JP2001036720A - Method and device for controlling printing - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To extract and identify digital watermarking information included in image information and to print out information corresponding to the watermarking information at a prescribed position in accordance with the identified information. SOLUTION: A printer controller for printing out an image based on an inputted picture signal identifies digital watermarking information included in the picture signal (23), converts the digital watermarking information into a visible information in accordance with the identified digital watermarking information (S24), arranges the visible information at a position corresponding to the digital watermarking information (S25), displays the visible information on a monitor and prints out the information in accordance with a printing instruction (S29).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printing control method and apparatus for inputting and printing video (image) information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the recent increase in image quality of video cameras and the spread of digital cameras, there has been an increasing demand for printing out these electronic images. In response to such demands, it goes beyond traditional analog video input.
A printer device that converts image information into a print signal and prints it with a personal computer via a personal computer, or directly connects a digital camera or digital video, or inserts a memory card directly into the printer device to create a digital image 2. Description of the Related Art A printer device or the like that can convert information into a print signal in a digital form and outputs the signal to a pudding has appeared.

On the other hand, some digital video cameras have an analog input / output means and can directly input and output digitally processed signals at the same time as digital video cameras. Some printer devices have been developed that can be used directly for printing.
In any case, the means of digital input has increased in addition to the conventional analog input, and high image quality can be achieved.

[0004] With the recent advancement of digital images, it has become easy to publish such high-quality images on the Internet, and to transmit electronic images using electronic mail. Is downloaded to a personal computer and printed by a printer device, it is possible to obtain an image having the same image quality as the creator.

[0005] Here, in such a system capable of handling high-quality digital images, there is a problem in the case where image information is provided to a specific partner who has been approved by the creator on the assumption that the image is allowed to be printed out. However, there has been a problem that an unknown third party can obtain image information without permission of the creator, print the image information, and use the image information. That is, it is a copyright problem generally referred to. For example, if the author publishes image information on the Internet and the viewer purchases favorite image information from it, anyone can obtain and use high-quality image information as it is, There is a possibility that the image information may leak out without any restriction.

In order to solve such a problem, many methods have been proposed in which watermark information is incorporated into image information or the like called an electronic watermark and the copyright is protected by invisible or visible watermark information. For example, in US Pat. No. 5,530,759,
A proposal has been made to add a visible water mark (encrypted additional information) by changing the luminance, not the chromaticity of a non-transparent pixel. Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 80 discloses a system in which the position where information to be added is specified is specified so that the information can be easily extracted.

[0007]

However, the above conventional example does not provide a sufficient solution. In addition of digital watermark information for the purpose of copyright protection, it is desired to employ a digital watermark that increases the added value according to the user. For example, when the creator himself (or a person who has obtained permission from the creator) prints out an image to which the digital watermark information to be visualized is added, it is not very meaningful to print the visualized watermark information. In many cases, the image is usually printed with the watermark information removed. However, when the digital watermark information is meaningful information, even if the user wants to print the watermark information at a place where the image does not affect the image, such a selection is not given, and the user may simply print the watermark information. The only choice was whether or not to do so.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and extracts and discriminates digital watermark information included in image information, and prints information corresponding to the watermark information at a predetermined position according to the information. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing control method and apparatus capable of performing the above.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a printing method capable of printing information corresponding to digital watermark information at a position designated by the information when key information capable of releasing the digital watermark information is obtained. It is to provide a control method and a control device.

