JP2006054713A - Print control unit, method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To composite an arbitrary image in a plurality of kinds of special images utilizable for confirming the authenticity of documents to documents for printing them appropriately without putting loads on a user. <P>SOLUTION: There are prepared an identification image, where an embedded image comprising only K as a special image is overlapped to an image to be embedded comprising Y, M, C and the image to be embedded is processed in advance, so that the embedded image cannot be recognized visually; an information-embedded image, where a plurality of kinds of pattern images comprising a plurality of pixels are selected and superposed according to embedded information; and a copy check image, where the number of lines in a feature image region in an image is coarser than a background image region. A document print control program with a special image determines the special image, where composition to a document to be printed is instructed, for performing composition to document data; selects a first printer driver and a superfine print mode when at least an identification image or the information-embedded image is included in the special image; and further selects a second driver and a high-speed print mode when only the copy check image is included. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a print control apparatus, method, and program, and in particular, print control for generating print image data used for printing a print target document by a printer by performing predetermined processing on document information of the print target document. The present invention relates to an apparatus, a print control method applicable to the print control apparatus, and a print control program for causing a computer to function as the print control apparatus.

  In recent years, with the improvement in performance of copiers and printers, copies of important documents such as securities, passports, various rights documents, resident's cards, birth certificates, insurance certificates, guarantees, and confidential documents have been copied with copiers and printers. Alternatively, there are an increasing number of cases where a tampered printed material obtained by tampering with a part of the content of an important document read by a scanner or the like is misused. For this reason, establishment of a technique capable of easily and accurately confirming the authenticity (that it is genuine and not falsified) of various documents printed on paper is desired.

  As a technique that enables true / false determination of a document, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-133867 discloses that only K ink is used among inks of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black) color components. A first area composed of m × m pixels (m is an integer of 2 or more) as an image that can identify the authenticity of various documents printed on paper by using an infrared light absorbing dye. And a second region composed of n × n pixels (m is an integer of 1 or more and less than m) is provided, and a plurality of first regions that are independent from each other are arranged around the single second region without any gaps. A plurality of second regions independent from each other are arranged at substantially equal intervals along the outer periphery of the single first region, and an embedded image to be printed with inks of Y, M, and C is defined as the first region. An identification image that is arranged with halftone dots and an embedded image to be printed with K ink is arranged in the second area with halftone dots. Form printing technology has been proposed.

  According to the above technique, in the regular printing method, since the embedded image embedded in the identification image is printed using only K ink containing an infrared light absorbing dye, infrared light is applied to the identification image. The presence of the embedded image can be confirmed by irradiating and observing. On the other hand, when an identification image printed by a regular printing method is copied (scanned by a scanner and printed by a printer), the scanner uses “black” formed with Y, M, and C inks (“ Black ”) and“ black ”of K ink (“ black ”on the embedded image) cannot be distinguished, and the embedded image and the embedded image cannot be separated. Therefore, since the embedded image is not reproduced on the identification image of the copied document (the presence of the embedded image cannot be confirmed even by observing by irradiating with infrared light), it can be determined to be a fake. As described above, the above technique does not require special ink, and can determine the authenticity of a document at a low cost.

  In addition, as a technique for restraining document copying, Patent Document 2 discloses that after converting the resolution of a background image to an output resolution, a halftone process is performed with a coarser number of lines than the number of output lines after gradation correction processing. According to the mask image (feature image) converted to the output resolution, a copy check image is generated by selecting a background image after halftone processing or a background image not subjected to halftone processing for each region in the image. A technique for combining an image with a document and printing has been proposed. In this technique, when a document is copied, the background image area is not reproduced in the copy check image synthesized with the document, and only the feature image area corresponding to the feature image is reproduced. If an image representing a character such as “” is used, a character such as “copy prohibited” clearly appears on the copied document, so that the copying of the document can be checked and the copied document can be easily detected.

Further, as a technique that can be used for document falsification detection, Patent Document 3 discloses that two types of pattern images each having a plurality of pixels and having different individual pixel values are generated, according to information to be embedded (embedding information). In other words, there is disclosed a technique for generating an information embedded image in which embedded information is embedded by superimposing two types of pattern images on an image to be superimposed that is appropriately selected and assembled. According to the above technique, for example, an information embedded image is generated by using, as embedded information, the ID of a document to be detected for falsification, information representing the content of the document, and the like, and the generated information embedded image is synthesized with the document. By printing the information, the information embedded image in the document is read to reproduce the embedded information, and the presence or absence of falsification of the document can be detected based on the reproduced embedded information.
JP 2003-136828 A JP 2001-197297 A JP 2004-140764 A

  By the way, the above-mentioned identification image, information embedded image and copy restraint image (hereinafter collectively referred to as a special image) are images that can confirm the authenticity of the document from different viewpoints. If all the above-mentioned special images are combined and printed in a single document, it is expected that the accuracy of document authenticity confirmation will be greatly improved by the synergistic effect of each special image. However, there is a possibility that each special image may not be printed properly (available for confirmation of authenticity) depending on printing conditions (contents of processing performed on information of a document to be printed at the time of printing).

  For example, when the document is printed by a printer using Y, M, C, and K toners based on the information of the print target document, the print target document information is used for the purpose of effective use of resources such as processing speed and memory. However, after being converted into image data in a color space other than Y, M, C, K, such as R, G, B, L * a * b *, etc., and various image processing is performed, In many cases, the image data is re-converted into Y, M, C, K print image data and printed. On the other hand, once the information of the print target document to which the identification image information is added is converted into image data of a color space other than Y, M, C, and K as described above, the identification image information Since the embedded image information and embedded image information are mixed on the converted image data, the identification image represented by the original identification image information cannot be printed accurately, and the printed identification image There arises a problem that it is difficult to determine the authenticity of the document based on it.

  Since each special image is an image in which images or information are embedded based on different principles, the printing conditions for properly printing each special image are different from each other, The optimum printing conditions for properly printing each special image when all the special images are combined and printed have not been established. For this reason, when printing a document in which all the special images are combined, the user repeatedly prints the document while changing the printing conditions, and the printing conditions under which each special image combined with the document is printed properly are trial and error. Therefore, it is expected that a great burden is placed on the user.

  Further, if all the special images are combined with the document to be printed, there arises a problem that the time required for printing increases with respect to the processing time for normal document printing. For this reason, for example, for a document having a very high importance, all the special images are combined and printed, and for a document having a relatively low importance, one or two special images are selected from each special image. It can be used to selectively synthesize and print a special image according to the document content, importance, usage, etc., but the type of special image to be combined with the document is undefined. Even in this case, as described above, it is necessary for the user to obtain a printing condition for properly printing each special image combined with the document by trial and error.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and when combining and printing an arbitrary image of a plurality of types of special images that can be used to check the authenticity of a document, the image to be combined is printed. It is an object to obtain a print control apparatus, a print control method, and a print control program that can realize proper printing without imposing a burden on the user.

