JP2001144938A - Method and device for image processing and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To permit only limited people to make various settings for imbedding an electronic watermark to image data in order to protect the capability of evidence and the copyright of the image data. SOLUTION: A received password is verified in a step S103. When the password is correct and a user is authenticated to be a regular user, the processing transmits to a step S104 and a setting menu for an imbedding mode of an electronic watermark is displayed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus capable of embedding predetermined data in image data, and a storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a digital still camera, which has been rapidly spreading, is a conventional silver halide camera that forms an image of a subject on a film surface to chemically record analog image data. Image data captured by a CCD sensor or the like is digitally recorded on a storage medium such as a memory card.

[0003] Digital data obtained by the digital still camera can be processed by a computer and can be distributed via a network or the like.

On the other hand, digital data can be falsified, such as being synthesized, so that no trace remains, so that the reliability as evidence of photographed digital image data may be a problem. Such a problem,
It is unlikely to occur if the photographing is a hobby by a general user, but it becomes a problem in photographing that is necessary for business or legal purposes such as a recorded photograph at a construction site.

Another problem is that the right of the copyright holder of image data is not sufficiently protected because copying and distribution is much easier than in the past.

Therefore, it is important to have a digital still camera capable of enhancing the evidential ability of photographed digital image data and protecting copyright.

For such a purpose, “watermarking (Watermar
k) "is being studied. This technology can embed other information that cannot be perceived by humans into digital image and audio data, and can extract the embedded information as needed only by persons with valid qualifications and rights. Thereby, it becomes possible to enhance the evidential ability of the image or protect the copyright.

In the following, regarding the principle of the digital watermarking technique, one method in the case where digital information is image information is disclosed in
2 will be described with reference to JP-A-290359 (for details, see JP-A-10-150517).
No. Gazette).

FIG. 2A is a diagram showing a flow of processing for embedding embedded information (different information) in image information.

First, an original image (digital image data, 101 in FIG. 3) is divided into a plurality of blocks (102 in FIG. 3) in which one block is composed of n pixels × m pixels (102 in FIG. 3). Next, discrete cosine transform (D
An orthogonal transformation such as CT transformation is performed to obtain an n × m frequency component matrix (orthogonal transformation processing).

Prior to embedding the embedding information, an embedding position indicating which embedding information is to be embedded in the frequency component matrix obtained by the orthogonal transformation processing is determined by a random number, and the value of the frequency component is changed to what extent. Is determined, and the embedding position and the change amount are obtained and stored as key information.

When embedding information, it is not necessary to embed all information in the frequency component matrix for one block, but may embed it across the frequency component matrices of a plurality of blocks. In that case, a block group having an appropriate contrast in the screen is selected.

By selecting, for example, a low-frequency portion of a frequency component matrix as an embedding position, embedding can be performed such that it cannot be perceived by humans. Also, by changing the change amount, the difference from the original value of the frequency component matrix can be changed, so that the deterioration of the image quality can be controlled.

The embedding information is embedded (embedding process) by changing the value of the frequency component matrix of each block based on the embedding position and the amount of change of the key information. Further, the frequency component matrix of each block in which the embedded information is embedded is subjected to inverse orthogonal transform to obtain an image of a plurality of blocks of n pixels × m pixels (inverse orthogonal transform processing). Finally,
A plurality of blocks of images obtained by the inverse orthogonal transform processing are connected to obtain a watermark image in which embedded information is embedded (reconstruction processing).

FIG. 2B is a diagram showing the flow of processing when extracting embedded information from a watermark image.

First, a watermark image is divided into a plurality of blocks each of which has n pixels × m pixels (division processing). Next, orthogonal transformation such as discrete cosine transformation (DCT transformation) is performed on each of the divided blocks to obtain an n × m frequency component matrix (orthogonal transformation processing). Further, the embedding position and the amount of change are obtained from the key information used at the time of embedding, and the embedding information is extracted from the frequency component matrix of each block (extraction process).

