JP2006014191A - Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus capable of specifying so that electronic watermark information different in every page are embedded in a plurality of documents by an arbitrary input method. <P>SOLUTION: The image processing apparatus comprises: an image data generating means for generating image data for a plurality of pages; an input means for inputting predetermined additional information using a first input method or a second input method different from the first input method; a designation means for designating the first input method or the second input method for each of the image data for the plurality of pages; and an addition means for adding the predetermined additional information inputted by the first input method or the second input method to each of the image data for the plurality of pages so as to make identification difficult for human eyes. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program.

  In recent years, it has been referred to as digital watermarking technology. In image information such as photographs and paintings, additional information such as the author's name and permission to use is multiplexed so that it is difficult to visually distinguish them, and networks such as the Internet The technology distributed through is being standardized. This digital watermark is often used mainly for the purpose of copyright protection.

  Other application fields include the purpose of preventing illegal counterfeiting of banknotes, stamps, securities, etc., as the image quality of image input / output devices such as copying machines, scanners, and printers increases. For example, image information of banknotes, stamps, securities, etc. by multiplexing special marks or digital watermarks in advance on banknotes, stamps, securities, etc., and detecting the marks with an image input / output device. As a result, printing is stopped, a warning is issued, or a degraded image is output so that the copy cannot be abused by intentionally painting the entire surface with black ink or the like.

  As a typical method of embedding a digital watermark, in the case of a digital image, there is a method of embedding a digital watermark by performing an operation on a data value of digital content corresponding to the hue, brightness, etc. of a pixel. As a representative method, there is a method in which digital content is divided into blocks and a predetermined watermark pattern that is a combination of +1 and −1 is added to each block.

  As another method, there is a method of converting image data into frequency components and embedding watermark information in a specific frequency component as shown in FIG. In this system, in order to suppress deterioration of image quality as much as possible, there is a technique in which watermark information is embedded in frequency components that are difficult to be identified by human eyes.

Further, there is a conventional technique in which digital watermark information is embedded in image data read by a scanner. This prior art has a plurality of means for inputting digital watermark information. After selectively inputting digital watermark information using these, the digital watermark information is embedded in image data read by a scanner. This improves the operability when embedding digital watermark information in the input image data. (Patent Document 1)
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-4337

  However, in the above conventional example, when a plurality of originals are read at once using a feeder, it is not mentioned, and when embedding different digital watermark information for each page, the page is divided every time. There was a problem that had to be read multiple times by the scanner.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional example, and an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of designating a plurality of originals so that different digital watermark information for each page range can be embedded by an arbitrary input method The purpose is to provide.

  The image processing apparatus of the present invention inputs image data generating means for generating image data of a plurality of pages, and predetermined additional information by the first input method or a second input method different from the first input method. Input means, a designation means for designating the first input method or the second input method for each of the plurality of pages of image data, and the images of the plurality of pages based on designation of the designation means. And adding means for adding predetermined additional information input by the first input method or the second input method to each of the data so that it is difficult for human eyes to identify.

  The image processing method of the present invention includes an image data generation step for generating a plurality of pages of image data, and predetermined additional information by a first input method or a second input method different from the first input method. A second input step of inputting, a designation step of designating the first input method or the second input method for each of the plurality of pages of image data, and designation of the designation means, An addition step of adding predetermined additional information input by the first input method or the second input means to each of a plurality of pages of image data so that it is difficult to identify to human eyes. To do.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when it is desired to embed different watermark information for each page range in a plurality of documents, by inputting different watermark information for each page range in advance from the operation unit, It is possible to embed desired watermark information for each page range by a scanning operation. Similarly, a different watermark information input method can be selected for each page range. According to the present invention, it is possible to save the trouble of scanning a plurality of times for each page range.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the image scanner unit 300 of the image processing apparatus applied to the embodiment of the present invention. The configuration will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 301 denotes an original platen glass on which an original 302 to be read is placed. The original 302 is irradiated by an illumination lamp 303, and the reflected light is imaged on the CCD 201 by a lens 307 through mirrors 304, 305 and 306. The first mirror unit 310 including the mirror 304 and the illumination lamp 303 moves the mirror 304 at a speed v, and the second mirror unit 311 including the mirrors 305 and 306 moves at a speed ½ v, thereby moving the front surface of the document 302. Scan. The first mirror unit 310 and the second mirror unit 311 are driven by a motor 309. A touch panel display and an operation unit 308 are displayed on a selection screen for color copying, monochrome copying, single color copying, etc., a selection screen for density, etc., and can be executed by touching these selections. .

