JP2004054462A - Print system and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure that a false watermark is properly incorporated into printed matter printed by each user. <P>SOLUTION: A print server part 22 of a printer 2 receives print data described in printer language from a printer driver part of a host device 1 and delivers the data to a print data analyzing part 23. The print data analyzing part 23 analyzes the contents of the print data and sends the result to a rasterizer part 24. The rasterizer part 24 deploys the print data into an image, deploys the false watermark defined in a watermark data memory into an image, and creates an image by composing both images, i.e., an image depicting a document that represents the print data with the false watermark as the background. A print engine 25 outputs the image created by the rasterizer part 24 onto printing paper. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technique for embedding a pseudo watermark in each page of a print document.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Originally, a watermark in a printed matter is a design as a watermark realized by a change in paper thickness.
On the other hand, when printing a document using a printer, a pseudo water mark representing an appearance similar to a water mark can be formed on a printed material by printing a mark or the like in a light color as a background of the document. Has been done. US Pat. No. 6,301,013, US Pat. No. 5,644,682, US Pat. No. 5,689,626 and the like are known as techniques for forming such a pseudo water mark on a printed material.
In a system having a printer and a computer serving as a host device of the printer, these techniques are used in an application on a computer for generating a document, or a printer driver on a computer for controlling the printer from the computer, or In an application on a computer that operates in cooperation, data of the pseudo watermark and data of the document are combined, and the pseudo watermark is incorporated into the document.
[0003]
Further, in these technologies, whether or not to change the pseudo watermark to be printed or whether to print the pseudo watermark is determined by a user of the host apparatus that prints the document by an application that performs a process of incorporating the pseudo watermark on the host apparatus. It can be set arbitrarily in the printer driver.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
There are various purposes for embedding the pseudo water mark in the printed matter of the document. One of the purposes is to indicate the source, owner, and use restrictions of the printed matter. For example, if a printed document indicates that the document is a confidential document of a certain organization by using a pseudo water mark, it can be expected that the printed material is prevented from being taken out of the organization or used improperly.
[0005]
Therefore, when embedding a pseudo-watermark in a printed material for such a purpose, the authority to change the pseudo-watermark to be printed and to operate the necessity of printing the pseudo-watermark is limited to only privileged users. There must be. However, according to the conventional techniques, each user is given these rights. Further, even when the privilege is given only to a specific user, such a privilege is changed because the processing of changing the pseudo watermark and the necessity of printing the pseudo watermark is performed on the host device. It is relatively easy to perform an unauthorized action by an unauthorized operation of the host device of a user who does not have the password.
[0006]
Accordingly, the present invention provides a system for embedding a pseudo-watermark in a printed matter of a document, and assuring that embedding of a pseudo-watermark intended by an administrator is properly performed on a printed matter printed by an individual user. As an issue.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a printing system including a printer that prints a document requested to be printed and a host device that requests the printer to print a document, wherein the printer simulates a watermark. Water storing pseudo-watermark data defining pseudo-watermarks, which are marks printed on each page of a document to present an appearance, inaccessible to at least a previously unprivileged user of the host device. Mark development, for each page of the document requested to be printed by the host device, image development for generating an image in which the document is drawn with a pseudo water mark indicated by the pseudo water mark data stored in the water mark memory as a background means , It is provided with a print engine to print each page of image by the image expanding means is generated.
[0008]
According to such a printing system, embedding of a pseudo watermark in a document and holding of pseudo watermark data are under the control of the user and can be handled freely. Done. Also, the data of the pseudo watermark is arranged not in the host device but in the printer. Therefore, it is possible to firmly and effectively prevent an unauthorized user from freely controlling the change or printing of the pseudo water mark.
[0009]
In addition, the present invention provides such a printing system, wherein the host device is provided with a watermark setting means, and the watermark setting means includes a password input receiving means for receiving a password input from a user, and a password input receiving means. An authentication requesting unit for requesting the printer to authenticate the received password; a setting instruction receiving unit for receiving a setting instruction of the pseudo water mark from a user; and a setting received by the setting instruction receiving unit reflected on the printing of the pseudo watermark. Update request means for requesting the printer to update the pseudo watermark data so that the printer has a password memory storing a password, and in response to an authentication request from the authentication request means, Password stored in password memory Authentication means for performing password authentication by referring to, and, when the password authentication is successful, in response to a request from the update request means, a watermark update means for updating pseudo watermark data in a watermark memory. Is provided.