  The inventors of the present application examined printing conditions that can be appropriately printed (available for confirmation of the authenticity of the document) for each special image of the identification image, the information embedding image, and the copy check image, It was verified how printing is performed when printing is performed under printing conditions different from appropriate printing conditions for special images (appropriate printing conditions for printing other special images). As a result, if the identification image is printed under printing conditions different from the appropriate printing conditions, it is difficult to use the printed identification image for confirmation of the authenticity of the document. If printing under different printing conditions makes it difficult to use the printed identification image for document authenticity confirmation, the appropriate printing conditions for the information-embedded image are included in the appropriate printing conditions for the identification image (identification If the image is printed under the printing conditions that can be printed properly, the printing condition that can properly print the information-embedded image is satisfied at the same time.) In most cases, it has been confirmed that the printed copy check image can be used to check the authenticity of the document. The allowable range of printing conditions that can be used for checking the authenticity of a document differs depending on the type of special image. When printing is performed under printing conditions that allow an identification image to be printed properly, It has become clear that the copy check image can be properly printed at the same time, and when the information-embedded image is printed under printing conditions that can be printed properly, the copy check image can also be printed properly at the same time.

  Based on the above, the print control apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention generates print image data used for printing the print target document by a printer by performing predetermined processing on the document information of the print target document. A printing control apparatus, wherein an embedded image consisting only of a specific color component and an embedded image consisting of a color component different from the specific color component are superimposed, and the embedded image is viewed with visible light in a printed state. The identification image in which the embedded image is processed in advance so that it is difficult, and multiple types of pattern images each consisting of a plurality of pixels and having different individual pixel values are selected according to the embedding information and superimposed on the superimposed image. Whether there is an image to be combined and printed on the document to be printed out of the information embedding image and the copy check image in which the number of lines of the feature image area in the image is rougher than the background image area other than the feature image area And A determination unit for determining a type; and a process suitable for printing the identification image when the identification image is included in at least the identification image included in the print target document. If the identification image is not included in the image to be combined and printed with the print target document and at least the information embedded image is included, the predetermined processing is performed. Is controlled so as to be suitable for printing the information embedded image, and the identification image and the information embedded image are not included in the image to be synthesized and printed on the document to be printed. In the case where only the copy check image is included, the control unit is configured to control so that the predetermined process is a process suitable for printing the copy check image.

  The print control apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention provides a predetermined process for the document information of the document to be printed (for example, after converting the document information of the document to be printed into intermediate print data described in a page description language, By performing a process of developing data into print image data, print image data used for printing a print target document by a printer is generated. According to the first aspect of the present invention, the embedded image composed of only the specific color component and the embedded image composed of the color component different from the specific color component are superimposed and embedded in the printed state with visible light. An identification image in which an embedded image is processed in advance so that it is difficult to visually recognize the image, and a plurality of types of pattern images each composed of a plurality of pixels and having different individual pixel values are selected according to the embedding information, and the superimposed image The information-embedded image superimposed on the image and the copy-checked image in which the number of lines in the feature image area in the image is coarser than the background image area other than the feature image area should be combined with the document to be printed and printed The presence / absence and type of image is determined by the determining means. This determination may be made based on the attributes of the document to be printed, or may be made based on instruction information input separately.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control means is suitable for printing the identification image when at least the identification image is included in the image to be combined with the document to be printed and printed. If the identification image is not included in the image to be combined and printed with the document to be printed and at least the information embedded image is included, the predetermined processing is performed. The image to be printed is controlled so that it is suitable for printing the embedded image, and the identification image and the information embedded image are not included in the image to be printed by combining with the document to be printed. If so, control is performed so that the predetermined process is a process suitable for printing a copy check image.

  Thus, in the first aspect of the present invention, when at least an identification image is included in an image to be combined and printed with a document to be printed, the predetermined process is a process suitable for printing the identification image. Therefore, the identification image can be printed so that it can be used for checking the authenticity of the document (specifically, authenticity determination of the document). In addition, as described above, when the predetermined processing is performed so that the identification image is printed properly, the information embedded image and the copy check image can be properly printed at the same time. When an image to be combined and printed includes at least one of an information embedded image and a copy check image in addition to the identification image, the information embedded image and copy check image can also be used for checking the authenticity of the document. Can be printed.

  In addition, when the identification image is not included in the image to be combined and printed with the document to be printed and at least the information embedded image is included, the predetermined process is suitable for printing the information embedded image. Therefore, the information-embedded image can be printed so that it can be used for checking the authenticity of the document (specifically, detecting whether the document has been tampered with). In addition, when the predetermined processing is performed so that the information-embedded image is properly printed, the copy check image can be properly printed at the same time as described above. When an image to be printed includes a copy check image in addition to the information embedding image, the copy check image can also be printed so that it can be used for checking the authenticity of the document.

  Further, when the image to be combined and printed with the document to be printed does not include the identification image and the information embedded image but includes only the copy check image, the predetermined processing is performed for the copy check image. Since the process is controlled so as to be suitable for printing, the copy check image can be printed so that it can be used for confirmation of the authenticity of the document (confirmation that the document is not a fake). Note that when there is no image (special image) to be combined and printed with the document to be printed, the control unit may perform control so that a predetermined process is performed as the predetermined process, or the user Control may be performed so that processing according to the printing conditions set by is performed.

  Thus, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the presence / absence and type of an image to be printed by being combined with a print target document is determined, and the presence / absence and type of the image to be combined with the print target document is printed. Therefore, when an arbitrary image of multiple types of special images that can be used to check the authenticity of the document is combined and printed on the document, the image to be combined is printed properly. This eliminates the need for the user to set the printing conditions in order to properly print the image to be combined, thereby preventing the user from being burdened.

  The invention described in claim 1 may be applied to a mode in which an image to be combined and printed on a print target document is added as data to the document information of the print target document in advance. Thus, the present invention can be applied to a mode in which an image to be printed is designated. In this case, for example, as described in claim 2, the determination unit determines whether each of the identification image, the information embedded image, and the copy check image is designated as an image to be printed by being synthesized with the document to be printed. By determining, the presence / absence and type of an image to be combined with the print target document and printing are determined, and the control unit includes an identification image, an information embedded image, and an image to be combined with the print target document and printed. When at least one copy check image is specified, it is specified as any of the document information of the document to be printed, the intermediate print data generated from the document information, and the print image data generated from the intermediate print data It can be configured to add or synthesize the image data.

  In the first aspect of the present invention, the printer can employ a configuration in which printing is performed using printing agents having a plurality of color components, and the print target document is separated into the plurality of color components as print image data. Data of a specific color space expressed as can be applied. Then, when at least an identification image is included in an image to be combined and printed with a document to be printed, it is concrete that the predetermined process is controlled to be a process suitable for printing the identification image. For example, as described in claim 3, the information to be printed including the identification image data representing the identification image and given as the data of the specific color space is not compressed, and the identification image data is in another color space. Predetermined processing is performed so that print image data is generated in which a print target document in which at least an identification image is combined is printed at a resolution equal to or higher than a predetermined value, without being converted into data. This can be realized by controlling.

  Further, in the first aspect of the present invention, when the identification image is not included in the image to be combined and printed with the document to be printed and at least the information embedded image is included, the predetermined processing is performed as information. Specifically, the control to perform processing suitable for printing of the embedded image is, for example, as described in claim 4, information to be printed including information embedded image data representing an information embedded image Can be realized by controlling predetermined processing so that print image data for printing at least a print target document combined with an information-embedded image at a resolution equal to or higher than a predetermined value is generated.

