JPH0756483A - Image forming device provided with function of preventing copying of confidential document - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accomplish an image forming device capable of optionally using a desired confidential mark and unnecessitating a storing element for registering the confidential mark and provided with a function of preventing the confidential document from being copied. CONSTITUTION:In the case of copying a confidential original 01 provided with the confidential mark A on the prescribed position of the original, the confidential mark A is read, and a scramble processing is applied on it, and the scramble-processed scramble confidential mark SI is added to a prescribed position so as to form an recorded image, and then, a confidential document 0 is obtained. When the confidential mark IA and the scramble confidential mark SI are present on the original in the case of copying the original, the scramble confidential mark SI is reversely scramble-processed so as to obtain a reverse scramble confidential mark, and then, the reverse scramble confidential mark is collated with the confidential mark, and in the case the reverse scramble confidential mark is coincident with the confidential mark, the image copying function of the device is stopped.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a confidential document copy preventing function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a result of the widespread use of image forming apparatuses having a copying function such as copying machines, it has become commonplace to perform copying. In such a situation, leakage of confidential contents by copying a so-called "secret document" has become a problem.

In order to prevent arbitrary copying of a confidential document, a specific confidential mark is registered in advance in the image forming apparatus, and the presence or absence of the confidential mark is detected in the copied document. It is known that normal copying cannot be performed when there is a security mark that matches the confidential mark.

In this case, registration of the confidential mark in the image forming apparatus is generally performed by the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus.
Since the registered confidential mark is limited to a certain one, the use range is narrow, and when a new confidential mark is desired to be used, a service person needs to replace the memory element.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and a desired confidential mark can be arbitrarily used, and a confidential document which does not require a storage element for registering the confidential mark is provided. An object is to provide an image forming apparatus having a copy protection function.

[0006]

An image forming apparatus having a confidential document prevention function according to the present invention "reads an original by an image reading unit, converts it into a signal corresponding to an original image, and uses this signal to write an original by a writing unit. An image forming apparatus for forming an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image and visualizing the electrostatic latent image to obtain a copied image corresponding to an original image. , And control means.

When copying a "confidential document" having a confidential mark at a predetermined position, the "confidential documenting means" reads the confidential mark, scrambles it, and adds the scrambled confidential mark to the predetermined position. It is a means for forming a recorded image by using a confidential document.

The "confidential document discriminating means" performs a descrambling process on the scramble confidential mark to obtain a descrambling confidential mark when a confidential mark and its scramble confidential mark are present on the original when a document is copied. It is a means for collating the descrambling confidential mark with the confidential mark.

The "control means" is means for stopping the image copying function of the apparatus when the descrambling confidential mark and the confidential mark match by the collation by the confidential document discriminating means.

The "scramble processing" is an operation for converting image information corresponding to a confidential mark in a constant calculation process, and "inverse scramble processing", that is, a calculation for restoring an original image from a scrambled image. It suffices if the processing can be performed, and known appropriate ones can be used. For example, these "scramble processing / descramble processing"
It is also possible to combine the differential / integral calculation and the line scramble processing (claim 2).

In the image forming apparatus having the confidential document copy preventing function according to claim 1 or 2, when the confidential document discriminating means discriminates that the original document to be copied is a confidential document, "copy prohibition is displayed on the display section". “Display” can be made (claim 3).

[0012]

The confidential document is first created as one document, and the required number of copies are taken by using this document (referred to as the first confidential document for convenience) as a manuscript, and each copy is designated as the second confidential document. It is generally distributed to distribution destinations.

At this time, if the first confidential document is processed by incineration or the like after copying, or if strict preservation is taken, leakage of confidentiality due to copying of the first confidential document is prevented, and in terms of confidentiality management, If copying from the second confidential document is prevented, confidentiality leakage due to copying is prevented. By paying attention to such a point, the above configuration achieves the copy protection of the confidential document as follows.

In FIG. 1A, reference numeral 01 indicates a first confidential document. The first confidential document 01 has a confidential image 01A. At a predetermined position of the first confidential document 01 (a fixed position on the left shoulder of the document in this example), there is a frame 01B in which a confidential mark is written, and the confidential mark A (confidential mark) is described in this frame 01B. ing. The first confidential manuscript 01 is a “confidential manuscript” because it has the confidential mark A at a predetermined position. Therefore, hereinafter, it is referred to as a confidential document 01.

When the confidential original 01 is copied by the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the original image is read, but the confidential mark A in the read image, more specifically, the frame 01B.
The images within are "scrambled". By this "scramble processing", the confidential mark A is converted into a "scramble confidential mark". The "scramble confidential mark" is added to the "position having a predetermined positional relationship with the confidential mark" in the image recording process by the image forming apparatus.

