JP2000050049A - Method and device for processing image and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively protect a right such as a copyright to be generated corresponding to the contents of image processing applied to image data. SOLUTION: Concerning this image processing method, an image processing means 2 performs image processing to original image data S0, supplementary information generating means 3 generates the contents of this image processing as supplementary information H0. An enciphering means 4 enciphers the supplementary information H0 to obtain enciphered supplementary information H1, an embedding means 5 obtains image data S2 in which information is embedded by embedding this information into the original image data S0 while deeply enciphering it and these image data are recorded on a recording medium 6. Thus, a user of the image data S2 can not obtain the processed image data when the user does not secure an enciphering key K1 and a deciphering key of deeply enciphering.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus for giving the contents of image processing applied to image data to image data, and a computer storing a program for causing a computer to execute the image processing method. It relates to a readable recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Digitalization of image data has progressed, and various digital contents have appeared along with the digitization. Such digital image data is processed and image-processed according to the application using various software because of the ease of processing.

[0003]

As described above, since digital image data is easy to process, it is easily falsified, and there is a problem that the copyright or design right of the image represented by the image data is easily violated. . Furthermore, with the recent development of network infrastructure, data transmission and distribution have become easier, and the problem of falsification of image data has become even greater.

On the other hand, when a plurality of aesthetic processes or corrections are added to the original image data step by step, it becomes difficult to associate the processing contents with the copyright or design right relating to the processing contents. Therefore, there is a need for a method for ensuring that the right generated for each processing content is protected and that the convenience of the user using the image data is not impaired.

In this case, the image data is encrypted each time each process is performed, so that only a person having a specific right can decrypt the image data, or embed the copyright information in the image data by a method that cannot be easily removed. These rights can be protected by a method of inquiring / charging the copyright information after distributing the image data. However, in the case of the method of encrypting image data, the contents of the image data cannot be known without obtaining a key for decrypting the image data. Since it is unknown, it is difficult to distribute the image data as a product. Also,
In the method of embedding copyright information or the like in image data, if the user of the image data does not apply, there is a problem that the copyright owner must detect unauthorized use.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an image processing method and apparatus capable of effectively protecting a right such as a copyright generated in accordance with the processing performed on image data, and an image processing method. It is an object of the present invention to provide a computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute the processing method is recorded.

[0007]

A first image processing method according to the present invention relates to an image processing method for performing image processing on image data, wherein the image processing is performed when the image processing is performed on the image data. Additional information is generated, and the additional information is encrypted and added to the image data.

Here, as a method of adding the additional information, a method of encrypting the additional information and embedding it in a tag of the image data, or a method of deeply encrypting the additional information into the image data and embedding the additional information can be adopted.

[0009] "Deep encryption and embedding" means
This refers to embedding supplementary information in a redundant portion of the original data, and the detailed method is described in Matsui's document described later.

[0010] A second image processing method according to the present invention is an image processing method for performing image processing on image data.
Generating incidental information related to the image processing content when performing the image processing on the image data, encrypting the incidental information to obtain encrypted incidental information, and encrypting the encrypted incidental information into the image data by deep encryption. It is characterized by being embedded.

A third image processing method according to the present invention is an image processing method for performing a plurality of image processing steps on image data, wherein each time the image processing is performed on the image data, the content of each image processing is performed. It is characterized in that additional information is generated, and the additional information is encrypted and added to the image data.

In a fourth image processing method according to the present invention, in the image processing method for performing a plurality of image processing steps on image data, each time the image processing is performed on the image data, the content of each image processing is performed. It is characterized in that additional information is generated, each additional information is encrypted, encrypted additional information is obtained, and each of the additional information is deeply encrypted and embedded in the image data.

[0013] Here, it is preferable that the encryption system of each additional information in the third and fourth image processing methods according to the present invention be different each time image processing is performed.

In the third and fourth image processing methods according to the present invention, the image data may be original image data or processed image data that has been subjected to at least one stage of image processing. You may.

A first image processing apparatus according to the present invention is an image processing apparatus for performing image processing on image data,
An additional information generating unit that generates additional information related to image processing content when the image processing is performed on the image data, and an adding unit that encrypts and adds the additional information to the image data. Is what you do.

It is preferable that the adding unit is a unit for deeply encrypting and embedding the supplementary information in the image data.

