Patent US6320675B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6320675B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Image processing apparatus and method and storage medium
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1998-07-10
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Granted: 2001-11-20
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Expires: 2018-07-10
Abstract
Abstract It is an object to provide an adding technique for enabling additional information to be certainly decoded from an image to which two or more kinds of additional information was added to an input image so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes. To accomplish this object, for example, a plurality of kinds of additional information is periodically added to the input image at different periods so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes. The image to which those additional information was added is outputted to an image forming unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Eihiro Sakaki
- 👤 Hiroyuki Yamazaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:18
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00838; H04N1/00856; H04N1/00864; H04N1/00867; H04N1/0087; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32144; H04N1/32149; H04N1/32203; H04N1/32208; H04N1/32256; H04N1/32267; H04N1/32288; H04N1/32299; H04N1/32309; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0077; H04N2201/0082; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3204; H04N2201/3205; H04N2201/3269; H04N2201/327; H04N2201/328; H04N2201/3281; H04N2201/3284; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S283/00; Y10S283/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: adding means for periodically adding first additional information to an input image by a first period so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes and for periodically adding second additional information different from said first additional information by a second period different from said first period so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes; and output means for outputting the image to which predetermined additional information was added by said adding means to an image forming unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: adding means for periodically adding first additional information to an input image by a first period so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes and for periodically adding second additional information different from said first additional information by a second period different from said first period so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes; and output means for outputting the image to which predetermined additional information was added by said adding means to an image forming unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said first period is shorter than said second period.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said first additional information is information to specify said image processing apparatus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said first additional information is an ID of a manufacturer who manufactured said image processing apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said second additional information is information to specify said image processing apparatus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said second additional information is an apparatus number or a model number of said image processing apparatus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , further having said image forming unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said input image is a color image constructed by a plurality of colors and said adding means adds said first or second additional information to a partial color instead of all of said plurality of colors.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said adding means adds said first or second additional information as a plurality of dots.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said first or second additional information is expressed by phase differences among said plurality of dots.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein each of said dots is constructed by combining an area having a highest density and an area having a lower density.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein each of said dots is constructed by combining an area for which modulation is performed by a first amount +α and an area for which modulation is performed by an equal and opposite amount −α.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
89 words
An image processing method comprising: an adding step of periodically adding first additional information to an input image by a first period so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes and periodically adding second additional information different from said first additional information by a second period different from said first period so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes; and an outputting step of outputting the image to which predetermined additional information was added by said adding step to an image forming unit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
89 words
An image processing method comprising: an adding step of periodically adding first additional information to an input image by a first period so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes and periodically adding second additional information different from said first additional information by a second period different from said first period so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes; and an outputting step of outputting the image to which predetermined additional information was added by said adding step to an image forming unit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
109 words
A storage medium for storing an image processing program in a state where said program can be read out from a computer, said program comprising: an adding step of periodically adding first additional information to an input image by a first period so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes and periodically adding second additional information different from said first additional information by a second period different from said first period so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes; and an outputting step of outputting the image to which predetermined additional information was added by said adding step to an image forming unit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
109 words
A storage medium for storing an image processing program in a state where said program can be read out from a computer, said program comprising: an adding step of periodically adding first additional information to an input image by a first period so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes and periodically adding second additional information different from said first additional information by a second period different from said first period so that it is difficult to discriminate by the human eyes; and an outputting step of outputting the image to which predetermined additional information was added by said adding step to an image forming unit.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-11-19 | 2005-05-21 | 2005-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-11-19 | 2009-05-21 | 2009-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-11-19 | 2013-05-21 | 2013-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |