JP2005170007A - Recording apparatus, recording method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recording apparatus capable of showing the authenticity of an original later recorded by a specific recording apparatus on the original. <P>SOLUTION: This recording apparatus for performing recording on an object-to-be-recorded by ejecting ink is equipped with: a concealed mark storage part for storing a concealed mark which is hard to visually distinguish; a recording information acquisition part for acquiring recording information to be recorded on the object to be recorded; an ejection-area extraction part for extracting an area for ejecting a colored ink, from which visible light is reflected, to the object to be recorded, in accordance with the recording information; and a recording part which performs the recording by ejecting the colored ink according to the recording information, and which records the concealed mark by ejecting a fluorescent ink, generating fluorescence when exposed to ultraviolet rays, into the area extracted by the ejection-area extraction part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, a recording method, and a program. In particular, the present invention relates to a recording apparatus, a recording method, and a program for recording on a recording material by discharging ink.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a copying apparatus that irradiates an original document with visible light and copies the document based on visible light reflected from the document (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-280247 A (paragraph “0002”)

  When the original is copied by the copying apparatus, it is difficult to distinguish the original from the copy. For this reason, there is a problem that it is difficult to distinguish whether the document is an original document, such as an official document issued from a public institution or the like.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus, a recording method, and a program that can solve the above-described problems. This object is achieved by a combination of features described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous specific examples of the present invention.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a first aspect of the present invention is a recording apparatus that records on a recording material by ejecting ink, and stores a hidden symbol that is difficult to distinguish visually. A recording information acquisition unit that acquires recording information to be recorded on the recording material, a discharge area extraction unit that extracts a region for discharging the color ink reflected by visible light on the recording material based on the recording information, A recording unit that performs recording by ejecting color ink based on the recording information, and that records a hidden image by ejecting fluorescent ink that emits fluorescence to ultraviolet rays in the region extracted by the ejection region extraction unit; Is provided. By irradiating the recording material after recording with ultraviolet light, the hidden image recorded with the fluorescent ink is detected, and the recording device for recording the hidden image can recognize that the recorded material has been recorded. . Therefore, it can be recognized that the recorded matter is recorded by a specific recording device. Further, when an original in which a hidden image is recorded is copied using an optical copying apparatus using visible light, the hidden image is not copied. Thereby, it can be determined that the copy is not the original by irradiating the copy with ultraviolet rays.

  The recording unit preferably records the location information indicating the location where the recording is performed on the recording material with the fluorescent ink on the recording material with the color ink. By referring to the location information recorded on the recording object, it is possible to easily identify the location where the hidden image is recorded on the recording object after recording. Further, it is more preferable that the recording unit encodes the location information and records it on the recording material. As a result, a viewer who cannot decode the code cannot easily specify the location where the hidden image is recorded in the recorded object after recording. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the recorded material from being duplicated by a viewer who cannot decode the code.

  The recording unit may record the content information indicating the content of the recording performed with the fluorescent ink on the recording material in association with the location information. By referring to the content information recorded on the recorded object after recording, the hidden image can be recognized more easily. Further, it is preferable that the recording unit encodes the location information and the content information and records them on the recording material. By comparing the encoded content information with the hidden image recorded on the recording object, the hidden image recorded on the recording object detected by irradiating with ultraviolet rays should surely be recorded. It can be recognized that it is a hidden image.

  The ejection area extraction unit extracts an area darker than the reference value based on the recording information. As a result, the recording unit can record the hidden image in the darker area than the reference value. Therefore, even when the fluorescent ink reflects a part of visible light, the light reflected by the fluorescent ink can be made inconspicuous. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the hidden image from being easily recognized by visible light. Further, the ejection area extraction unit may extract an area darker than the color density of the surrounding area based on the recording information. Thereby, when the recording information is a light color as a whole, the recording unit can record a hidden image in a darker area in the recording information.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording method for recording on a recording material by ejecting ink, and storing a hidden symbol that is difficult to distinguish visually in a hidden symbol storage unit and recording it on the recording material. The recording information is acquired, the area for ejecting the color ink reflected by visible light on the recording object is extracted based on the recording information, the color ink is ejected based on the recording information, and the recording is performed. Fluorescent ink that emits fluorescence with respect to ultraviolet rays is ejected into the region, and a hidden image is recorded. Thereby, the effect similar to the 1st form can be acquired.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program for controlling a recording apparatus for recording on a recording material by ejecting ink, and storing a hidden symbol that is visually difficult to distinguish in a hidden symbol storage unit. A procedure for obtaining recording information to be recorded on the recording material, a procedure for extracting a region for ejecting the color ink reflected by visible light on the recording material based on the recording information, and a color ink based on the recording information Is recorded, and a procedure for recording a hidden image is performed by discharging fluorescent ink that emits fluorescence with respect to ultraviolet rays in the extracted region. Thereby, the effect similar to the 1st form can be acquired.