  Further, in the first aspect of the present invention, when the image to be synthesized and printed on the document to be printed does not include the identification image and the information-embedded image but includes only the copy check image. In addition, controlling the predetermined process to be a process suitable for printing a copy check image specifically means that, for example, as described in claim 5, a print target document composed of a copy check image is synthesized. This can be realized by controlling predetermined processing so that print image data to be printed with a resolution less than a predetermined value is generated. As described above, if the resolution of the print image data when printing the document to be printed is less than the predetermined value, the data amount of the print image data is reduced and the processing time of the predetermined process is shortened. Can be used to check the authenticity of the document (confirmation that the document is not fake), and in addition, it is possible to print at high speed the document to be printed by combining only the copy check images. It is done.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print control method that performs specific processing on document information of a print target document to generate print image data used for printing the print target document by a printer. An embedded image consisting only of color components and an embedded image consisting of color components different from the specific color component are superimposed so that it is difficult to view the embedded image with visible light when printed. An identification image in which the image is processed in advance, and an information embedding image in which a plurality of types of pattern images each consisting of a plurality of pixels and having different individual pixel values are selected according to embedding information and superimposed on the superimposed image; The presence / absence and type of an image to be printed on a document to be printed out of the copy check images in which the number of lines of the feature image area in the image is made coarser than that of the background image area other than the feature image area is determined. If at least the identification image is included in an image to be combined and printed with an elephant document, the predetermined process is controlled to be a process suitable for printing the identification image, and the print target If the identification image is not included in the image to be combined and printed with the document and at least the information embedded image is included, the predetermined processing is suitable for printing the information embedded image. In the case where the identification image and the information-embedded image are not included in the image to be combined and printed with the print target document and only the copy check image is included. Since the predetermined processing is controlled so as to be processing suitable for printing the copy check image, a plurality of special images that can be used for checking the authenticity of the document as in the first aspect of the invention. Any image from When the image synthesizing can be realized without burdening the user to be properly printed.

  A print control program according to a seventh aspect of the invention generates print image data used for printing the print target document by a printer by causing the computer to perform predetermined processing on the document information of the print target document. A print control program for causing a computer to function as a print control apparatus, wherein the computer includes an embedded image composed of only a specific color component and an embedded image composed of a color component different from the specific color component. Embedding information includes an identification image in which an embedded image is processed in advance so that it is difficult to visually recognize the embedded image with visible light, and a plurality of types of pattern images each having a plurality of pixels and different pixel values. The number of lines in the information embedding image that is selected and superimposed on the superimposed image and the feature image area in the image is made rougher than the background image area other than the feature image area Among the copy check images, a determination unit that determines the presence and type of an image to be combined and printed with a print target document, and at least the identification image is included in the image to be combined and printed with the print target document The predetermined image is controlled so as to be suitable for printing the identification image, and the identification image is included in an image to be combined with the print target document and printed. If at least the information embedding image is included, the predetermined processing is controlled so as to be suitable for printing the information embedding image, and is combined with the print target document and printed. When the identification image and the information embedded image are not included in the power image and only the copy check image is included, the predetermined process is a process suitable for printing the copy check image; Control means for controlling It is characterized in that to function Te.

  Since the printing control program according to the seventh aspect of the invention is a program for causing a computer to function as the determination means and the control means, the computer executes the printing control program according to the seventh aspect of the invention. As a result, the computer functions as the print control apparatus according to the first aspect, and, as in the first aspect, any image of the plural types of special images that can be used for confirming the authenticity of the document. When the image is combined with the document and printed, it is possible to appropriately print the image to be combined without burdening the user.

  As described above, the present invention determines the presence and type of an image to be printed by combining it with the document to be printed among the identification image, the information embedding image, and the copy check image, and synthesizes and prints it on the document to be printed. When at least an identification image is included in the power image, control is performed so that the predetermined process for generating print image data from the document information of the document to be printed is a process suitable for printing the identification image. If the identification image is not included in the image to be combined and printed with the document and at least the information embedding image is included, the predetermined process is a process suitable for printing the information embedding image. If the identification image and the information-embedded image are not included in the image to be combined and printed on the document to be printed and only the copy check image is included, the predetermined processing is performed. To be suitable for printing Therefore, when an arbitrary image of a plurality of types of special images that can be used for checking the authenticity of the document is combined with the document and printed, the user is burdened to properly print the image to be combined. It has the outstanding effect that it can implement | achieve without.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 shows a printing system 10 according to the present embodiment. The printing system 10 is configured by connecting a computer 12 and a printer 14 via a communication line 16 such as a LAN. The printing system 10 is not limited to the configuration in which the single computer 12 is provided, and a plurality of computers 12 may be provided. The computer 12 is preferably a personal computer (PC), for example, but is not limited thereto, and may be another computer such as a workstation, and a plurality of PCs functioning as clients. Each of the workstations functioning as a server may be provided.

  The computer 12 includes a CPU 12A, a ROM 12B, a RAM 12C, and an input / output port 12D that are connected to each other via a bus 10E including a data bus, a control bus, an address bus, and the like. The input / output port 12D includes a network interface 20 connected to the communication line 16, a display 22 composed of a CRT or LCD, a keyboard 24, a mouse 26, a hard disk drive (HDD) 28, a CD as various input / output devices. A CD-ROM drive 32 for reading information from the ROM 30 is connected to each other. Also, in the HDD 28 of the computer 12, a document handling application program for creating a document (print target document) to be printed by the printer 14 or updating (editing) the created print target document, and the print target document in the printer 14. A plurality of types of printer driver programs and a spooler program (to be described later) are installed.

  In the first embodiment and the second embodiment to be described later, a document print control program with a special image is also installed in the HDD 28 of the computer 12, as shown by a broken line in FIG. Data (referred to as special image data) of each special image (identification image, information embedded image and copy check image) that can be used for confirmation of the characteristics is also stored in advance. The document print control program with a special image corresponds to the print control program according to claim 7. There are several methods for installing (transferring) the special image-added document print control program to the computer 12. For example, the special image-added document print control program is recorded on the CD-ROM 30 together with the setup program. If the ROM 30 is set in the CD-ROM drive 32 and the CPU 12A is instructed to execute the setup program, the special image-added document print control program is read in sequence from the CD-ROM 30, and the read special-image-added document is read. The print control program is sequentially written in the HDD 28, whereby the special image-added document print control program is installed. In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, which will be described later, the CPU 12A executes the document print control program with special images, so that the computer 12 functions as a control unit of the print control apparatus according to the present invention.

  On the other hand, the printer 14 includes a network interface 36 connected to the communication line 16. The network interface 36 includes a microcomputer, and controls the operation of each part of the printer 14 and performs various processes (for example, described later). A printer control unit 38 is connected for performing a decomposing process for generating image data for printing. The printer control unit 38 includes a storage unit 40 including a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD and a flash memory and a volatile storage unit such as a RAM, a display unit including an LCD panel, a numeric keypad, and the like. A display / operation unit 42 configured to include an operation unit, and print image data input from the printer control unit 38 (Y, M, A color image is formed by electrophotography using toners of Y, M, C, and K color components based on bit map data of C, K color space), and the formed color image is transferred and fixed on a recording sheet. An image forming unit 44 that prints a document to be printed on a recording sheet is connected to each other.

