JP2014131126A - Image forming apparatus and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus that switches among color, two-color, and monochrome outputs in copying to improve convenience.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 1 comprises: an image forming unit 7 that prints print data; and a document reading unit 2 that reads a document printed by the image forming means as image data. A storage unit 9 stores authentication information on a user and output limit setting information for limiting output of scan image data 95 in account settings 90. A color output control unit 81 performs user authentication. The color output control unit 81 adds output management condition information to images during printing according to the output limit setting information on the authenticated user. The color output control unit 81 further controls color, two-color, and monochrome outputs according to the output management condition information and the output limit setting information stored in the account settings 90.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method for switching between color, two-color, and copy output.

In a conventional image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a multifunctional peripheral (MFP) capable of color printing, management at the time of copying or printing may be performed by inputting a user ID.
As the output management, for example, the number of sheets is managed. In addition, from the viewpoint of cost reduction, some users may limit color output in order to limit consumption of color toner and the like. In this case, even if a user whose color output is limited attempts to output a color image, it is not output in color, or is converted into monochrome and output.

On the other hand, “digital watermark” has been conventionally used as a technique for embedding predetermined information in image data with little influence on image quality.
As techniques for applying such digital watermarking to an image forming apparatus, for example, techniques such as Patent Documents 1 to 3 are disclosed.
In the techniques of Patent Documents 1 to 3, printing is performed by embedding copy prohibition information in an electronic watermark by an image forming apparatus. Such an image forming apparatus prohibits copying when embedded copy prohibition information is extracted when copying a printed matter.

JP 2001-251490 A JP 2007-174178 A JP 2008-244518 A

However, in the past, when a user who has limited color output wants to output a color image, regardless of the color image, whether to output the color with the permission of color output from the administrator, or monochrome There was no choice but to output an image.
In other words, conventionally, when copying a black and white document with a seal, logo mark, etc., only the portion of the seal, logo mark is in color, and even though the consumption of color toner is small, it is monochrome. There was an inconvenience of being output.
Also, depending on the manuscript, even if the original is a color document, there are cases where it is desired to limit the color output in order to make a difference from the original when copying.
For this reason, when color output is restricted, there is a problem that user convenience is lowered.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a condition, and makes it a subject to eliminate the above-mentioned subject.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus capable of color output, an image forming unit that prints the acquired print data, a feature amount of the print data, and a copy of the print data based on the feature amount. Output management condition information generating means for generating output management condition information for managing color output control, and output management condition information generated by the output management condition information generating means in printing by the image forming means. And an output management condition information adding means.
An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a reading unit that reads a document printed with output management condition information for managing color output control as image data in an image forming apparatus capable of color output, and the reading unit reads the original. Image forming means for copying the image data, account authentication storage means for storing user authentication information, and output restriction setting information for restricting output of the image data by the image forming means, and the user A user authentication unit that performs user authentication based on the authentication information, an output management condition information decoding unit that decodes and acquires the output management condition information from the image data read by the reading unit, and the reading unit. When the read image data is output by the image forming means, color output control is performed. Output control means, wherein the color output control means includes the output management condition information acquired by the output management condition information decoding means, and the output restriction setting information of the user authenticated by the user authentication means. Color output control is performed according to the above.
The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a color selection condition setting storage unit that stores a color selection condition setting used for calculating the feature amount of the output management condition information, and the output management condition information generation unit includes the color selection condition The output management condition information is generated based on the color selection condition setting stored in the condition setting storage means.
The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes: account setting storage means for storing user authentication information and output restriction setting information for restricting output of the image data by the image forming means; and the user authentication information. A user authentication unit that performs user authentication; and a color rate calculation unit that calculates a color rate of the print data printed by the image forming unit as the feature amount calculated by the output management condition information generation unit. The color selection condition setting stored in the color selection condition setting storage means includes a plurality of color level threshold values selected by the color rate, a color output restriction condition in the image forming means by the user at the time of copying, Or whether the image forming unit can output two colors, and the output management condition information includes the color rate calculation The output restriction setting information stored in the account setting storage means including the color ratio calculated by the color setting is a color output permission setting which is a setting for performing color output control according to the color level, and the color selection. Regardless of the color output restriction condition of the condition setting, the color output restriction setting is a restriction setting for whether to output in monochrome or not, and the two color output is permitted by the permission of the two color output of the color selection condition setting. And a two-color color output permission setting which is a setting as to whether or not to permit this.
The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a logo mark storage unit that stores data of a logo mark included in the print data, and a logo mark recognition unit that recognizes the logo mark from the print data, and the color selection condition setting The color selection condition setting stored in the storage unit includes a logo color output permission setting indicating whether or not a logo color can be output depending on the presence or absence of a logo mark recognized by the logo mark recognition unit, and the output management condition information includes It includes information on the presence or absence of a logo mark recognized by the logo mark recognition means.
The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the output management condition information adding means adds the output management condition information in a state in which it is difficult to visually identify the output management condition information.
In the image forming method of the present invention, in the image forming method capable of color output, the obtained print data is printed, the feature amount of the print data is calculated, and the print data is copied based on the feature amount. Output management condition information for managing color output control is generated, and the generated output management condition information is added in printing.

  According to the present invention, output management condition information can be added to a digital watermark, and color, two-color, and monochrome output can be flexibly switched, or only a logo mark can be printed in color, improving user convenience. An image forming apparatus can be provided.

