SERIALIZED DIGITAL WATERMARKING FOR VARIABLE DATA PRINTING

摘要

Digital watermarking is adapted for the variable data printing. A reference signal serves as a proxy for optimizing the embedding a watermark in a host image to be printed. Using the reference signal, embedding parameters are generated, which are a function of constraints such as visual quality and robustness of the machine readable data. Adjustments needed to embed a unique payload in each printed piece are generated using the embedding parameters. These adjustments are stored in a manner that enables them to be efficiently obtained and applied within the RIP or press during operation of the press. Various other methods, system configurations and applications are also detailed.

主权项

1. A method for producing unique instances of a host image from a host image design file, each unique instance having a unique digital payload, the method comprising:
embedding a reference digital watermark in the image from the host image design file to produce a marked base image; computing allowable adjustments for converting the marked base image into final marked images, wherein each of the final marked images is a unique instance of the host image from the host image design file, and wherein the allowable adjustments provide an allowable adjustment for embedding locations within plural tiles of the host image for plural unique digital payloads; and forming a database of the allowable adjustments, the database being configured to provide particular payload adjustments from the allowable adjustments for the embedding locations according to values within a watermark signal tile of a unique payload.