Patent ID: 7706026

Claim:
A method of image processing, comprising the steps of: inputting an original image having original picture data into a processing apparatus, the processing apparatus performing the steps of: designating a designated area to be processed in the original image, wherein the designated area is a section of the original image having no original picture data; dividing the designated area of the original image into a plurality of sections; generating a first processed image from the original image by adding a first pattern to at least one of the plurality of sections of the designated area of the original image, wherein the first processed image includes a plurality of sections each section having a plurality of blocks; obtaining feature information for each one of the plurality of sections of the first processed image, wherein the obtaining step includes: extracting one or more blocks having picture data from the plurality of blocks for each one of the plurality of sections of the first processed image, wherein the picture data contains at least one of the first pattern that has been added to the original image and the original picture data of the original image; counting a number of the extracted blocks to generate a counted result for each one of the plurality of blocks of the first processed image; and converting the counted result to the feature information according to a conversion rule; and generating a protected image by adding a second pattern generated according to the feature information to each one of the plurality of sections of the first processed image.