1 is a schematic schematic cross-sectional view showing an internal configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the color output management process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a screen example of the color selection condition setting process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 6 is a flowchart showing details of document reading output selection processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

<Embodiment>
[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus 1]
Next, the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a document reading unit 2 (reading unit), a document feeding unit 3, a main body unit 4, a stack tray 5, and an operation panel unit 6 (display unit). Yes.
The document reading unit 2 is disposed on the top of the main body unit 4, and the document feeding unit 3 is disposed on the top of the document reading unit 2. The stack tray 5 is disposed on the recording paper discharge port 41 side formed in the main body unit 4, and the operation panel unit 6 is disposed on the front side of the image forming apparatus 1.

The document reading unit 2 includes a scanner 21, a platen glass 22, and a document reading slit 23. The scanner 21 includes an exposure lamp, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) imaging sensor, and the like, and is configured to be movable in the document transport direction by the document feeder 3. The platen glass 22 is an original table made of a transparent member such as glass. The document reading slit 23 has a slit formed in a direction orthogonal to the document transport direction by the document feeder 3.
The document reading unit 2 can automatically recognize the size of a document such as business cards to A3 one by one and read (scan) an image in a predetermined range corresponding to the recognized size.

When reading a document placed on the platen glass 22, the scanner 21 is moved to a position facing the platen glass 22 and reads the document while scanning the document placed on the platen glass 22 to obtain image data. The acquired image data is output to the main unit 4.
When reading the document conveyed by the document feeding unit 3, the scanner 21 is moved to a position facing the document reading slit 23, and the document is conveyed by the document feeding unit 3 through the document reading slit 23. The document is read in synchronization with the operation to acquire image data, and the acquired image data is output to the main body unit 4.

  The document feeding unit 3 includes a document placement unit 31, a document discharge unit 32, and a document transport mechanism 33. The originals placed on the original placement unit 31 are sequentially fed out one by one by the original conveyance mechanism 33, conveyed to a position facing the original reading slit 23, and then discharged to the original discharge unit 32. The document feeding unit 3 is configured to be retractable, and can function as a platen cover that opens the upper surface of the platen glass 22 by lifting the document feeding unit 3 upward.

The main body unit 4 includes the image forming unit 7, and includes a paper feeding unit 42, a paper conveyance path 43, a conveyance roller 44, and a discharge roller 45. The paper feed unit 42 includes a plurality of paper feed cassettes 421 that store recording papers of different sizes or orientations, and a paper feed roller 422 that feeds the recording papers one by one from the paper feed cassette 421 to the paper transport path 43. Yes. The paper feed cassette 421 functions as a paper holding unit.
The paper feed roller 422, the transport roller 44, and the discharge roller 45 function as a transport unit. The recording paper is conveyed by this conveyance unit. The recording paper fed to the paper conveyance path 43 by the paper supply roller 422 is conveyed to the image forming unit 7 by the conveyance roller 44.
The recording paper on which recording has been performed by the image forming unit 7 is discharged to the stack tray 5 by the discharge roller 45.

The operation panel unit 6 includes a display unit such as an LCD, a touch panel 61 for performing various instructions, a button unit 62, and the like.
The touch panel 61 is a resistive film type or electrostatic capacity type touch panel, and acquires instruction information by coordinates on the display unit pressed by the user, pressing, or the like. In the case of a multi-touch compatible panel, the touch panel 61 can detect a plurality of coordinates, presses, and the like.
The button unit 62 is a button for acquiring a user instruction related to switching of operation modes such as a start key, a numeric keypad, copying, and scanning, and printing / transmission / reception of a selected document.
The touch panel 61 and the button unit 62 of the operation panel unit 6 acquire an instruction of the image forming apparatus 1 by the user. For this reason, user authentication can be performed from the touch panel 61 or the button unit 62 of the operation panel unit 6.

The image forming unit 7 includes a photosensitive drum 71, an exposure unit 72, a developing unit 73, a transfer unit 74, and a fixing unit 75.
The exposure unit 72 is an optical unit including a laser device, an LED array, a mirror, a lens, and the like. The exposure unit 72 outputs light or the like based on image data to expose the photosensitive drum 71, and the surface of the photosensitive drum 71 is statically exposed. An electrostatic latent image is formed.
The developing unit 73 is a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 71 using toner, and forms a toner image based on the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 71. The transfer unit 74 transfers the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 71 by the developing unit 73 onto a recording sheet. The fixing unit 75 heats the recording paper on which the toner image is transferred by the transfer unit 74 to fix the toner image on the recording paper.

The document feeding unit 3 includes a document detection sensor that detects the size and number of documents when the document is placed on the document placing unit 31. The document feeder 3 also includes an open / close sensor that detects that the platen cover is opened and closed.
The main body 4 also includes a sensor that detects opening / closing of a manual feed tray (not shown), replacement of the paper feed cassette 421, and the like as a paper set. In addition, each means includes a sensor for detecting a change in state.
The control unit 8 can detect user instructions from these sensors and the operation panel unit 6 and execute various jobs including scanning in a normal activation state.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic control configuration of the image forming apparatus 1. The document reading unit 2, document feeding unit 3, transport unit (feed roller 422, transport roller 44, discharge roller 45), operation panel unit 6, and image forming unit 7 are connected to the control unit 8 and controlled. The operation is controlled by the unit 8. The control unit 8 is connected to a storage unit 9, an image processing unit 10, a network transmission / reception unit 12, and the like.