[0010]

To achieve the above object, a print control apparatus according to the present invention has the following arrangement.
That is, a print control device that prints an image based on an input image signal, a determination unit that determines digital watermark information included in the image signal, and a print control device that determines the digital watermark information determined by the determination unit. A conversion unit that converts the digital watermark information into visualization information; and a control unit that controls the visualization information converted by the conversion unit to be printed at a position corresponding to the digital watermark information. And

In order to achieve the above object, a printing control method according to the present invention includes the following steps. That is, a printing control method for printing an image based on an input image signal, wherein a determining step of determining digital watermark information included in the image signal, and a method of controlling the digital watermark information determined in the determining step. A conversion step of converting the digital watermark information into visualization information; and a control step of controlling the visualization information converted in the conversion step to be printed at a position corresponding to the digital watermark information. And

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The apparatus according to the present embodiment employs, for example, an ink-jet printer mechanism in the printer engine unit 4, stores the input electronic imaging data in the memory unit 2, and stores the input electronic imaging data in a memory card or an I / O card.
The image data input via the IEEE 1394 interface can be printed by an arbitrary number. Note that the configurations of the interface for inputting the image data and the printer engine are not limited to the present embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a print control apparatus according to the present embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a control unit which has, for example, a microprocessor, a memory, and the like, and controls the operation of the entire apparatus. Reference numeral 2 denotes a memory unit which stores input image (video) data and various accompanying data. A printer control unit 3 controls the operation of the printer engine unit 4 based on an instruction from the control unit 1. The printer engine unit 4 is a printer engine unit that performs recording by, for example, an inkjet method. Reference numeral 5 denotes a memory card input unit which detachably mounts the memory card and controls reading of data stored in the memory card and writing to the memory card. 6 is IEEE
The E1394 input unit has an IEEE1394 interface function. Reference numeral 8 denotes an IEEE 1394 control unit that controls transmission and reception of data in IEEE 1394. 9
Is a key information input unit having, for example, a keyboard, a card reader, and the like, which can input key information for determining a printing form of an electronic watermark. A mode setting unit 7 is used to set various modes described later. A monitor connection unit 10 is connected to a monitor such as a liquid crystal display or a CRT and controls image display on the monitor.

A power switch 2000 turns on / off the power supply from a built-in battery. However, it may be turned on / off by inputting general AC power. 2001
Is a memory switch, and when pressed, instructs the control unit 1 to save data in the memory unit 2. 2002
Reference numeral denotes a print switch, which is a switch for outputting image data stored in the memory unit 2 to the printer engine unit 4 and instructing the printer engine unit 4 to print the image data.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the print control apparatus according to the present embodiment. This processing is executed by the control unit 1.

First, in step S1, when the user turns on the power switch 2000, the process proceeds to step S2, and three days or more (72 hours or more) have elapsed since the last time the print control device was used and the power was turned off. Determine whether or not. This timing is executed based on the timing by a timer (not shown) which is backed up by a built-in battery. If it is determined in step S2 that three days or more have elapsed, the process proceeds to step S3, where an instruction for recovery pumping is issued to the printer control unit 3 which is in charge of control of the printer engine unit 4, and the printer engine unit 4 is driven.

Here, the recovery pumping is to make the recording more reliable and effective in the ink jet recording system described later. Before the recording, the ink without the nozzle of the recording head is sucked by means of a suction pump or the like. For cleaning. In the present embodiment, as a guide for this cleaning, it is assumed that there is a non-use period of three days or more.

Next, the user connects an input device such as a video camera to a printer, and further connects a video image picked up by the video camera to a TV monitor or the like.
A description will be given of a case in which the print operation is performed by connecting and displaying via the “0”. In this case, the user sets the print mode using the mode setting section 7 (step S4).

In the present embodiment, there are several types such as a one-sheet output mode for printing one photo on one sheet, and outputting one photo to an area obtained by dividing one sheet into 16 pieces. Mode. When the mode is set by the mode setting unit 7 in this manner, the set mode signal is sent to the control unit 1.

The mode set by the mode setting unit 7 is output from the control unit 1 to the monitor via the monitor connection unit 10. As a result, the user can check the mode setting and the like while looking at the monitor (step S5).

Then, the user designates an image to be printed and the whole or a part of the image. When the user presses the memory button 2001, a memory signal is input to the control unit 1. When a video signal is input from a memory card, digital video data is input from the memory card input unit 5. Generally, a small memory medium called a CF card or a smart media card used for a digital camera or the like is inserted into a printer device, and control is performed so that image information in the memory card is called.

