Image processing apparatus and image processing method

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• producing means for producing a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image with a white pattern by arranging a plurality of types of white patterns based on a bit sequence, each white pattern included in the white patterns representing information in accordance with a shape, wherein the shape of each white pattern is such that the information represented by the white pattern can be detected using a fixed point sampling method;
• and
• synthesizing means for synthesizing, with an input image, the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image with the white pattern produced by the producing means, wherein
• the white pattern is a pattern for making an outline of a latent image included in the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image inconspicuous,
• the producing means forms each white pattern included in the plurality of white patterns into such a shape as to be based on at least one bit corresponding to the white pattern in the bit sequence;
• the white pattern is arranged in a specified region based on the bit sequence,
• the specified region is a bigger dot region on the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image;
• the producing means arranges the plurality of types of white patterns in the bigger dot region based on the bit sequence;
• and
• the producing means further arranges the plurality of types of white patterns in a smaller dot region on the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image.