Incorporation of source-identifying information in scanned documents

An embedding method for embedding information in a document, comprising:

• acquiring a scanned document derived from a first hardcopy document;
• acquiring variable information associated with the scanned document, the variable information comprising a date/time and one of a device identifier and device location, the device identifier identifying a scanning device as the source of the scanned document, the device location identifying a location of the scanning device, and the date/time identifying when the first hardcopy document was scanned or the scanned document was acquired;
• generating a machine-readable representation of the variable information;
• using the machine-readable representation, inserting at least one machine readable pattern in the scanned document, to generate a modified document;
• and
• outputting the modified document to an output device, such that when the modified document is rendered on print media, the machine-readable pattern is not noticeable to the unaided eye of a person, the machine-readable pattern in the rendered document enabling a location of the scanning device to be identified.

An analysis device for detecting information embedded in a document, comprising:

• a document acquisition component which acquires a digital document;
• a detection component which identifies candidate patterns of dots in the digital document which each comply with rules for identifying a candidate pattern;
• a decoding component which, for an identified candidate pattern, attempts to match the candidate pattern with one or more sequences of dots stored in a data structure, and if a match is found, decodes the pattern;
• a response generation component which, for a decoded pattern, determines a response, based on the decoded pattern and any stored response instructions, the response including a report;
• a response output component which outputs the response to an appropriate device for executing the response, the report being stored in a report database containing multiple such reports which are accessible through a query;
• and
• a processor which implements the document acquisition component, detection component, decoding component, response component, and response output component.