As described above, the digital watermarking technique is based on (1)
(2) Since the embedded information in the key information is created by random numbers, it is not fixed, and it is difficult to decode the embedded information. (3) (3) There is a feature that the embedded information can be embedded so that humans cannot perceive it by devising the embedding position, and (4) the degree of image quality degradation can be controlled by changing the amount of change.

In the above description, the embedding data is a method of “invisible data embedding” which is not perceived by a human. However, the embedding data is actively embedded in the original image in a perceptible state. There is also a method called "visible data embedding" that expects the effect of discouraging three parties from illegal use of images. Regarding the digital watermarking technique for this visible data, U.S. Pat.
No. 41403).

[0019]

In a conventional image processing apparatus having a digital watermark function, a setting for embedding a digital watermark can be made to a person other than a specific user. The image data's evidential ability and copyright could not be sufficiently protected.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and has as its object to restrict who can make various settings for embedding a digital watermark in order to protect the evidential ability of image data and copyright. I do.

[0021]

In order to solve this problem, for example, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention has the following configuration. That is, an embedding unit for embedding the embedding data in the image data, an authentication unit for authenticating information on a user, and when the authentication unit has been authenticated, the embedding data in the embedding unit is set to either visible or invisible. Setting means for performing the setting.

With this configuration, the image processing apparatus has a function of permitting only the authenticated user to set the visible or invisible of the embedded data.

To solve this problem, for example, the image processing apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
Embedding means for embedding the embedded data in the image data, authentication means for authenticating information about the user, and setting means for setting the embedding position in the embedding means when authentication is performed by the authentication means.

With this configuration, the image processing apparatus has a function of permitting only the authenticated user to set the embedding position of the embedding data.

To solve this problem, for example, the image processing apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
Embedding means for embedding the embedded data in the image data, authentication means for authenticating information about the user, and selection means for selecting the embedded data in the embedding means when authentication is performed by the authentication means.

With this configuration, the image processing apparatus has a function of permitting only an authenticated user to select embedded data.

To solve this problem, for example, the image processing apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
An embedding unit for embedding the embedding data in the image data, an authentication unit for authenticating information about the user, and when authentication is performed by the authentication unit, the correlation between the resistance to the embedding data in the embedding unit and the image quality after embedding is determined. Setting means for setting.

With this configuration, the image processing apparatus has a function of giving only an authenticated user permission to set a mutual relationship between the tolerance to embedded data and the image quality after embedding.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The authentication means performs authentication based on the input password.

As a result, the use permission of the image processing apparatus can be given only to the user by the password.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The authentication unit performs authentication based on the input physical characteristics of the user.

As a result, only the user can be given permission to use the image processing apparatus according to the physical characteristics of the user.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The image processing apparatus further comprises compression means for compressing the image data in which the embedded data is embedded, and storage means for storing the image data compressed by the compression means.

As a result, since the image data in which the embedded data is embedded can be saved as a file having a smaller size than the original, more image data can be saved in the image processing apparatus.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The image processing apparatus further includes a restoration unit that restores the image data compressed by the compression unit to original image data.

As a result, the compressed image data file can be restored to the original image data.

Here, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The storage means has a removable memory.

As a result, since the image processing apparatus has a removable memory, data exchange with another image processing apparatus can be performed.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The image processing apparatus further includes an imaging unit, and the embedding unit embeds the embedded data in the image data captured by the imaging unit.

As a result, the image processing apparatus performs image processing on the captured data.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The image processing apparatus is included in a digital still camera.

The image processing apparatus is preferably a digital still camera.

To solve this problem, for example, the image processing method of the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
An embedding step of embedding the embedding data in the image data, an authentication step of authenticating information about the user, and a setting for setting the embedded data in the embedding step to either visible or invisible when the authentication is performed by the authentication step. And a process.