[0010]
By doing so, only the privileged user can be allowed to access the pseudo water mark data, for example, the data defining the form of the pseudo water mark and the data indicating whether the pseudo water mark needs to be printed. it can.
In addition, by arranging such a password for authentication of a privileged user so that the password cannot be read out from the host device, the unauthorized operation of false watermark data by an unauthorized user is firmly eliminated. Will be able to
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a computer system according to the present embodiment.
As shown in the drawing, the computer system has a configuration in which a plurality of host devices 1 each of which is a computer such as a personal computer or a workstation, and a printer 2 are connected via a LAN 3.
Each host device 1 has an operating system 13 in which a printer driver 11 and a network driver 12 are incorporated, and a word processor and other printer use applications 14 for printing using the printer 2. Further, at least one host device 1 has a watermark (WM) management application 15. Each printer use application 14 is a process that runs on the operating system 13, and performs printing on the printer 2 using the printer driver 11 incorporated in the operating system. The watermark management application 15 is a process that runs on the operating system 13 and sets a watermark printing operation in the printer 2. The network driver 12 provides the printer driver 11 or the watermark management application 15 with a function of communicating with the printer 2 via the LAN 3.
[0012]
The host device 1 includes, for example, a CPU, a main memory, an external storage device, a communication control device for controlling communication via a network, an input device such as a keyboard and a pointing device, and a display device. This is a computer having a general configuration including an output device and the like. Each section of the computer shown in FIG. 1 is a process realized by the CPU executing a program loaded from the external storage device into the main storage. Each of these programs may be supplied to a computer by installation from a portable storage medium or download via a communication medium.
[0013]
On the other hand, the printer 2 includes a network driver 21 on the printer side, a print server unit 22, a print data analyzing unit 23, a rasterizing unit 24, a print engine 25, a watermark setting processing unit 26, a password memory 27 storing a password, a watermark mark data, It has a memory 28.
[0014]
The network driver 21 on the printer side provides the print server unit 22 and the watermark setting processing unit 26 with a function of communicating with the host device 1 via the LAN 3. The print server unit 22 receives print data described in a printer language (page description language) from the print driver unit of the host device 1 and sequentially delivers the print data to the print data analysis unit 23. The print data analysis unit 23 analyzes the contents of the print data, sends the image definition portion of the print data to the rasterizing unit 24, and sets the print paper size and the like in the print engine 25.
[0015]
The rasterizing unit 24 develops the image definition portion of the print data into an image and develops the pseudo watermark defined in the watermark data memory 28 into an image, and combines the two images, that is, the pseudo watermark. Then, an image in which the document represented by the print data is drawn with a background is generated. Then, the print engine 25 prints out the image generated by the rasterizing unit 24 on a print sheet.
[0016]
Here, FIGS. 2A and 2B show examples of the printed matter printed in this manner.
A portion 201 printed in light color in the figure is a pseudo water mark defined in the water mark data memory 28 expanded into an image, and other black character portions are formed by converting print data received from the printer driver 11 into an image. It is expanded.
Next, the watermark data stored in the watermark data memory 28 will be described.
FIG. 3 shows the contents of the watermark data memory 28.
As shown in the figure, the watermark data memory 28 has WM on / off indicating whether or not to print a pseudo watermark, WM text data indicating text to be used as the pseudo watermark, printing position and font of the text indicated by the WM text data. WM text control data indicating the size, print color, rotation angle, etc., WM image data, which is the image data of the image used as the pseudo watermark, WM indicating the print position, enlargement ratio, transparency, rotation angle, etc. of the image of the WM image data As a part of the image control data and the pseudo water mark, additional information such as the date and date and time of printing, the computer name of the print data transmission source, the printer name of the printer 2 itself, and the user name of the print data transmission source computer are included. WM additional value that indicates whether to print the value, And WM additional value control data indicating whether to print in a form like are stored.
[0017]
Here, the rasterizing unit 24 converts the text represented by the WM text data into an image having a print format according to the WM text control data only when the setting that the pseudo watermark is printed is set to WM on / off. Expansion of the image represented by the WM image data into a print form in accordance with the WM image control data, and calculation of the value indicated by the WM additional value and the print form according to the WM additional value control data of the calculated value. If the pseudo water mark is set not to be printed in WM ON / OFF, the image is not developed.
