Image analysis – Image compression or coding
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-06
2004-11-02
Patel, Jayanti K. (Department: 2621)
Image analysis
Image compression or coding
C358S001140, C358S003280, C399S366000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06813385
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on an application No.2000-107936 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image data processing apparatus that embeds additional information into image data, and relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image in accordance with the image data in which the additional information is embedded.
(2) Description of Related Art
Recently, digital copiers provided with an image processing apparatus that embeds “watermark” information into copied images formed on recording paper have been on the market (hereinafter the “watermark” information is referred to as additional information since the information is added to the image data). The additional information is used for copy management or security.
When images are copied by such copiers, noise such as splatters of toner particles is often attached to the formed images during the copying process. As a result, to prevent the additional information, which is represented by dots constituting a certain pattern, from being damaged by such noise, the density of the dots constituting the pattern is made relatively high.
Meanwhile, in offices or companies, such digital copiers are often connected to personal computers (hereinafter referred to as PCs) via networks, and, for example, the PCs are used to take in, via the networks, image data which has been scanned in by image reader units of the copiers and to display images on monitors of the PCs so that the images can be processed.
For the sake of security, the additional information is also embedded into the image data scanned in by the image reader units and transferred to the PCs. In doing this, conventionally, a pattern with high density is embedded into the image data, as is the case where images are formed on recording paper.
However, when patterns with as high density as patterns embedded in the images formed on recording paper are embedded into the image data, viewers (users) of monitors of PCs that receive and display the image data may recognize the embedded patterns on the displayed images. This makes the users feel deterioration in image quality or feel uncomfortable.
When the density of the dots of the patterns is decreased to prevent the above, the additional information embedded in images formed on recording paper may be damaged by noise. When this happens, the additional information may not be recognized when the copied images are scanned in by scanners or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide image data processing apparatus and method that embeds additional information that is less influenced by noise, into an image formed on recording paper, and embeds additional information that is not uncomfortble for users, into an image to be displayed on monitors of PCs, data processing apparatus and method, and an image forming apparatus.
The above object is fulfilled by an image data processing apparatus comprising: an output destination selection unit which selects, as an output destination of image data, either a first reproduction apparatus or a second reproduction apparatus in accordance with an instruction from an operator, the first reproduction apparatus and the second reproduction apparatus reproducing the image data on different types of mediums; an embedding condition determining unit which determines an embedding condition in which additional information is embedded into the image data, in accordance with the selected output destination;
an additional information embedding unit which embeds the additional information into the image data in the determined embedding condition; and an image data output unit which outputs the image data containing the additional information to the selected output destination.
With the above construction, the image data processing apparatus determines the embedding condition in accordance with the output destination of the image data that is selected in accordance with an instruction from the operator. Here, suppose that the first reproduction apparatus is a printer that reproduces the image on recording paper (a reproduction medium) and that the second reproduction apparatus is a PC that reproduces the image on a monitor (another reproduction medium). In this case, the image data processing apparatus embeds a pattern composed of high-density dots that is less influenced by noise at printout, into an image printed out by the printer, and when the prited-out image is scanned in by a scanner or the like, the additional information (dot pattern) is properly recognized. Also, the image data processing apparatus embeds a pattern composed of low-density dots is not uncomfortble for users, into an image to be output to the PC. In this case, when the image is displayed on the monitor of the PC, it is difficult for human eyes to recognize the additional information and deterioration of the image quality.
The above object is also fulfilled by an image forming apparatus comprising: an image reader unit which reads an image from a source document and generates a piece of image data; a print unit which forms an image on a sheet of paper in accordance with the piece of image data received from an image data output unit; a communication control unit which outputs the piece of image data received from the image data output unit to an external apparatus; an output destination selection unit which selects, as an output destination of the piece of image data generated by the image reader unit, either the print unit or the communication control unit; an additional information generating unit which generates a different piece of additional information in accordance with the selected output destination; an additional information embedding unit which embeds the generated piece of additional information into the piece of image data generated by the image reader unit; and the image data output unit which outputs the piece of image data containing the piece of additional information to the selected output destination.
With the above construction, the image forming apparatus can embed a different piece of additional information into the image data generated by the image reader unit, in accordance with the selected output destination. For example, when the print unit is selected as the output destination, the image data processing apparatus embeds a pattern composed of high-density dots that is less influenced by noise during the image formation process. Also, when the communication control unit is selected as the output destination, the image data processing apparatus embeds, as the additional information, a pattern composed of dots that have lower density than the pattern for the print unit, into the image data.
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Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
Minolta Co. , Ltd.
Patel Jayanti K.
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