With this configuration, the image processing method has a function of permitting only the authenticated user to set the visible or invisible of the embedded data.

To solve this problem, for example, the image processing method of the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
The method includes an embedding step of embedding the embedding data in the image data, an authentication step of authenticating information about a user, and a setting step of setting the embedding position in the embedding step when authentication is performed in the authentication step.

With this configuration, the image processing method has a function of permitting only the authenticated user to set the embedding position of the embedding data.

To solve this problem, for example, the image processing method of the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
The method includes an embedding step of embedding the embedding data in the image data, an authentication step of authenticating information about the user, and a selecting step of selecting the embedding data in the embedding step when authentication is performed in the authentication step.

With this configuration, the image processing method has a function of permitting only an authenticated user to select embedded data.

To solve this problem, for example, the image processing method of the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
An embedding step of embedding the embedding data in the image data; an authentication step of authenticating information about the user; and if authentication is performed by the authentication step, the correlation between the resistance to the embedded data in the embedding step and the image quality after embedding is determined. Setting step.

With this configuration, this image processing method has a function of giving only an authenticated user permission to set the mutual relationship between the resistance to embedded data and the image quality after embedding.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The authentication step performs authentication based on the input password.

As a result, the use permission of the image processing apparatus can be given only to the user by the password.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The authentication step performs authentication based on the input physical characteristics of the user.

As a result, only the user can be given permission to use the image processing apparatus according to the physical characteristics of the user.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The image processing apparatus further includes a compression step of compressing the image data in which the embedded data is embedded, and a storage step of storing the image data compressed by the compression step.

As a result, since the image data in which the embedded data is embedded can be saved as a file having a smaller size, more image data can be saved in the image processing apparatus.

Here, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The image processing apparatus further includes a restoration step of restoring the image data compressed in the compression step to original image data.

As a result, the compressed image data file can be restored to the original image data.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The storing step includes a step in a removable memory.

As a result, since the image processing method includes a step in a removable memory, data exchange with another image processing apparatus can be performed.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The method further includes an imaging step, wherein the embedding step embeds the embedding data in the image data captured by the imaging step.

As a result, the image processing method performs image processing on the captured data.

Here, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The image processing method is included in an image processing method in a digital still camera.

The image processing method is preferably an image processing method in a digital still camera.

To solve this problem, for example, the program code of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, an embedding program code in which the computer embeds the embedding data in the image data, an authentication program code for authenticating information about the user, and when the authentication is performed by the authentication program code, the embedded data in the embedding program code is visible, A setting program code for setting to any of invisible.

With this configuration, this program code is:
It has a function to allow only authenticated users to set the visibility of embedded data.

To solve this problem, for example, the program code of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, the computer sets an embedding program code for embedding the embedding data in the image data, an authentication program code for authenticating information about a user, and, when authentication is performed by the authentication program code, the embedding position in the embedding program code. Setting program code to be set.

With this configuration, this program code is:
It has a function that allows only the authenticated user to set the embedding position of the embedded data.

To solve this problem, for example, the program code of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, an embedding program code for embedding the embedding data in the image data by the computer, an authentication program code for authenticating information about the user, and a selection for selecting the embedding data in the embedding program code when authentication is performed by the authentication program code. Program code.

With this configuration, this program code
It has a function to allow only authenticated users to select embedded data.

To solve this problem, for example, the program code of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, an embedding program code for embedding embedded data in image data by a computer, an authentication program code for authenticating information about a user, and when authentication is performed by the authentication program code, resistance to embedded data in the embedded program code and embedding. And a setting program code for setting a mutual relationship between image qualities later.

With this configuration, this program code is:
It has a function to give only an authenticated user permission to set the interrelationship between the resistance to embedded data and the image quality after embedding.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The authentication program code performs authentication based on an input password.

As a result, the use permission of the image processing apparatus can be given only to the user by the password.

Here, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The authentication program code performs authentication based on the input physical characteristics of the user.

