DE10001177A1 - Method and device for identifying fax documents by means of a fax machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The fax machine contains circuits (10-14, 16-18) for identifying the fax document, which are superimposed on the same fax document and an image of graphic identification data, and it has a circuit (14) for brightening the identification image, the pixels of the Document and the identifier image are nested together (Fig. 1).

Description

When a fax machine transmits one page of a fax document, it replaces one Image line at the top of the page with an alphanumeric text line as the identifier of the Caller, called LIC, in which his phone number and air time are given become. The receiving fax machine can still have its own telephone number join. This makes it easier for users to manage received faxes facilitated.

However, the information provided on the LIC line is limited Value.

From EP-596 706 A1 it is known the image of a fax document and the image of a logo on top of each other. The disadvantage here is that doing both Images run the risk of obscuring each other and therefore no longer usable are.

The present invention has for its object to eliminate this disadvantage.

This object is achieved with the characterizing features of method claim 1 and device claim 6 . Advantageous refinements are the subject of the dependent claims.

The inventive method for labeling fax documents by a Fax machine with one document and one on the same fax document If the identifier image is overlaid from graphic identifier data, the ID picture before.

The identification picture with the graphic identification data represents a background, which forms a kind of watermark through which the fax document is authenticated, without, however, darkening the usable image too much. The concept of Labeling of fax documents is to be understood in the broadest sense, because in addition to identifying a fax machine and its user, it also covers the  Detection based on attributes assigned to the document, such as its Priority level, its confidentiality and the like.

The invention is based on the description of an advantageous embodiment of the fax machine explained in more detail, which is shown in the accompanying drawing. It demonstrate:

Fig. 1 is an assembly diagram of the facsimile machine,

Fig. 2 is a more detailed circuit diagram of a central processing unit (CPU) of the fax machine, and

Fig. 3, 4 and 5 according to the invention, illustrate the various document formats.

The fax machine shown schematically in FIG. 1 contains a central unit 1 with a microprocessor, which is controlled by a clock generator 2 . A circuit 3 for the line interface, which ensures the exchange of sound and message signals, connects the central unit 1 to a line 9 of the switching telephone network. An optical reader for documents or a scanner 4 as well as a printer 5 , a keyboard 6 and a screen 7 are also connected to the central unit 1 .

The central unit 1 comprises a complex 10 to 18 , consisting of arithmetic (microprocessor) and memory circuits, which are shown in FIG. 2 in a function-related form. This complex is divided into two channels for the processing of image signals, 10-14 for the identification images or for comments on the fax documents and 15-17 for the images of the fax documents, which are combined in a circuit 18 for combining the two image types in one Presentation of the fax document in classic size, which is now ready for transmission via the mediating telephone network or for local output.

The first channel comprises a memory 10 with a large number of identification image data for fax documents, with the aid of which the fax machine shown or its user can be identified. These can be logos or symbols for comments on a document, for example for specifying a priority for processing a received fax document or for determining a confidential status. These images are originally provided by the scanner 4 or another scanner used for this purpose or by a local PC via a line (not shown) or also by an equivalent device via the line 9 of the switching telephone network.

The memory 10 is addressed by a circuit 11 for image selection, which is operated from the keyboard 6 . It is followed by a circuit 12 for changing the size or scale, here specifically for reducing the image. The circuit 12 periodically inserts pixels by interpolation to enlarge the image, or removes them at a specified interval to reduce the image.

A circuit 13 downstream of the circuit 12 for cutting out the image supplies a circuit 14 for image brightening with images. This is connected at its output to the circuit 18 for the assembly of the image of the fax document ready for transmission or output. The process of cutting out is to replace signals from the pixels of an image area with other signals representing pixels for spaces. In other words, it means the lack of a print command for these pixels.

When lightening, for example, the diameter of the pixels to be printed reduced, for example by reducing the time for heating the Heating elements in a thermal printer, or there are pixels in a particular one Clearance cleared.

A memory 15 , which contains the images of the documents to be sent, belongs to the second channel. The input into it takes place with the aid of the scanner 4 or another input device, as indicated for the memory 10 . When reading, the memory 15 is connected to a circuit 16 for changing the scale, followed by a circuit for cutting 17 , which in turn opens into the circuit 18 for joining the images together.

The operation of the fax machine is explained in more detail below. First for the Sending and then for receiving faxes.

The memory 10 represents a library with graphic data, with the help of which the pictures of the documents to be sent and / or the received documents that are to be output can be provided with graphic comments.

In the case of a shipment, the user optically records the document. The image signals are stored in the memory 15 . Using the keyboard 6 and depending on a menu displayed by the central unit 1 on the screen 7 , he then selects an identifier image from the memory 10 in order to add it to the image of the document and then to send the composite image thus created.

This linking of the two different images on one and the same electronic page of a fax document can be done in different ways, which is explained in the three following examples of FIGS. 3 to 5.

In the first example, which is shown in FIG. 3, an identification image 121 retrieved from the memory 10 , coupled with the LIC line 122 , and the image of the document 120 from the memory 15 are overlaid in the circuit 18 . The data of the circuits 12 and 13 are transparent here. The circuit 14 for brightening the identification image 121 is activated in order to prevent the image of the document 120 from being darkened too much.

The identification image 121 represents a background in the form of a watermark which authenticates the fax document by identifying the sending fax machine or an entire family of such fax machines, all of which belong to the same company, for example.