A second image processing apparatus according to the present invention is an image processing apparatus for performing image processing on image data,
Supplementary information generating means for generating supplementary information relating to the content of the image processing when the image processing is performed on the image data; encryption means for encrypting the supplementary information to obtain encrypted supplementary information; Embedded in the image data by deep encryption.

A third image processing apparatus according to the present invention is an image processing apparatus for performing a plurality of image processes on image data in a stepwise manner. It is characterized by comprising additional information generating means for generating additional information, and providing means for encrypting each additional information and adding the encrypted information to the image data.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus for performing a plurality of image processing steps on image data in a stepwise manner. Supplementary information generating means for respectively generating supplementary information, encrypting means for encrypting each supplementary information to obtain encrypted supplementary information, and embedding means for deeply encrypting and embedding each encrypted supplementary information in the image data It is characterized by having.

The image processing method according to the present invention may be provided by being recorded on a computer-readable recording medium as a program for causing a computer to execute the image processing method.

[0021]

According to the present invention, when image processing is performed on image data, instead of encrypting the processed image, the content of the image processing is encrypted, and this is used as additional information. This is to be added to data. Therefore, in order to know the contents of the image processing, a key for decrypting the encrypted supplementary information is required. A person without this key cannot know the contents of the image processing, and This means that the applied image data cannot be obtained. Therefore, the person who has performed the image processing can pass the key for decrypting the encryption only to the person who paid the fee,
Unauthorized use by anyone other than the person can be restricted, and usage fees can be reliably collected. In addition, since the user can obtain the image data before processing without obtaining the key, the user can know the contents of the image to some extent,
Thus, the distribution of the image data is not hindered.

When image processing is performed stepwise on the image data, the user appends the additional information to the image data for each image processing content so that the user can perform the desired image processing. When the processed image data is required, the user who has performed the image processing is paid a usage fee to obtain a key and obtain the image data subjected to the image processing. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an image of the processing content according to the paid fee.

Further, by embedding the additional information in the image data after performing the deep encryption, the additional information such as the information recorded in the header is lost even if the image data is repeatedly processed, stored, and read. Nothing is changed or changed. Further, the association between the additional information and the image data is not lost.

[0024]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment includes a data generation unit 1 that obtains original image data S0 such as a digital camera, a reading device that obtains image data from a film or a print image, and an original image data S0. Image processing means 2 for performing image processing on the image data to obtain processed image data S1, and additional information generating means for generating the content of the image processing performed on the original image data S0 in the image processing means 2 as additional information H0 3 and incidental information H
The encryption means 4 obtains the encryption accompanying information H1 by encrypting 0 and obtains the encryption key K1, and the encryption accompanying information H1 is deeply encrypted and embedded in the original image data S0 so that the encryption accompanying information H1 is embedded. And embedding means 5 for obtaining the image data S2 and recording the image data S2 on a recording medium 6 such as a hard disk, a database on a network, an MO, a CD-R, or a ZIP.

The image processing means 2 performs image processing such as filtering and gradation processing on the original image data S0.

In the additional information generating means 3, the contents of the image processing performed on the original image data S0 by the image processing means 2 are generated as additional information H0. Here, when the image processing is the filtering processing, the band characteristics and the strength of the filter are generated as the supplementary information H0. When the image processing is gradation processing, gamma characteristics of each channel, a color conversion method, a color space characteristic of a conversion destination, a profile of a look-up table, and the like are generated as supplementary information H0.

In the encryption means 4, the supplementary information H0 is encrypted by various encryption methods to obtain the encrypted supplementary information H1. At this time, an encryption key K1 corresponding to the content of the encryption is generated.

In the embedding unit 5, for example,
No. 289159, No. 10-108180, No. 9-21
According to a method described in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 4636 or the like, copyright information and the like are deeply encrypted and embedded in original data, and the encrypted supplementary information H1 is deeply encrypted and embedded in the original image data S0. This method embeds authentication information and copyright information in redundant portions of data. For example, if the original data is image data, it is not possible to confirm the embedded information simply by reproducing the image data. By using a device or software for reading the information, the information embedded in the data can be read and displayed. Details of this deep encryption are described in various documents (for example, “Digital Watermark, Koshio Matsui, Oplus E No. 213, August 1997”).