As a result, according to the physical characteristics of the user, it is possible to give only the user permission to use the image processing apparatus.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The image processing apparatus further includes a compression program code for compressing the image data in which the embedded data is embedded, and a storage program code for storing the image data compressed by the compression program code.

As a result, since the image data in which the embedded data is embedded can be saved as a file having a smaller size than the original, more image data can be saved in the image processing apparatus.

Here, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The image processing apparatus further includes a restoration program code for restoring the image data compressed by the compression program code to original image data.

As a result, the compressed image data file can be restored to the original image data.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The storage program code includes a program code in a removable memory.

As a result, since the image processing method has the program code in the removable memory, data exchange with another image processing apparatus can be performed.

Here, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The image processing apparatus further includes an imaging program code, wherein the embedding program code embeds the embedding data in the image data captured by the imaging program code.

As a result, the image processing method performs image processing on captured data.

Here, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The program code of the image processing apparatus is included in the program code of a digital still camera.

The program code of the image processing apparatus is preferably a digital still camera program code.

[0087]

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

The following description will be made in the case of a digital still camera, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a computer device that embeds embedded data in image data from an image input device such as a digital still camera, The present invention can also be applied to an application program to be executed.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an example of a digital still camera viewed from the back.

The digital still camera of the present embodiment has an optical viewfinder 201, a rear electronic dial 202 for inputting an up / down signal on a rear cover of the camera, and a display for displaying a photographed image and a user interface screen. Color monitor 203, various setting button group 20
4 is provided.

Various settings of the camera can be made on the color monitor 203.
Can be input / changed using the setting button 204 and the rear electronic dial 202 while looking at the screen displayed in.

FIG. 5 is an electric block diagram of the digital still camera.

The microprocessor 304 controls various devices according to program codes stored in the flash memory 306 in advance.

The image sensor 301 is operated by the release operation.
A subject image is formed on (for example, a CCD area sensor), and the image signal is A / D converted by an A / D converter 302 to become a digital signal. The digital image signal (hereinafter referred to as digital image data) is converted into an image signal
After performing the color interpolation processing and the filtering processing in 03, the data is temporarily stored in the DRAM 308 via the data bus 311. The digital image data stored in the DRAM 308 is displayed on the color monitor 203 as needed.

The digital image data used here is embedded with data such as copyright information by a method to be described later in the present embodiment, and then compressed by JPEGIC 307 to obtain a memory card interface (hereinafter abbreviated as I / F).
The data is written to the removable memory card 313 via the USB memory 310.

The image data is stored in the serial I / F 309.
The image data can also be output to the serial bus 312 via the PC, and image data can be easily distributed over the network.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a camera which requires authentication by a password when confirming or changing the setting of a digital watermark. The program code for executing this process is stored in the flash memory 306.

Setting button 204 and rear electronic dial 20
When the operation mode of the camera is set to the “digital watermark setting mode” using Step 2, the flow from step S100 in FIG. 1 is executed.

First, in step S101, it is determined whether or not this mode has been canceled. Since the setting mode has just been started, the process proceeds to step S102, and a password input screen is displayed on the color monitor 203.

FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of the password input screen.

The user selects a character from numbers 1 to 0 and letters A to Z displayed on the color monitor 203,
Enter the correct password.

The back electronic dial 202 is used for moving a cursor 501 for selecting a character, and the setting button 204 is used for selecting a character. When the selection of the input character string 502 is completed, the user selects the “Enter” key 503 in the figure to determine the password character string.

The procedure for setting a password may be the same as that of a well-known device equipped with a password function, for example, a mobile phone. That is, a password at the time of shipment is set at the time of purchase, and a legitimate user calls a password update screen using the currently set password, and can set a new password there. If the password is forgotten, it is necessary to bring it to the service center of the device and rewrite the password there. Such a password update procedure is not particularly limited in the present embodiment.

