Image forming apparatus and copy management system

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an input device to input image data;
• an extracting device to extract additional data embedded in input image data inputted by said input device;
• and
• an embedding device to prepare new additional data, based on additional data extracted by said extracting device, and to embed the new additional data in image data inputted by said input device.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an input device to input first image data;
• a search means to search for an area to embed additional data in image data inputted by said input device;
• and
• an embedding device to change density levels of pixels of image data included in an area searched by said search means, in a manner representative of additional data to be embedded, and to embed the additional data in the image data inputted by said input device.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an input device for inputting image data;
• an embedding device to embed at least first additional data and second additional data in image data inputted by said input device,
• wherein the first additional data and the second additional data are the same,
• wherein the embedding device is adapted to synthesize the first and second additional data and the image data inputted by said input device such that an output image data provided by the embedding device includes the image data, at least a first pixel group and at least a second pixel group within the input image data, the first and second pixel groups having a predetermined pattern and having selected ones of the pixels in each pixel group altered or unaltered, wherein at least one pixel in the first pixel group represents a binary digit of the first additional data indicated by whether the one pixel in the fires pixel group is altered or unaltered and at least one pixel in the second pixel group represents a binary digit of the second additional data indicated by whether the one pixel in the second pixel group is altered or unaltered,
• wherein the output image is substantively identical visually to an image representative of image data inputted by said input device;
• and
• wherein in the output image the first additional data assumes a first orientation and the second additional data assumes a second orientation, and said first orientation and said second orientation are different.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an input device for inputting image data;
• and
• an embedding device to embed additional data in image data inputted by said input device,
• wherein the additional data are a plurality of predefined, discontinuous data units, and each data unit includes at least one indicator that establishes a predefined relationship with respect to at least one other data unit, and
• wherein at least a portion of said plurality of data units are combinable, based on said predefined relationship, to form a single set of information.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an input device for inputting image data;
• and
• an embedding device to embed additional data in image data inputted by said input device,
• wherein the embedding device is adapted to embed the additional data within the image data inputted by said input device such that an output image data provided by the embedding device includes the image data and at least one pixel group within the image data, the one pixel group having a predetermined pattern and having selected ones of the pixels in the one pixel group altered or unaltered, wherein at least one pixel in the one pixel group represents a binary digit of the additional data indicated by whether the one pixel is altered or unaltered, and
• wherein the output image data including the additional data is substantively identical visually to an image representative of image data inputted by said input device.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an input device for inputting image data;
• and
• an embedding device to embed additional data in image data inputted by said input device,
• wherein the additional data are a plurality of predefined, discontinuous data units, and each data unit includes at least one indicator that establishes a predefined relationship with respect to at least one other data unit, and
• wherein at least a portion of said plurality of data units are combinable, based on said predefined relationship, to form a single set of information.

A data processing apparatus comprising:

• an extracting device for extracting embedded additional data in inputted data;
• and
• an analyzer for analyzing a distribution path from original data, which corresponds to such input data, to the inputted data,
• wherein the distribution path is derived from extracted additional data.

A data processing apparatus comprising:

• an input device for inputting data;
• and
• an embedding device to embed additional data in data inputted by said input device,
• wherein the additional data are a plurality of predefined, discontinuous data units, and each data unit includes at least one indicator that establishes a predefined relationship with respect to at least one other data unit, and
• wherein at least a portion of said plurality of data units are combinable, based on said predefined relationship, to form a single set of information.

A method of processing data so as to embed additional data in image data comprising the steps of:

• inputting image data;
• extracting additional data embedded in inputted image data;
• and
• analyzing a distribution path from original image data, which corresponds to such inputted image data, to the inputted image data based on extracted additional data.

A method of processing data so as to embed additional data in image data comprising the steps of:

• inputting image data;
• extracting additional data embedded in inputted image data;
• and
• preparing new additional data, based on extracted additional data, and embedding the new additional data in said inputted image data.

A method of processing data so as to embed additional data in image data comprising the steps of:

• inputting first image data;
• searching inputted first image data for an area to embed additional data;
• and
• changing density levels of pixels of the inputted first image data included in a searched area, in a manner representative of additional data to be embedded, so as to embed the additional data in the inputted first image data.

A method of processing data so as to embed additional data in image data comprising the steps of:

• inputting image data;
• and
• embedding additional data in inputted image data,
• wherein the additional data are a plurality of predefined, discontinuous data units, and each data unit includes at least one indicator that establishes a predefined relationship with respect to at least one other data unit, and
• wherein at least a portion of said plurality of data units are combinable, based on said predefined relationship, to form a single set of information.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an input device to input image data;
• an extracting device to extract additional data embedded in input image data;
• a generator to generate new additional data, wherein the new additional data has a relationship with extracted additional data;
• and
• an embedding device to embed new additional data in input image data.

An image processing method comprising the steps of:

• inputting image data;
• extracting additional data embedded in input image data;
• generating new additional data having a relationship to extracted additional data;
• and
• embedding new additional data in input image data.