JP2000175026A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide trace information to every image without losing a substantial image even to a monochromatic image. SOLUTION: The image forming device is provided with an image information output means 1 that outputs image information, an image type discrimination means 3 that discriminates a kind of the image information, a pattern storage means 4 that stores a specific pattern corresponding to the kind of the image information, a pattern selection generating means 5 that selects and generates a specific pattern from the pattern storage means 4 on the basis of the kind of the image information discriminated by the image type discrimination means 3, and image output means 2, 6, 7 that superimposes the specific pattern generated by the pattern selection generating means 5 on the image resulting from expanding the image information outputted from the image information output means 1 and output the resulting image. Then the specific pattern is given to the image when the image information is expanded to generate the image.

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 for giving a specific pattern when forming an image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the improvement of color image reading and image processing techniques, printed matter obtained by copying an original by a copying machine, an image output device, or the like is such that it is difficult at first glance to distinguish the original from the duplicate. Image quality is getting higher. Such a high-quality image forming apparatus is used for forgery of banknotes, securities, gift certificates, other securities, notarized documents, official documents, private documents, etc., or used for copying works such as books, photographs, pictures, etc. If so, it is difficult to avoid a situation in which they are generally circulated indistinctly from the real thing, causing great disruption in society.

In order to prevent such abuse as described above, an image reading apparatus is required to be able to identify a document which is not permitted to be copied or duplicated when reading the document, and uses the identification result. By doing so, copying can be prohibited, or at the time of copying, processed into special image information or added with special image information and output, so that copies and duplicates can be distinguished from originals Can be. Further, in an image forming apparatus, it is required to provide information on a reproduced image that can be tracked by the apparatus without deteriorating the image quality. Already
Some image processing apparatuses have been proposed that record specific information by assigning a specific pattern as a tracking pattern so that the apparatus that reproduced the image can be tracked in the reproduced image (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 4-1992). 294682, JP-A-5-14682, JP-A-7-1115
No. 81).

[0004]

However, in a conventional apparatus for synthesizing a tracking pattern with image data and outputting the same, for example, the execution / non-execution of synthesis (superimposition) of the tracking pattern is determined by the output mode of the image data or the output means. In the case of achromatic image data (monochrome data), since the tracking pattern is not superimposed, there is a problem that infringement of copyright or portrait right cannot be dealt with. ing. Therefore, in the prior art as described above, for example, copyrights of monochrome documents and the like, and portrait rights obtained by converting color photos into monochrome photos, etc., are not often abused or infringed. Therefore, the tracking pattern cannot be superimposed, and the infringing object cannot be tracked.

Further, in the case of a color image, a tracking pattern can be provided by using a coloring material such as yellow which is difficult to recognize by human eyes, that is, low visibility, but in the case of a monochrome image, Even if a tracking pattern is provided, a problem occurs because there is no color material that uses only black. That is, if the tracking pattern is superimposed on the image area using the black color material, the original image will be damaged. Also, when printing a monochrome image with a full-color printer that repeatedly executes the development process four times, a tracking pattern can be provided in yellow as in a conventional device,
There is a problem that the throughput of the apparatus is reduced because an extra development process must be performed once to provide the tracking pattern. Moreover, in this case, the image is not printed visually, and the development process of adding the tracking pattern is performed, so that the user feels uneasy.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is an object of the present invention to provide tracking information to any image even in a monochrome image without damaging the original image.

For this purpose, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus for providing a specific pattern when forming an image, an image information output means for outputting image information, and an image type determination means for determining the type of the image information. A pattern holding unit for holding the specific pattern corresponding to the type of the image information, and selecting and generating the specific pattern from the pattern holding unit based on the type of the image information determined by the image type determining unit. Pattern selection / generation means, and image output means for superimposing the specific pattern generated by the pattern selection / generation means on an image obtained by expanding the image information output from the image information output means and outputting the image. It is characterized by the following.