The control unit 8 is an information processing unit such as a microcomputer including a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The ROM stores a control program for controlling the operation of the image forming apparatus 1. Further, the control unit 8 may include a dedicated calculation means for speeding up the encryption / decryption calculation such as 3DES and AES.
The control unit 8 reads the control program stored in the ROM and develops the control program in the RAM, thereby controlling the entire apparatus in accordance with user instruction information input from the operation panel unit 6. In addition, the control unit 8 and the image processing unit 10 can perform various controls in accordance with instructions from other terminals.
In addition, the control unit 8 or the image processing unit 10 may include a circuit that performs automatic color recognition (Auto Color Recognition) and a calculation unit.

Further, the control unit 8 includes a color output control unit 81 (output management condition information generation unit, output management condition information addition unit, color output control unit, user authentication unit, output management condition information decoding unit, color rate calculation unit, logo mark, Recognition means) as functional means.
Here, the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment can print (output) by specifying color, two-color, or monochrome. “Color” includes, for example, cyan (Cyan, C), magenta (Magenta, M), yellow (Yellow, Y), black (blackK, K), toners having different densities, and intermediate color toners having different color gamuts. This means that printing using at least three types is recognized as a color on the human color vision. The “two-color color” uses a combination of any two of these color toners or the like, or, for example, red (Red, R), green (Green, G), blue (Blue, B), etc. This refers to the use of a combination of two-color printing toners that are not complementary colors. “Monochrome” means using a single color toner or the like. That is, the types of toner and the like that are consumed are reduced in the order of designation of “color”, “two-color”, and “monochrome”. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment selects “logo color” output for outputting a color only at predetermined coordinates such as a logo mark. The color output control unit 81 performs color output control for switching these color outputs.

The color output control unit 81 sets output management conditions for color printing and copying in accordance with an instruction from the administrator. This output management condition mainly includes a color selection condition setting 91 in the storage unit 9 and a setting related to output restriction setting information in the account setting 90.
In addition, the color output control unit 81 adds output management condition information to the printed document using a digital watermark or the like during printing. The output management condition information includes a “user ID” indicating a user who has performed printing, a “color rate” indicating a color area, a “color output restriction condition” indicating a restriction condition for enabling color output, and two colors A “two-color color availability” indicating whether or not printing in color is possible and a combination of possible colors, a “logo mark” indicating the presence / absence, type, coordinates, etc. of a logo mark or the like are used.
Further, the color output control unit 81 performs user authentication at the time of copying, reads the output management condition information embedded from the digital watermark, and outputs it in color, two colors, or monochrome according to this and the user output restriction setting information To do. Further, in the case of two-color or monochrome, output in logo color may be selected.
Details of the processing by the control unit 8 will be described later.

The storage unit 9 is a storage unit such as a semiconductor memory or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive).
The storage unit 9 stores the image data read by the document reading unit 2 and subjected to image processing by the image processing unit 10 as scan image data 95 that is a temporary file. The storage unit 9 also stores various files read from an external recording medium, thumbnail image data, and the like.
In addition, the storage unit 9 includes a storage folder for each user. This storage folder holds scanned image data 95 in the form of a file such as PDF, and other image data and print data as NAS (Network Attached Storage). These data may be transmitted to the terminal 200 via the network 100.
The storage unit 9 functions as an account setting storage unit that stores the account setting 90. The storage unit 9 functions as a color selection condition setting storage unit that stores the color selection condition setting 91. The storage unit 9 functions as a logo mark storage unit that stores the logo setting 94 (logo mark data). The storage unit 9 functions as a scan image data storage unit that stores the scan image data 95. The storage unit 9 functions as a print data storage unit that stores job data 96 (print data).

The account setting 90 is a database including various types of information on the image forming apparatus 1 for each user account. The account setting 90 includes encrypted authentication information, output restriction setting information, and the like for each user ID (Identification).
The authentication information includes a password corresponding to the user ID, a user name, and the like, and is used for user authentication (personal authentication). Also, the authority of the administrator, general user, guest, etc. is included as authentication information used at the time of printing or copying.
The output restriction setting information is used to restrict and manage color, two-color, or monochrome output used during printing or copying. The output restriction setting information includes color output permission settings, color output restriction settings, two-color color output permission settings, logo color output permission settings, and the like. Among these, the color output permission setting is a setting as to whether to permit color output, two-color color output, or monochrome output depending on the color level of whether the document has more or less colors. The color output restriction setting is a setting for restricting whether to output in monochrome regardless of the “color output restriction condition” of the output management condition information embedded in the digital watermark of the scanned image data 95 that has been read. . Also, even when the 2-color output permission setting is set to monochrome output, the output management condition information embedded in the digital watermark includes the permission to output in 2-color in the “2-color color enable / disable” This is a setting for whether or not to permit output in two colors. The logo color output permission setting is a setting for restricting whether or not to output a logo color when a logo mark is detected.
In addition, the account setting 90 may include the name and location of the storage folder, the user's IP address, mail address, address book, and the like. The account setting 90 may further include a unique encryption key created from the authentication information and the unique number of the image forming apparatus 1.
Information of each user in the account setting 90 is input or changed from the operation panel unit 6. Also, various information of the user may be input and registered from an external terminal (not shown) or another recording medium connected to a recording medium connection unit or the like.
In addition, a guest user may be registered in the account setting 90.