  The above summary of the invention does not enumerate all the necessary features of the present invention, and sub-combinations of these feature groups can also be the invention.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the scope of claims, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are included. It is not necessarily essential for the solution of the invention.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a recording system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The recording system 10 includes a recording device 20 and a PC (Personal Computer) 30. The PC 30 is communicably connected to the recording device 20 and sends recording information to be recorded on the recording material 220 to the recording device 20. The recording device 20 performs recording on the recording material 220 based on the recording information received from the PC 30. In the present embodiment, an original recorded from a specific recording device 20 can be shown later in the original, and a copy is made from the original using an optical copying apparatus using visible light. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus 20 that can discriminate that a copy is not an original in the case of a copy. The recording apparatus 20 includes a recording unit 200, a control unit 230 that controls the recording unit 200, and a recording medium 240 that stores a program used for the operation of the control unit 230. The control unit 230 includes a hidden symbol storage unit 232, a recording image forming unit 234, an ejection area extraction unit 236, and a recording information acquisition unit 238.

  The recording information acquisition unit 238 acquires recording information to be recorded on the recording material 220 from the PC 30. The recording information includes image information, character information, or both. The ejection area extraction unit 236 extracts an area in which the color ink that reflects visible light is ejected to the recording medium 220 based on the recording information, and sends the recording information and the extracted area to the recording image forming unit 234. The hidden symbol storage unit 232 stores hidden symbols such as characters, character strings, symbols, designs, and images. The hidden symbol is recorded on the recording object 220 using fluorescent ink that emits fluorescence with respect to ultraviolet rays. The recorded image forming unit 234 forms a recorded image based on the recorded information. Further, the recording image forming unit 234 inserts the hidden symbol read from the hidden symbol storage unit 232 in the region extracted by the ejection region extraction unit 236. Further, the recorded image forming unit 234 superimposes on the recorded image a bar code obtained by encoding the location information indicating the location where the hidden symbol is recorded and the content information indicating the content of the hidden symbol.

  The recording unit 200 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped main body 202, a guide shaft 210 provided along the longitudinal direction of the main body 202, a carriage 204 movable along the guide shaft 210, and the main body 202 parallel to the guide shaft 210. And a conveyance roller 212 that conveys the recording material 220. The carriage 204 has a recording head 206 and an ink cartridge 208. The ink cartridge 208 holds therein color ink that reflects light having a specific wavelength according to visible light and fluorescent ink that emits fluorescence with respect to ultraviolet rays. The ink cartridge 208 holds black, cyan, magenta, and yellow inks as color inks. The ink cartridge 208 supplies these inks to the recording head 206 provided on the lower surface of the carriage 204. Note that the fluorescent ink preferably transmits visible light. The recording head 206 has a plurality of nozzles on a surface facing the recording medium 220, and records an image on the recording medium 220 by ejecting ink from these nozzles and landing dots on the recording medium 220. .

  Based on the recording image received from the recording image forming unit 234, the recording unit 200 reciprocates the carriage 204 along the guide shaft 210 in the scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the recording material 220, and the conveyance roller 212. The recording image is recorded on the recording material 220 by discharging the color ink from the recording head 206 onto the recording material 220 that is conveyed in the conveyance direction by rotating. In this case, the recording unit 200 records a barcode indicating the location information and content information of the hidden symbol with black ink. Next, after a lapse of a predetermined time such that the color ink ejected onto the recording material 220 dries, the conveyance roller 212 rotates in the reverse direction and starts recording the recording material 220 on which the recording image is recorded. Transport to the position in the opposite direction to the transport direction. Then, while the carriage 204 is reciprocated in the scanning direction along the guide shaft 210 again, the recording unit 200 ejects fluorescent ink from the recording head 206 onto the recording material 220 conveyed in the conveyance direction. The hidden symbol is recorded on the recording object 220 on which the recorded image is recorded.

  In this way, by recording the hidden symbol on the recording object 220 using fluorescent ink, when the recording object 220 after recording is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, the hidden symbol fluoresces with respect to the ultraviolet rays. It can be shown in the original that it is the original recorded by the device 20. Further, when the recorded original is copied using an optical copying apparatus using visible light, the hidden symbol is not copied using fluorescent ink. Therefore, it is possible to determine that the copy is not the original by irradiating the copy with ultraviolet rays. Further, the same effect can be obtained when copying is performed by a scanner device that optically captures an image of the recorded image 40 and outputs it as electronic data. The recorded information does not include hidden symbol information. Therefore, even when electronic data of original recording information is obtained, a recorded matter in which a hidden symbol is embedded cannot be created unless the recording device 20 of the present embodiment is used.

