JPH0789643B2 - Image processing device and document filing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a document filtering method, and more particularly to a filtering method suitable for maintaining confidentiality when a document stored in an image file is copied and printed.

[Background of the Invention]

In the conventional document image matching method, it is usual to operate so that only confidential documents are viewed but copying is not permitted. Therefore, data indicating the security level is added to the management information of the file that has been filed, and a mechanism is provided so that a copy command cannot be accepted for a document with a high security level. However, there are many documents, such as research papers, for which you want to examine the content of the content and compare it with external data, and in that case, it is not convenient to browse the document image on the screen of the document imaging device. Utilization efficiency also decreases. Therefore, in such a case, it is necessary to lend a copy (hard copy), and re-copying causes a problem of confidentiality leakage. Also, recently, I made a document image file in a large computer system,
A system that displays document images on the terminal under the time-sharing shared system (TSS) has been proposed, but the system cannot detect the screen displayed on the terminal as it is on the printer attached to the terminal. In many cases.

Conventionally, as a document copy prevention system, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 60-8878, "Confidential Document Copy Prevention Device", there has been proposed a method of using copy paper as a material that absorbs ultraviolet rays. However, not only is it difficult to use special paper as a copy paper for a terminal printer such as a document image file or a large-scale computer, it is difficult to prevent it when the user intentionally uses normal paper. There is a problem.

[Object of the Invention]

The object of the present invention is to realize a document image filtering method having both security and availability by copying a confidential document, renting a hard copy of the confidential document to a viewer, and preventing leakage of confidential information due to re-copying. To do.

[Outline of Invention]

In order to achieve such an object, according to the present invention, when a confidential document in a document image file is copied, a specific pattern that is determined for each viewer is printed on the document image so as to be borrowed by the viewer. It is characterized in that even if re-copying is performed during the period, the viewer who originated this re-copying document can be identified from the specific pattern on the re-copying document.

Example of Invention

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an apparatus for carrying out the image processing system of the present invention. Each unit of the device is connected to the bus 1, and the entire operation is controlled by the control unit 2. The operation of the entire device is roughly classified into a storage mode and a processing mode.

In the accumulation mode, the information (document image) on the document 3 is scanned by the scanner 4. Photoelectric conversion with Scanana 4,
The digital image of the input document is output after sampling and quantization. Although this digital image is binarized into 1 bit per pixel in the following description, it may be a multi-valued digital image or a color image. This digital image is stored in the buffer memory 5 via the bus 1. Further, the image management information is simultaneously obtained as the output of the scanner 4, and these are also stored in the buffer memory 5. Here, the image management information includes the total data length, vertical and horizontal mesh sizes, the number of bits representing the density of one pixel (in the case of a multi-valued image), or the code representing the color (in the case of a color image).

When the operation of the scanner is completed, the operator inputs the document number, the search information, the security level, etc. from the console 6 according to the instruction of the control unit 2. The document number, search information, security level, etc. can be automatically input by recognizing the content of the document if the target is limited. The control unit 2 determines the address in the file where the image data and image management information of this document should be stored, and the information that associates this address information with the above document number, search information, security level, etc. It is created as information and stored in the buffer memory 7.

It is also possible to store the directory information in the buffer memory 5 at the same time and omit the buffer memory 7. The contents of the buffer memories 5 and 7 are stored in the file 8.
The file 8 may be composed of a plurality of files, one of which is used for storing the contents of the buffer memory 5, that is, image data and image management information, and the other for storing the contents of the buffer memory 7, that is, directory information. When digitizing or outputting the image information to the file, a well-known high-efficiency coding process may be performed, which can save the file storage capacity.

Next, the operation of the processing mode will be described. The user gives his / her identification number (name code, etc.) and password to the control unit 2 from the console 9 for the user. Console 9
May be shared with the console 6, but it is better to dedicate the console 6 to the administrator and separate it from the console 9. The control unit 2 confirms that the user is an authentic user by using the user identification number and the password correspondence table set in the internal memory in advance, and then proceeds to the next process.

