The present disclosure relates generally to digital watermarking for retail product packaging. A digital watermark can be carried in different color channels, and at with different signal polarities. Detection can utilize different illumination sources to highlight signal in one or more channels.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the production and labeling of objects in a manner suitable for the prevention and detection of counterfeiting. Thus, the system incorporates a variety of features that make unauthorized reproduction difficult. In addition, the present invention provides a system and method for providing a dynamically reconfigurable watermark, and the use of the watermark to encode a stochastically variable property of the carrier medium for self-authentication purposes.

An image processing device includes an input device and circuitry. The input device inputs data. The circuitry converts text information to be printed included in the data to generate converted information and outputs data for image formation including the converted information.

For use with a physical document bearing content visible when illuminated by light in the human visible spectrum, a tag printer, a verifier and a document processing system employing one or both of the printer and the verifier. In one embodiment, the tag printer includes: (1) a processor operable to generate metadata regarding the physical document and (2) a printer associated with the processor and operable to print a tag containing the metadata on a location of the physical document irrespective of locations of the content using an ink substantially invisible in the spectrum.

The present disclosure relates to advanced image processing and encoded signal processing. One claim currently recites an image processing method comprising the acts: receiving a digital representation of artwork, the artwork having an area of uniform color; generating a two-dimensional data signal that redundantly encodes a plural-bit message, the data signal comprising plural elements, each of which has a single bit value; receiving a two-dimensional synchronization signal comprising plural elements, each of which has a plural-bit value, each element of said data signal having an element of the synchronization signal corresponding thereto; processing the two-dimensional data signal with the two-dimensional synchronization signal and with a gradient function to yield a two-dimensional gradient marking signal; and printing an ink counterpart of the gradient marking signal on a medium with the artwork, said printing comprising printing plural dithered two-dimensional blocks of at least four contiguous elements each, in which one or more elements of each block are printed to be dark. Of course, other claims and combinations are described as well.

The subject matter discloses examples of an identification marking system comprising a component analyzer to identify a plurality of components present within a print artwork. The identification marking system further comprises a marking technique analyzer to determine marking settings for the plurality of components based on component properties and predefined marking rules. The marking settings for a component indicates a marking technique identified for linking an identification mark with the component. The marking technique analyzer is further to communicate the print artwork and the marking settings to an identification marking engine for identification marking.

An object is to provide a copy function that guarantees intensity of embedded information. At the time of copying a printed material, embedded information is extracted from a scanned image obtained by scanning the target printed material. Then, in a case where it is confirmed that the copy-target printed material is an authentic document by the extracted embedded information, the embedded information extracted from the scanned image is reconfigured and printed and output.

Provided is an image processing apparatus for extracting embedded information from a printed document, including: a first obtaining unit configured to obtain a printing method of the printed document; a second obtaining unit capable of obtaining first image data by reading the printed document while applying light to the printed document; a third obtaining unit capable of obtaining second image data by reading the printed document without applying light to the printed document; and an extraction unit configured to extract the embedded information by using at least one of the first image data and the second image data according to the printing method obtained by the first obtaining unit.

An object is to provide a copy function that guarantees intensity of embedded information. At the time of copying a printed material, embedded information is extracted from a scanned image obtained by scanning the target printed material. Then, in a case where it is confirmed that the copy-target printed material is an authentic document by the extracted embedded information, the embedded information extracted from the scanned image is reconfigured and printed and output.

The present invention discloses methods and systems for tagged-signal verification. Methods include: upon obtaining original content, generating identity and semantic signatures; superposing the identity signature on the content as an in-band digital watermark; utilizing the semantic signature by: superposing on the content or storing; transmitting a tagged signal combining watermark and content; upon receiving the tagged signal with a verification request, extracting transmitted content; extracting the watermark to retrieve a transmitted identity signature; determining the transmitted identity signature is valid by comparing to the original; obtaining the original semantic signature either by: extracting from the watermark, or retrieving a stored version; generating a transmitted semantic signature; verifying the transmitted semantic signature is identical to the original; determining the transmitted content is tamper-free and identical to the original, or has been manipulated; and transmitting a confirmation notification vouching for the authenticity as a genuine version, or designating as a tampered version.