In the apparatus of the present embodiment, the compressed video information of the JPEG system recorded on the memory card is basically called. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

In the case of JPEG video information, the compressed video information is decompressed and stored in the memory unit 2 as a luminance / color difference signal of YCC = 4: 2: 2. As for the transmission of digital image data, for example, in the case of digital transmission using the IEEE 1394 protocol, IEEE 1394
The signal input by the input unit 6 is converted by the IEEE 1394 control unit 8, and is stored in the memory unit 2 as a luminance and color difference signal (step S6).

The transmission according to IEEE 1394 may be, for example, a still image transmission protocol or a moving image transmission according to one of transmission methods called an AV protocol, depending on the header control signal. , It supports both still picture protocol and moving picture protocol. In case of still picture protocol, JP
In correspondence with EG video information, in the case of the moving picture protocol, video information for one frame is received as compressed data, decompressed, changed to YC information, and stored in the memory unit 2. At this time, in the video protocol, 1
The video information for a frame is decompressed with YCC = 4: 1: 1, but the decompression work of JPEG is generally performed with YCC = 4: 1:
Since the ratio is 2: 2, the color difference information is interpolated in accordance with the ratio, and YCC = 4: 2: 2 is commonly stored in the memory unit 2.

At this time, the video information stored in the memory unit 2 can be displayed on the monitor via the monitor connection unit 10, and it is possible to change the color to a desired color while checking the monitor display. It is.

Next, when the user wants to output the video information stored in the memory unit 2, he presses the print button 2002. Thereby, the video information stored in the memory unit 2 is changed to a signal form suitable for print output (step S7). Specifically, CMY which is a complementary color is obtained from the luminance and color difference information stored in the memory unit 2 via RGB information.
The image data is transmitted from the printer control unit 3 to the printer control unit 3 by performing blacking (BK) generation to generate CMYK, performing interpolation processing and binarization processing according to the output resolution. Is converted into an ink ejection signal in the printer engine unit 4, and the printing operation by the printer engine unit 4 is executed according to the signal.

Next, in step S8, the printer control section 3 performs preliminary ejection of the recording head, and recovers the nozzles, for example, to eliminate clogging of the recording head.

In step S9, the printer control unit 3 performs image processing for printer output on the video information stored in the memory unit 2, and then executes the printer engine unit 4.
To print the image. The printed printer paper P printed by the printer engine unit 4 is automatically fed and discharged (step S10). Printing is performed by repeatedly executing the basic operation described above.

Here, a case where the user prints an image having a higher added value by using the digital watermark information added to the video information stored in the memory unit 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. I do.

In the processing shown in the figure, first, the user inputs video information via a memory card or IEEE1394 and stores it in the memory unit 2. At this time, when performing a process on a digital watermark for the video information stored in the memory unit 2, predetermined key information is input from the key information input unit 9 to declare that operation is possible. (Step S21). Here, if the key information is not obtained from the creator or the seller of the video information, the operation on the video information with the digital watermark cannot be performed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example in which an input video is displayed without using key information.

In this case, the monitor displays a video image of the video information stored in the memory unit 2 as it is with a digital watermark. If there is no key information, the image cannot be operated. Therefore, when this image is printed by the printer engine unit 4, the date information is largely printed in the center of the image, and the date information is printed. The value is almost gone. Therefore, even if this video information is obtained, or if the key information is not available, even if it is printed, the copyright of the creator is sufficiently protected.

On the other hand, if the video information has key information that can be operated, the key information is input from the key information input unit 9. Thus, the control unit 1 compares the input key information with a predetermined number stored in the memory unit 2 in the header of the video information. The numeral is configured so that the key is referred to by a predetermined rule in association with the input key information, but this rule may be any method such as a public key method.

