing technology including signal encoding and digital watermarking. Image areas are selected in an encoded digital design, and corresponding areas from a printed version of the encoded digital design are evaluated to determined signal robustness after printing. One claim recites an image processing method for selecting image areas to test for robustness of encoded signals, the method comprising: obtaining digital artwork comprising a plurality of colors, the digital artwork comprising multiple instances of an encoded signal; selecting a set encoding tiles, and for each encoding tile determining encoding detectability measure associated therewith; creating a bin for each encoding technology used to encode the encoded signal; for each bin, removing any encoding tile having a detectability measure below a predetermined threshold; for each bin, prioritizing remaining encoding tiles; selecting an encoding tile based on the prioritization per bin, and spatially locating the selected encoding tile relative to the digital artwork. Other technology is described in this patent document.

Techniques are disclosed for rendering a watermark on content in a manner as to not obfuscate or otherwise cause visual defects to data elements in the content. An example methodology implementing the techniques includes segmenting a watermark to be rendered on the content into multiple watermark pieces. Then, prior to rendering a particular watermark piece, a check is made to determine whether there is a data element at the location in the content at which the particular watermark piece is to be rendered. If a data element is detected at that location, the particular watermark piece is rendered such that the data element overlays the particular watermark piece to render the watermark as a masked watermark. Otherwise, if no data element is detected at that location, the watermark piece is rendered on the content to be visible. The process is repeated to render the remaining watermark pieces.

Printing, engraving, etching, or embossing techniques and security documents produced therefrom that can help inhibit or prevent tampering or forgery, particularly forgery or tampering of security document blanks or blank security documents. For example, for at least one character of a given alphabet used for the text in the security document, the character may include one or more slight variations or differences between instances of such character based on, for example, human selection, a predefined pattern, an automated selection algorithm or formula, or random or semi-random selection. In order to duplicate the security document blank, a forger would need to painstakingly review and copy each individual character including the slight variation or difference provided with that instance of the character.

Techniques are disclosed for rendering a watermark on content in a manner as to not obfuscate or otherwise cause visual defects to data elements in the content. An example methodology implementing the techniques includes segmenting a watermark to be rendered on the content into multiple watermark pieces. Then, prior to rendering a particular watermark piece, a check is made to determine whether there is a data element at the location in the content at which the particular watermark piece is to be rendered. If a data element is detected at that location, the particular watermark piece is rendered such that the data element overlays the particular watermark piece to render the watermark as a masked watermark. Otherwise, if no data element is detected at that location, the watermark piece is rendered on the content to be visible. The process is repeated to render the remaining watermark pieces.