The password thus input is verified in step S103. If the password is not correct, the process returns to step S101, and it is determined whether or not this mode has been released. If the user gives up the display / setting of the embedding mode and cancels the digital watermark setting mode, the process proceeds to step S108, and this mode ends.

If the password is correct and it is authenticated that the user is a legitimate user, the flow shifts to step S104 to display a digital watermark embedding mode setting screen.

FIG. 6 shows an example of an embedding mode setting screen displayed on the color monitor 203.

FIG. 6A shows an embedding mode setting screen. Each item enclosed by a square represents the selected setting.

In this setting example, the “embed” function is “ON”, the “type” of embedding is “invisible” embedding, the embedding “strength” is “image quality priority”, and the “embedding position” of the embedding data is the screen. The setting is “center”.

Here, the embedding strength corresponds to the change amount, which is one of the key information. When priority is given to the image quality, the embedding strength is reduced by reducing the change amount, and the image quality is not impaired. Conversely, when the priority is given to the tolerance, the embedding strength is increased by increasing the change amount, and the image quality is reduced instead. As described above, there is a trade-off between image quality and tolerance.

FIG. 6B shows an example of a setting screen for embedded data.

In this embodiment, three types of data can be set in advance, and data enclosed by a square represents the selected data. Now, "Ieyasu Tokugawa" is selected as the embedded data. These settings are made by the camera setting button 204 and the rear electronic dial 20.
2 can be entered and changed. The input of the embedded data may be performed by the same method as the password input screen of FIG. The set contents are stored in the memory card 313 via the I / F 310.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the embedding position in the screen. FIG. 3A shows that the embedding position is “center”.
In the case of, the shaded portion 401 represents an area where the embedded data is embedded. Similarly, FIG. 11B shows the case where the position is “left”, and the shaded portion 402 is the embedding region.

The embedding position is composed of a plurality of sets of the blocks 102 described above. Data to be embedded in the frequency components of each block 102 is dispersed and embedded. The camera user looks at the configuration displayed on the screen 203. It is sufficient to select a region having sufficient contrast and having little effect on image quality even when data is embedded. This selection may be automated by a mechanical operation.

Returning to the description of the flowchart of FIG. 1, when there is a change in the setting, the process is executed in step S106.

In the next step S107, step S10
As in the case of 1, it is determined whether this mode has not been released yet. If the user cancels the digital watermark setting mode, the process proceeds to step S108 to end this mode. If the mode is to be continued, the embedding mode is displayed again in step S104.

As described above, the display or change of the digital watermark embedding mode is permitted only to the authorized user by authenticating the password. The actual data embedding operation will be described below. Executed by release operation.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the release operation of the digital still camera according to the present embodiment.

When the release button of the camera (not shown) is turned on, the flow goes through step S800 to step S801.
Drives the image sensor to perform “accumulation / reading of image” (image signal processing, DRAM 308 during this step).
Up to storage in In the next step S802, it is determined whether or not the digital watermark embedding function is turned on. Since the current setting is “on”, the data embedding operation is executed in step S803.

Here, if the setting is “OFF”, S
The flow shifts to 804, where the data is stored in the flash memory 306 without performing the embedding operation.

When the digital image data is stored in the flash memory 306 in step S804, the photographing operation ends in the next step S805. Although not specified, a JPEG compression operation is performed before storage in the memory.

[Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment, a password is used for authentication of an authorized user. However, as a second embodiment, by inputting physical characteristics as user information in advance, A description will be given of an embodiment of a camera in which, when the digital watermark mode is changed, the user is quickly and reliably identified based on the physical characteristics of the user at that time, and only authorized users can display or change the mode.

The physical features that can be used for identifying a person include a fingerprint, a voice pattern (voiceprint), and an iris (or retina) pattern.

For detecting a fingerprint, see, for example,
This can be realized by providing a two-dimensional image sensor used in a fingerprint input device proposed in Japanese Patent No. 9304 around a release button of a camera. A method using a voice pattern (voiceprint) is more known.