  A nonvolatile storage unit of the storage unit 40 is preinstalled with a decomposer program for the printer control unit 38 to perform a decomposing process and a printer-side spooler (described later) program. In the third embodiment to be described later, as shown by a broken line in FIG. 1, a special image-added document printing control program is also installed in the nonvolatile storage means of the storage unit 40, and special image data is also stored in advance. ing. Installation (transfer) of the special image-added document printing control program to the storage unit 40 of the printer 14 may be performed in advance when the printer 14 is manufactured, for example, or a predetermined setup program is executed on the CPU 12A of the computer 12 This can be performed by the computer 12. The document print control program with special image in the third embodiment also corresponds to the print control program according to claim 7. In this aspect, the printer control unit 38 of the printer 14 executes the document print control program with special image. The printer 14 functions as a control unit of the print control apparatus according to the present invention.

  Next, as an operation of the first embodiment, an identification image that is one of the special images according to the present embodiment will be described. As described above, the image forming unit 44 forms a color image using printing agents of a plurality of color components, that is, Y, M, C, and K toners. Infrared light absorbing dye (carbon) is contained, and even if the image formed and printed using Y, M, and C toners is irradiated with infrared light, the toner hardly absorbs infrared light. The printed image cannot be seen visually, but when infrared light is irradiated to an image formed and printed using only K toner, a part of the irradiated infrared light is absorbed by the K toner. You can see the printed image.

  The identification image is an image created by using the above phenomenon to enable the authenticity determination of the document. As shown in FIG. 2, as an example, among the color components of Y, M, C, and K The embedded image consisting only of K and the embedded image consisting of Y, M, and C other than K are superimposed. FIG. 2 shows an example in which a line drawing image representing the outline of a predetermined figure (triangle) is used as an embedded image, and a solid image having a constant color and density is used as an embedded image. The image is not limited, and may be a multi-tone image (for example, a natural image), and a full-color image composed of many kinds of colors can be applied as the embedded image.

  The identification image includes a first area composed of m × m pixels (m is an integer of 2 or more) and a second area composed of n × n pixels (m is an integer of 1 or more and less than m). The plurality of independent first regions are arranged without gaps around the single second region, and the plurality of independent second regions are arranged at substantially equal intervals along the outer periphery of the single first region. The embedded image is arranged with halftone dots in the first area, and the embedded image is arranged with halftone dots in the second area. Further, the embedded image has a portion overlapping the line image of the embedded image so that it is difficult to view the embedded image with visible light in a state where the image is superimposed and printed. Is processed so that the density of the above portion looks the same as the original density according to the density of the line drawing of the embedded image in a state of being superimposed on the embedded image.

  Thus, the identification image data (in this embodiment, the identification image data is given as bitmap data in the Y, M, C, K color space that represents the identification image by decomposing the identification image into Y, M, C, K color components. When an identification image is formed using Y, M, C, and K toners and printed on a recording sheet, the embedded image is printed using only K toner, and the embedded image is printed as Y, M. , C toner, the identification image on the recording sheet can be seen only when the image is irradiated with visible light, and only the embedded image is visible (the embedded image is not visually recognized). The embedded image is an image that can be visually recognized (the presence of the embedded image can be confirmed) only when observed by irradiating with external light.

  On the other hand, when an identification image printed on a recording sheet is read by a scanner and printed on another recording sheet by an arbitrary printer based on the image data obtained by the reading, the identification image is copied to another recording sheet. The scanner has a configuration in which the image to be read is separated into R, G, and B color components and read, and “black” (Y on the embedded image) formed with Y, M, and C toner in the image to be read. Since “black”) and “black” of the K toner (“black” on the embedded image) cannot be identified, the embedded image and the embedded image are not separated from the scanner (unevenly integrated) Image data is output. For this reason, even if an identification image printed (copied) on another recording paper by an arbitrary printer based on image data output from the scanner is irradiated with infrared light and observed, the presence of an embedded image is not confirmed. .

  Therefore, when printing a document in which a copy may be abused, if the identification image is printed together on the same recording paper using the identification image data, the identification image printed on the document is irradiated with infrared light. By checking whether the embedded image can be seen by irradiating the image, it is possible to easily determine the authenticity of the document (discrimination between a legitimate document printed using the identification image data and its copy). be able to. In this embodiment, identification image data representing an identification image is given as bitmap data in the Y, M, C, K color space, and the above-described special image data includes the above-described identification image data.

Next, an information embedding image that is another special image according to the present embodiment will be described. The information embedding image is an image in which predetermined embedding information (for example, ID of a print target document to be combined with the information embedded image or information indicating the content of the print target document) is embedded in a predetermined superimposed image, The embedding of the predetermined embedding information corresponds to, for example, two types of pattern images as shown in FIG. 3B, more specifically, a pattern image indicating that the corresponding bit value is “1”. A pattern image representing that the bit value is “0” is used. Two types of pattern images are generated from the two types of basic patterns shown in FIG. Each of these two basic patterns consists of n × m pixels,
-When the corresponding pixels of two types of basic patterns are added together, all elements become zero.
-Add all pixels in each basic pattern to 0.
Each basic pattern is provided with two or more edges that extend along different directions (for example, the horizontal direction and the vertical direction) through the center of each basic pattern.
It has the characteristics.
The pattern image shown in FIG. 3B has, for example, the following expression (1) or expression (2) × Cexp (−α (| x | + |) on all the elements of each basic pattern shown in FIG. y |))… (1)
× Cexp (−α (x ² + y ² )) (2)
(Where C is a preset embedding strength, α is a preset pattern attenuation factor, and x and y are xy coordinate values of each pixel with the center of the basic pattern as the origin) . In FIG. 3B, the difference in density of each pixel in the pattern image is expressed by hatching density.

  The information embedded image is generated by the processing block shown in FIG. That is, the above two types of pattern images are stored in the pattern data storage unit, and the embedded information is encoded by the embedded information encoding unit (converted into a predetermined format and added with various information such as an error correction code). The pattern selection unit sequentially outputs a pattern image corresponding to the value of each bit of the embedded information after encoding among the two types of pattern images stored in the pattern data storage unit. The pattern image output from the pattern selection unit is arranged on the information embedding image as shown in FIG. Each time a pattern image is input from the pattern selection unit, the pattern superimposing unit extracts and extracts image data corresponding to a region where the input pattern image is arranged from the superimposed image data on which the pattern image is to be superimposed. The pattern image input to the image data is superimposed (synthesized) and output. Thereby, an information embedded image in which embedded information is embedded in the superimposed image is obtained.

  The extraction of the embedded information embedded in the information embedded image reads the information embedded image printed on the printed matter, and each pattern image embedded in the information embedded image has a bit value “1”. This can be done by sequentially determining whether the pattern image corresponds to the pattern image corresponding to the bit value “0”. In this embodiment, information-embedded image data representing an information-embedded image is given as bitmap data in the R, G, B color space. In the present embodiment, since the embedding information embedded in the information embedding image is different for each information embedding image, the special image data described above includes data (pattern image) for generating the information embedding image. Pattern image data to be represented).

  Subsequently, a copy check image which is another special image according to the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the copy check image is a feature image (for example, binary image) in which a character pattern (“COPY” in the example of FIG. 4) for checking copy is drawn on the entire surface, and a background image (for example, When generating a copy check image, feature image data that represents a feature image and background image data that represents a background image are prepared. In FIG. 4, a solid image having a constant density is shown as the background image, but it may be an image representing a gradation pattern whose gradation level changes within a range of about 16 to 48, for example. A wavy line (camouflage pattern) may be drawn from a thin line whose level is 0 or a value close to 0.