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the printer engine unit of the image processing apparatus applied to the embodiment of the present invention. The configuration will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 401 denotes a polygon mirror that receives laser light emitted from a semiconductor laser. The laser beam scans the photosensitive drum 410 through the mirrors 402, 403, and 404. On the other hand, reference numeral 405 denotes a developing device for supplying black toner, which forms a toner image on the photosensitive drum 410 in accordance with the laser beam and transfers the toner image onto a sheet, thereby obtaining an output image.

  The sheet fed from any of the sheet cassettes 412 and 413 and the manual feed tray 411 passes through the registration roller 406 and is sucked onto the transfer belt 407 and conveyed. The timing of paper feeding is synchronized, and the toner is developed on the photosensitive drum 410 in advance, and the toner is transferred to the sheet as the sheet is conveyed. The sheet to which the toner has been transferred is separated, and the toner is fixed to the sheet by the fixing device 409. The sheet that has passed through the fixing device 409 is once guided downward by the flapper, and after the trailing edge of the sheet has passed through the flapper, the sheet is switched back and carried out. As a result, the sheets are discharged face down, and the correct page order is obtained when printing is performed in order from the first page.

  Next, the signal processing unit will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing how image data is processed in a signal processing unit (not shown) of the image scanner unit 300. As shown in the figure, the R, G, B component image data output from the CCD 201 is input to the analog signal processing unit 202, and after gain adjustment and offset adjustment, the A / D converter 203 applies each color data. Are converted into 8-bit digital image data R2, G2, and B2. Subsequently, the image data R2, G2, and B2 are input to the shading correction unit 204, and known shading correction is performed based on correction data obtained by reading a standard white plate (not shown) for each color. The input masking unit 206 is a part that converts a reading color space determined by the spectral characteristics of the R, G, and B filters of the CCD 201 into a standard color space such as NTSC, and performs a matrix operation as shown in the following equation.

The corrected image data R5, G5, and B5 are temporarily held in the image memory 207. Subsequently, the image data R5, G5, and B5 held in the image memory 207 are read, and the watermark information insertion unit 208 adds the watermark information. Watermark information is input to the watermark information insertion unit 208 by a known method via the CPU 209. Note that a RAM 210 is connected to the CPU 209, and watermark information captured using a plurality of methods to be described later can be stored in the RAM 210. The image data R6, G6, B6 to which the watermark information is added is held in the image memory 207 again. This image memory can communicate image data with various media connected via the I / F unit 211. The image data can be output to an external printer via the I / F unit 211 for printing or image editing. The image data can also be supplied to an external computer that performs the above process.

  Next, a case where the image data is supplied to the printer unit 217 will be described. The image memory 207 is connected to the LOG conversion unit 212 in addition to the I / F unit 211. The image data R5, G5, and B5 stored in the image memory 207 are I / F units as R6, G6, and B6, respectively. 211 and the LOG conversion unit 212. R6, G6, and B6 input to the LOG converter 212 are converted into C (cyan), M (magenta), and Y (yellow) components, and then subjected to masking and UCR processing by the UCR circuit 214. After being converted into four components of C, M, Y, and K (black), the scaling circuit 215 supplies the printer unit 217 with the output filter circuit 216.