Further, the detection of an iris pattern can be realized by using an area sensor of a line-of-sight detection device of a camera as proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-323008 by the present applicant.

Regardless of which physical feature is used, it is necessary to input the characteristics of the regular user in advance. For this purpose, it is sufficient to perform input according to each physical feature prior to photographing.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the second embodiment in which the iris pattern is a physical feature.

As in the case of FIG. 1, when the operation mode of the camera is set to the “digital watermark setting mode” using the setting button 204 and the rear electronic dial 202, the flow from step S200 in FIG. 10 is executed (FIG. 10). Hereinafter, description of the same steps as those in FIG. 1 will be omitted.)

In step S209, the iris pattern of the user who is in eye contact with the finder is detected using the visual line detection device. See JP-A-7-323008 for details. Then, in the next step S203, the iris pattern is compared with a previously input iris pattern to verify the user.
If the corresponding iris patterns do not match, or if the detection of the iris pattern has failed, the process returns to step S201. If the user is authenticated by the iris pattern, the process proceeds to step S204, and a digital watermark embedding mode setting screen is displayed. Subsequent steps are the same as in FIG. If a voice pattern (voiceprint) or fingerprint is used instead of an iris pattern as a physical feature, step S209 may be set to “input user's voice” and “input user's fingerprint”, respectively.

In the second embodiment described above, since the physical characteristics of a person are used, the user can be quickly authenticated as compared with the method of using the password according to the first embodiment, and is used in the field. Suitable for cameras that are often used.

[Other Embodiments] In the above description, a digital still camera has been described as an example of an image processing apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to a still camera. It is also effective for a recording device. Further, even if the present invention is applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, and the like), the present invention is applied to a device including one device (for example, a copier, a facsimile device, and the like). Is also good.

The object of the above-described embodiment is to supply a storage medium (or a recording medium) in which a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment is recorded to a system or an apparatus, and to provide the system or the apparatus. It is needless to say that the present invention is also achieved when a computer (or a CPU or an MPU) reads and executes a program code stored in a storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the above-described embodiment. By executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an operating system (OS) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where some or all of the actual processing is performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing is also included.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into the memory provided in the function expansion card inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is read based on the instruction of the program code. Needless to say, the CPU included in the function expansion card or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

When the above-described embodiment is applied to the storage medium, the storage medium stores program codes corresponding to the above-described flowcharts (shown in FIG. 1, 8, or 10).

[0134]

As described above, according to the present invention, in order to protect the evidential ability of image data and the copyright, there is an effect of limiting a person who can make various settings for embedding a digital watermark.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a digital watermarking technique according to the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the same block division in the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the digital still camera according to the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 5 is an electric block diagram of the digital still camera according to the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a monitor display example according to the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a digital watermarking technique according to the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a release operation of the camera according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of monitor display according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the second embodiment.

Claims (33)

