JP2000224406A - Digital copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform printing based on watermark information buried in image data at the time of printing the image data. SOLUTION: The image data read in a scanner part 101 are stored in an image memory 110 and the watermark information buried in the image data is recognized in a watermark information recognition part 200. In the case that a copyright charge is included in the watermark information, the copyright charge is displayed at the liquid crystal display part of an operation panel 300. In the case that a copyright ID is included in the watermark information, the copyright charge corresponding to the copyright ID is inquired to a copyright management server 250 and the received copyright charge information is displayed at the liquid crystal display part of the operation panel 300. The copyright charge is collected by a copy vender 151.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital copying machine, and more particularly to a digital copying machine that limits a printing operation based on watermark information embedded in input image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of digital copying machines, original images can be easily copied. Also, by inputting digital data obtained by photographing image diagrams, photographs, pictures, and the like created by a computer with a digital camera into a digital copying machine, the digital data can be printed on a recording medium such as paper.

On the other hand, digital data such as manuscripts to be copied and image diagrams created by a computer may be copyrighted works of a creator of the manuscript. May not be desired. In order to prevent free printing of a manuscript or digital data, there is known a technique of embedding ID information, a logo, a mark, or the like as watermark information in the manuscript or digital data and concealing them.

[0004]

However, for an image or digital data in which watermark information is embedded, the original image or digital data on which the paper is printed can be specified by looking at the printed paper. Although it can do so, it does not degrade the printed image or charge a fee for printing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a digital copying machine capable of performing printing based on watermark information embedded in image data when printing the image data. The purpose is to do. It is another object of the present invention to provide a digital copying machine capable of printing out image data under printing conditions according to the intention of a document creator or owner.

[0006]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital copying machine for inputting image data and extracting means for extracting watermark information embedded in the image data. And display means for displaying restriction information for restricting printing of image data included in the watermark information.

According to the present invention, when the watermark information embedded in the input image data includes restriction information for restricting printing, the restriction information is displayed.
The user can know the restrictions imposed on the printing of the image data to be printed.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital copying machine for inputting image data, extracting means for extracting watermark information embedded in image data, and transmitting identification information included in the watermark information to a management server. Communication means for transmitting and receiving restriction information corresponding to the identification information from the management server.

According to the present invention, since the restriction information corresponding to the identification information is received from the management server which manages the identification information and the restriction information, the restriction information is not embedded in the image data as the watermark information. Also, it is possible to provide a digital copying machine capable of obtaining restriction information for restricting printing of the image data.

[0010] More preferably, the digital copier further comprises a display means for displaying restriction information.

[0011] More preferably, the digital copier further comprises a prohibiting means for prohibiting printing of image data when restriction information cannot be received from the management server.

According to the present invention, since the image data is not printed when the restriction information cannot be received from the management server, a digital copying machine that performs printing within the restrictions imposed on the printing of the image data can be provided. .

[0013] More preferably, the digital copying machine further includes storage means for storing the image data input by the input means, and printing means for printing the image data stored in the storage means.

According to the present invention, since the image data printed by the printing means is the image data stored in the storage means, the printing is inhibited after the original having no restriction on the printing is inputted by the input means. It is possible to prevent unauthorized printing by replacing the original.

[0015] More preferably, the digital copying machine further comprises a collecting means for collecting a print fee included in the restriction information.

According to the present invention, a print fee included in the restriction information is collected, so that, for example, a royalty fee can be easily charged.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding members.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an entire configuration of a digital copying machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the figure, digital copier 100 is connected to a copy vendor 151 that collects a fee according to the number of prints.

The digital copying machine 100 comprises an image reader unit 101 for reading image data from a document and a printer unit 102 for printing an image on paper.

A document placed on a document table 103 of the image reader unit 101 is irradiated by an exposure lamp 105 having a scanner 104. Light reflected from the document surface forms an image on the full-color CCD sensor 109 via mirrors 106 to 108 and a condenser lens. Full color CCD
The sensor 109 converts reflected light from the document surface into red (R), green (G), and blue (B) electric signals (analog signals) and outputs the electric signals to the processing unit 111. The scanner 104 is
The direction of the arrow (sub-scanning direction) by the scanner motor 112
To scan the entire document.

The processing section 111 converts an input analog signal into a predetermined digital signal and stores it in the image memory 110. Further, the digital signal stored in the image memory 110 is converted into a signal for driving a laser, and
Output to The laser device 112 outputs a laser beam based on the input digital signal.

