Methods for adapting the operation of a system in response to the detection of embedded watermarks from a digital host content are provided. A digital host content is received and examined for the presence of watermarks. In response to the detection of embedded watermarks and in accordance with the value, type, density or spacing of the detected watermarks, one or more system reactions may take place. These reactions include conditionally allowing the system to resume its normal operation, prohibiting the system from resuming its normal operation, degrading the quality of the digital host content or changing the security status of the digital host content. In response to the extraction of weak watermarks that do not meet the desired system requirements, the extraction operation may be modified or extended to enable the detection of strong watermarks.

System reactions to the detection of embedded watermarks in a digital host content

Systems and methods are provided for monitoring transmissions of media content (such as audio and audiovisual content) in order to obtain independent and objective data regarding the use of specific media content recordings or works within the transmissions. Processing and reporting of such data is provided in various ways to serve a variety of business needs. Methods for employing content identification technology to efficiently and automatically obtain reliable, accurate, and precise monitoring data are also disclosed. Various information products and services based on such monitoring systems are proposed.

Media monitoring, management and information system

A system for using a watermark embedded in an audio signal to remotely control a device. Various devices such as toys, computers, and appliances, equipped with an appropriate detector, detect the hidden signals, which can trigger an action, or change a state of the device. The watermarks can be used with a “time gate” device, where detection of the watermark opens a time interval within which a user is allowed to perform an action, such as pressing a button, typing in an answer, turning a key in a lock, etc.

Remote control signaling using audio watermarks

Methods are provided for embedding auxiliary information in a host content signal which reduce the memory, bandwidth and computational complexity of the embedding and transmission systems. In one embodiment, a first reduced-scale signal is produced which corresponds to the host content embedded with a first logical value and producing a second reduced-scale signal corresponding to the host content embedded with a second logical value. A first set of segments from the first reduced-scale signal may be combined with a second set of segments from the second reduced-scale signal in a pre-defined manner to produce a composite embedded host content. Thus the storage and transmission requirements of the watermarking system are reduced to having to deal with only the original content plus two reduced-scale signals.

Pre-processed information embedding system

Disclosed is an edge sharpening method using maximum and minimum filters. In an embodiment of the present invention, the edge region of an input image signal is detected, minimum and maximum signals are generated for the detected edge region, the input signal of the detected edge region is compared with the average signal of the minimum and maximum signals, and the average of the input signal and the maximum signal is output if the input signal is larger than the average signal, the average of the input signal and the minimum signal is output if the input signal is smaller than the average signal, and the input signal is output if the input signal is equal to the average signal. Meanwhile, median filtering, using a window perpendicular to the direction in which the edge sharpening is performed, is performed on the region on which the edge sharpening has been performed.

Image processing method and apparatus.

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a processing from becoming wasteful when two types of information are extracted although an objective picture is not a specified picture at the time of extracting two types of information from the specified picture. SOLUTION: A first information extraction step for extracting first information showing that the picture is the specified picture from the picture and a judgment step for judging whether to extract second information being additional information on the specified picture identified in accordance with a first information extraction result or not are included.

Picture processor, picture processing method and storage medium

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing method and an image processor, capable of suitably generating vector data wherein noise is reduced and wherein a data amount is reduced about a figure area selected from a document image. SOLUTION: An input part 11 inputs the document image, and an area division part 12 divides it into a plurality of areas. A clip art image selection part 13 selects a clip art image from them, and an area division part 14 generates a cluster group comprising a plurality of clusters about the image area. An area integration part 15 integrates the similar clusters among the plurality of clusters and updates the cluster group, a noise decision part 16 decides whether each the cluster included in the cluster group after the update is the noise or not, and a vector conversion part 18 converts the final cluster group into the vector data after the noise is removed by a noise removal part 17. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Image processing method and image processor

PURPOSE:To perform efficient encoding by area dividing pictures by the respective characteristics, allowing the overlapping of areas and performing structuring. CONSTITUTION:In an area judgement method executed in an encoding method judgement circuit 23, input picture data are divided into the blocks of 16X16 picture elements for instance, the histograms of respective R, G and B are taken for the data of the respective blocks, the block for which the histogram is provided with two peaks is judged as a two-color area and the block for which the histogram is dispersed is judged as a multilevel area. In this case, the group of the blocks provided with the same characteristics is defined as the same area in an area shaping circuit 30, description in an area judgement memory 22 as structure information for indicating the position and the size, etc., of the area is performed and the picture data are expressed in forms such as a black and white character area, a two-color character area and a multilevel color area. In this case the overlapping of the areas is allowed, a hierarchical rectangular area for which a part of the multilevel color area is defined as the two-color character area is specified and the structuring is performed. Then, the encoding is performed by an encoding method suited to the characteristics of the area for the respective areas.

Picture processor and method therefor

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a high quality image by compositing a plurality of images. SOLUTION: Effect of the distortion aberration of a zoom lens on a plurality of images picked up with different magnification using the zoom lens is corrected (S305), these images are subjected to positioning and zoom magnification correction (S307, S308) and then composited to create a sheet of image (S309).

Image processor and image processing method and memory medium

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an image pickup system that efficiently and accurately conducts monitoring operation. SOLUTION: A control means 130 controls an imaging range by image pickup means 110, 120 so that the same area is not imaged by them to the utmost and all target points in the imaging area are imaged. Furthermore, in the case of detecting a target point where a change takes place, the control means 130 controls them so that the imaging range by the image pickup means 110 covers the imaging range including the target point at which the change is detected and the other imaging means 120 covers the imaging range including other target points than the target point above. Thus, the image pickup means 110, 120 provide a video image of an area where a change takes place and a video image of the other area where no change takes place.

良弘石田

Papers

Picture processor, picture processing method and storage medium

Image processing method and image processor

Picture processor and method therefor

Image processor and image processing method and memory medium

Image pickup device, image pickup system, imaging control method and storage medium

良弘 石田

Papers

Picture processor, picture processing method and storage medium

Image processing method and image processor

Picture processor and method therefor

Image processor and image processing method and memory medium

Image pickup device, image pickup system, imaging control method and storage medium

良弘石田