This superimposition of the two images can consist in adding for each pixel the intensity values of the two homologous pixels for the same position in each of the two images that are to be combined. As a variant, the composite image can be easily restored by alternately scanning the intensity values reading from one and the other image when changing from one pixel position to the next. For example, the even row rank pixels in the electronic image of document 120 are read and the odd row rank pixels in the electronic image of identifier image 121 . In this way, the two images are very finely interleaved and each is half-lightened, since only half of their pixels are captured.

A "form factor" of 1/4 for the detection of the identification image, in which only one pixel out of four is detected, makes it possible to assign the image of the document 120 3/4 to the number of pixels, so that it can be restored in good quality and the identifier image 121 is blurred but still clearly recognizable. The circuit 14 can advantageously be integrated in the circuit 18 for the image linkage in order to brighten and combine the image at the same time.

The circuit 12 for the scale change of the logo can be activated to this decrease optionally to make it, as shown in Fig. 5, superimposed by only one of the image of the document 120 part and not almost the whole image of the document relates to 120.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate additional examples is to the case illustrated in FIG. 3.

In the interest of clarity, the identification image 121 , which is superimposed on the image of the document, was not shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In the example of FIG. 4, an additional identification image 101 is selected from the memory 10 with the aid of the circuit 11 , which is operated via the keyboard 6 , and is passed through the circuit 12 for reduction. The image data of the circuits 13 for cutting out and 14 for lightening can be transparent. The image of the document in the memory 15 is also reduced in scale. It passes through the cut-out circuit 17 without change and finally arrives at the circuit 18 for the image joining. The two images from the two channels are connected here and now form the image of a fax document with identification. The frame of a dotted line completes the drawings to indicate the normal size of the image of one page of a fax document.

The image contains the identification image with the designation 101 and an alphanumeric LIC line 102 with identification information which indicate the telephone number of the sending fax machine, to which the date and time at the time of the transmission are added via line 9 . The image of the document 100 retrieved and reduced from the memory 15 is separated from the images 101 and 102 and arranged immediately adjacent to them in order to optimally utilize the available area.

The additional identifier image 101 is arranged at the very edge of the overall image, in the vicinity of the upper left corner. The alphanumeric LIC line 102 appears at the top of the screen.

Instead of or in addition to an identifier image, comments can be provided such as "Urgent" or "Confidential", or the name of the The person who wrote the fax document and / or the name of the recipient, the same whether person or company.

The receiving fax machine outputs the page of the fax document by possibly adding its own telephone number in the LIC 102 . It can therefore also be a classic fax machine, provided that the sending fax machine has created the composite image with the identification image of other elements, which is then recorded like a classic image when it is received.

In the third example, which is shown in FIG. 5, the image of the document 110 was simply cut out of the memory 15 in the circuit 17 in order to create an area for the additional identification image 111 and for the LIC line 112 . Which are arranged directly adjacent to the cropped image of document 110 . The circuit 12 for changing the scale of the identification image can be activated in order to reduce it if it is too large.

In the examples in FIGS. 4 and 5, the additional identification images 102 and 112 can be printed out without brightening, since they do not cover the usable image area 100 or 110 .

In principle, the circuits 12-14 , 16 and 17 can be activated independently of one another. It should also be noted that the identifier images 102 , 112 and 122 of the fax documents are optional.

The various functions for combining the image described above of a document and the image of an identifier or a comment apply in same way for a receiving fax machine.

In this case, a received classic fax document, which is stored in the memory 15 , would automatically be connected in the circuit 18 with an identification image from the memory 10 before it is output via the printer 5 . In this way, the restored fax document contains an identification image 101 , 111 , 121 , which in this case identifies the receiving fax machine and / or its user, who may first read it on the screen 7 and with a comment that is retrieved from the memory 10 , can provide. It should therefore be noted that the sending as well as the receiving fax machines can each add a graphic identifier to the same fax document, completely independently of one another, so that in the special case both the one and the other can make this addition.

Claims (8)

1. A method for identifying the fax documents by means of a fax machine in which a document ( 120 ) and an identification image ( 121 ) from graphic identification data are superimposed on the same fax document, characterized in that the identification image ( 121 ) is brightened. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that pixels of the document ( 120 ) and the identification image ( 121 ) are interleaved with one another. 3. The method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that an additional identifier image ( 101 , 111 ) is inserted at the edge of the fax document. 4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the space for the additional identification image ( 101 , 111 ) on the fax document is made by cutting and / or reducing the size of the document ( 100 , 110 ). 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that an identification image ( 101 , 111 , 121 ) from graphic identification data, which was previously recorded with the aid of input devices ( 4 ), is restored after its reduction. 6. The device for performing the method according to claim 1, consisting of a fax machine with a central unit ( 1 ) and arranged therein and computationally linked computing (microprocessor) and memory circuits ( 10-18 ), characterized in that at least one circuit ( 14 ) for The identification image is brightened from graphic identification data ( 121 ). 7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the circuit ( 14 ) between the memory ( 10 ) for identification images from graphic identification data ( 121 ) and the circuit ( 18 ) for merging the document ( 120 ) and the identification image from graphic identification data ( 121 ) is arranged. 8. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the circuit ( 14 ) in the circuit ( 18 ) for assembling the document ( 120 ) and the identifier image from graphic identifier data ( 121 ) is integrated.