The color selection condition setting 91 includes a setting for determining the print data feature amount of the job data 96 and a condition setting by the administrator included in the output management condition information added by digital watermarking at the time of printing.
The color selection condition setting 91 includes color level thresholds of about several stages for determining whether there are many colors (color ratio) as the setting of the print data feature amount. As the color selection condition setting 91, for example, when setting threshold values for three levels of color levels, the threshold of the color of the page of the scanned image data 95 is 50% or more as “color many” and 10 as “medium”. It is possible to set a threshold value of 1% or more and less than 10% as “threshold color”. If it is lower than “low color”, it is determined to be monochrome.
The color selection condition setting 91 includes setting of conditions by an administrator. The administrator can set the conditions for color, two-color and monochrome printing restrictions when the user at the time of output is different from the user at the time of copying. Including settings.
The color selection condition setting 91 can be set by an administrator user by an instruction from the operation panel unit 6 or the like.

The logo setting 94 is data for recognizing a standard logo mark, and uses image data, feature amount data for image recognition, coordinate data, and the like.
The logo mark is added to predetermined coordinates that are small in area, like a company logo mark. For this reason, even if printing is performed, consumption of expensive color toner or the like is small, and printing as a color may be permitted depending on the account setting described above.
The logo setting 94 can specify not only a logo mark but also a signature, a header, a footer, and the like by coordinates. The logo setting 94 may be a setting in which a mark different from a normal character, graph, or figure is recognized as a logo mark directly by image recognition instead of recognizing a specific logo mark image. Further, as the logo setting 94, not only a logo mark but also a predetermined figure, graph, predetermined keyword, or the like may be specified.
The logo setting 94 can also be set by an administrator user by an instruction from the operation panel unit 6 or the like.

The scanned image data 95 is image data that is read mainly by the document reading unit 2 and subjected to image processing by the image processing unit 10.
The scanned image data 95 includes RGB color, monochrome, and grayscale bitmap image files, files that are lightly compressed with run length, LZW, and the like.
Note that the scan image data 95 may include filed data such as PDF or TIFF by the image processing unit 10 or the control unit 8.

The job data 96 is data related to various jobs. The job data 96 includes a job type, a command for executing a function, a job ID (Identification), a user ID, various data including image data and print data in a page description language. Among these, examples of the job include a print job, a scan job, a remote scan job, a copy job, and a FAX job.
In the print job of the present embodiment, print data in a page description language received from the terminal 200 or stored in an external recording medium (not shown) or a storage folder in the storage unit 9 is recorded on a sheet by the image forming unit 7. In the copy job of this embodiment, the image data read from the document reading unit 2 is recorded on a sheet by the image forming unit 7.

The image processing unit 10 is control arithmetic means such as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The image processing unit 10 is a functional unit that performs predetermined image processing on image data. For example, the image processing unit 10 performs various types of image processing including image enhancement processing such as enlargement / reduction processing, density adjustment, and gradation adjustment.
Further, the image processing unit 10 may be used for calculation for converting an image read by the document reading unit 2 into image data of a format such as PDF or TIFF, addition of a digital watermark, and decoding.

The network transmitting / receiving unit 12 is means for connecting to an external network 100 including a LAN board, a wireless transmitter / receiver, a telephone dialer, a coupler, and the like for connecting to the network 100. The network 100 is a network such as a LAN, a WAN, or a mobile phone network.
The network transmission / reception unit 12 is connected to the terminal 200 via the network 100. The network transmission / reception unit 12 receives a job instruction from the terminal 200.

Note that the image forming apparatus 1 may integrally form the control unit 8, the image processing unit 10, and the like like a CPU with a built-in GPU or a chip-on-module package.
The image forming apparatus 1 may include a FAX transmission / reception unit that performs facsimile transmission / reception. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 may include an upload unit for uploading to another image forming apparatus 1 or an external server (not shown).

[Color Output Management Processing by Image Forming Apparatus 1]
Next, color output management processing by the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
When the image forming apparatus 1 is used by a plurality of persons, an administrator of the device is set, and the administrator has an authority to restrict output for each department or user.
The color output management process according to the embodiment of the present invention is divided into the setting by the administrator, the process at the time of printing, and the process at the time of copying when the user copies the printed document.
The flowchart of FIG. 3A is a flowchart of processing during setting and printing.
In the color output management process of this embodiment, the output limit by the administrator is set in detail by the image forming apparatus 1. Based on the scanned image data 95 that the user intends to output, color, two-color, or monochrome printing is performed with reference to the set output restriction setting information, and only the logo mark is colored in the logo color. Can also be printed. At this time, when printing, the image forming apparatus 1 embeds output management condition information for managing color output at the time of copying using a digital watermark in the printed paper.
The flowchart in FIG. 3B is a flowchart for copying.
When copying the printed paper, the image forming apparatus 1 acquires the output management condition information embedded in the digital watermark when reading the document, refers to the output restriction setting information of the logged-in user, Color, monochrome, or monochrome output is determined, and logo color output is also determined.
In the following, the color output management process of this embodiment will be described step by step with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The following processing is executed mainly by the color output control unit 81 of the control unit 8 using hardware resources in accordance with the program stored in the storage unit 9.

{Settings and processing during printing}
First, setting and printing processing in the color output management processing according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

(Step S101)
First, the color output control unit 81 performs output management setting processing.
First, the color output control unit 81 performs user authentication of the administrator. The color output control unit 81 receives input of authentication information such as a user ID and password of the administrator from the operation panel unit 6 and authenticates this by referring to the account setting 90. When the authentication is successful, the color output control unit 81 enters a log-in state, and enables the following color and output management settings during copying by inputting from the operation panel unit 6 via a numeric keypad or a touch panel.
The color output control unit 81 may perform authentication by remote access from an IC card or an external terminal.

