A search for copyright-related information contained in image data is conducted. If no such information is detected, a database is queried to determine whether it contains copyright-related information corresponding to the image represented by this image data. Information relating to a copyright in accordance with the result of querying the database is added onto the image data. This prevents the unauthorized copying of a copyrighted article in an environment in which digitized copyrighted articles can be exchanged by networking and electronic filing.
An image forming apparatus, which forms an image of a document on a recording medium, includes: a transport path through which the recording medium is transported; a transferring unit that is arranged on the transport path and transfers the image to the recording medium; a carrying unit that is arranged on the transport path and carries the recording medium to the transferring unit; and an acquiring unit that is arranged between the carrying unit and the transferring unit and acquires identification information from a radio tag attached to the recording medium.
Analyzing copyright information written in a predetermined position of an optically read two-dimensional code symbol (step S41). After that, performing analysis in accordance with the data type, e.g., URL non-display data (UND), text data (TXD), binary data (BND), sound data (MSD), or image data (IMD), of content data in the two-dimensional code symbol (steps S42 to S54). Finally, displaying the result of analysis together with the copyright information on a display unit to provide an operator with the contents of information written in a predetermined position of a two-dimensional code. This makes it possible to appropriately process the information expressed by the two-dimensional code.
The present invention provides methods and systems to improve network searching for watermarked content. In some implementations we employ keyword searching to narrow the universe of possible URL candidates. A resulting URL list is searched for digital watermarking. A system is provided to allow customer input. For example, a customer enters keywords or network locations. The keywords or network locations are provided to a watermark-enabled web browser which accesses locations associated with the keywords or network locations. Some implementations of the present invention employ a plurality of distributed watermark-enabled web browsers. Other aspects of the invention provide methods and system to facilitate desktop searching and automated metadata gathering and generating. In one implementation a digital watermark is used to determine whether metadata associated with an image or audio file is current or fresh. The metadata is updated when it is out of date. Watermarks can also be used to link to or facilitate so-called on-line "blogs" (or online conversations).