As such a deep encryption method, various other methods such as a pixel space use type, a quantization error use type, and a frequency domain use type are known. The pixel space utilization type is a method of extracting a plane of, for example, 3 × 3 pixels in the vicinity of a target pixel and embedding incidental information in the surrounding 8 bits. The quantization error utilization type focuses on a quantization error generated in a process of compressing image data, and sets 0,
In this method, the quantization output is controlled to be even and odd by 1 and the incidental information is embedded in the image data as apparent quantization noise. The details of the quantization error utilization type are described in "Image Deep Encryption" (Koshio Matsui, Morikita Publishing, 1993). The frequency domain utilization type is a method of embedding supplementary information in a visually insensitive frequency domain on an image domain. For example, since the high-frequency component in the image is a visually insensitive area, the image data is decomposed into a plurality of frequency bands, the additional information is embedded in the high-frequency band, and the additional information is embedded by reconstructing the image data. be able to. As for human visual characteristics, color difference and saturation information generally have lower gradation discrimination ability than luminance information, and there is an area where recording that is invisible to the difference between luminance and color difference or saturation information is possible. Exists. Therefore, additional information can be embedded in this area.

Other methods include embedding incidental information in a bit plane having a poor S / N ratio as noise, by embedding noise information, and embedding information in information blocks within a certain range of pixel blocks (spaces). A method of embedding a quantization error in the case where the amount of data information is reduced due to encoding when performing data compression is exemplified.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. First, the data generating means 1 obtains the original image data S0. Image processing is performed on the original image data S0 by the image processing means 2 to obtain processed image data S1. In the supplementary information generating means 3, the content of the image processing performed on the original image data S0 by the image processing means 2 is the supplementary information H0.
And the additional information H0 is encrypted by the encryption means 4 to obtain the encrypted additional information H1. The encryption accompanying information H1 is deeply encrypted and embedded in the original image data S0 by the embedding means 5, and the encrypted accompanying information H1 is embedded.
1 is embedded in the recording medium 6.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for reading out the encrypted additional information H1 from the embedded image data S2 in which the encrypted additional information H1 has been deeply encrypted, and performing image processing on the image data S2 based on the encrypted additional information H1. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image reproducing device that performs a process and reproduces a processed image. As shown in FIG. 2, the image reproducing apparatus includes a reading unit 11 for reading image data S2 from the recording medium 6, an additional information reading unit 12 for reading encrypted additional information H1 from the image data S2, Decryption means 13 for decrypting H1 based on the encryption key K1 to obtain additional information H0
A processing unit 14 for performing image processing on the image data S2 based on the content of the image processing represented by the supplementary information H0 to obtain processed image data S3, and reproducing the processed image data S3 or the image data S2 Printer,
And a reproducing unit 15 such as a monitor.

It should be noted that the decryption key for decrypting the encryption key K1 and the deep encryption method of the encryption accompanying information H1 is a person who has paid the fee to the right holder who generated the image data S2, or Available only to those who have obtained a license from the right holder.

Next, the operation of the image reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 will be described. First, the image data S2 recorded on the recording medium 6 is read by the reading means 11. Here, the image obtained by reproducing the image data S2 by the reproducing means 15 is not subjected to any processing, and
Is an image similar to the image obtained by reproducing the original image data S0 obtained by the data generating means 1 of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. On the other hand, the additional information reading means 12 reads the encrypted additional information H1 from the image data S2. The read encrypted supplementary information H1 is input to the decryption means 13 and is decrypted based on the encryption key K1 to be accompanied by the supplementary information H0.
Is obtained. The supplementary information H0 is input to the processing means 14,
Here, image processing is performed on the image data S2 based on the image processing content represented by the supplementary information H0, and processed image data S3 is obtained. Processed image data S3
Is reproduced by the reproducing means 15. Here, the image reproduced by the reproducing means 15 is the same as the image reproduced from the processed image data S1 obtained by the image processing apparatus shown in FIG.

As described above, in the first embodiment, when image processing is performed on the original image data S0, instead of encrypting the processed image, the contents of the image processing are added to the additional information. H0 is generated, the additional information H0 is encrypted to obtain encrypted additional information H1, and the encrypted additional information H1 is deeply encrypted and embedded in the original image data S0. Therefore, in order to know the content of the image processing, an encryption key K1 for decrypting the encrypted incidental information H1 and a decryption key for decrypting the deep encryption method are required. A person without the key cannot know the content of the image processing, and cannot obtain the processed image data S3 subjected to the image processing. Therefore, the person who has performed the image processing can only encrypt the additional information H1 to the person who paid the fee.
By passing the encryption key K1 and the decryption key for decrypting, unauthorized use by others can be restricted, and the usage fee can be reliably collected. In addition, since the user can obtain the image data S2 before processing without obtaining the encryption key K1, the user can know the contents of the image to some extent, thereby obstructing the distribution of the image data. Is also gone.