The user gives the control unit 2 the document number to be read. At that time, using the search program that runs on the control unit 2,
The document number may be searched by giving search information instead of the document number. The control unit 2 reads the directory information of all documents from the file 8 in advance, and extracts the directory information corresponding to the given document number from the file. The control unit 2 compares the security level in the directory information with the security permission level for each user set in the internal memory in advance, and only when the document can be disclosed to the user, that is, the security permission. Proceed to the next processing only when the level is higher than the security level (assuming that the important document has a higher security level). That is, the control unit 2 obtains the storage address in the file 8 corresponding to the given document number, and reads the image signal and the image management information stored at this address from the file 8 to the buffer memory 5.

Next, the control unit 2 generates a mask pattern, which will be described later, in the buffer memory 7. This max pattern differs depending on the user identification number (which may include accompanying information such as date and time of use if necessary). After that, the control unit 2 generates a digital image in which the digital image in the buffer memory 5 and the mask pattern in the buffer memory 7 are superposed. Here, the superposition of two images is to generate a new image by performing a logical operation such as a logical sum for each pixel. The image management information in the buffer memory 5 is used when the mask pattern is generated and the images are overlaid. The superimposed digital image is sent to the display device 10 and displayed together with the image management information. Here, the display device includes a printing device.

FIG. 2 shows an example of different mask patterns depending on the user identification number. In this example, the area corresponding to the area of the entire document is divided into 10 × 10 vertical and horizontal small areas. Then, the user identification number is represented by a two-digit integer, a high-order digit is generated on the ordinate, and a low-order digit is generated on the abscissa.
This is used as a mask pattern. FIG. 2 shows an example in which the user identification number is 23, and the small areas in the second column and the third row are shaded. FIG. 3 shows an example of a shaded pattern when the size of the small area is 15 × 10 pixels.

Various other mask patterns are conceivable, and the character pattern of the user identification number may be embedded as a ground stop forming a mesh pattern. Further, the character pattern of the user identification number may be enlarged and displayed in a region corresponding to the area of the entire document, and the one filled with a halftone pattern may be used as the mask pattern. Further, the user identification number can be printed at a different position for each user so that it can be determined which user the re-copied document is from. It is also possible to automatically extract a chart or a body region in the image data and display the relative position between the regions slightly differently for each user identification number at the time of display.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of another embodiment according to the image processing system of the present invention. Most of the structure is the same as that shown in FIG. 1, and only the character recognition unit 11 and the buffer memory 12 are different. Only differences from FIG. 1 will be described. In the accumulation mode, the image data input by the scanner 4 is sent to the character recognition unit 11, the character pattern inside the image is converted into a character code by the character recognition unit 11, and the character code is output to the buffer memory 12. Areas such as charts that are difficult to recognize are left as images. With respect to the recognized character code, character code management information such as the line position of the character, the in-line character number, and the character size is defined as corresponding to the image management information. The character code sequence and the character code management information are output to the file 8. Needless to say, if there is a region such as a chart that remains as an image, it is output as an image.

In the processing mode, the control unit 2 reads from the file 8 the character code sequence and the character code management information of the document to be searched instead of the image data. Next, the control unit 2 reproduces the character code sequence and the character code management information corresponding to the image data of the original document, and outputs it to the buffer memory 5. If there is a region such as a chart that remains as an image, it is combined with the image reproduced from the above character code sequence and character code management information. The image of the original document reproduced in this way is used to overlay the mask pattern based on the user identification information.

When part or all of the document is filed as character codes in this way, the position of each character is known on the reproduced image, so use an underline as the mask pattern and use the user identification number. It is also possible to underline sentences at different positions. Further, when reproducing the image data, the document image may be reproduced using a format different from the original document format, and for example, the number of lines per page, the number of characters per line, pitch, and line indent can be changed.
The format at the time of reproduction can be slightly changed for each user identification number.

Needless to say, the superposition of mask patterns may be omitted in the case of a document having no confidentiality.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the hard copy of the confidential document stored in the document file is distributed to the user, the origin of the copied document can be pursued if it is copied again. On the other hand, there is an effect of suppressing re-copying, and the operating rate of the device is increased without an expensive document file device or display device being occupied by one user. Further, it is possible to avoid the same problem that occurs when the terminal of the large-scale computer is used as the display device of the document file device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIGS. 1 and 4 are block diagrams showing the construction of an apparatus for carrying out the fairing method of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are explanatory views of the mask pattern used in the embodiment of FIG. 1 ... bus, 2 ... control section, 3 ... document, 4 ... scanner, 5,7,9 ... memory, 6 ... console, 8 ... file, 10 ... display device.