  The copy check image is generated as follows. That is, the halftone dot processing unit generates a halftone dot image shown in FIG. 4 by performing halftone dot processing with a coarser number of lines than the number of output lines by a systematic dither method or the like. As this halftone image, for example, a halftone image having a gradation level of 0 or 255 and a halftone number of 50 lines can be used. Further, the image selection unit uses the feature image as a selection signal, and if the value of the pixel of interest on the feature image is 1 (black), the pixel value of the corresponding pixel on the halftone image is used as the pixel value of the pixel of interest. If the value of the pixel of interest on the feature image is 0 (white), the pixel value of the corresponding pixel on the background image is selected as the pixel value of the pixel of interest. Is output as. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, the copy check image represented by the data output from the image selection unit is a halftone dot image for the area corresponding to the character pattern drawn on the feature image (feature image area). For other areas (background image areas), an image in which a multi-value background image is selected, that is, an image in which character patterns in a feature image are dot-processed and embedded in the background image Become.

  As will be described later, the copy check image is synthesized on the entire surface of the document to be printed, and is subjected to screen processing with the number of output lines (for example, if the number of output lines is 200 lines, a 200-line line screen is formed). However, if a printed document with a copy check image synthesized on the entire surface is copied by a copying machine, the background image area is not resolved by the copying machine and the density level is low, so it is reproduced on the copied material. On the other hand, since the feature image area (area corresponding to the character pattern) is sufficiently resolved by the copying machine, a character pattern such as “COPY” is clearly shown on the copy. As a result, the copy of the document composed of the copy check images can be checked, and the copy can be easily detected when the document is copied. In this embodiment, copy check image data representing a copy check image is given as bitmap data in the Y, M, C, and K color spaces, and the above-described special check data includes the copy check image data.

  Next, printing of a print target document in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment, a document printing control program with a special image is installed in the HDD 28 of the computer 12, and the special image data is also stored in the HDD 28 in advance. The user activates a document handling application on the computer 12, operates the keyboard 24, mouse 26, etc. using the started document handling application, creates a document to be printed, or creates and saves it on another computer. After updating (editing) the print target document, the printer driver to be used is selected, the print mode to be applied is selected, and printing of the created or updated print target document is instructed via the document handling application. In normal document printing, the printer driver selected by the user is activated on the computer 12 (the printer driver program is executed by the CPU 12A) in response to the print instruction, and the print target is selected according to the print mode selected by the user. The document data of the document is converted into intermediate print data described in the page description language, the intermediate print data is transferred from the computer 12 to the printer 14 via the communication line 16, and the printer controller 38 performs a decomposing process so that the intermediate print data is transferred. After the print data is expanded into Y, M, C, and K print image data, the print image data is transferred to the image forming unit 44 to print the print target document. .

  In contrast, in the first embodiment, an identification image, an information embedded image, and a copy check image are prepared as special images that can be used for confirming the authenticity of a document to be printed, and a certain document is printed. First, when the user determines whether or not there is a possibility of confirming the authenticity of the printed matter obtained by printing the document, and determines that there is a possibility of confirming the authenticity After determining the number and type of special images to be combined with the print target document based on the content, importance, usage, etc. of the print target document and instructing the determined special image to be combined with the print target document Instructs printing of the document to be printed. Note that the special image to be combined with the print target document is, for example, an identification image or information embedded in the case where the print target document is a document that is very important and has a large effect when a copy is abused. The embedded image and the copy check image can be determined to be combined. For example, in the case of a document having a large influence when the printed material whose contents are tampered with is abused, at least the information embedded image is combined. For example, in the case of a document that is less important but is not desired to be copied, it can be determined that only the copy check image is synthesized.

  In the first embodiment, when printing of a document to be printed is instructed, a document print control program with a special image is first started on the computer 12 (the document print control program with a special image is executed by the CPU 12A). As shown in FIG. 5, the document data of the document to be printed in a state where the special image is not combined is delivered from the document handling application to the document print control program with special image. Further, when a special image composition is instructed, composition instruction information indicating the number and type of special images instructed as a composition target is added to the document data of the document to be printed delivered to the document print control program. . Note that, when printing of a document to be printed is instructed via the document handling application, starting the document printing control program with a special image is, for example, an operating system or document handling application installed in the HDD 28 of the computer 12. This can be achieved by using a SDK (Software Development Kit) provided by the manufacturer and developing and installing a control program that hooks the print instruction and starts the document print control program with special images.

  When the document data of the document to be printed is delivered from the document handling application, the document print control program with special image is printed based on whether or not the compositing instruction information is added to the document data of the delivered document to be printed. It is determined whether or not an instruction to combine a special image with a document is given. When the compositing instruction information is not added to the document data of the document to be printed, the document print control program with a special image activates the print driver selected by the user on the computer 12 and sets the print mode selected by the user to the printer. In addition to notifying the driver, the document data of the document to be printed is transferred to the printer driver. In this case, the document to be printed is printed without combining the special image.

  On the other hand, when the compositing instruction information is added to the document data of the print target document, the special image-added document print control program refers to the compositing instruction information so that the special image for which compositing to the print target document is instructed is referred to. The number and type are recognized, and the data of the special image instructed to be combined is read from the HDD 28 and added to the document data of the document to be printed. If an information embedding image is included in the special image instructed to be combined, the image is combined with the print target document based on the data for generating the information embedded image included in the special image data. After the information embedded image data representing the power information embedded image is generated, the generated information embedded image data is added to the document data of the document to be printed. Then, the document print control program with special image selects the printer driver and print mode to be activated based on the number and type of special image data added to the document data of the document to be printed, activates the selected printer driver, The selected print mode is notified to the printer driver, and the document data of the document to be printed with the special image data added is handed over to the printer driver (note that FIG. 5 shows an identification image, an information embedded image, and a copy restraint image as special images. Exemplifies the document to be printed that has been combined with each other). As described above, the first embodiment corresponds to the invention described in claim 1 (specifically, the aspect of “combining image data specified in document information” described in claim 2).

  The printer driver and print mode can be selected as follows. That is, in the present embodiment, a plurality of types of printer driver programs are installed in the HDD 28 as printer drivers for causing the printer 14 to print a document to be printed (for example, a PostScript (R) driver and a PLW (Printer Language for (Windows (registered trademark)) driver), and the plurality of types of printer drivers convert image data in the Y, M, C, K color space included in the information of the document to be printed into image data in another color space. A first printer driver (for example, a PostScript (R) driver) that can be printed without any error, and image data in the Y, M, C, and K color spaces included in the information of the document to be printed, regardless of the print mode. It is always converted to image data in another color space (for example, R, G, B color space), and after predetermined processing, it is converted back to image data in Y, M, C, K color space. A second printer driver (for example, a PLW driver) used for printing through the above-described processing is included.

