Different aspects of the disclosure relate to either transmitting at least one portion of at least one image representation from, or receiving at least one portion of the at least one image representation at, a shared image device in a manner at least partially relying on a positioning of the shared image device within a sharing region.

In accordance with an embodiment, a video flow transmission method includes: the generating, by an image sensor, a video flow comprising first and second images; hashing, by the image sensor, a portion of the first image based on a first hashing configuration to generate a first hash value, the first hashing configuration defining first positions of pixels to be hashed; hashing, by the image sensor, a portion of the second image based on a second hashing configuration to generate a second hash value, the second hashing configuration being different from the first configuration and defining second positions of pixels to be hashed; and transmitting, by the image sensor, the first and second images, and the first and second hash values, to a second device.

Essentially coincident with the capture of an image by the imaging device, biometric information indicating the identity of the operator of the device is obtained from at least one biometric sensor. The biometric information and captured image are then stored in a manner reliably associating each with the other. At a later time, biometric information is obtained from a supposed operator of the imaging device. By comparing this candidate biometric information with the stored biometric information, the supposed operator may be authenticated as the operator of the imaging device at the time of capture of the stored image.

An apparatus for generating trusted image data includes an image data generator, a processor and an output unit. The image data generator generates image data of an image to be taken of a three-dimensional scene and trust data of the three-dimensional scene. The trust data indicates a depth information of at least one pixel of the image to be taken or comprises data capable of being used to calculate a depth information of at least one pixel of the image to be taken. The processor generates encrypted image data by encrypting at least the trust data or characteristic data derivable from at least the trust data, so that an authentication of the image data is enabled based on the encrypted image data. The output unit provides trusted image data including the encrypted image data.

An image formation system includes: an encoded image generation device including a first processor that generates print data from manuscript data, sets security information for controlling a print mode of the print data, and generates an encoded image from the print data and the security information; and an image formation device including a second processor that inputs the encoded image, decodes the print data and the security data from the input encoded image, determines whether an output of the decoded print data is available in accordance with the decoded security information, and outputs the decoded print data when it is determined that the output of the print data is available.

An image forming apparatus includes a printer section and a controller. The printer section forms an image using a decolorable recording agent. The controller controls the printer section to form a concealing code image for concealing a secret code image indicating secret information which corresponds to a concealed object in an area at least a part of the secret code image with the decolorable recording agent in such a manner that the secret code image formed on the sheet cannot be decoded.

An image formation system includes: an encoded image generation device including a first processor that generates print data from manuscript data, sets security information for controlling a print mode of the print data, and generates an encoded image from the print data and the security information; and an image formation device including a second processor that inputs the encoded image, decodes the print data and the security data from the input encoded image, determines whether an output of the decoded print data is available in accordance with the decoded security information, and outputs the decoded print data when it is determined that the output of the print data is available.

An image reading apparatus includes a reading unit, an addition unit, and a transfer unit. The reading unit reads image data from a document. The addition unit adds attribute information regarding a preset item to the image data read by the reading unit. The transfer unit transfers to a specified destination the image data to which the attribute information is added by the addition unit.

A terminal device includes, as functions for transmitting a file with a digital signature via mail, a first communication unit for carrying out communication with a terminal device used by an authorizer when a distance from that terminal device is not greater than a prescribed distance, an obtaining unit for obtaining a value obtained from a file to be transmitted, which has been encrypted through encryption processing performed by making use of information exchanged with that terminal device, and a transmission instruction unit for outputting an instruction for mail transmission of the file and the obtained encrypted value.

The present invention relates to a protection system for printed documents using steganographic and computer vision, materialized by the use of portable devices, where ETCODE encoded images are generated for this purpose. This method was created in order to ensure the document's authenticity, integrity of information, store information about authorship and copyright protection of printed documents. The protection method described in this patent is to generate an encoded image ETCODE using steganographic techniques, to be printed with the document, using conventional printers, and also that the decoding is performed by a digital camera portable device, obtaining therefore the information hidden in ETCODE, and then confronted with the information about the document in its digital version present in a database, thus fulfilling the proposal document protection.