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. A means for scanning and inputting an object, a means for instructing that the object is a subject of security protection, and a first image of the object scanned and input according to the instructing means. On the other hand, an image processing apparatus comprising: a unit that superimposes a predetermined image on the first image to generate a second image; and a unit that outputs the generated second image. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation means superimposes a halftone dot pattern image as the predetermined image. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generation means enlarges a predetermined character pattern as the predetermined image and superimposes an image in which the predetermined character pattern is filled with a halftone pattern. Image processing device. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating means superimposes an image defined as the predetermined image depending on a user identification number set according to the user. Image processing device. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the generation means superimposes the predetermined image on a position determined depending on the user identification number. 6. A means for scanning and inputting an object, a means for recognizing that the scanned and input object is a specific object designated in advance, and a means for scanning and inputting according to the result of the recognition means. And a means for superimposing a predetermined image on the first image of the target object to generate a second image, and a means for outputting the generated second image. An image processing device characterized by the above. 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the generation means superimposes a halftone dot pattern image as the predetermined image. 8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the generation means enlarges a predetermined character pattern as the predetermined image and superimposes an image in which the predetermined character pattern is filled with a halftone pattern. Image processing device. 9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the generation means superimposes an image determined as a predetermined image depending on a user identification number set according to a user. Image processing device. 10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the generation means superimposes the predetermined image on a position determined depending on the user identification number. 11. A means for scanning and inputting a document which is an object, a means for storing a document which is scanned and being an object as at least one of a digital image and an encoded character string, and the object. A means for instructing that the document, which is the object, is to be protected, and at least one of a digital image of the stored document and an encoded character string, depending on the instructing means.
And a means for superimposing a predetermined image on the first image to generate a second image, and a means for outputting the generated second image. Characteristic document filing device. 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the instruction means generates user identification information set according to a user, and the second image generation means uses the user identification information. A document filing apparatus, wherein a predetermined image is generated, and a logical operation is performed for each pixel of the first image and the predetermined image to generate a second image. 13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the second image generating means (1) superimposes a halftone dot pattern image as the predetermined image, and (2) enlarges a predetermined character pattern. The second image is generated by at least one of (3) superimposing an image filled with a shaded pattern, and (3) superimposing an image determined depending on the user identification number. Document filing device characterized by: 14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the instructing means generates user identification information set according to a user, and the first image reconstructing means encodes the encoded information. A document filing apparatus which reconstructs the first image as a document image in which an underline is added to a sentence at a position determined depending on the user identification information in a character string. 15. The claim 11 according to claim 11, wherein the instruction means generates user identification information set according to a user, and the first image reconstructing means generates the user identification information. By, the number of character lines of the encoded character string, 1
A document filing apparatus, characterized in that at least one of the number of characters / pitch per line and line indentation is changed for editing. 16. A means for scanning and inputting a document which is an object, a means for storing a document which is scanned and being an object as at least one of a digital image and an encoded character string, and the object. Means for recognizing that the document that is the object is a specific document designated in advance, and at least one of the digital image of the stored document and the encoded character string is determined as a first image according to the result of the recognizing means. And a means for superimposing a predetermined image on the first image to generate a second image, and a means for outputting the generated second image. Document filing device characterized by: 17. The claim 16 according to claim 16, wherein the instructing means generates user identification information set according to a user, and the second image generating means uses the user identification information. A document filing apparatus, wherein a predetermined image is generated, and a logical operation is performed for each pixel of the first image and the predetermined image to generate a second image. 18. The claim 16 according to claim 16, wherein the second image generating means (1) superimposes a halftone dot pattern image as the predetermined image, and (2) enlarges a predetermined character pattern. The second image is generated by at least one of (3) superimposing an image filled with a shaded pattern, and (3) superimposing an image determined depending on the user identification number. Document filing device characterized by: 19. The claim 16 according to claim 16, wherein the instructing means generates user identification information set according to the user, and the first image reconstructing means is encoded. A document filing apparatus which reconstructs the first image as a document image in which an underline is added to a sentence at a position determined depending on the user identification information in a character string. 20. In Claim 16, said instruction means generates user identification information set according to a user, and said first image reconstructing means is said user identification information. By, the number of character lines of the encoded character string, 1
A document filing apparatus, characterized in that at least one of the number of characters / pitch per line and line indentation is changed for editing.