The output management setting will be described with reference to FIG.
According to the screen example 500 in FIG. 4A, first, the color output control unit 81 performs the color selection condition setting and the color output permission setting as the setting [1] according to an instruction from the administrator user.
The color output control unit 81 sets each color level threshold value in several stages of the color selection condition setting 91 as the color selection condition setting. In the example of FIG. 4A, threshold values of “many color”, “medium color”, and “low color” are set as three color levels. Furthermore, the color output control unit 81 also sets conditions by the administrator that are output to the output management condition information as color selection condition settings. This condition is embedded in the output management condition information as “color output restriction condition”, the original is color output, but when copying, only the same user can output the color, “only the user can color print”, Information on permission of two-color output and information on the color (toner) to be output, which are embedded in the output management condition information as “whether or not two-color conversion is possible”, is used.
In addition, the color output control unit 81 sets, for each user, whether to permit color output or print in monochrome for each color level of the color selection condition for each user. In this example, it is set for the users AAA to EEE whether to allow printing in color in the case of a document of each color level.

Referring to the screen example 510 of FIG. 4B, the color output control unit 81 similarly performs the color output restriction setting and the two-color output permission setting as the setting [2].
The color output control unit 81 sets, as the color output restriction setting, whether or not to restrict the color output depending on whether the user output or the other user outputs, the “color output restriction” of the output management condition information embedded in the digital watermark. Set restrictions such as whether or not to comply with "conditions". In this example, the color output control unit 81 selects and sets “according to embedded information” and “monochrome for own document” for the users AAA to EEE. Here, “according to embedding information” means selection for determining whether to perform color or monochrome printing according to “color ratio” in the output management condition information embedded in the digital watermark. “My document is also monochrome” is a setting for printing in monochrome even if the “color output restriction condition” is “only the user can output color” and the copied user is the user.
In addition, the color output control unit 81 restricts when two-color copying is set as “two-color color enable / disable” in the output management condition information embedded in the digital watermark as the two-color color output permission setting. Set. In this example, the color output control unit 81 selects and sets “always full color”, “two colors at detection”, and “always monochrome” for the users AAA to EEE. Here, “always full color” is a setting that always prints a document in color regardless of “whether or not two colors can be changed”. “Two-color at detection” is a setting that permits two-color printing even if the color output is limited to monochrome when “two-color copying is possible” is set in “whether or not two-color color is possible”. “Always monochrome” is a setting that always prints in monochrome, even if “2-color copying is possible” is set to allow two-color copying.

Referring to the screen example 520 in FIG. 4C, the color output control unit 81 similarly performs a logo color output permission setting as the setting [3].
The color output control unit 81 sets restrictions when the “logo mark” of the output management condition information embedded in the digital watermark is set to “Yes” or the like as the logo color output permission setting. In this example, “always full color”, “logo color output at detection”, and “always monochrome” are selected and set. Here, “always full color” is a setting that always outputs a document in color regardless of whether or not there is a logo mark. “Logo color output upon detection” is a setting that allows logo color printing when a logo mark is present, even if the color output is limited to two colors or monochrome. “Always monochrome” is a setting for monochrome printing regardless of the presence or absence of a logo mark.

The color output control unit 81 reflects these settings in the output restriction setting information of each user in the color selection condition setting 91 and the account setting 90.
After completing these settings, the color output control unit 81 advances the process to step S102.

(Step S102)
Next, the color output control unit 81 performs print digital watermark addition processing.
Here, when the color output control unit 81 acquires the job data 96 stored in the terminal 200, an external recording medium, or a storage folder, if it is a print job, it analyzes the page description language in the print data, Identify users. The color output control unit 81 rasterizes the print data of the job data 96, temporarily creates image data as temporary data, and stores the image data in the storage unit 9.
Even when the job data 96 is a copy job, the color output control unit 81 performs login processing by specifying authentication information by the user from the operation panel unit 6 and identifies the user. Also at this time, the color output control unit 81 stores the image data of the job data 96 in the storage unit 9 as temporary data.

Next, the color output control unit 81 calculates a color rate in units of pages from image data that is temporary data stored in the storage unit 9. That is, the color output control unit 81 calculates pixels other than white and black out of the total pixels of the entire page, and calculates this ratio as a “color ratio”. For example, the color output control unit 81 calculates a pixel having C, M, and Y colors having a variance equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold as a color, and calculates other pixels as black and white.
Instead of simply calculating the number of color pixels, for example, the color rate may be determined from the color dispersion of the area divided into tiles. Further, when the character is recognized by OCR or the like and only the character in the background is in color, it may be determined that the entire region is in color. Further, the page description language of the print data may be analyzed to calculate a color area, or color pixels may be calculated simultaneously during rasterization. This color calculation can also be performed at high speed by the image processing unit 10.

Further, the color output control unit 81 refers to the logo setting 94 from the page description language data or the image data that is the primary data, and specifies the presence / absence and coordinates of the logo.
The color output control unit 81 recognizes a predetermined pattern from the page description language or performs image recognition similar to OCR or the like to specify the presence / absence of a logo, coordinates, and the like.