  The recording medium 240 stores a program that causes the recording apparatus 20 to function as the hidden symbol storage unit 232, the recording image forming unit 234, the ejection region extraction unit 236, and the recording information acquisition unit 238. The recording medium 240 may be, for example, an optical recording medium such as DVD or PD, a magneto-optical recording medium such as MD, a tape medium, a magnetic recording medium, or a semiconductor recording device. The recording device 20 reads these programs from the recording medium 240 and executes them. The recording device 20 may acquire these programs via a communication line such as the Internet network. In this example, the recording apparatus 20 includes the control unit 230. However, as another example, the PC 30 may include the control unit 230.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a recorded image 40 recorded on the recording material 220. The recorded image 40 is recorded on the recording material 220 by ink dots ejected from the nozzles of the recording head 206. The recorded image 40 has a barcode 48. A region 42 indicates a region where color ink is not discharged, and a region 44 and a region 46 indicate regions where color ink is discharged. The ejection region extraction unit 236 divides the recording information into regions having a predetermined area, for example. The area of each region is determined, for example, corresponding to the area of the region where the hidden symbol is recorded. The ejection area extraction unit 236 extracts areas that eject color ink, such as the area 44 and the area 46.

  Here, the fluorescent ink may reflect a part of visible light and appear to have a color such as yellow. In this case, when fluorescent ink is ejected to the area 42 or the like on which the color ink is not ejected on the recording material 220, the area where the fluorescent ink is ejected is reflected in yellow under visible light, thereby being recorded with the fluorescent ink. The hidden symbols stand out. Therefore, the ejection region extraction unit 236 in the present embodiment extracts a region darker than the reference value based on the image information, and the recording unit 200 records a hidden symbol in the region extracted by the ejection region extraction unit 236. To do. As an example, the reference value is a yellow value that is substantially the same color density as a hidden symbol recorded with fluorescent ink on a predetermined area of the recording object 220 when visible light is irradiated. The dot density is set when color ink is ejected. The reference value is determined in advance by experiments or the like and is stored in the ejection region extraction unit 236. FIG. 2 shows an example in which the ejection region extraction unit 236 extracts the region 46 and the recording unit 200 records the hidden symbol “ORG” in the region 46. As a result, when the recording material 220 recorded by the recording apparatus 20 of the present embodiment is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, characters by the fluorescence of “ORG” emerge from the location of the region 46.

  Since the recording unit 200 records the light-colored hidden symbol in the dark region extracted by the ejection region extraction unit 236, the color of the fluorescent ink under visible light can be made inconspicuous. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the hidden symbol from being easily recognized under visible light. When a plurality of areas are extracted as areas darker than the reference value, the discharge area extraction unit 236 preferably extracts the area with the darkest color as an area for recording a hidden symbol. Even if the recording information is only character information, the hidden symbol is recorded in an area where characters are densely recorded, that is, an area where the number of dots of color ink in the predetermined area is larger than the reference value. Thus, the recording apparatus 20 can make the color of the fluorescent ink under visible light inconspicuous.

  As another example, the ejection region extraction unit 236 may extract a region that is darker than the surrounding region based on the print information. In this case, the ejection region extraction unit 236 extracts, for example, a region having a darker color than three or more regions, for example, the region 46 in FIG. As a result, it is possible to record the hidden symbols so as to be less conspicuous than when the hidden symbols are recorded in a place where the color density is substantially uniform over a wide area. Further, when the recording information is light in color as a whole, the recording unit 200 can record a hidden symbol in a darker area in the recording information.

