Image generation apparatus, image processing apparatus, computer readable medium and computer data signal

1. An image generation apparatus having a CPU comprising:

an acquisition unit of the CPU that acquires information to be embedded in each of a plurality of partitions on a recording medium; and

a generation unit of the CPU that generates an image in which first pattern images representing the information and a second pattern image controlling acquisition of the information from the first pattern images are placed in each of the plurality of partitions, the first and second pattern images being ones of m C n pattern images which are obtained by placing a unit image in n points selected from among m points where m and n are natural numbers, m≧4, and 2≦n<m,

wherein the first and second pattern images are placed in each of the plurality of partitions on the recording medium, and

wherein:

m is a square number,

the second pattern image is one selected from among 4q pattern images, of the m C n pattern images, for detecting rotation of the partitions, and

the first pattern images is ones selected from among 2 p pattern images of the m C n pattern images except the 4q pattern images, where p and q are natural numbers satisfying 2 p +4q≦ m C n .

2. An image generation apparatus having a CPU comprising:

an acquisition unit of the CPU that acquires information to be embedded in each of a plurality of partitions on a recording medium; and

a generation unit of the CPU that generates an image in which first pattern images representing the information and a second pattern image controlling acquisition of the information from the first pattern images are placed in each of the plurality of partitions, the first and second pattern images being ones of m C n which are obtained by placing a unit image in n points selected from among m points where m and n are natural numbers, m≧4, and 2≦n<m,

wherein the first and second pattern images are placed in each of the plurality of partitions on the recording medium, and

wherein:

m is a product of two different integers,

the second pattern image is one selected from among 2q pattern images, of the m C n pattern images, for detecting rotation of the partitions, and

the first pattern images are ones selected from among 2 p pattern images of the m C n pattern images except the 2q pattern images, where p and q are natural numbers satisfying 2 p +2q≦ m C n .

3. An image processing apparatus having a CPU comprising:

an image acquisition unit of the CPU that acquires an image from a recording medium on which formed is the image containing first pattern images representing information and a second pattern image controlling acquisition of the information; and

an information acquisition unit of the CPU that acquires the information represented by the first pattern images contained in the image, based on the second pattern image contained in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit, wherein:

the second pattern image belongs to any of a plurality of pattern image groups,

the plurality of pattern image groups are respectively associated with rules relating to placement of the first pattern images, and

the information acquisition unit determines the pattern image group to which the second pattern image belongs, and acquires the information in accordance with the rule associated with the determined pattern image group,

wherein the image includes the first pattern images and the second pattern image which are selected from among m C n pattern images obtained by placing a unit image in n points selected from among m points where m and n are natural numbers, m≧4, and 2≦n<m, and

the first and second pattern images are placed in each of the plurality of partitions on the recording medium.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the rule relates to at least one of a size of each partition and types of information placed in respective positions of each partition.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the rule relates to a method of selecting the first pattern images from the plurality of pattern image groups.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein:

the image is formed with an invisible image formation material having an absorption wavelength in an infrared region, and

the information acquisition unit applies infrared light to the recording medium to acquiring the image.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for generating an image, the process comprising:

acquiring information to be embedded in each of a plurality of partitions on a recording medium; and

generating the image in which first pattern images representing the information and a second pattern image controlling acquisition of the information from the first pattern images are placed in each of the plurality of partitions, the first and second pattern images being ones of m C n pattern images which are obtained by placing a unit image in n points selected from among m points where m and n are natural numbers, m≧4, and 2≦n<m,

wherein the first and second pattern images are placed in each of the plurality of partitions on the recording medium, and

wherein:

m is a square number,

the second pattern image is one selected from among 4q pattern images, of the m C n pattern images, for detecting rotation of the partitions, and

the first pattern images is ones selected from among 2 p pattern images of the m C n pattern images except the 4q pattern images, where p and q are natural numbers satisfying 2 p +4q≦ m C n .

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute image processing, the image processing comprising:

acquiring an image from a recording medium on which formed is the image containing first pattern images representing information and a second pattern image controlling acquisition of the information; and

acquiring the information represented by the first pattern images contained in the image, based on the second pattern image contained in the acquired image, wherein:

the second pattern image belongs to any of a plurality of pattern image groups, and

the plurality of pattern image groups are respectively associated with rules relating to placement of the first pattern images,

the image processing further comprising:

determining the pattern image group to which the second pattern image belongs; and

acquiring the information in accordance with the rule associated with the determined pattern image group,

wherein the image includes the first pattern images and the second pattern image which are selected from among m C n pattern images obtained by placing a unit image in n points selected from among m points where m and n are natural numbers, m≧4, and 2≦n<m, and

the first and second pattern images are placed in each of the plurality of partitions on the recording medium.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for generating an image, the process comprising:

acquiring information to be embedded in each of a plurality of partitions on a recording medium; and

generating the image in which first pattern images representing the information and a second pattern image controlling acquisition of the information from the first pattern images are placed in each of the plurality of partitions, the first and second pattern images being ones of m C n pattern images which are obtained by placing a unit image in n points selected from among m points where m and n are natural numbers, m≧4, and 2≦n<m,

wherein the first and second pattern images are placed in each of the plurality of partitions on the recording medium, and

wherein:

m is a product of two different integers,

the second pattern image is one selected from among 2q pattern images, of the m C n pattern images, for detecting rotation of the partitions, and

the first pattern images are ones selected from among 2 p pattern images of the m C n pattern images except the 2q pattern images, where p and q are natural numbers satisfying 2 p +2q≦ m C n .