  Each printer driver is provided with a plurality of types of printing modes (high-definition mode and high-speed printing mode). In the high-definition mode of the first printer driver, the printer driver or No compression processing is performed by the decomposer, and the image data in the Y, M, C, K color space included in the information of the document to be printed is used for printing without being converted into image data in another color space. The target document is printed with a resolution equal to or higher than a predetermined value. On the other hand, in the high-speed printing mode of the second printer driver, the information of the document to be printed is compressed by the printer driver or the decomposer, so the printing speed is high, and the Y, M, C, and K colors to be printed are high. The image data in the space is always converted to image data in another color space (for example, R, G, B color space), and re-converted into image data in the Y, M, C, K color space after predetermined processing is performed. The print target document is generated and printed as image data for printing with a relatively low resolution less than a predetermined value.

  When printing a document in which identification images are combined, if identification image data that is image data in the Y, M, C, K color space is converted into image data in another color space, the identification image after color space conversion Since the black on the embedded image and the black on the embedded image are mixed in the data (unevenly integrated), the identification image can be embedded accurately if observed by irradiating with infrared light. The problem arises that printing is not possible (so that the image is visible). In addition, if the identification image data is compressed or the resolution at the time of printing is low, the embedded image is not printed accurately, and it becomes difficult to determine the authenticity of the document based on the identification image. For this reason, when the identification image is included in the special image instructed to be combined with the print target document, the document print control program with the special image displays the Y, M, C, and K colors combined with the print target document. The first printer driver is selected as the printer driver so that the identification image data in the space is printed as an identification image with a resolution equal to or higher than a predetermined value without being converted into image data in another color space or compressed. The high-definition mode is selected as the print mode.

  In addition, when printing a document in which an information embedded image is synthesized, there is no problem even if color space conversion is performed on the information embedded image data, but compression processing is performed on the information embedded image data. If the resolution at the time of printing is low, the information-embedded image is not printed accurately, so that it is difficult to determine the embedded information, and it becomes difficult to detect falsification of the document based on the information-embedded image. For this reason, even when a special image instructed to be combined with a print target document includes an information embedded image, the special image-added document print control program is configured to combine the information embedded image with the print target document. The first printer driver is selected as the printer driver and the high-definition mode is selected as the print mode so that the data is printed as an information embedded image at a resolution equal to or higher than a predetermined value without being compressed.

  In addition, when printing a document in which a copy check image is combined, there is no problem even if color conversion or compression is performed on the copy check image data, and it functions even if the printing resolution is low (when copying). On the other hand, if the resolution at the time of printing is high, a problem arises that it takes a long time to print. For this reason, when the special image instructed to be combined with the print target document is only the copy check image, the document print control program with the special image displays the print target document with the copy check image combined with a resolution less than a predetermined value. The second printer driver is selected as the printer driver and the high-speed print mode is selected as the print mode so that print image data to be printed is generated.

  The printer driver selected and started by the document print control program with special image, according to the print mode notified from the document print control program with special image, the document data of the document to be printed delivered from the document print control program with special image. Is converted into intermediate print data describing a document to be printed in a predetermined page description language.

  Specifically, the intermediate print data includes a header and a data body as shown in FIG. 5, and each piece of data representing a print target document (represented in the print target document) is included in the data body of the intermediate print data. Text data representing text and image data representing an image added to the document to be printed (this image includes a special image instructed to be combined) are described. Parameters that specify in which color space the data to be processed in the decomposing process executed by the printer 14 are added to the data (in FIG. 5, for example, processing is performed in the Y, M, C, and K color spaces). A parameter that specifies data to be processed is expressed as "YMCKwrite (...)", and a parameter that specifies data that is to be processed in the R, G, B color space is expressed as "RGBwrite (...)". Black and white Parameter specifies that the data to be processed as binary data "BWwrite (...)" are shown indicated as). When the notified print mode is the high-definition mode (when the identification image or the information-embedded image is included in at least the special image instructed to be combined with the document to be printed), intermediate printing is performed. When each parameter described in the data body of the data is added with a parameter specifying that the data should be processed in the Y, M, C, K color space, and the notified print mode is the high-speed print mode ( Data to be processed in the R, G, B color space for each data described in the data body of the intermediate print data (when the special image instructed to be combined with the document to be printed is only a copy restraint image) And a parameter (BWwrite (...)) for processing the copy check image are added (see FIG. 5).

  Further, attribute information of the document to be printed is set in the header of the intermediate print data, and this attribute information includes mode designation information for designating a print mode in the decomposing process. The specification of the mode has priority over the specification of the parameters of each data described in the data body of the intermediate print data. For example, when information specifying the high-speed print mode is set in the header as the mode specification information, Y, M For the data described in the data body of the intermediate print data with the parameter specifying that the data should be processed in the C, K, K color space, the data in the R, G, B color space is also processed by the decomposing process described later. Once converted into data and subjected to predetermined processing, it is reconverted into Y, M, C, K color space data. For this reason, when the notified print mode is the high-definition mode, the printer driver sets information specifying the high-definition mode as the print mode in the decomposing process, and when the notified print mode is the high-speed print mode. Sets information specifying the high-speed printing mode as a printing mode in the decomposing process (see FIG. 5, information specifying the high-definition mode is expressed as “mode: high-definition” in FIG. 5 as an example, and the high-speed printing mode is set. Information to be specified is written as “mode: high-speed printing”).

  When the intermediate print data of the print target document is generated as described above, the printer driver starts the spooler by causing the CPU 12A to execute the spooler program (see FIG. 5), and the intermediate print data of the generated print target document is spooled. Hand over to The spooler sequentially stores and stores the intermediate print data generated by the printer driver in the HDD 28, and communicates with the printer 14 via the network interface 20, reads out the intermediate print data stored and stored in order from the HDD 28, and sends it to the printer 14. Forward.

  In the printer 14, when the intermediate print data transferred from the computer 12 is received, the printer-side spooler program (see FIG. 5) is activated by the printer control unit 38 executing the printer-side spooler program. The printer-side spooler sequentially accumulates and stores the intermediate print data received from the computer 12 in the non-volatile storage means of the storage unit 40, and starts the decomposer by causing the printer control unit 38 to execute the decomposer program, and stores and stores the intermediate print data. The intermediate print data thus read is sequentially read out from the storage means and transferred to the decomposer in order.

  The decomposer determines the specified print mode by referring to the header of the intermediate print data delivered from the printer-side spooler, and for each data described in the data body of the intermediate print data, the determined print mode and Based on the parameters added to each data, each color space is determined to be processed, and based on the determination result, color space conversion processing is performed as necessary, and then predetermined processing (for example, color correction processing) And the density correction process, etc., and then rendering each processed data as Y, M, C, K bitmap data, thereby printing the Y, M, C, K color space representing the document to be printed. A decomposing process for generating image data is performed. The decomposer transfers the generated print image data to the image forming unit 44 so that the print target document represented by the generated print image data is printed on the recording paper by the image forming unit 44. As a result, the print target document in which the designated special image is combined is printed.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, when at least an identification image or an information embedded image is included in a special image instructed to be combined with a print target document, the first printer driver is used as a printer driver. Since the high-definition mode is selected as the print mode, the identification image data and information-embedded image data combined with the document data of the document to be printed are converted or compressed into image data of another color space. Instead, the image is appropriately printed as an identification image or an information-embedded image with a resolution equal to or higher than a predetermined value. Further, when the copy restraint image is included in the special image instructed to be combined with the document to be printed, the first printer driver is selected as the printer driver and the high-definition mode is selected as the print mode. Although it takes time to print, the copy check image is also printed appropriately. Therefore, the special image combined with the printed document can be used for document authenticity determination, falsification detection, and copy document detection, and the authenticity of the document can be reliably confirmed.