[0018]
For example, in the pseudo water mark shown in FIG. 3A, "PROPERTY OF XYZ COMPANY" is set in the WM text data, the center is set as the print position in the WM text control data, and -45 degrees is set as the appropriate rotation angle. When the WM additional value is specified as the date and the WM additional value control data specifies that the WM additional value should be connected to the lower part of the text of the WM text data for centering and printing, the rasterizing unit 24 Indicates a pseudo water mark developed in the image.
[0019]
Now, the setting of the contents of the watermark data memory 28 is performed by the privileged user using the watermark management application 15 on the host device 1.
Hereinafter, the operation of the watermark management application 15 will be described.
FIG. 4 shows a procedure of processing performed by the watermark management application 15.
As shown, when activated, the watermark management application 15 initializes a variable C to 1 (step 402), and establishes a secure connection with the watermark setting processing unit 26 including encryption of transmission / reception data. (Step 404). Then, a password input screen is displayed to the user, and the input of the password from the user is accepted (step 406). When the password is accepted, the authentication request for the accepted password is sent to the watermark setting processing unit 26 of the printer 2 to request the authentication (step 408). The watermark setting processing unit 26, which is required to authenticate the password, determines whether the received password matches the password memory 27. If the password matches, the water mark setting processing unit 26 responds to the watermark management application 15 that the authentication has succeeded, and does not match. If the authentication fails, the authentication failure is returned to the watermark management application 15.
[0020]
If the response from the watermark setting processing unit 26 is authentication failure (step 410), the watermark management application 15 checks whether or not the variable C is less than a predetermined number (for example, 3) (step 418). If the number is less than the number, the variable C is incremented by 1 (step 424), and the process returns to step 406 to accept the password again. On the other hand, if the variable C is a predetermined number, an error log of password authentication failure is created and stored (step 420), and the connection with the watermark setting processing unit 26 is released (step 422), and the process ends. .
[0021]
Now, in step 410, when the response from the water mark setting processing section 26 is that the authentication is successful, the water mark management application 15 displays the water mark setting screen shown in FIG. WM on / off indicating whether to print a water mark, WM text indicating text to be printed as a pseudo water mark, WM text indicating printing position, font size, print color, rotation angle, etc. of text to be printed as a pseudo water mark Control contents, designation of a file of WM image data which is image data of an image to be printed as a pseudo water mark, WM image control contents indicating print position, enlargement ratio, transparency, rotation angle, etc. of an image to be printed as a pseudo water mark, pseudo Watermark Additional value indicating whether to print additional values such as the date and date and time of printing, the computer name of the print data transmission source, the printer name of the printer 2 itself, and the user name of the print data transmission computer as a copy , The setting of the additional form indicating the form in which the WM additional value is to be printed is received (step 512).
[0022]
If the OK 503 button in the water mark setting area 501 has been operated (step 514), a request is made to the water mark setting processing section 26 of the printer 2 to set the received contents in the water mark data memory 28 (step 526). . Here, the request to the watermark setting processing unit 26 is accompanied by image data read from a file on the host device 1 designated as a WM image data file. Then, if there is a response to the request processing success message from the water mark setting processing unit 26 (step 532), the connection with the water mark setting processing unit 26 is disconnected (step 530), and the processing is terminated. If there is a response to the processing failure message, predetermined error processing is performed (step 534). The water mark setting processing unit 26, which has been requested to set the password, sets each of the requested setting contents in the watermark data memory 28 if the request has been made from the connection whose password has been successfully authenticated first, A request processing success message is returned to the watermark management application 15.
[0023]
In addition, the water mark management application 15 receives a password change by accepting an input of a changed password in the password setting area 502 of the water mark setting screen shown in FIG. Then, when the OK button 505 in the password setting area 502 is operated (step 516), a request is made to the watermark setting processor 26 of the printer 2 to change the received password to the changed password (step 528). If there is a response to the request processing success message (step 532), the connection to the watermark setting processing unit 26 is disconnected (step 530), the processing is terminated, and a request processing failure message is returned. In this case, predetermined error processing is performed (step 534). On the other hand, if the request to change the password is made, the watermark setting processing unit 26 rewrites the contents of the password memory 27 with the received changed password if the request is from a connection for which the password has been successfully authenticated first. , A request processing success message to the watermark management application 15.
