Digital Watermark Analysis for Printed Products
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital watermark techniques face challenges in reading unknown digital watermarks from printed products, as they require pre-specified signal strength and position, limiting their versatility.
Innovation Solution
A digital watermark analysis apparatus that captures images of printed products, calculates spatial frequency characteristics, specifies embedded signal strength and position, and detects markers to extract additional information, enabling the detection of digital watermarks without prior knowledge of signal strength or position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pre-specified signal strength and position are used for digital watermark detection, then detection reliability is improved, but adaptability to unknown watermarks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis by calculating spatial frequency characteristics of the captured image before watermark detection. This preliminary action identifies potential watermark locations and strength parameters, enabling the system to adapt to unknown watermark configurations while maintaining reliable detection through data-driven identification rather than relying on pre-specified parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the calculated spatial frequency characteristics and identified watermark parameters are used to guide subsequent detection processes. The marker detection area is dynamically determined based on previously identified characteristics, creating a feedback loop that improves detection reliability while adapting to the specific watermark embedded in each image
2Measurement precision
If specific degree of embedded signal strength is specified in advance, then detection precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically calculating spatial frequency characteristics and determining watermark parameters without requiring user input about signal strength or position. The apparatus independently analyzes the captured image, identifies appropriate detection parameters, and determines the marker detection area, eliminating the need for users to specify detection parameters while maintaining high detection precision
3Measurement precision
If manual specification of embedding position is required, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual specification mechanisms with automated image processing techniques. Instead of requiring users to manually indicate embedding positions, the system uses computational methods to calculate spatial frequency characteristics and automatically determine the marker detection area, reducing operational complexity while maintaining precise position identification through algorithmic analysis
Data Source
AI summary
A digital watermark analysis apparatus, comprising an image capturing unit for capturing a printed product where additional information is embedded by superimposing a pattern on an image to acquire a captured image, a calculation unit for calculating a spatial frequency characteristic of each small area in the captured image, a specifying unit for specifying an embedded signal strength and an embedding position of the additional information, a decision unit for deciding, based on the embedding position information and the embedded signal strength information, a position in the captured image of a marker detection area for detecting a marker as a reference position for acquiring the additional information, and an acquisition unit for detecting a marker in the marker detection area and acquiring the additional information in the captured image with reference to the detected marker.