  If the special image instructed to be combined with the document to be printed is only the copy restraint image, the second printer driver is selected as the printer driver and the high-speed print mode is selected as the print mode. The copy check image instructed to be combined is printed appropriately, and the time required for printing can be shortened. In the first embodiment, when printing a print target document composed of special images, an appropriate printer driver and print mode are automatically selected. Therefore, in order to print the special image accurately, the user can use the printer driver. There is no need to select the print mode and the print mode, and the burden on the user when printing the print target document composed of the special image can be reduced.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Since the second embodiment has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the respective parts, description of the configuration is omitted, and the operation of the second embodiment will be described below.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in the second embodiment, the document printing control program with a special image according to the present invention is started when printing of a document to be printed is instructed via a document handling application. And a second program that is activated when the intermediate print data is transferred from the spooler to the printer 14. When the spooler transfers intermediate print data to the printer 14, a predetermined program (generally called a printer processor) is started. The second program is started instead of the predetermined program. It can be constituted as follows.

  In the second embodiment, when printing of the print target document is instructed via the document handling application, first, the first program of the document print control program with special image is started on the computer 12 and the document data of the print target document is started. Is delivered from the document handling application. When the document data of the print target document is delivered from the document handling application, the first program that has been started is based on whether or not the combination instruction information is added to the document data of the delivered print target document. It is determined whether or not a special image is instructed to be composited, and when the compositing instruction information is added to the document data, the compositing to the print target document is performed by referring to the added compositing instruction information. Is recognized, and the recognition result is output to the second program as a special image synthesis instruction. The first program activates the printer driver designated by the user at the time of the print instruction, delivers the document data of the document to be printed to the activated printer driver, and activates the print mode designated by the user at the time of the print instruction. Is notified to the intermediate print data from the delivered document data in the designated print mode.

  In the second embodiment, since the intermediate print data is generated from the document data of the document to be printed in the print mode specified by the user by the printer driver specified by the user, the intermediate print data generated by the above processing is performed. Is data that cannot be guaranteed to be printed without being subjected to compression or color space conversion on the image data included in the information of the document to be printed. In FIG. 6, as an example, the intermediate print data is set in the header with information specifying the high-speed print mode as the print mode in the decomposing process, and the processing in the decomposing process is performed on each data described in the data body. , B is shown as information to which a parameter for designating the operation in the B color space is added.

  In the second embodiment, when the document to be printed is a document for which no special image composition instruction is given, no special image composition instruction is output from the first program to the second program, so the intermediate print data is output from the spooler to the printer 14. In the second program that is activated when the image is transferred, the intermediate print data of the document to be transferred is simply transferred to the printer 14 without performing processing such as addition of special image data. In this case, the image data for printing is generated by the decomposer according to the mode designation information set in the header of the intermediate print data of the document to be printed and the parameters added to each data described in the data body of the intermediate print data. The The document to be printed is printed as usual without combining special images.

  On the other hand, when the document to be printed is a document instructed to synthesize a special image, a special image synthesis instruction is output from the first program to the second program. Data of the instructed special image is read from the HDD 28 (when the information embedded image is included in the special image instructed to be combined, an information embedded image read from the HDD 28 is generated. Information embedding image data is also generated based on the data), a parameter for specifying the color space for the read special image data and a parameter for specifying the synthesis position of the special image on the document to be printed (specified by this parameter) The composite position is the identification image when the intermediate print data is expanded into print image data (bitmap data) by the decomposer. After adding the reference are) in the deployed position determination, adding to the data portion of the intermediate print data of a print target document. When the identification image composition is instructed, the data to be processed in the Y, M, C, K color space as the parameter for designating the color space for the identification image data read from the HDD 28. A parameter that specifies that is added.

  The second program is set in the header of the intermediate print data of the print target document when the identification image or the information embedded image is included in the special image instructed to be combined with the print target document. The specified mode specification information is overwritten with information specifying the high-definition mode as the print mode in the decomposing process, and if the special image that is instructed to be combined with the print target document is only the copy check image, the print target The mode designation information set in the header of the intermediate print data of the document is overwritten with information designating the high-speed print mode as the print mode in the decomposing process. Then, the intermediate print data of the document to be printed is transferred to the printer 14. As described above, the second embodiment also corresponds to the invention described in claim 1 (specifically, the aspect of “combining image data designated as intermediate print data” described in claim 2).

  In the second embodiment, the high-definition mode is set as the print mode when at least the identification image or the information embedded image is included in the special image instructed to be combined with the print target document. The identification image data and information embedded image data synthesized with the intermediate print data of the document to be printed are not converted into image data in another color space or compressed, and the identification image or information embedded at a resolution equal to or higher than a predetermined value. It will be printed properly as an embedded image. Further, when a copy check image is included in the special image instructed to be combined with the print target document, the copy check image is also printed appropriately. Therefore, the special image combined with the printed document can be used for document authenticity determination, falsification detection, and copy document detection, and the authenticity of the document can be reliably confirmed. In addition, when the special image instructed to be combined with the document to be printed is only the copy check image, the copy check image instructed to be combined is printed properly by setting the high-speed print mode as the print mode. In addition, the time required for printing can be shortened.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Since the third embodiment also has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the respective parts, description of the configuration is omitted, and the operation of the third embodiment will be described below.

  In the third embodiment, the special image-added document printing control program is installed in the non-volatile storage unit of the storage unit 40 of the printer 14, and special image data is also stored in the storage unit. As shown in FIG. 7, in the third embodiment, when generation of image data for printing by the decomposer is completed, a document print control program with a special image is executed by the printer control unit 38, whereby document print control with a special image is performed. The program is started. The document printing control program with a special image determines whether or not a special image is to be combined with the document to be printed. If it is determined that a special image is to be combined, a combination is instructed. Determine the number and type of special images. Note that this determination is made, for example, when the combination instruction information added to the document data of the document to be printed is instructed from the computer 12 to the printer 14 together with the intermediate print data of the document to be printed when an instruction to combine a special image with the document to be printed is given. This can be realized by being configured to be transferred to.

  The special image-added document print control program transfers the print image data to the image forming unit 44 without performing any processing when no special image synthesis is instructed to the print target document. If the special image is instructed to be combined with the target document, the special image data instructed to be combined is read from the nonvolatile storage means (the information is embedded in the special image instructed to be combined). If an image is included, information embedded image data is also generated based on the data for generating the information embedded image read from the storage means), and the read special image data is generated for printing The image data (Y, M, C, K color space bitmap data representing the document to be printed) is combined. Then, the image data for printing combined with the special image data is transferred to the image forming unit 44 so that the print target document combined with the special image is printed by the image forming unit 44. Thus, the third embodiment also corresponds to the invention described in claim 1 (specifically, the aspect of “combining the image data specified in the print image data” described in claim 2).