In this way, if it is confirmed based on the input key information that the user is the creator of the image or the person who understands the image, the process proceeds from step S21 to step S22, where the image information stored in the memory unit 2 is The digital watermark information added as the digital watermark information is extracted.

In the printer control apparatus according to the present embodiment, the control unit 1 first controls the control unit 1 according to a predetermined rule for the luminance (Y) information of the video information stored as YCC = 4: 2: 2. The digital watermark information is extracted while comparing with an LUT (look-up table) stored in a ROM (not shown) of the digital camera.

In this embodiment, the presence / absence of digital watermark information is extracted from the bits of pixels in a predetermined area of the video information, and the pixel having digital watermark information is assigned to the pixel having the digital watermark information based on the pixel value and the LUT value. The value is extracted,
The method of extracting digital watermark information is not limited to this,
A known method may be used. In the apparatus of the present embodiment, information such as the position where digital watermark information is embedded is considered so that information can be extracted with a minimum load by using a method described in the header part of video information. . The information at a predetermined position of the extracted digital watermark information is defined so as to represent the type of the digital watermark information. This is achieved by reading lower bits as invisible information according to a predetermined rule at a pixel at a predetermined position in a corner of video information.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to grasp which information is to be printed and where, in accordance with the read information that has been read. At the same time,
Another digital watermark information at a predetermined position is defined to represent the content of the information of the digital watermark. This is also read as invisible information by reading a predetermined bit in accordance with a predetermined rule at a pixel at a predetermined position different from the information indicating the type of the corner of the video information. The information read in this way becomes information of about 6 characters and about 30 characters at the time of synthesis, and the types of information shown in FIG. 5, such as date information, caption information, and creator information, are expressed in alphanumeric characters. It is configured to be able to. Therefore, step S23
Then, the print form of the digital watermark information is determined according to the read information. Then, in step S24, the contents of the digital watermark information are visualized according to the information.

By the above operation, the removal of the digital watermark information embedded in the original image, the contents of the specified digital watermark information, and the specification of the printing method at the time of printing are grasped. .

Next, in step S25, digital watermark character information is generated together with the generation of the original video, and the layout of the character information is determined according to the type information read in step S23. When the video information to be printed is generated in this way, the control unit 1 performs monitor output via the monitor connection unit 10 and presents the situation to be printed to the user (step S26). At this point, if it is desired to change the position of the printout or the like, it is assumed that an operation such as changing the position can be performed.

After that, when the user presses the print button 2001 in step S27, the recovery operation is performed in step S28, and the printing operation is performed in step S29, and the paper is discharged after the printing is completed (step S27). S30), and the printing operation is completed.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the video information thus obtained.
(A) to (f).