Next, the color output control unit 81 refers to the account setting 90 and the color selection condition setting 91 and adds the image data before being printed by the image forming unit 7 according to the output restriction setting information of the user who performs the output. Embed a digital watermark. The color output control unit 81 adds the digital watermark by, for example, a method of adding several yellow dots at a predetermined position outside the printable position of the image data of the temporary data. This makes it difficult to visually recognize the digital watermark, prevents tampering, and increases security. It is also possible to use a digital watermark of a format that is added to a partial character change, moire pattern, or the like. In addition, when adding dots, instead of simply converting a numerical value into dots, it is also possible to encrypt with a user's unique encryption key in order to prevent tampering.
Note that the color output control unit 81 can add the output management condition information in a visible state by using a one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcode instead of the digital watermark. In this case, at the time of copying by the user, the output management condition information can be deleted and only monochrome can be permitted for printing.

The color output control unit 81 embeds, for example, the following information as output management condition information to be added to the digital watermark:

・ User ID: DDD
-Color rate: 37%
-Color output restriction conditions: Color printing is possible only for own user.
・ Logo mark: Yes

It should be noted that the output management condition information may include the unique number, output time, output destination information, history number, etc. of the image forming apparatus 1.
This completes the setting and printing processing in the color output management processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

{Process when copying}
Here, the processing at the time of copying in the color output management processing according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

(Step S103)
First, the color output control unit 81 performs document reading output selection processing.
The color output control unit 81 performs a user login process. The color output control unit 81 reads a document when copying is instructed by the user. In the case of a document with a digital watermark added in the above process, the embedded output management condition information is acquired. The color output control unit 81 controls to perform color, two-color copy, and monochrome output based on the acquired output management condition information.
Details of the document reading output selection process will be described below.
Thus, the color output management process according to the embodiment of the present invention is completed.

[Document Reading Output Selection Processing by Image Forming Apparatus 1]
Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the details of the document reading output selection process in step S103 of FIG. 3 will be described step by step.

(Step S200)
First, the color output control unit 81 performs a login process.
The color output control unit 81 performs user authentication by inputting a password or the like on the operation panel unit 6. At this time, the color output control unit 81 may perform authentication using an IC card reader, a biometric authentication device or the like (not shown).
The color output control unit 81 determines authentication information such as an input password by referring to the account setting 90 in the storage unit 9 and performs user authentication.
When the user authentication is successful, the color output control unit 81 sets the login state of the user. Hereinafter, an example in which the user AAA or the user DDD in FIG. 4 described above logs in will be described.
Note that the color output control unit 81 may perform user authentication by inputting a password or the like from a web browser or the like of the terminal 200.

(Step S201)
Next, the color output control unit 81 performs document reading processing.
First, the color output control unit 81 causes the document reading unit 2 to read the set document, and causes the image processing unit 10 to process it. The image data processed by the image processing unit 10 is temporarily stored in the storage unit 9 as scanned image data 95 that is a temporary file.
The following processing is preferably executed for each page of the scanned image data 95.

(Step S202)
Next, the color output control unit 81 performs a digital watermark decoding process.
The color output controller 81 recognizes the scanned image data 95 and detects a digital watermark. In the recognition of the digital watermark, the color output control unit 81 may speed up using the GPU or the like of the image processing unit 10.
When the digital watermark is detected, the color output control unit 81 decodes the digital watermark and acquires the embedded output management condition information.
Note that the color output control unit 81 can similarly recognize a two-dimensional barcode other than the digital watermark, and obtain output management condition information.
Further, the color output control unit 81 may calculate a color rate for the scanned image data 95 using automatic color recognition.

(Step S203)
Next, the color output control unit 81 determines whether or not a digital watermark exists.
The color output control unit 81 determines Yes when the digital watermark is detected, the decoding is successful, and the output management condition information has been acquired. In other cases, the color output control unit 81 determines No. Note that it is also possible to determine No even when the unique number of the image forming apparatus 1 is different from the unique number of the acquired output management condition information.
In Yes, the color output control part 81 advances a process to step S204.
In No, the color output control part 81 advances a process to step S214, and outputs the scan image data 95. At this time, the color output control unit 81 may output in color, two-color, or monochrome according to the user's color output permission setting with reference to the account setting 90. In this case, it is also possible to output in logo color.

(Step S204)
When the digital watermark is decoded and the output management condition information is acquired, the color output control unit 81 performs a color output permission determination process.
First, the color output control unit 81 compares the “color rate” of the output management condition information with each threshold value of the color selection condition setting 91 to calculate which color level is applied. In the above example, when the color rate of the output management condition information is 37%, “medium” is calculated in the color selection condition setting example of FIG. Note that the color level may be calculated from the color rate using automatic color recognition.
Then, the color output control unit 81 refers to the account setting 90 for the calculated color level, and determines and sets whether to permit color output or the like. That is, the color output control unit 81 refers to the color output permission setting of the logged-in user's output restriction setting information, and according to this setting, temporarily outputs the page in either color, two-color, or monochrome. Set.

Here, the color output permission determination process will be described with reference again to the example of the color output permission setting in FIG.
First, when the user AAA has logged in, the color output control unit 81 sets “color output” because the page is “in color”.
Further, when the logged-in user DDD is, the color output control unit 81 sets the page to be “monochrome output” although it is “in color”.

(Step S205)
Next, the color output control unit 81 determines whether or not color output is permitted.
The color output control unit 81 determines Yes when the logged-in user is permitted to output the page in color or two colors in step S204. In other cases, that is, when monochrome output is set, the color output control unit 81 determines No.
In Yes, the color output control part 81 advances a process to step S206.
In No, the color output control part 81 advances a process to step S209.

(Step S206)
Next, the color output control unit 81 performs output restriction determination processing.
Whether the color output control unit 81 permits or restricts output in color, two-color color, monochrome, or logo color regardless of the output setting based on the color ratio described above based on the acquired output management condition information Judge whether or not.
Here, the color output control unit 81 determines whether each condition of the acquired output management condition information matches various information of the logged-in user.