[0024]
The computer system according to the present embodiment has been described.
In the above embodiment, the password and the pseudo watermark data are encrypted and stored in the password memory 27 and the watermark data in the printer 2, and these data are appropriately stored in the rasterizing unit 24 and the watermark setting processing unit 26. It may be decrypted and used. By doing so, the confidentiality of these data to the outside of the printer 2 can be further increased.
[0025]
In the above description, the pseudo water mark is developed into an image when printing a document.However, in this case, the pseudo water mark is developed into an image and stored in advance, and when the document is printed, the pseudo water mark is first used as a pseudo water mark. When the stored image can be used, the stored image may be used.
[0026]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the embedding of the pseudo watermark into the document is performed not by the host device 1 but by the printer 2. Further, the pseudo water mark data and control data for controlling the necessity of printing the pseudo water mark are also arranged in the printer 2 instead of the host device 1. Access to the pseudo-watermark data and the control data thereof is permitted only to the privileged user, and a password for authentication of the privileged user is arranged so that the printer 2 cannot read it from the host device 1. You.
[0027]
Therefore, it is not possible to operate the pseudo water mark data or its control data only by an illegal operation on the host device 1. Therefore, the unauthorized control of the change of the pseudo watermark and the necessity of the printing by the unauthorized user is more firmly suppressed.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in a system for embedding a pseudo water mark in a printed matter of a document, embedding of the pseudo water mark intended by an administrator is appropriately performed on a printed matter printed by an individual user. That can be guaranteed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a printing example of a pseudo water mark according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing contents of a watermark data memory of the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of processing performed by a watermark management application according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a water mark setting screen displayed in the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: Host device, 2: Printer, 3: LAN, 11: Printer driver, 12: Network driver, 13: Operating system, 14: Printer use application, 15: Watermark management application, 21: Printer side network driver, 22: Print server unit, 23: Print data analysis unit, 24: Rasterize unit, 25: Print engine, 26: Watermark setting processing unit, 27: Password memory, 28: Watermark data memory.

Claims (5)

A printing system, comprising: a printer that prints a document requested to be printed; and a host device that requests the printer to print the document.
The printer is
Accessing at least unprivileged users of the host device at least pseudo-watermark data defining pseudo-watermarks, which are marks printed on each page of a document so as to present a simulated watermark appearance. Watermark memory stored impossibly,
For each page of the document requested to be printed from the host device, image developing means for generating an image in which the document is drawn with the pseudo watermark mark indicated by the pseudo watermark data stored in the watermark memory as a background,
A print engine for printing an image generated by the image developing means for each page of the document. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein
The host device has a water mark setting unit,
The water mark setting unit includes a password input receiving unit that receives a password input from a user, an authentication requesting unit that requests the printer to authenticate the password received by the password input receiving unit, and a pseudo water mark setting instruction from a user. Setting instruction receiving means for receiving, and an update requesting means for requesting the printer to update the pseudo watermark data so that the setting received by the setting instruction receiving means is reflected in the printing of the pseudo watermark mark,
The printer includes: a password memory storing a password; an authentication unit that performs password authentication by referring to a password stored in the password memory in response to an authentication request from the authentication requesting unit; A printing system comprising: a watermark update unit that updates pseudo watermark data in a watermark memory in response to a request from the update request unit when authentication is successful. The printing system according to claim 2, wherein
The pseudo water mark data includes data indicating whether printing of the pseudo water mark is necessary,
The image developing means, when data indicating that printing of the pseudo water mark is unnecessary is set in the pseudo water mark data, the pseudo water mark is not included in the generated image as the background. A printing system characterized by the following. The printing system according to claim 1, 2, or 3,
The pseudo water mark data includes material data that is text data and / or image data, and data that defines the contents of an operation for processing the material data by applying the material data to generate the pseudo water mark. A printing system comprising: A printer for printing a document requested to be printed by the host device,
Accessing pseudo-watermark data defining pseudo-watermarks, which are marks printed on each page of a document to present a simulated watermark appearance, to at least a non-pre-privileged user of the host device. Watermark memory stored impossibly,
For each page of the document requested to be printed from the host device, image developing means for generating an image in which the document is drawn with the pseudo watermark mark indicated by the pseudo watermark data stored in the watermark memory as a background,
A print engine for printing the image generated by the image developing means for each page of the document.

Images