Further, the type of the image information is a color image, a monochrome image, a binary image or a halftone image, and at least the type of the image information is a monochrome image as the specific pattern. It has a pattern that occurs in the vicinity of the image guarantee area with a black color material in some cases, and has a pattern that occurs in the vicinity of the image guarantee area when the type of the image information is a halftone image. Things.

[0009] Further, image information output means for outputting image information, pattern holding means for holding at least a pattern generated near the outside of the image guarantee area as the specific pattern, and selecting the specific pattern from the pattern holding means A pattern selecting / generating means to be generated, and an image output means for superimposing and outputting the specific pattern generated by the pattern selecting / generating means on an image obtained by expanding the image information output from the image information output means. Wherein the specific pattern is generated near the outside of the image guarantee area using the same color material as the image information.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of an image area and a specific pattern provided. In the figure, 1 is an image information output unit, 2 is an image development control unit, 3 is an image information determination unit,
Reference numeral 4 denotes a pattern storage unit, 5 denotes a pattern selection / generation unit, 6 denotes a pattern synthesis unit, 7 denotes an image data output unit, 11 denotes an image area, and 12 denotes a tracking pattern.

In FIG. 1, an image information output unit 1 outputs image information having colors, patterns, codes, and editing information to be imaged. For example, an image reading apparatus that reads a document and outputs the image information (Scanner) and a character recognition device that recognizes characters, converts them to character codes, and outputs them.
The storage unit stores image information taken from a line such as the Internet. The image development control unit 2 is a controller that reads out image information from the image information output unit 1 and develops and outputs an output image according to color materials of monochrome and color.

The image information discriminating section 3 is means for discriminating, for example, monochrome image information or color image information, or the type of image information stored in the image information output section 1. The pattern storage unit 4 stores a specific pattern corresponding to the type of image information. As the specific pattern, for example, when the type of image information is color, a yellow color material is used for the entire image area. When the type of image information is monochrome, the pattern is a black color material that is provided near the outside of the image guarantee area. Pattern selection / generation unit 5
Is to select, generate and output a pattern based on the determination result in the image information determination unit 3.

The pattern synthesizing section 6 synthesizes (superimposes) the tracking pattern output from the pattern selection / generation section 5 on the image data expanded by the image expansion control section 2.
The image data output unit 7 is an image forming unit that outputs image data obtained by synthesizing the tracking pattern by the pattern synthesizing unit 6. When the image information is, for example, monochrome, as shown in FIG. A tracking pattern 12 is provided in the vicinity of the image area 11 using a black color material outside the image guarantee area. In the case of a color image, the entire image area 11 is made of a yellow color material (see FIG. 2B). The tracking pattern 12 is given to a (predetermined area). Since the tracking pattern 12 is hardly recognized by human eyes and has substantially no visibility, it is recognized by a special image reading device that reads the tracking pattern and its color with high sensitivity.

As described above, the present invention discriminates the type of an image and selects and assigns a tracking pattern according to the type. A printer connected to a copying machine, a personal computer, a printer connected to a network And the like. Next, an example in which the present invention is applied to a copying machine will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a processing flow when the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a copying machine.

In the case of a copying machine having a prescan function, first, a prescan is executed to read a document and sample image information (step S11). Next, it is determined whether the image is a monochrome image or a color image based on the sampled image information (step S12). If it is determined that the image is a monochrome image, only the black color material development process is selected and set. (Step S13), a pattern to be provided near the outside of the image guarantee area as a tracking pattern is selected and set (Step S14). Then, a document is read by executing a main scan (step S15), a tracking pattern is combined with the image information, and a black color material development process is executed (step S16). If it is determined in step S12 that the image is a color image, the development process of each color material is selected and set (step S17), and a pattern to be provided to the image area as a tracking pattern is selected and set. (Step S18).
Then, a main scan is performed for each color material development process to read the original (step S19), and when the yellow development process is performed, a tracking pattern is combined with the image information to execute the color material development process (step S19). Step S
20).