6A to 6F, FIG.
5 corresponds to the read information “0001” in FIG. 5 and shows a case where the visualized digital watermark information shown in FIG. 4 is printed as date information in the right corner of the screen. FIG. 6B shows a case where the read information is “0010”.
In this case, date information is printed in the right corner outside the screen. Similarly, if the visualized digital watermark information is caption information, for example, a character string “Happy Birthday” is printed on the screen as shown in FIG. 6C (corresponding to the read information “0011”). Or FIG.
As shown in (d), it is printed outside the screen (corresponding to the read information "0100"). When the visualized digital watermark information is the creator information, for example, “Photo By EC”
Is printed on the screen as shown in FIG. 6E (corresponding to the read information "0101"), and in the case of the read information "0110", as shown in FIG. Is printed off the screen.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a user who has not acquired key information prints digital watermark information, a visible watermark is inserted into the video. However, if the user has obtained the key information and can operate the digital watermark information, not only can an image without visible watermark information be printed, but also date information, caption information, creator information, etc. can be used as character information. Can be displayed on the screen or printed outside the screen or printed. Thereby, higher quality video information can be obtained.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a recording unit of the printer engine unit 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The carriage HC is connected to the drive motor 10
13, the driving force transmission gears 1011 and 1
Lead screw 1 rotating via 010, 1009
004 has a pin (not shown) that engages with the spiral groove 1005, and is reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b. The ink jet head cartridge 400 is mounted on the carriage HC. Reference numeral 1003 denotes a guide rod, and 1002 denotes a paper pressing plate, which presses a paper (recording medium) against the platen 1000 in the moving direction of the carriage. 1
Reference numerals 007 and 1008 denote photocouplers, which confirm the existence of the lever 1006 of the carriage HC in this area, and
13 is a home position detecting means for performing switching of the rotation direction of 13 and the like. Reference numeral 1016 denotes a member for supporting a cap member 1022 for capping the front surface of the recording head;
Reference numeral 15 denotes suction means for sucking the inside of the cap member 1022, and the recording head 4 through the opening 1023 in the cap.
A suction recovery of 00 is performed. Reference numeral 1017 denotes a cleaning blade, and reference numeral 1019 denotes a member that allows the blade 1017 to move in the front-rear direction. These members are supported by a main body support plate 1018. It goes without saying that the blade 1017 is not limited to this embodiment, and a well-known cleaning method can be applied to this embodiment. Reference numeral 1021 denotes a lever for starting suction for suction recovery.
Abut. The lever 1021 moves with the movement of the cam 1020 that engages with the carriage HC, and the movement of the driving force from the drive motor 1013 is controlled by known transmission means such as clutch switching.

The capping, cleaning, suction recovery, and the like are configured so that when the carriage HC is positioned in the home position side area, desired operations can be performed at the corresponding positions by the action of the lead screw 1005. If a desired operation is performed at a known timing, the present embodiment can be applied to any of the embodiments.

The present invention particularly includes a means (for example, an electrothermal converter or a laser beam) for generating thermal energy as energy used for performing ink ejection in an ink jet recording system. The present invention brings about an excellent effect in a recording head and a recording apparatus of a type that causes a state change.

The typical configuration and principle are described, for example, in US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740.
It is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 796. In particular, in the case of the on-demand type, this method uses a rapid heating method that exceeds the nucleate boiling corresponding to the recorded information on the electrothermal transducer disposed on the sheet or the liquid path holding the liquid (ink). By applying at least one drive signal that gives rise to a significant temperature rise, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal transducer, and the film is boiled on the heat-acting surface of the recording head. This is effective because bubbles in the liquid (ink) can be formed. By the growth and contraction of the bubble, the liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection opening to form at least one droplet.

When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of liquid (ink) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable.
The driving signal in the form of a pulse is disclosed in US Pat.
Those described in JP-A Nos. 3359 and 4345262 are suitable. Further, if the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 of the invention relating to the temperature rise rate of the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the configuration of the recording head, in addition to the combination of the discharge port, the liquid path, and the electrothermal converter (a linear liquid path or a right-angle liquid flow path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications, heat is applied. U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat. No. 445, which disclose a configuration in which an action portion is arranged in a bending region.
A configuration using the specification of Japanese Patent No. 9600 is also included in the present invention.

In addition, JP-A-59-123670, which discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal transducer for a plurality of electrothermal transducers, or a pressure wave of thermal energy is absorbed. The present invention is also effective as a configuration based on JP-A-59-138461, which discloses a configuration in which an opening to be made corresponds to a discharge portion.

Further, as a descending line type recording head having a length corresponding to the width of the maximum recording medium that can be recorded by the recording device section, the length is determined by a combination of a plurality of recording heads as disclosed in the above-mentioned specification. Either a configuration that satisfies the above or a configuration as a single recording head that is integrally formed may be used, but by adopting these configurations, the present invention can be more effectively exerted.

In addition, the recording head of the interchangeable chip tank, which can be electrically connected to the apparatus main body and supplied with ink from the apparatus main body by being attached to the apparatus main body, or integrated with the recording head itself. The present invention is also effective when a cartridge-type recording head provided in a fixed manner is used. It is preferable to add recovery means for the print head, preliminary auxiliary means, and the like, which are provided as components of the printing apparatus of the present invention, since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. .