The processing section 111 is connected to a communication processing section (not shown). Digital data transmitted from an external personal computer or the like is received by the communication processing unit, and the received digital data is input to the processing unit 111. Processing unit 111
Is stored in the image memory 110.

In the printer section 102, the laser device 1
The laser beam output from the charger 12 is charged.
Then, the photosensitive drum 115 charged by 4 is exposed to form an electrostatic latent image. The toner developing units 116 to 119 of four colors of cyan, magenta, yellow and black are sequentially selected, and the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 115 is developed. Appropriate paper is transported from the paper feed cassettes 120 to 122. The sheet passes through the timing roller 123. The sheet is attracted to the transfer drum 126 by an electrostatic attraction charger 125 provided opposite to the attraction roller 124.

The toner image developed on the photosensitive drum 115 is transferred by a transfer charger 127 onto a sheet wound on a transfer drum 126. The rotation of the transfer drum 115 is controlled by a drum motor 128. When a full-color copy is performed, the above printing process is repeatedly performed for four colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

That is, the transfer drum 126 rotates four times. Thereafter, the sheet is separated from the transfer drum 126 by the charge elimination of the surface of the transfer drum 126 by the separation charger 129 and the charge removal charger 130 and the action of the separation claw 131, and is fixed through the fixing device 132.
The paper is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 133.

The fixing device 132 includes an upper roller 134 and a lower roller 135. Each roller 13
4, 135 is adjusted by a heater so as to reach a predetermined temperature.

At the time of duplex copying, the sheet reversing unit 136
The paper ejected by this is inverted. An image is formed on the inverted sheet on the transfer drum 126 again.

The copy vendor 151 has a coin insertion slot 153 for inserting coins, and a coin return button 154.
, A coin return slot 155, and a display unit 156 for displaying the value of the inserted money. The digital copier 100 and the copy vendor 151 are connected by a cable via a connector 152.

In this embodiment, printing is permitted by inserting a coin, but printing is permitted by setting a bill, a prepaid card, an IC card, a cash card, or the like instead of a coin. It may be.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the control unit of the digital copying machine shown in FIG. Referring to the figure, digital copier 100 includes a processing unit 111 for controlling the entire digital copier 100 and a digital copier 10.
Operation panel 300 for setting print conditions of 0
The scanner unit 101, the printer unit 102, the image memory 110, and the watermark information recognizing unit 20 for recognizing watermark information from image data stored in the image memory 110.
0, a communication processing unit 201 connected to external personal computers 251, 252 and the copyright management server 250 via a LAN (local area network), and a copy vendor 151.

The operation panel 300 is used for the digital copier 10
0, and accepts an input for setting print conditions when printing is performed by the printer unit 102 of the digital copying machine 100. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the operation panel 300. Referring to FIG.
Reference numeral 0 denotes a liquid crystal display unit 303, a touch panel 304 provided on the liquid crystal display unit 303, and a numeric keypad 301 for inputting numerical values such as the number of prints and a print magnification.
And a start key 313 for instructing the start of printing
And

The liquid crystal display unit 303 is a digital copier 10
0 indicates the currently set print conditions and internal state. The touch panel 304 provided on the liquid crystal display unit 303 allows the operator to input print conditions by pressing the touch panel in accordance with the menu displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 303. By using the liquid crystal display unit 303 and the touch panel 304 in combination,
Various menu screens are displayed to make it easy for the user to set print conditions. By displaying the Japanese syllabary and the alphabet on the liquid crystal display 303, it is also possible to input alphabetic characters and Chinese characters from the touch panel 304.

Referring to FIG. 2, communication processing unit 201 includes an externally connected personal computer, a local area network (LAN), and a public telephone line (PST).
N) and the processing unit 111 exchange data. The communication processing unit 201 mainly includes an input / output control unit for performing communication control for directly transmitting and receiving control signals and image data to and from a personal computer, and an external L connected to a LAN.
A network control unit for performing network control for transmission and reception of control signals and image data to and from a device connected to the AN; transmission and reception of data to and from the processing unit 111 during facsimile operation and conversion of pixel density, encoding method, etc. It comprises a facsimile conversion unit and a G3 unit which performs communication control such as modulation and demodulation of image data and control signals during facsimile operation, and is connected to a telephone line and controls communication with the PSTN.

