Quasi-reprographics with variable embedded data with applications to copyright management, and distribution control

Claim 1

A quasi-reprographic apparatus comprising: a document input configured to receive and digitize a source document which is in a fixed format; a document storage in operative connection with the document input, configured to store the digitized version of the source document; an embedded code detector in operative connection with the document storage, configured to detect locations in the digitized document appropriate for holding embedded machine readable code and to determine whether embedded machine readable code exists in the digitized document; an embedded code decoder in operative connection with the embedded code detector, configured to decode embedded machine readable code detected by the embedded code detector; a control unit, including a control memory, a processor and a control device, in operative connection with the embedded code decoder, the control unit configured (i) to receive data representing the decoded embedded code and its location in the digitized document, data indicating that no embedded code exists in the digitized document, and data representing an area in the digitized document appropriate for insertion of embedded code, the area appropriate for insertion of the embedded code being an area of uniform color on the source document, (ii) to process the decoded embedded code, (iii) to generate additional data for insertion into the digitized document as embedded code in accordance with instructions stored in the control unit; and (iv) to determine whether the area appropriate for insertion of the embedded code is sufficiently sized to hold the additional data such that the area of uniform color will be visually unaltered upon a hardcopy reproduction of the source document; an embedded code encoder in operative connection with the control unit and the document storage, configured to receive the additional data from the control unit, to transform the additional data into additional embedded code and, to insert the additional embedded code at a selected location in the digitized document; and, an output device for outputting a hardcopy reproduction of the digitized document having the additional embedded code.

Claim 9

A method of generating a hardcopy reproduction of a source document using a reprographic apparatus having quasi-reprographic capabilities, comprising the steps of: digitizing the source document; storing the digitized source document in a document storage; detecting locations in the digitized document appropriate for holding embedded machine readable code and determining whether embedded machine readable code exists in the digitized document; decoding embedded machine readable code detected in the determining step; selectively generating information representing (i) detected embedded machine readable code and its location in the digitized document (ii) that no embedded code was detected in the digitized document and (iii) an area appropriate for insertion of embedded code in the digitized document, the area appropriate for insertion of the embedded code being an area of uniform color on the source document; transmitting the selectively generated information to a control unit; processing the transmitted information within the control unit to generate at least one of new and additional data for the digitized document; encoding at least one of the new and additional data into at least one of new and additional embedded code; determining whether or not the area appropriate for insertion of the embedded code is sufficiently sized to hold the new or additional data such that the area of uniform color is visually unaltered upon a hardcopy reproduction of the source document; inserting at least one of the new and additional embedded code at the area appropriate for insertion of the embedded code in the digitized documents when it is determined the area appropriate for insertion of the embedded code is of a sufficient size; and generating a hardcopy reproduction of the source document.

Claim 10

A method of generating a hardcopy reproduction of a source document using a reprographic apparatus having quasi-reprographic capabilities, comprising the steps of: digitizing the source document; storing the digitized source document in a document storage; detecting locations in the digitized document appropriate for holding embedded machine readable code and determining whether embedded machine readable code exists in the digitized document; decoding embedded machine readable code detected in the determining step; selectively generating information representing (i) detected embedded machine readable code and its location in the digitized document (ii) that no embedded code was detected in the digitized document and (iii) an area appropriate for insertion of embedded code in the digitized document, the area appropriate for insertion of the embedded code being an area of uniform color on the source document; transmitting the selectively generated information to a control unit; processing the transmitted information within the control unit to generate at least one of new and additional data for the digitized document; encoding at least one of the new and additional data into at least one of new and additional embedded code; determining whether or not the area appropriate for insertion of the embedded code is sufficiently sized to hold the new or additional data such that the area of uniform color is visually unaltered upon a hardcopy reproduction of the source document; inserting at least one of the new and additional embedded code at the area appropriate for insertion of the embedded code in the digitized documents when it is determined the area appropriate for insertion of the embedded code is of a sufficient size; and generating a hardcopy reproduction of the source document.