  First, the color output control unit 81 compares the user ID of the acquired output management condition information with the user ID of the logged-in user, and determines whether or not the read original user is the same. The color output control unit 81 determines that the user ID is the same user if the user ID is the same, and determines that the user is another user.

Next, the color output control unit 81 determines whether or not to limit the output in color or two colors based on the “color output restriction condition” in the acquired output management condition information. At this time, the color output control unit 81 makes a determination with reference to information such as whether the user is a user or another user or whether the restriction is set in the output restriction setting information of the logged-in user.
Specifically, the color output control unit 81 sets the account setting of the logged-in user when the “color output restriction setting condition” in the acquired output management condition information is, for example, “color printing only for own user”. Referring to 90, the limitation by the color output limitation setting of the output limitation setting information is determined. Here, for example, when the user's color output restriction setting is set to “monochrome for own document”, the color output control unit 81 uses the color of the page or two colors even for the user. Set to limit output. Conversely, when the color output restriction setting of the user is set to “according to embedded information”, the color output control unit 81 is set to output in accordance with the “color output restriction condition” of the output management condition information described above. To do. That is, for example, when the “color output restriction condition” is “color printing only for own user”, if the logged-in user is another user, the setting is made to restrict the output in color or two colors.
Similarly, the color output control unit 81 determines “2-color color availability” of the acquired output management condition information and the limitation by the 2-color output permission setting of the account setting 90 of the logged-in user. In this case, it is preferable to give priority to the above-mentioned “color output restriction condition”.
Furthermore, the color output control unit 81 also determines the “logo mark” of the acquired output management condition information and the restriction by the two-color output permission setting of the account setting 90 of the logged-in user. Also in this case, it is preferable to give priority to the above-mentioned “color output restriction condition”.

Here, the color output restriction determination process will be described with reference to the example in FIG. 4 again.
As in the above-described example, the “color output restriction condition” of the acquired output management condition information is “color printing only for own user” and the user ID is “user DDD”, as shown in FIG. If the color output limit is set for:
If the logged-in user is AAA, the color output control unit 81 changes the above-described output determination to be “monochrome output” because it is another user.
If the logged-in user DDD is the user, the color output control unit 81 has already been set to monochrome output in the color output permission determination processing in step S204, and therefore remains “monochrome output”. To do.

Further, similarly, “2 color change enable / disable” of the acquired output management condition information is “2 color change possible (red + black)”, and the 2 color output enable setting is set as shown in FIG. 4B. If it is:
When the user AAA who has logged in is the user AAA, the color output control unit 81 gives priority to this because the “color output restriction condition” of the output management condition information is “color printing only for own user”. Limited to "Monochrome output".
When the user DDD who is logged in is the user DDD, the color output control unit 81 once determines “monochrome” in the color output permission determination process as described above. However, the user DDD changes the determination to “two-color output” because the two-color output permission setting is “two-color when detected”.

Similarly, when the “logo mark” in the acquired output management condition information is “Yes” and the logo color output permission setting is set as shown in FIG.
When the user AAA who has logged in is the user AAA, the color output control unit 81 gives priority to the “color output restriction condition” of the output management condition information and keeps the restriction to “monochrome output”.
If the logged-in user is the DDD, the color output control unit 81 uses the logo color output permission setting of the user DDD as “logo color at detection”. Is changed to “Logo Color Output” which outputs in color.

(Step S207)
Next, the color output control unit 81 determines whether the color output is restricted.
The color output control unit 81 determines Yes when the color output is limited by the output limit determination process in step S206 described above and the output is changed to monochrome output. In other cases, the color output control unit 81 determines No.
In the case of Yes, the color output control unit 81 advances the process to step S209.
In No, the color output control part 81 advances a process to step S208.

(Step S208)
Next, the color output control unit 81 determines whether or not color output is permitted. The color output control unit 81 determines Yes when color output is permitted in the output restriction determination process in step S206 described above and there is no output determination restriction. In other cases, the color output control unit 81 determines No.
In Yes, the color output control part 81 advances a process to step S214.
In No, the color output control part 81 advances a process to step S210.

(Step S209)
When color or two-color output is not permitted, or when the output is changed to monochrome output, the color output control unit 81 performs monochrome output setting processing.
Here, the color output control unit 81 is set to output the page once in monochrome.
Thereafter, the color output control unit 81 advances the process to step S210.

(Step S210)
Next, the color output control unit 81 determines whether or not two-color output is permitted. The color output control unit 81 determines Yes when it is determined that the two-color output is performed in the output restriction determination process in step S206 described above. In other cases, the color output control unit 81 determines No.
In Yes, the color output control part 81 advances a process to step S211.
In No, the color output control part 81 advances a process to step S214.

(Step S211)
When the two-color output is permitted, the color output control unit 81 performs a two-color output process.
The color output control unit 81 sets the page of the scanned image data 95 to the two-color output using the color “whether or not two-color conversion is possible” of the acquired output management condition information.

(Step S212)
Next, the color output control unit 81 determines whether or not logo color output is permitted. The color output control unit 81 determines Yes if the logo color output is determined in the output restriction determination process in step S206 described above. In other cases, the color output control unit 81 determines No.
In Yes, the color output control part 81 advances a process to step S213.
In No, the color output control part 81 advances a process to step S214.