In FIG. 2, the communication processing unit 201, the external personal computers 251 and 252, and the copyright management server 250
N shows a form in which the communication processing unit 201 is connected.
Uses a network control unit, and the personal computer 25
1 and 252 and the copyright management server 250
A control signal and image data are exchanged via N.

The processing unit 111 performs serial communication with the copy vendor 151, so that the copy vendor 151 collects a fee corresponding to the print processing performed by the printer unit 102.

The image memory 110 stores image data to be printed by the printer unit 102. The image memory 110 stores image data read by the scanner unit 101 and external personal computers 251 and 252 by the communication processing unit 201.
Is stored.

The watermark information recognizing section 200 includes the image memory 1
The watermark information is detected and recognized from the image data stored in. Here, the watermark information is information embedded in the document, such as an ID or print restriction, and the watermark information cannot be visually recognized from the document in which the watermark information is embedded. A known technique is used as a technique for embedding watermark information in a document or image data or a technique for detecting watermark information from a document or image data in which watermark information is embedded. For example, techniques for embedding watermark information in a document image include a method of adding the watermark information to the luminance value of the image, a method of converting image data into frequency components,
A method of embedding watermark information in a specific frequency component and a known technique are used. For frequency conversion, FFT (fast fouri
er transform: fast Fourier transform) or DCT (discrete
cosine transform) is used.

The watermark information recognizing section 200 detects watermark information from image data as image information, and recognizes the detected image information as character information. In this case, a known character recognition method is used.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a document in which watermark information is embedded. An area 400 is an area where a photograph is displayed,
Characters are represented in other areas. The watermark information cannot be visually read from this document. By reading such an original and inputting it as image data, watermark information can be recognized from this image data. The watermark information includes, for example, a copyright I
D and the copyright fee per copy are included.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing performed in digital copier 100. Referring to the figure, digital copier 100 reads image data (step S01), and stores the read image data in image memory 110 (step S02). Reading of the image data is performed by detecting that the start button 313 of the operation panel 300 is pressed.

In step S03, the watermark information recognition unit 2
At 00, the watermark information is recognized from the image data stored in the image memory 110, and the presence or absence of the watermark information is detected.
If there is no watermark information in the image data (step S
03, NO), the flow proceeds to step S06, and normal print processing is performed. If the watermark information is included in the image data (YES in step S03), it is determined whether the copyright information is included in the watermark information (step S04).

The copyright information is, for example, an identification number for identifying copyright, copyright fee information, and the like. If the copyright information is not included (N in step S04)
O), the process proceeds to a step S06, and a normal print process is performed. If copyright information is included (step S0
(YES in 4), it is determined whether or not the copyright information includes copyright fee information (step S05). The copyright fee information is a copy fee to be paid when copying the original.

When the copyright fee information is included (YES in step S05), the liquid crystal display unit 3 of operation panel 300
03, a copyright fee is displayed (step S0).
6).

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example in which a charge is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 303. Referring to FIG. 6, “1234567” is displayed as the copyright ID on liquid crystal display section 303,
"50 yen" is displayed as the copyright fee, "10 yen" is displayed as the normal fee (the fee for copying without the copyright fee), and "60 yen" is displayed as the total fee.

Next, returning to FIG.
Is compared with the total amount above,
It is determined whether or not the fee is sufficient (step S07). If the total charge (60 yen) is larger than the amount input to the copy vendor 151, the charge is insufficient.
The process ends without performing anything.

If the total amount (60 yen) is smaller than the charge charged to the copy vendor 151 (NO in step S07), the start key 3 on the operation panel 300
13 is determined to be pressed (step S0).
8). If the start key 313 has not been pressed, the process ends without performing any operation. If the start key 313 has been pressed (YES in step S08), the printer unit 1
In step 02, the image data stored in the image memory 110 is printed (step S09). After that, the total charge (6
The accounting process is performed by subtracting (0 yen) (step S10).

In step S05, if the copyright information included in the watermark information does not include the copyright fee information (NO in step S15), the communication processing unit 201 issues a copyright to the copyright management server 250. Send ID,
A copyright management server inquiry process for receiving the restriction information from the copyright management server 250 is performed (step S11).