In FIG. 1 (b), reference numeral 0 indicates a "confidential document". In the confidential document 0, a copy image I01A corresponding to the “image 01A of confidential contents” that the confidential document 01 has, “frames 01B and 01B for entering a confidential mark”
Copy image I01B, IA corresponding to confidential mark A in
And a scrambled confidential mark SI obtained by scrambling the confidential mark A is additionally recorded. Since the copy image IA is the same image as the confidential mark A, it will be simply referred to as a confidential mark hereinafter.

The position 0B where the scramble recording mark SI is added (indicated by a chain line frame, but such a chain line frame does not necessarily have to be recorded as an image) is the image IA of the scramble confidential mark in this example. However, the position is not limited to this and may be a predetermined position (uniquely addressed on the confidential document 0).

In this way, a confidential document having the image information corresponding to the confidential original 01 and having the scrambled confidential mark SI added thereto can be obtained. Needless to say, when a few copies of the confidential document are created, the confidential documents are repeated as many times as necessary by the image forming apparatus, and a few copies of the same confidential document with the scrambled confidential mark are created.

If the confidential document 01 is strictly stored or incinerated after the desired number of confidential documents are created as a copy in this manner, there is little or no possibility of confidential leakage due to copying of the confidential document 01. .

Next, when one of the confidential documents created by the above confidential document is to be copied by the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the copy prevention is realized as follows. .

That is, when a confidential document is read during copying, the scramble confidential mark is descrambled. This descrambling process restores the confidential mark. Then, in this state, in the image forming apparatus, the image of the confidential mark obtained by reading the confidential document (FIG. 1C) and the image of the confidential mark restored by the descrambling process (FIG. 1D). Will exist as an electronic image. When the two electronic images are collated and judged to be the same, the original document to be copied is a confidential document, and the copying function is stopped by the "control means".

As described above, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the confidential mark and the scramble confidential mark are recorded in the confidential document, and at the time of copying, the image restored from the scramble confidential mark is collated with the confidential mark. Any confidential mark can be used freely, and it is not necessary to register the confidential mark in the image forming apparatus.

[0023]

EXAMPLES Specific examples will be described below. Figure 3
Only a main part of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. First, a normal copying process will be described.

When the original OR is placed flat on the original glass 10 and the copying operation is executed, first, the reading device 12 as an image reading means reads the original OR and converts it into a signal corresponding to the original image. To do. The reading device 12 is assumed to be a known reading device using a CCD.

Based on the result of this reading, it is determined whether or not the original document OR is a confidential document. This point will be described later. Here, as a result of the determination, it is determined that the original document OR is not a confidential document. The case will be described.

At this time, the photosensitive member 14 formed in a drum shape rotates in the direction of the arrow, is uniformly charged by the charger 16, and writing is performed by the writing device 18 using the above signal. In this example, the writing device is assumed to be of the "method for writing and scanning a laser beam".

By writing, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the original image is formed on the photoconductor 14, the electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device 20, and toner corresponding to the original image is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the photoconductor 14. An image is formed. The toner image is transferred onto the transfer paper S by the transfer means 22, and then the fixing device 2
The image is fixed on the transfer paper S by means of No. 4. The transfer sheet S on which the toner image is fixed is ejected as a copy to the outside of the apparatus. After the transfer of the toner image, the photoconductor 14 has residual toner removed by a cleaning device (not shown) and is neutralized by a neutralizer (not shown).

FIG. 2 shows the system configuration of the embodiment under description. The CPU 1, the pattern detection means 3, the program ROM 5, the image memory 7, the image output means 9 and the like are included in the control means 26 of FIG. The operation unit 11 is provided as an operation panel on the side of the original glass of the image forming apparatus.

First, the process of creating a confidential document using a confidential document will be described. This process is performed according to the procedure shown in FIG. When the confidential documentization mode is selected by operating the operation unit 11 of FIG. 2, address designation is first performed as shown in FIG. 4 (I). This addressing is shown in Figure 1.
The address of the frame 01B (the address is fixed because it is at a predetermined position in the confidential document and is programmed in advance in the control means of the image forming apparatus as described above) described in connection with (a). It is a designation.

Following addressing, a "secret document" is read and signalized pixel by pixel. At this time, the image information (including the confidential mark A in FIG. 1) in the addressed frame 01B is also read, noise removal and image correction are performed in the pattern detection means 3 in FIG. 2, and then scramble processing is performed. . The "scrambled confidential mark" obtained by the scramble process is addressed to the recorded image.

Then, the writing device 18 shown in FIG. 3 writes a scrambled image (scrambled confidential mark) together with the original image of the confidential original, and a copy of the confidential original is obtained by the copying process described above. This copy is a "classified document".