  The bar code 48 has location information indicating the location where the hidden symbol is recorded in the recorded image 40 and content information indicating the content of the hidden symbol. The content information is associated with the location information and indicates, for example, what kind of image is recorded as a hidden symbol and what size. By referring to the location information of the barcode 48, the location where the hidden symbol in the recorded image 40 is recorded can be easily grasped. By comparing the content information of the barcode 48 with the hidden symbol of the recorded image 40, the hidden symbol of the recorded image 40 detected by irradiation with ultraviolet rays is a hidden symbol to be recorded surely. I can recognize that. Furthermore, the barcode 48 codes the location information and the content information, and the location information and the content information cannot be recognized with the naked eye. Thus, a viewer who cannot decode the code cannot easily specify the location on the recorded image 40 where the hidden symbol is recorded. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the recorded material from being duplicated by a viewer who cannot decode the code.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the recording apparatus 20. The recording information acquisition unit 238 acquires recording information from the PC 30 (S100). Then, the ejection area extraction unit 236 extracts an area having a color darker than the reference value in the area where the color ink is ejected based on the recording information acquired by the recording information acquisition unit 238 (S102). The recorded image forming unit 234 receives the recorded information from the ejection area extracting unit 236 and forms a recorded image. Further, the recorded image forming unit 234 superimposes a barcode obtained by coding the location information and content information of the hidden symbol on the recorded image. Then, the recording unit 200 performs recording on the recording material 220 based on the recording image formed by the recording image forming unit 234 (S104). In this case, the recording unit 200 records the barcode on the recording medium 220 with black ink. Next, the recording unit 200 stands by until a predetermined time elapses until the color ink is dried (S106). When the predetermined time has elapsed (S106: Yes), the conveyance roller 212 rotates in the reverse direction and conveys the recording medium 220 on which the recorded image is recorded in the direction opposite to the conveyance direction to the position where recording is started. Then, based on the area extracted by the discharge area extraction unit 236, the recording unit 200 records a hidden symbol on the recording object 220 on which the recorded image is recorded (S108), and the operation of the recording unit 200 shown in this flowchart is as follows. finish. As another example of steps S104 to S108, the recording unit 200 ejects fluorescent ink dots between colored ink dots in a region in the recording information extracted by the ejection region extraction unit 236, thereby carrying out one transport. A recorded image and a hidden symbol may be recorded on the recording object 220.

  As is clear from the above description, according to the recording apparatus 20 of the present embodiment, the original recorded from the specific recording apparatus 20 can be indicated later by a hidden symbol in the original, and the recorded original Is copied using an optical copying apparatus, it can be determined that the copy is not the original because the hidden symbol cannot be detected.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a recording system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a recorded image 40 recorded on a recording material 220. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the recording apparatus 20.

Explanation of symbols

  10 recording system, 20 recording device, 30 PC, 40 recorded image, 42 area, 44 area, 46 area, 48 barcode, 200 recording section, 202 main body, 204 carriage, 206 recording head, 208 ink cartridge, 210 guide shaft, 212 Conveying roller, 220 Recording object, 230 Control unit, 232 Hidden symbol storage unit, 234 Recording image forming unit, 236 Discharge area extraction unit, 238 Recording information acquisition unit, 240 Recording medium

Claims (9)

A recording apparatus that records on a recording material by discharging ink,
A hidden symbol storage unit for storing hidden symbols that are difficult to visually distinguish;
A recording information acquisition unit for acquiring recording information to be recorded on the recording material;
An ejection area extracting unit that extracts an area for ejecting the color ink reflected by visible light on the recording material based on the recording information;
Recording is performed by discharging colored ink based on the recording information, and recording the hidden symbol by discharging fluorescent ink that emits fluorescence to ultraviolet rays in the region extracted by the discharge region extraction unit. And a recording device.   The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording unit records location information indicating a location where the recording is performed with the fluorescent ink on the recording material on the recording material with the color ink.   The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the recording unit encodes the location information and records the encoded information on the recording object.   The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the recording unit records content information indicating a content of the recording performed with fluorescent ink on the recording object in association with the location information.   The recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the recording unit encodes the location information and the content information and records the encoded information on the recording object.   The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ejection area extraction unit extracts an area darker than a reference value based on the recording information.   The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ejection area extraction unit extracts an area that is darker than a color density of a surrounding area based on the recording information. A recording method for recording on a recording material by discharging ink,
Hidden symbols that are difficult to distinguish visually are stored in the hidden symbol storage,
Acquire recording information to be recorded on the recording material,
An area for ejecting colored ink that is reflected by visible light on the recording material is extracted based on the recording information,
A recording method of recording the hidden symbol by discharging color ink based on the recording information and recording fluorescent ink that emits fluorescence to ultraviolet rays in the extracted region. A program for controlling a recording apparatus for recording on a recording material by discharging ink,
Procedures for storing hidden symbols that are difficult to distinguish visually in the hidden symbol storage unit,
A procedure for obtaining recording information to be recorded on the recording material;
A procedure for extracting a region for ejecting color ink reflected by visible light on the recording material based on the recording information, and performing recording by ejecting color ink based on the recording information, and the extracted A program for executing a procedure of recording the hidden symbol by ejecting fluorescent ink that emits fluorescence with respect to ultraviolet rays in an area.

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