  Even if at least the identification image or the information embedded image is included in the special image instructed to be combined with the document to be printed by the above processing, the identification image data or the information embedded image data may be in a different color. The image is appropriately printed as an identification image or an information-embedded image at a resolution equal to or higher than a predetermined value without being converted into space image data or compressed. Further, even when a copy check image is included in the special image instructed to be combined with the print target document, the copy check image is also printed appropriately. Therefore, the special image combined with the printed document can be used for document authenticity determination, falsification detection, and copy document detection, and the authenticity of the document can be reliably confirmed.

  In the third embodiment, when the special image instructed to be combined with the print target document includes an identification image or an information embedded image, the second printer driver is used or the print mode is selected. Even if the high-speed printing mode is applied, the identification image and the information embedded image can be printed accurately. By selecting the printer driver and the printing mode as described above, the identification image and the information embedded image are synthesized. It is also possible to print the print target document at a relatively high speed.

  In the first and second embodiments, the high-definition mode is selected as the print mode. (When adding special image data to the document data to be printed, the first printer driver can also be selected as the printer driver. The printing conditions suitable for printing the identification image (printing conditions in which the identification image data is not compressed and converted to another color space and printed at a resolution higher than a predetermined value) and the information-embedded image In the special image to be combined with the document to be printed, the printing conditions suitable for printing (the printing conditions for printing the information-embedded image data without being compressed at a resolution equal to or higher than the predetermined value) are simultaneously satisfied. However, the present invention is not limited to this, but an example in which the high-definition mode is selected as the print mode has been described. For example, if there is another print mode that satisfies the print conditions suitable for printing an information-embedded image (for example, a print mode in which color space conversion is performed on image data), a special image to be combined with the document to be printed Another print mode may be selected when an identification image is not included and an information-embedded image is included.

  In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, special image data is not initially added to the document data of the document to be printed, and the synthesis is instructed when the user instructs the synthesis of the special image. Although an example in which special image data is added to document data or intermediate print data has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and special image data (regular data) is originally applied to a document to be combined and printed. May be provisional data). In this case, by determining whether or not special image data is added to the document data of the print target document, it is possible to determine whether or not the print target document is a document instructed to synthesize the special image. The special image can be printed accurately by overwriting the special image data with the regular special image data.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment. It is an image figure for demonstrating the outline of an identification image. (A)-(C) is an image figure for demonstrating the outline of an information embedding image, (D) is a block diagram for demonstrating the outline of an information embedding image generation process. It is an image figure for demonstrating the outline of a copy check image. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the document printing process in 1st Embodiment. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the document printing process in 2nd Embodiment. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the document printing process in 3rd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10 Printing System 12 Computer 14 Printer 28 HDD
38 Printer Control Unit 40 Storage Unit

Claims (7)

A print control apparatus that generates print image data used to print the print target document by a printer by performing predetermined processing on the document information of the print target document.
An embedded image consisting only of a specific color component and an embedded image consisting of a color component different from the specific color component are superimposed so that it is difficult to view the embedded image with visible light in a printed state. An identification image in which the embedded image is processed in advance, and an information embedding image in which a plurality of types of pattern images each consisting of a plurality of pixels and having different individual pixel values are selected according to the embedding information and superimposed on the superimposed image Determining means for determining presence / absence and type of an image to be printed on a document to be printed among copy restrained images in which the number of lines of the feature image area in the image is coarser than that of the background image area other than the feature image area When,
When at least the identification image is included in an image to be combined and printed on the print target document, the predetermined process is controlled to be a process suitable for printing the identification image, and In a case where the identification image is not included in the image to be combined and printed with the document to be printed and at least the information embedded image is included, the predetermined processing prints the information embedded image. The image to be printed by being combined with the document to be printed is not included in the identification image and the information embedded image, and only the copy check image is included. Control means for controlling the predetermined process to be a process suitable for printing the copy check image;
Including a printing control device. The determination means performs the determination by determining whether each of the identification image, the information embedded image, and the copy check image is designated as an image to be printed by being combined with the document to be printed. ,
When at least one of the identification image, the information-embedded image, and the copy restraint image is designated as an image to be combined with the print target document and printed, the control unit is configured to store document information of the print target document. The specified image data is added to or synthesized with any one of the intermediate print data generated from the document information and the print image data generated from the intermediate print data. The printing control apparatus according to 1. The printer performs printing using printing agents of a plurality of color components, and the print image data is data of a specific color space that represents the print target document divided into the plurality of color components,
The control means includes identification image data representing the identification image and given as data of a specific color space when at least the identification image is included in an image to be combined and printed with the document to be printed. The print target information is not compressed, and the identification image data is combined with the print image data without being converted into data of another color space, and at least the identification image is combined. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined process is controlled so that print image data for printing a document with a resolution equal to or higher than a predetermined value is generated.   The control means represents the information embedding image when the identification image is not included in the image to be combined and printed with the print target document and at least the information embedding image is included. Print image data that prints at least a print target document in which the information embedded image is combined at a resolution equal to or higher than a predetermined value is generated without compressing information to be printed including the information embedded image data. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined process is controlled.   The control means includes the copy when the identification image and the information embedded image are not included in the image to be combined and printed with the document to be printed and only the copy check image is included. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined process is controlled so that print image data for printing a print target document combined with the check image with a resolution less than a predetermined value is generated. In generating print image data used for printing the print target document by a printer by performing predetermined processing on the document information of the print target document,
An embedded image consisting only of a specific color component and an embedded image consisting of a color component different from the specific color component are superimposed, so that it is difficult to view the embedded image with visible light in a printed state. An identification image in which the embedded image is processed in advance, and an information embedding image in which a plurality of types of pattern images each consisting of a plurality of pixels and having different individual pixel values are selected according to the embedding information and superimposed on the superimposed image Determining the presence and type of an image to be combined and printed on the document to be printed out of the copy check images in which the number of lines of the feature image region in the image is rougher than the background image region other than the feature image region;
When at least the identification image is included in an image to be combined and printed on the print target document, the predetermined process is controlled to be a process suitable for printing the identification image, and In a case where the identification image is not included in the image to be combined and printed with the document to be printed and at least the information embedded image is included, the predetermined processing prints the information embedded image. The image to be printed by being combined with the document to be printed is not included in the identification image and the information embedded image, and only the copy check image is included. A print control method for performing control so that the predetermined process is a process suitable for printing the copy check image. A print control program that causes a computer to function as a print control device that generates print image data used for printing the print target document by a printer by performing predetermined processing on document information of the print target document.
The computer,
An embedded image consisting only of a specific color component and an embedded image consisting of a color component different from the specific color component are superimposed, so that it is difficult to view the embedded image with visible light in a printed state. An identification image in which the embedded image is processed in advance, and an information embedding image in which a plurality of types of pattern images each consisting of a plurality of pixels and having different individual pixel values are selected according to the embedding information and superimposed on the superimposed image Determining means for determining presence / absence and type of an image to be printed on a document to be printed among copy restrained images in which the number of lines of the feature image area in the image is coarser than that of the background image area other than the feature image area ,
In addition, when at least the identification image is included in an image to be combined with the print target document and printed, control is performed so that the predetermined process is a process suitable for printing the identification image. When the identification image is not included in the image to be combined and printed with the document to be printed and at least the information embedded image is included, the predetermined processing is performed as the information embedded image. The image to be printed is combined with the print target document and the identification image and the information embedded image are not included in the image to be printed, and only the copy check image is included. A print control program for controlling the predetermined process to be a process suitable for printing the copy check image.