As described above, when a confidential document obtained by converting a confidential document into a confidential document is to be copied by the image forming apparatus of the present invention, copying is prevented as follows. Referring to the flowchart of FIG. 4 (II), prior to the reading of the manuscript (confidential document), a confidential mark (a copy of the confidential mark of the confidential manuscript) is designated,
The confidential document image is read. The read confidential mark is subjected to noise removal and image correction, and is captured and stored in the RAM. The RAM is the image memory 7 in FIG.

Subsequently, the scramble confidential mark is addressed, and the image of the mark is captured. The captured image is descrambled to restore the security mark as a "descrambled security mark". This descrambling confidential mark is collated with the “secret mark” stored in the image memory 7. This matching can be performed by pattern matching, for example. If both marks match as a result of collation, "Write protect command"
Is issued to prohibit the copying operation.

Of course, when the result of collation does not match,
Since the manuscript is not a confidential document, the normal copying process described above is continued. When the copying operation is prohibited, a display indicating that the original is a confidential document and cannot be copied is displayed on a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal panel) provided on the operation panel or the like of the image forming apparatus (claim 3). ).

As described above, the scramble processing and the descrambling processing for the confidential mark are appropriate if the arithmetic operation for restoring the original image from the scrambled image is possible (scrambled scrambled confidential image). If the mark is silent, it is possible to use something that can be converted to such a degree that the content cannot be grasped.
An example of "combination of differential operation and line scramble processing (claim 2)" will be described below as an example of the scramble processing.

Referring to FIG. (A) is an enlarged view of a portion indicated by reference numeral A-1 of the confidential mark shown in (A). It is (b) that the image of (a) is read and expressed as pixel level information. The image portion is represented by "1" and the non-image portion is represented by "0". From this state, the state where the differential processing is performed in the left-right direction in the figure is (c). Further, when the differential processing in the vertical direction of the figure is performed, the state shown in FIG.

Next, from this state, line scramble processing is performed in units of horizontal lines. In the example shown,
The line in the left-right direction is divided into three consecutive lines, and within each section, "the first line is the second line, the second line is the third line, and the third line is the first line. "To", "replace it cyclically". The result of this line scrambling process is
It becomes as shown in FIG. At this stage, the scramble processing is completed, and when the result is written and output as an image, it becomes as shown in FIG. That is, the image pattern of FIG. 5 (f) is the scrambled image pattern of FIG. 5 (a).

The descrambling process may be performed by reversing the above procedure. That is, the scrambled image (see FIG.
When (f)) is read and expressed as pixel level information, it becomes as shown in FIG. 5E. Therefore, from this state, the cyclic line replacement in the line scramble is performed in reverse, and FIG. Is obtained, and this state is subjected to integration processing in the vertical direction of the figure (in the integration processing, the area from the pixel next to one "1" to the pixel before the subsequent "1" is converted to "1". ). The result is as shown in FIG. 5C, and the original image shown in FIG. 5A can be restored by further integrating this in the left-right direction and outputting it as an image.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, a novel image forming apparatus having a confidential document copy preventing function can be provided. Since the image forming apparatus of the present invention is configured as described above, it is not necessary to register the confidential mark, and any mark other than the "secret mark" exemplified in the embodiment can be used as the confidential mark. Since the storage element for registering the confidential mark is not required, the device can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a system configuration of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a procedure for creating a confidential document and a procedure for preventing a confidential document in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of scramble processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 01 Confidential manuscript 0 Confidential document A Confidential mark SI Scramble confidential mark

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI Technical display location G06K 9/00 K 8623-5L H04N 1/387 4226-5C 6605-2H G03G 21/00 554

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image reading means reads an original document, converts it into a signal corresponding to the original image, and using this signal, a writing means forms an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the original image, and the electrostatic latent image is formed. In an image forming apparatus that visualizes and obtains a copied image corresponding to an original image, when copying a confidential original having a confidential mark at a predetermined position,
The confidential mark is read and scrambled, the scrambled confidential mark is added to a predetermined position to form a recorded image, and a confidential document forming means for making a confidential document and a document when a document is copied When there is a confidential mark and its scrambled confidential mark on the top, the scrambled confidential mark is descrambled to obtain a descrambled confidential mark, and the confidential document discrimination means for collating this descrambled confidential mark with the above confidential mark, and this confidential An image forming apparatus having a confidential document copy preventing function, comprising: a control unit for stopping the image copying function of the apparatus when the descrambling confidential mark and the confidential mark match by the collation by the document discriminating unit. 2. An image forming apparatus having a confidential document copy prevention function according to claim 1, wherein the scramble process / descramble process is a combination of a differential / integral operation and a line scramble process. Image forming device with copy protection function. 3. An image forming apparatus having a confidential document copy prevention function according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when a document to be copied is determined to be a confidential document by a confidential document discriminating means, a copy prohibition is displayed on the display section. An image forming apparatus having a confidential document copy prevention function characterized by displaying.