Further, the encrypted supplementary information H1 is deeply encrypted and embedded in the original image data S0, so that even if various processing, storage, and reading of the image data S2 in which the information is embedded are repeated, the header is included in the header. The incidental information is not lost or changed as in the recorded information. Further, the association between the encrypted additional information H1 and the image data S2 is not lost.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the image processing device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, instead of the embedding means 5 for deeply encrypting the encrypted additional information H1 and embedding the same in the original image data S0, the encrypted additional information H1 is embedded in the header of the original image data S0 and encrypted. The difference from the first embodiment is that a header embedding unit 5A for obtaining image data S4 in which the additional information H1 is embedded is provided.

That is, since the incidental information H0 is encrypted by the encryption means 4, the encrypted incidental information H
Even if 1 is not deeply encrypted, the confidentiality of the incidental information H0 is maintained. Therefore, as in the second embodiment, even if the encryption supplementary information H1 is embedded in the header of the original image data S0, the user of the image data S4 must obtain the encryption key K1 from the right holder if the right holder does not obtain the encryption key K1. It is not possible to obtain the processed image data S3 by checking the content of the applied image processing. Therefore, it is possible to restrict unauthorized use by anyone other than the rightful owner who has obtained the encryption key K1, and it is possible to surely collect a usage fee.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the image processing device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, the additional information H generated by the additional information generating means 3 is deeply encrypted without being encrypted and embedded in the original image data S0 to obtain image data S5 in which the additional information H0 is embedded. This is different from the first embodiment.

That is, if the additional information H0 is deeply encrypted and embedded in the original image data S0, a person who does not know the decryption key for decrypting the deep encryption method cannot know the contents of the additional information H0. Even if the additional information H0 is not encrypted, the confidentiality of the contents of the additional information H0 is maintained. Therefore, even if the supplementary information H0 is deep-encrypted and embedded in the original image data S0 as in the third embodiment, the user of the image data S5 needs to obtain a decryption key for decrypting the deep-encryption method from the right holder. Otherwise, the contents of the image processing performed by the right holder cannot be confirmed and the processed image data S3 cannot be obtained.
Therefore, it is possible to restrict unauthorized use by anyone other than the rightful right holder who has obtained the decryption key for decrypting the deep encryption technique, and it is possible to reliably collect the usage fee.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram for explaining a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, in the fourth embodiment of the present invention, an image processing apparatus M1 similar to the image processing apparatus shown in FIG.
Is subjected to image processing, and additional information H0 representing the content of the applied image processing is encrypted to obtain encrypted additional information H1, an encryption key K1 is generated, and the encrypted additional information H1 is converted to original image data S0. The image data Q1 is obtained by deep encryption and embedding in the image data, and the same processing is performed on the image data Q1 in the image processing apparatus M2 to perform encryption key K.
2 is obtained to obtain image data Q2, and this process is repeatedly performed in a plurality of image processing devices M1 to Mn to obtain image data Qn in which a plurality of pieces of encrypted additional information are embedded and encryption keys K1 to Kn. It was made.

Here, in the image processing apparatuses M2 to Mn, processing may be performed on the input image data Q1 to Qn-1, and the encryption keys K1 to If Kn-1 is obtained, the additional information may be encrypted and embedded in the image data that has been processed up to the previous stage.

The image data Qn thus obtained is processed as follows. That is, the encryption keys K1 to Kn and the decryption key for decrypting the deep encryption technique are obtained from the right holder who has performed the image processing desired by the user, and the encryption key corresponding to the decryption key is obtained from the image data Qn. Read the incidental information. The encrypted additional information is decrypted with the encryption keys K1 to Kn to obtain additional information indicating the contents of the image processing. Based on the additional information, image processing is performed on the image data Qn to process the processed image data. Get and play this.

When image processing is performed stepwise on the original image data S0 as in the fourth embodiment, the additional information is encrypted for each image processing content and added to the image data. When the user needs image data on which the desired image processing has been performed, the user decrypts the encryption keys K1 to Kn and the deep encryption by paying a usage fee to the person who has performed the image processing. To obtain image data subjected to the image processing. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an image of the processing content according to the paid fee.

