On Thursdays the USPTO publishes new patent applications. Both of today's Spotlight Applications concern various aspects of digital watermarking. Assigned to Canon (JP), the first application discloses a line spacing watermark. Assigned to Konica Minolta, the second application discloses techniques for embedding data in original image with reduced effect on visibility of original image.
20090175493, "Image processing apparatus and method of controlling the same," assigned to Canon (JP).
Abstract
To accurately extract embedded information from a document image using line spacing watermark, an image processing apparatus for extracting watermark information includes an input unit which inputs a document image as image data, an image reduction unit which generates, from the image data, reduced image data reduced in the first direction, a detection unit which scans the reduced image data in the second direction and detects the length of a blank region as line spacing information, and an extraction unit which extracts watermark information embedded in the document image based on the line spacing information.
20090174912, "Method of embedding data in original image with reduced effect on visibility of original image," assigned to Konica Minolta (JP).
Abstract
A PC generating image data divides data to be embedded into a predetermined size and arranges it in a predetermined area of a watermarking image. In the predetermined area are defined positions a-h assumed by an information dot configuring an information pattern based on the data to be embedded, and, of positions a-h, a position defined for the information pattern is assumed by a point dot. Of positions a-h, a position that is not defined for the information pattern is assumed by a linear dot. Furthermore in the predetermined area there is a position assumed by a positioning dot defining the predetermined area, and this position is assumed by a point dot. The linear dot has a geometry extending in one of the main scanning direction and vertical scanning direction of an image formation apparatus that allows higher performance in reproducibility for a line.