The copyright management server 250 has a database in which restriction information is associated with each copyright ID.
When the copyright ID information is received, the restriction information stored corresponding to the copyright ID is transmitted to the party who transmitted the copyright ID information. The restriction information includes, in addition to the copyright fee information, print conditions permitted for printing the copyrighted work. The printing condition includes a condition that printing is permitted on the condition that specific image processing is performed on image data, and a condition that prohibits printing itself. The specific image processing includes, for example, processing for binarizing image data,
The processing includes processing for enlarging / reducing image data, processing for changing the resolution of image data, processing for reducing color of image data, and the like.
These are conditions that are imposed, for example, when a creator of a manuscript or the like desires to make the quality of a duplicate of the manuscript lower than that of the manuscript. The restriction information also includes information for restricting the number of prints. This is a restriction imposed when the creator of the document wants to limit the number of copies.

It is determined whether or not copyright fee information has been received from copyright management server 250 (step S12). When the copyright fee information is received (YES in step S12)
S), the process proceeds to step S06, and the above-described processing is performed.
If the copyright fee information is not obtained (NO in step S12), a process for prohibiting printing is performed (step S13). The process for prohibiting printing is a process for deleting the image data stored in the image memory 110 and for preventing the printer unit 102 from printing the image data. In addition, a message “Limit information on this document cannot be obtained. Do you want to try again?” Is output to the liquid crystal display unit 303 of the operation panel 300. Thus, the operator can recognize that the document to be printed is a literary work, and can recognize the fact that the restriction information imposed on the document could not be obtained.

As described above, the digital copying machine according to the present embodiment normally transfers the copyright fee to the liquid crystal display unit 303 based on the copyright fee included in the watermark information embedded in the read image data. Since the display fee is displayed together with the copy fee, the fee can be easily collected.

When the copyright information is included in the watermark information embedded in the image data, an inquiry is made to the copyright management server based on the copyright ID so that the copyright fee is received. Therefore, the amount of watermark information embedded in the image data can be reduced to information with only a copyright ID,
Deterioration of original images and image data can be prevented.

Further, since the copyright fee of the original image or image data is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 303, the user can easily charge the original document or the image data to be printed. You can know.

Further, when the copyright fee cannot be obtained even after making an inquiry to the copyright management server, the printing is not performed, so that the charging of the copyright fee can be reliably performed.

The printer unit 102 includes the image memory 1
Since the image data stored in the printer 10 is printed, it is possible to prevent a user who has not been restricted in printing from inputting the original by using the input means and replace the original with a print-inhibited one, thereby preventing improper printing. be able to.

Further, when the charge cannot be collected by the copy vendor 151, the printing is not performed by the printer unit 102, so that the copyright fee can be reliably collected.

In this embodiment, the processing for the image data obtained by reading the original by the scanner unit 101 has been described. However, the image data transmitted from the personal computers 251 and 252 is received by the communication processing unit 201, Memory 11
The same processing can be performed on the image data stored in 0.

It should be understood that the embodiment disclosed this time is an example in all respects and is not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a digital copying machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit of the digital copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operation panel provided on an upper surface of the digital copying machine 100.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a document in which watermark information read by the digital copying machine 100 is embedded.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing performed in the digital copying machine 100.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen displayed on a liquid crystal display unit 303 of an operation panel 300.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 scanner unit 102 printer unit 110 image memory 111 processing unit 200 watermark information recognition unit 201 communication processing unit 300 operation panel 251, 252 personal computer 250 copyright management server

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AP03 AP07 AQ06 AR01 BB17 CL10 5B057 AA20 CE08 CG07 5C076 AA14 5J104 AA14 NA05 PA00 9A001 BB04 EE03 JJ35 KK42 LL09

Claims (6)

[Claims] An input unit for inputting image data; an extraction unit for extracting watermark information embedded in the image data; and restriction information for restricting printing of the image data included in the watermark information. A digital copying machine comprising a display unit. 2. An input unit for inputting image data, an extracting unit for extracting watermark information embedded in the image data, and transmitting identification information included in the watermark information to a management server, A digital copying machine comprising: communication means for receiving restriction information corresponding to the identification information. 3. The digital copying machine according to claim 2, further comprising a display unit for displaying the restriction information. 4. The digital copying machine according to claim 2, further comprising a prohibition unit that prohibits printing of the image data when the restriction information cannot be received from the management server. 5. The storage device according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit configured to store the image data input by the input unit, and a printing unit configured to print the image data stored in the storage unit. Digital copier. 6. The digital copying machine according to claim 1, wherein the restriction information includes a print fee, and further comprising a collecting unit that collects the print fee.