PDF embedder for artwork elements with PDF files

1. A method of estimating signal robustness of an encoded artwork element within a PDF file, said method comprising:

obtaining the encoded artwork element, the encoded artwork element comprising a signal encoded therein comprising a synchronization component and a message component;

generating an interference mask representing PDF file elements which overlay the encoded artwork element;

applying the interference mask to the encoded artwork element to yield a masked, encoded artwork element;

generating local robustness scores from the masked, encoded artwork element, in which said local robustness scores represent scores associated with both the synchronization component and the message component;

outputting computed local robustness scores.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said generating an interference mask comprises placing each of the PDF file elements which overlay the encoded artwork element onto a single page and rasterize the single page into a raster image.

3. The method of claim 2 in which an alpha channel representing the raster image is utilized as the interference mask.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the PDF file elements comprise at least one of text, barcode, color or graphics.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to said act of obtaining, rasterizing the artwork element, and then encoding the rasterized artwork element to yield the encoded artwork element, said encoding introducing both the synchronization component and the message component into the rasterized artwork element.

6. A method to encode a PDF file with a signal, the PDF file comprising a plurality of elements including an artwork element, said method comprising:

disassembling the PDF file to obtain the artwork element;

first encoding the artwork element according to a first signal encoding, said first encoding yielding a first encoded artwork element;

second encoding the artwork element according to a second signal encoding, said second encoding yielding a second encoded artwork element;

third encoding the artwork element according to a third signal encoding, said third encoding yielding a third encoded artwork element;

generating a signal robustness score for each of the first encoded artwork element, the second encoded artwork element and the third encoded artwork element;

selecting the first encoded artwork element, the second encoded artwork element, or the third encoded artwork element based on generated signal robustness scores, said selecting yield a selected encoded artwork element;

reassembling the PDF file so as to include the selected encoded artwork element instead of the artwork element.

7. The method of claim 6 in which said selecting utilizes visibility scores associated with encoded signals in each of the first encoded artwork element, the second encoded artwork element, and the third encoded artwork element.

8. The method of claim 6 , and prior to the first encoding the artwork element, said method comprises rasterizing the artwork element.

9. A method of encoding a signal in a PDF file, the PDF file comprising a first element including a color image comprising original Cyan (C), original Magenta (M), original Yellow (Y), collectively, original CMY, said method comprising:

rasterizing the first element to yield a rasterized first element;

at a rasterized first element location to be encoded, determining gradients of L*, a*, b* with respect to changes in the original CMY;

using determined L* gradient information to find a direction in CMY-space which moves towards a target a*, b* value while keeping L* unchanged within a predetermined tolerance;

using determined a*, b* gradient information to find a scale value for a*, b* in a determined L* gradient direction to reach the target a*, b* value, said act of using determined a*, b* gradient information to find a scale value yielding a found scale value;

applying the found scale value to the original CMY to yield scaled CMY, and using the scaled CMY as replacement values for the original CMY, the scaled CMY carrying the encoded signal and yielding an encoded rasterized first element;

replacing the first element with the encoded rasterized first element in the PDF file.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, if L* has changed above the predetermined tolerance, using the a*, b* gradient information to find a direction that changes L* while keeping a*, b* unchanged within a predetermined tolerance, and using the L* gradient information to find a scale value of this change to reduce L*.

11. The method of claim 9 in which the target a*, b* value represents an a*, b* value which includes the encoded signal value for an image pixel or group of image pixels.

12. The method of claim 9 in which the rasterized first element location to be encoded represents an image pixel or group of image pixels.