Also, in the case of a printer connected to a personal computer, a printer connected to a network, and a server or the like to which image information is sent from each terminal on the network based on a print command, the image information is stored in a file for print output. By executing the processing in step S12 when the data is stored in a buffer or the like or when printing is started, the tracking pattern can be provided by the same processing.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified. For example, in the above embodiment, it is assumed that a device capable of outputting both a monochrome image and a color image is provided, and the application of the tracking pattern is controlled depending on which image is used. Regardless of whether the image is a color image or a color image, a tracking pattern may be provided with a black color material in the vicinity outside the image guarantee area. Further, a three-color printer using color materials of Y (yellow), M (magenta) and C (cyan), and a color printer using color materials of K (black) 4
In the case of a full-color printer and a one-pass tandem type printer, even if a color tracking pattern is added to a monochrome image, the throughput does not decrease.
By setting in advance, even for monochrome images,
A tracking pattern may be applied to a predetermined area over the entire image area using, for example, a yellow color material that is the least visible to human eyes.

In the case of a monochrome image in which a tracking pattern using a yellow color material cannot be superimposed, a tracking pattern is provided with a black color material near the outside of the image guarantee area. Even when used, in the case of a halftone image in which the tracking pattern is buried in the image, the tracking pattern is provided with a black or yellow color material near the outside of the image guarantee area even if the image is not a monochrome image. You may do so. Further, by performing determination of the image area, the halftone area, the character area, and the blank area may be identified, and the tracking pattern may be given to the character area, the blank area, and the blank area. When a tracking pattern is provided with a black color material in the vicinity of the outside of the image assurance area, as shown in FIG. You may make it select the vicinity of a specific area, such as an area which is likely to occur.

[0019]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, image information output means for outputting image information, image type determination means for determining the type of image information, and correspondence to the type of image information A pattern holding unit for holding a specific pattern, a pattern selecting / generating unit for selecting and generating a specific pattern from the pattern holding unit based on the type of image information determined by the image type determining unit, and an image information output unit. Image output means for superimposing and outputting a specific pattern generated by the pattern selection / generation means on an image obtained by expanding the output image information, so that the specific pattern selected according to the image type is provided. be able to. For example, according to the image type such as a monochrome image or a color image,
When a black color material must be used, a specific pattern can be given near the image guarantee area, and when a yellow color material can be used, a specific pattern can be given to the entire image area. it can. Therefore, an effective specific pattern can be assigned to all image types without damaging the original image, and an image to which a specific pattern cannot be assigned can be eliminated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an image area and a specific pattern provided.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a flow of processing when the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a copying machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image information output part, 2 ... Image development control part, 3 ... Image information determination part, 4 ... Pattern storage part, 5 ... Pattern selection / generation part, 6 ... Pattern synthesis part, 7 ... Image data output part

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for applying a specific pattern when forming an image, an image information output unit for outputting image information, an image type determination unit for determining a type of the image information, and the image information Pattern holding means for holding the specific pattern corresponding to the type of the image, and selecting and generating the specific pattern from the pattern holding means based on the type of image information determined by the image type determining means. Means, and image output means for superimposing and outputting the specific pattern generated by the pattern selection / generation means on an image obtained by expanding the image information output from the image information output means. Image forming apparatus. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the type of the image information is a color image or a monochrome image. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the type of the image information is a binary image or a halftone image. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specific pattern includes a black color material generated at least in the vicinity of the image guarantee area when the type of the image information is a monochrome image. Image forming device. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specific pattern includes a pattern that is generated in the vicinity of an image guarantee area when at least the type of the image information is a halftone image. 6. An image forming apparatus for applying a specific pattern when forming an image, an image information output means for outputting image information, and holding the pattern generated at least in the vicinity of outside the image guarantee area as the specific pattern. Pattern holding means, and a pattern selection and generation means for selecting and generating the specific pattern from the pattern holding means,
Image output means for superimposing and outputting the specific pattern generated by the pattern selection / generation means on an image obtained by expanding the image information output from the image information output means, and the same color material as the image information Wherein the specific pattern is generated near the outside of the image guarantee area.