Patent ID: 6978035

Claim:
An information hiding system for hiding information data within printing data disposed upon a printable media, said system comprising: embedding means for embedding said information data within said printing data, wherein said embedding means comprises an embedding computer upon which is stored an embedding program means for performing the steps of: fetching a digital image represented by pure binary code; decomposing said digital image into a set of bit-planes; replacing complex local portions of at least one of said bit-planes with said information data; composing said bit planes into an embedded image represented by pure binary code; and sending said embedded image to said printing means for printing onto said printable media; printing means for disposing said information data and said printing data upon said printable media to form a printed matter; extracting means for reading said printed matter and extracting said information data from said printing data; and outputting means for outputting said information data from said extracting means.