(Step S213)
When the logo color output is permitted, the color output control unit 81 performs a logo color output process.
The color output control unit 81 sets the logo coordinates of the page of the scanned image data 95 to a logo color output for outputting in color.

(Step S214)
Here, the color output control unit 81 performs output processing.
The color output control unit 81 causes the image forming unit 7 to image the page of the scan image data 95 in color, two-color color, monochrome, or logo color according to the determination based on the above-described restrictions and the restriction by the user. Printing is performed by the forming unit 7.
Note that the color output control unit 81 may perform creation of a PDF file, facsimile transmission, and the like in addition to printing by the image forming unit 7.
Further, the color output control unit 81 may count each output of color, two-color color, monochrome, or logo color, store it in the storage unit 9 as history information, and calculate a charge (fee) or the like. At this time, the color output control unit 81 may set a charge or the like different from the normal color in the case of two colors or a logo color.
Thus, the document reading output selection process is completed.

With the configuration described above, the following effects can be obtained.
The image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes information such as an image color rate and presence / absence of a logo mark, an output limit for each user by an administrator, and an electronic watermark at the time of printing. The limitation of two-color or monochrome output can be effectively switched.
For this reason, consumption of color toner can be limited. In addition, the prohibition of color output makes it easy to recognize the original and the copy, so that security can be enhanced. In addition, the two colors and logo color output can be used in detail to improve the appearance of the document.

Note that the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment can also be applied to an information processing apparatus other than the image forming apparatus.
Further, the image forming apparatus 1 may be configured to use scan image data 95 created by another image forming apparatus, a separately connected scanner, or a network scanner. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 may use the processing of the present embodiment not only for printing but also for file formation such as scanning and PDF.

  Note that the configuration and operation of the above-described embodiment are examples, and it is needless to say that the configuration and operation can be appropriately changed and executed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Original reading part 3 Original feeding part 4 Main body part 5 Stack tray 6 Operation panel part 7 Image forming part 8 Control part 9 Storage part 10 Image processing part 12 Network transmission / reception part 21 Scanner 22 Platen glass 23 Original reading slit 31 Document Placement Section 32 Document Discharge Section 33 Document Conveyance Mechanism 41 Discharge Port 42 Paper Feed Section 43 Paper Conveying Path 44 Conveyance Roller 45 Discharge Roller 61 Touch Panel 62 Button Section 71 Photosensitive Drum 72 Exposure Section 73 Development Section 74 Transfer Section 75 Fixing Section 81 color output control section 90 account setting 91 color selection condition setting 94 logo setting 95 scanned image data 96 job data 100 network 200 terminal 421 sheet feeding cassette 422 sheet feeding roller 500, 510, 520 screen example

Claims (7)

In an image forming apparatus capable of color output,
Image forming means for printing the acquired print data;
An output management condition information generating unit that calculates a feature amount of the print data, and generates output management condition information for managing color output control when the print data is copied, based on the feature amount;
An image forming apparatus comprising: output management condition information adding means for adding output management condition information generated by the output management condition information generating means in printing by the image forming means. In an image forming apparatus capable of color output,
Reading means for reading a document printed with output management condition information for managing color output control as image data;
Image forming means for copying the image data read by the reading means;
Account setting storage means for storing user authentication information and output restriction setting information for restricting output of the image data by the image forming means;
User authentication means for performing user authentication according to the authentication information of the user;
Output management condition information decoding means for decoding and obtaining the output management condition information from the image data read by the reading means;
Color output control means for performing color output control when the image forming means outputs the image data read by the reading means,
The color output control means performs color output control according to the output management condition information acquired by the output management condition information decoding means and the output restriction setting information of the user authenticated by the user authentication means. An image forming apparatus. Color selection condition setting storage means for storing color selection condition setting used for calculating the feature amount of the output management condition information;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output management condition information generation unit generates the output management condition information based on the color selection condition setting stored in the color selection condition setting storage unit. . Account setting storage means for storing user authentication information and output restriction setting information for restricting output of the image data by the image forming means;
User authentication means for performing user authentication according to the authentication information of the user;
A color rate calculating unit that calculates a color rate of the print data printed by the image forming unit as the feature amount calculated by the output management condition information generating unit;
The color selection condition setting stored in the color selection condition setting storage means includes a plurality of color level threshold values selected by the color ratio, a color output restriction condition in the image forming means by the user at the time of copying, or Including whether or not the image forming means can output two colors.
The output management condition information includes the color rate calculated by the color rate calculation means,
The output restriction setting information stored in the account setting storage means relates to a color output permission setting which is a setting for performing color output control according to the color level and the color output restriction condition of the color selection condition setting. Color output restriction setting, which is a restriction setting for whether to output in monochrome, and setting whether to permit output in two colors by permission of the two-color output in the color selection condition setting The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a two-color output permission setting. Logo mark storage means for storing logo mark data included in the print data;
A logo mark recognition means for recognizing the logo mark from the print data,
The color selection condition setting stored in the color selection condition setting storage means includes a logo color output permission setting that indicates whether or not a logo color can be output depending on the presence or absence of a logo mark recognized by the logo mark recognition means,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the output management condition information includes information on presence / absence of a logo mark recognized by the logo mark recognition unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output management condition information adding unit adds the output management condition information in a state in which it is difficult to visually identify the output management condition information. In an image forming method capable of color output,
Print the acquired print data,
A feature amount of the print data is calculated, and output management condition information for managing color output control at the time of copying the print data is generated based on the feature amount, and the generated output management condition information is added in printing. An image forming method.

Images