[Claims] 1. An embedding means for embedding embedded data in image data, an authentication means for authenticating information on a user, and when the authentication means has performed authentication, whether the embedded data in the embedding means is visible or invisible. An image processing apparatus comprising: setting means for setting a crab. 2. An embedding means for embedding embedding data in image data, an authentication means for authenticating information on a user, and a setting for setting the embedding position in the embedding means when authentication is performed by the authentication means. And an image processing apparatus. 3. An embedding means for embedding embedding data in image data, an authentication means for authenticating information about a user, and a selection means for selecting embedded data in the embedding means when authentication is performed by the authentication means. An image processing apparatus comprising: 4. An embedding means for embedding embedding data in image data, an authentication means for authenticating information about a user, and when authentication is performed by the authentication means, a resistance to the embedding data in the embedding means and an image quality after embedding. An image processing apparatus comprising: setting means for setting a mutual relationship between the image processing apparatuses. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication unit performs authentication based on an input password. 6. The authentication device according to claim 1, wherein the authentication unit performs authentication based on the input physical characteristics of the user.
5. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a compression unit configured to compress the image data in which the embedded data is embedded, and a storage unit configured to store the image data compressed by the compression unit. 2. The image processing device according to claim 1. 8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a restoration unit that restores the image data compressed by the compression unit to original image data. 9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said storage means has a removable memory. 10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an imaging unit, wherein the embedding unit embeds the embedded data in the image data captured by the imaging unit.
5. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, 11. The digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is included in a digital still camera.
The image processing device according to any one of 0 to 0. 12. An embedding step of embedding embedded data in image data; an authentication step of authenticating information about a user; and if the authentication step has performed authentication, the embedded data in the embedding step is either visible or invisible. An image processing method comprising: setting a crab. 13. An embedding step of embedding embedding data in image data, an authentication step of authenticating information on a user, and a setting for setting the embedding position in the embedding step when authentication is performed in the authentication step. And an image processing method. 14. An embedding step of embedding embedded data in image data, an authentication step of authenticating information on a user, and a selection step of selecting embedded data in the embedding step when authentication is performed in the authentication step. An image processing method comprising: 15. An embedding step of embedding embedding data in image data, an authentication step of authenticating information on a user, and, if authentication is performed in the authentication step, resistance to the embedding data in the embedding step and image quality after embedding. And a setting step of setting a mutual relationship between the image processing methods. 16. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein in the authentication step, authentication is performed based on an input password. 17. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the authentication step performs authentication based on the input physical characteristics of the user. 18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising a compression step of compressing the image data in which the embedded data is embedded, and a storage step of storing the image data compressed by the compression step. Item 2. The image processing method according to item 1. 19. The image processing method according to claim 18, further comprising a restoration step of restoring the image data compressed in the compression step to original image data. 20. The image processing method according to claim 18, wherein said storing step includes a step in a removable memory. 21. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging step, wherein the embedding step embeds the embedded data in the image data captured by the imaging step.
16. The image processing method according to any one of 2 to 15. 22. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the image processing method is included in an image processing method in a digital still camera. 23. An embedding program code for embedding embedded data in image data by a computer, an authentication program code for authenticating information about a user, and when authentication is performed by the authentication program code,
A storage medium storing a setting program code for setting the embedded data in the embedded program code to either visible or invisible. 24. An embedding program code for embedding embedding data in image data by a computer, an authentication program code for authenticating information about a user, and when authentication is performed by the authentication program code,
And a setting program code for setting the embedding position in the embedding program code. 25. An embedding program code for embedding embedding data in image data by a computer, an authentication program code for authenticating information about a user, and when authentication is performed by the authentication program code,
And a selection program code for selecting embedded data in the embedded program code. 26. An embedding program code for embedding embedding data in image data by a computer, an authentication program code for authenticating information about a user, and when authentication is performed by the authentication program code,
A storage medium storing a setting program code for setting a correlation between embedded image resistance in embedded program code and image quality after embedding. 27. The storage medium for storing a program code according to claim 23, wherein the authentication program code performs authentication based on an input password. 28. The storage medium storing the program code according to claim 23, wherein the authentication program code performs authentication based on the input physical characteristics of the user. 29. The apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a compression program code for compressing the image data in which the embedded data is embedded, and a storage program code for storing the image data compressed by the compression program code. A storage medium storing the program code according to any one of the above. 30. The storage medium according to claim 29, further comprising a restoration program code for restoring the image data compressed by the compression program code to original image data. 31. The storage medium according to claim 29, wherein the storage program code comprises a program code in a removable memory. 32. The method according to claim 23, further comprising an imaging program code, wherein the embedding program code embeds the embedding data in the image data captured by the imaging program code. A storage medium for storing the program code described in 1. 33. A storage medium for storing a program code according to claim 23, wherein a program code of said image processing apparatus is included in a program code of a digital still camera.