If the content of the desired image processing is a result of processing the processed image data processed by the preceding image processing apparatus M1 to Mn, the image processing is performed. Is paid to the right holder, and the right holder who has performed the desired processing is paid from the right holder who has performed the desired processing to the right holder who has performed the preceding processing. Can reliably collect fees.

Further, in the fourth embodiment, the image processing is performed by the image processing apparatus of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, but the image processing apparatus of the second embodiment shown in FIG. May be used for image processing. In this case, the user only needs to obtain the encryption keys K1 to Kn for decrypting the encrypted supplementary information from the right holder.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of an image reproducing apparatus for reproducing image data obtained in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Data generation means 2 Image processing means 3 Additional information generation means 4 Encryption means 5 Embedding means 5A Header embedding means 6 Recording medium 11 Reading means 12 Additional information reading means 13 Decoding means 14 Processing means 15 Reproduction means M1-Mn Image processing device

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. An image processing method for performing image processing on image data, comprising: generating additional information relating to image processing content when the image processing is performed on the image data; encrypting the additional information with the image data. An image processing method characterized in that the image processing method is applied in the form of an image. 2. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein said additional information is deeply encrypted and embedded in said image data. 3. An image processing method for performing image processing on image data, wherein additional information relating to image processing contents when the image processing is performed on the image data is generated, and the additional information is encrypted and encrypted. An image processing method comprising: obtaining supplementary information; and embedding the encrypted supplementary information in the image data by performing deep encryption. 4. An image processing method for performing a plurality of image processing steps on image data, wherein each time the image processing is performed on the image data, additional information on each image processing content is generated. An image processing method, comprising encrypting additional information and adding the encrypted information to the image data. 5. An image processing method for performing a plurality of image processing steps on image data, wherein each time the image processing is performed on the image data, additional information on each image processing content is generated. An image processing method comprising: encrypting additional information to obtain encrypted additional information; and embedding each of the encrypted additional information in the image data by performing deep encryption. 6. The image processing method according to claim 4, wherein the image data is original image data. 7. The image processing method according to claim 4, wherein the image data is processed image data that has been subjected to at least one stage of image processing. 8. An image processing apparatus for performing image processing on image data, comprising: additional information generation means for generating additional information relating to image processing content when the image processing is performed on the image data; An image processing apparatus comprising: an application unit that encrypts and applies the image data. 9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said adding means is a means for deeply encrypting and embedding the additional information in the image data. 10. An image processing apparatus for performing image processing on image data, comprising: additional information generation means for generating additional information relating to image processing when the image processing is performed on the image data; An image processing apparatus comprising: an encryption unit that obtains encrypted supplementary information by encrypting; and an embedding unit that deeply encrypts and embeds the encrypted supplementary information in the image data. 11. An image processing apparatus for performing a plurality of image processing steps on image data in a stepwise manner, wherein each time the image processing is performed on the image data, additional information on each image processing content is generated. An image processing apparatus, comprising: means for encrypting each of the supplementary information and adding the encrypted information to the image data. 12. An image processing apparatus for performing a plurality of image processes on image data in a stepwise manner, wherein each time the image processing is performed on the image data, additional information is generated for each of the image processing contents. Means, encryption means for encrypting each of the supplementary information to obtain encrypted supplementary information, and embedding means for deeply encrypting and embedding each of the encrypted supplementary information in the image data. Image processing device. 13. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method for performing image processing on image data, wherein the program performs the image processing on the image data. A computer-readable recording medium comprising: a step of generating supplementary information relating to image processing content at the time of the process; and a step of encrypting and attaching the supplementary information to the image data. 14. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the step of adding the additional information is a step of deeply encrypting and embedding the additional information in the image data. 15. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method for performing image processing on image data, wherein the program performs the image processing on the image data. Generating ancillary information relating to the content of the image processing at the time, a step of encrypting the additional information to obtain encrypted additional information, and a step of deeply encrypting and embedding the encrypted additional information in the image data. A computer-readable recording medium characterized by the above-mentioned. 16. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method for performing a plurality of image processes on image data in a stepwise manner is provided. A computer-readable recording medium, comprising: a procedure for generating additional information relating to each image processing content each time image processing is performed; and a procedure for encrypting each additional information and adding it to the image data. . 17. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method of performing a plurality of image processes on image data in a stepwise manner. Each time image processing is performed, a procedure for generating additional information relating to each image processing content; a procedure for encrypting each additional information to obtain encrypted additional information; A computer-readable recording medium having a procedure of encrypting and embedding.