Abstract:
Conventionally, during a copy operation, certain advanced mode settings make the extraction of additional security information impossible. In order to solve this problem, the print control apparatus includes: determining unit for determining an interval between a pattern element and a pattern element adjacent to the pattern element from the received image data; and control unit for performing a control so as to scale the image at a magnification specified by a user and have the scaled image printed by a printing apparatus when the product of the magnification specified by the user and the interval determined by the determining unit falls within a predetermined range, and configured to terminate or interrupt the printing of the image by the printing apparatus when the product of the magnification specified by the user and the interval determined by the determining unit does not fall within the predetermined range.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to steganographic systems and methods. Once claim recites a method including: obtaining video content, wherein the video content comprises a steganographic signal embedded in picture elements of the video content, with multiple instances of the steganographic signal embedded in the picture elements of the video content, the steganographic signal comprising a plural-bit identifier that is uniquely associated with an intended recipient of the video content; encrypting—utilizing a processor or electronic processing circuitry—the video content with an encryption key that comprises mathematical relationship to the plural-bit identifier that is uniquely associated with the intended recipient of the video content; obtaining a decryption key that comprises a cryptographic relationship to the encryption key; communicating the encrypted video content and the decryption key to the intended user of the video content; and maintaining an association of the plural-bit identifier with the intended recipient. Other claims and combinations are provided as well.
Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to obtaining information from a profile associated with a proprietor of a media object (e.g., video, images and/or audio), where the proprietor may change information within the profile from time to time. One claim recites a method including: receiving an identifier via the internet from a device including or communicating with a content processor that derives the identifier from sample values representing audio portions of a media object or from sample values representing picture portions of the media object; utilizing the identifier to interrogate a database; obtaining from the database at least some information from a profile associated with a proprietor of the media object, wherein the database is configured to allow a proprietor to change information within the profile; and providing the at least some information from the profile associated with the proprietor of the media object to a remote location. Other combinations are provided and claimed as well.
Abstract:
In order to store a detailed history of outputting an image, MFP includes an image obtaining portion to obtain an image, an additional information obtaining portion to obtain additional information related to the obtained image, an embedding portion to generate an output image formed by adding the additional information to the obtained image, an output portion to output the obtained image, if additional information is not obtained, and to output the generated output image, if additional information is obtained, and a transmission portion to transmit a history of the obtained image being output to a server. The transmission portion transmits the additional information as a history together with the obtained image, if additional information is obtained, and transmits the obtained image as a history, if additional information is not obtained.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a watermark generation method for generating watermarks to be embedded in digital media, where said watermark is generated by combining at least two watermark patterns from a set of watermark patterns. The set of watermark patterns are divided into at least two subsets of watermark patterns, and the subsets are hierarchically related and the watermark patterns in said watermark are directly related watermark patterns. Directly related means that the watermark patterns are related like parent and child in a hierarchical structure e.g. a tree structure. Further, the invention relates to an apparatus adapted to generate watermarks to be embedded in media.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to digital watermarking systems and methods. In a first implementation, so-called movie studio rough-cuts are watermarked to provide a forensic tracking clue or to provide security for distributed rough-cuts. In another implementation, a watermark is determined for a compressed video object. The watermark is compressed as an object and the watermarked object is then associated with the compressed video object. The two separate objects are provided to a rendering device, which after decompressing both objects, embeds the watermark in the video prior to rendering.
Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to controlling use of audio or image content (e.g., which may comprise video). In one claim, a method is provided including: receiving information, the information having been obtained from analyzing data representing audio elements or image picture elements to derive the information there from, accessing a database with the information to obtain permitted usage rights for audio or image content associated with the data; and providing the information to a remote device to allow control of the audio or image content in accordance with the permitted usage rights. Of course, other combinations are provided and claimed as well.
Abstract:
A print image generating program is capable of printing information that discourages fraudulent distribution of printed documents, irrespective of the type of printer. A print image generating apparatus has an application, a printer driver, a print management unit, and a virtual driver, and is designed to add tracking information that discourages distribution of printed documents when print data is printed. The print management unit monitors print requests from the application. When detecting a print request which was output from the application to the printer driver, the print management unit acquires and interrupts the print request destined for the printer driver. When the virtual driver receives a command from the print management unit, it acquires print data and tracking information, and generates tracking print image data by adding the tracking information to the print data, and gives the generated data to the printer driver.
Abstract:
A method for creating a differential gloss image includes providing first and second anisotropic halftone structures. The first and second anisotropic structures have different orientations. One of the first and second anisotropic structures is applied to image data in a first region of an image to be halftoned. The other of the first and second anisotropic structures may be applied to image data in a second region of an image to be halftoned. A mixture of the first and second anisotropic structures is applied to image data in a third region of the image to be halftoned, whereby when printed, the three regions each have a gloss characteristic which differs from that of the other two regions.
Abstract:
A method of protecting digital data by embedding a watermark in the digital data is discloses. The watermark identifies a specific user who originally downloaded the digital data. The watermark comprises data that when read reveals a user's account information, a user identifier, a user's real name, a data identifier, a content provider identifier, a device identifier, or a combination of these. Since any copies of the digital data contain the original download user's watermark, users will not allow the digital data to be illegally copied or shared as the original user can be punished or prosecuted for unauthorized sharing of the digital data. The method effectively and efficiently protects digital data without the need for cumbersome digital rights management system.