Dynamic Watermark Visibility Control for Electronic Blackboards

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge is to maintain the visibility of a visual image displayed on an electronic blackboard while allowing for the display of semitransparent watermarks, such as 'Confidential' or 'Private', without obstructing the desired visual image, especially when characters overlap with the image being viewed.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus that controls the display of a watermark image based on the presence or absence of an input visual image from an external device, switching between displaying the watermark and the visual image to ensure high visibility of the desired image.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a semitransparent watermark image is always displayed on the electronic blackboard, then confidentiality information can be continuously reminded to participants, but the visibility of the visual image from the PC is obstructed when characters overlap with the image

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfidentiality indicationVSAvoidvisibility of visual image
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The watermark image display is made dynamic by detecting whether a visual image is being input from an external device. When a visual image is detected, the watermark image is hidden to prevent obstruction. When no visual image is input, the watermark image is displayed to maintain confidentiality indication. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction between continuous confidentiality reminder and visual image visibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If a semitransparent image is displayed to allow participants to view handwritten contents while viewing the image, then information security is maintained, but it becomes difficult for participants to specify and obtain the visual image of the PC

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation securityVSAvoidability to obtain visual image
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts watermark visibility based on user intent detection. When a still image acquisition operation is detected, the watermark image is hidden temporarily to allow clear capture of the visual image. After the acquisition is complete, the watermark image is restored. This dynamic behavior maintains information security during normal display while enabling easy image capture when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from operation detection to control watermark display. When the system detects a still image acquisition operation, it responds by hiding the watermark image to facilitate successful capture. This feedback mechanism ensures that the watermark does not interfere with the image capture process while maintaining security during regular viewing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3396510B1Image processing device, image display method, and program
Publication Date: 2020.06.03 RICOH CO LTD
  • EP3396510B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3396510B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~1D
  • EP3396510B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

An image processing apparatus for displaying an input visual image input from an external device includes: a first image acquiring unit configured to acquire a first image stored in a storage unit; a second image acquiring unit configured to acquire a second image from the input visual image; an image determining unit configured to determine that the second image is to be displayed without displaying the first image when the input visual image input from the external device does not satisfy a predetermined condition, configured to determine that the first image and the second image are to be displayed when the input visual image input from the external device satisfies the predetermined condition, and configured to determine that the first image is to be displayed when the input visual image is not being input from the external device; an image superimposing unit configured to superimpose the first image with the second image when the image determining unit determines that the first image and the second image are to be displayed; and a display unit configured to display, on a display part, the first image and the second image superimposed by the image superimposing unit.