More specifically, a capping unit, a cleaning unit, a pressurizing or suctioning unit, a preheating unit using an electrothermal converter or another heating element or a combination thereof, for the recording head. Performing a preliminary ejection mode in which ejection is performed separately from printing is also effective for performing stable printing.

Further, the recording mode of the recording device section is not limited to recording only the mainstream color such as black, but may be constituted integrally with the recording head or by combining a plurality of recording heads. It is extremely effective that the apparatus is provided with at least one of full colors by color mixture.

Even if the present invention is applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.), a device including one device (for example, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, etc.) ) May be applied.

Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium (or a recording medium) in which program codes of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments are recorded to a system or an apparatus, and to provide a computer (a computer) of the system or the apparatus. Alternatively, the present invention is also achieved when a CPU or an MPU reads and executes a program code stored in a storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. By executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an operating system (OS) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. This also includes a case where some or all of the actual processing is performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into the memory provided in the function expansion card inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is read based on the instruction of the program code. This also includes the case where the CPU provided in the function expansion card or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a user who has not obtained key information prints,
Since a pudding is made with the visible watermark inserted in the image, the copyright can be protected. If key information can be obtained from the creator or the seller, the digital watermark information is manipulated to obtain an image without watermark information, or
Date information, caption information, creator information, and the like can be arranged as character information inside or outside the screen. Thereby, higher quality video information can be obtained.

Since the visible digital watermark information is visible on the video, the creator (or a person who has obtained the creator's permission) views the digital watermark information as a desired keyword from many video information. Very convenient to select and categorize. Further, when printing out the digital watermark information, the digital watermark information can be arranged at a predetermined position and printed out, so that there is an effect that the use is expanded and the added value is increased.

[0062]

As described above, according to the present invention, digital watermark information included in image information is extracted and determined, and information corresponding to the watermark information is printed at a predetermined position according to the information. it can.

According to the present invention, when key information capable of canceling digital watermark information is obtained, information corresponding to the digital watermark information can be printed at a position designated by the information. effective.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a print control apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a print operation in the print control apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing of digital watermark information in the print control apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an output example of video information according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a correspondence between read information and a printing method according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a print example of digital watermark information according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a mechanism of a printer engine according to the embodiment.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A printing control apparatus for printing an image based on an input image signal, comprising: a determination unit configured to determine digital watermark information included in the image signal; and the digital watermark information determined by the determination unit. A conversion unit that converts the digital watermark information into visualization information, and a control unit that controls the visualization information converted by the conversion unit to be printed at a position corresponding to the digital watermark information. A print control device characterized by the above-mentioned. And input means for inputting key information. The key information input by the input means is compared with the key information of the image signal. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the control unit is enabled. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls whether to print the visualization information in an image corresponding to the image signal, according to the digital watermark information. Print control device. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the visualization information and an image based on the image signal under the control of the control means. Print control device. 5. A print control method for printing an image based on an input image signal, comprising: a determination step of determining digital watermark information included in the image signal; and the digital watermark information determined in the determination step. A conversion step of converting the digital watermark information into visualization information, and a control step of controlling the visualization information converted in the conversion step to be printed at a position corresponding to the digital watermark information. A printing control method characterized by the above-mentioned. 6. An input step of inputting key information, wherein the key information input in the input step is compared with the key information of the image signal, and when they match, the determination step, the conversion step, The print control method according to claim 5, wherein the operation of the control step is enabled. 7. The control method according to claim 5, wherein, in the control step, whether or not the visualization information is printed in an image corresponding to the image signal is controlled in accordance with the digital watermark information. Print control method. 8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising a display step of displaying the visualization information and an image based on the image signal under the control of the control step. The print control method described in the above.