  Next, the operation of adding watermark information by the watermark information inserter 209 described above will be described in detail with reference to FIG. First, when the user gives various instructions for reading a document from the image scanner unit 300 from the touch panel display 308 to the image processing apparatus, an image shown in FIG. 5 is finally displayed. FIG. 5 is a selection screen for selecting whether or not to embed watermark information (additional information) in image data obtained by reading a document from the image scanner unit 300, and touching (selecting) the position of the button 502. By doing so, further operations for adding watermark information can be performed.

  On the other hand, if it is not necessary to embed watermark information, the start button 501 is selected as it is, and after the original is read, normal printing is performed by the printer unit 218 without embedding the watermark information.

  Next, when the button 502 is selected, that is, when watermark information is added, when a document is placed on the document table, the screen is switched to a screen as shown in FIG. The selection screen in FIG. 6 is a screen for designating selection of a method for inputting watermark information. In the present embodiment, a method of capturing image data as watermark information by reading an image from the image scanner unit 300 (selecting the button 601), and a method of capturing a string of characters, numbers, etc. as watermark information using a keyboard format (see 602). The main method is to read the ID card that the user has in advance with an internal magnetic code reader, and to take the image, character, or numeric string obtained as a watermark information (select the button 603). It shall have in. Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described method for capturing watermark information, but a method for recognizing characters or numbers input by handwriting on a touch panel as characters, and using this as watermark information. A method of using the information indicated by the barcode as watermark information, characters and numbers actually written on the document read by the image scanner unit 300, and a string of characters and numbers obtained by performing OCR processing is used as watermark information. These other methods can be selected by selecting the “Other” button 604. Further, each piece of watermark information captured by the plurality of methods is stored in the RAM 210 in FIG. 2 and read when the watermark information is added by the watermark information inserter 208.

  Next, when the user selects the button 601, the screen is switched to a selection screen as shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, a display prompting the user to place a document as watermark information on the document table is displayed. When the start button 501 is selected after the document is placed on the document table, the image scanner unit 300 operates and the watermark information is displayed. Can be imported.

  When the user selects the button 602, a selection screen as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 902 denotes a pseudo keyboard display unit, which can select characters and numbers similar to those on the keyboard by touching a position corresponding to each key. The present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to input characters and numbers from a keyboard that is actually connected. Reference numeral 901 denotes a portion for displaying characters and numeric strings input from a pseudo or connected keyboard, and it is possible to confirm what characters and numeric strings are being input. When these keyboard inputs are completed, an OK button 903 is selected, and the watermark information is taken into the RAM 210.

  On the other hand, when the user selects 603, a screen as shown in FIG. 10 is displayed. The display in FIG. 10 prompts the user to insert an ID card owned by the user into a predetermined magnetic reading unit. Based on this display, when the user inserts the ID card, the device automatically detects the insertion and reads the magnetic information stored in the ID card. Then, simultaneously with the reading, the screen of FIG. 10 is switched to the screen of FIG. In this embodiment, the ID card stores information using magnetic information. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is also applicable to the case where an optically stored information (such as a CDROM) is used instead of the ID card. include. In that case, in addition to the magnetic reading unit, an optical reading device is installed in the image processing apparatus main body. Moreover, not only the shape of a card etc. but a floppy (trademark) disk etc. can be used instead. FIG. 11 is a screen for displaying a plurality of pieces of information stored in the ID card and selecting information to be taken in as watermark information among these pieces of information. The user selects check boxes 1102 to 1105 on the display screen of FIG. 11 to check the check boxes. Therefore, if the OK button 1101 is selected with the check boxes to be selected among these check boxes 1102 to 1105 being checked, some inverted information can be stored in the RAM 210 as watermark information.

  When the button 502 is selected, that is, when watermark information is added, when a plurality of documents are placed on a feeder (not shown) instead of the document table, the screen is switched to a screen as shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, a method for embedding the same watermark information in all of a plurality of documents with the same input means, and by designating a page range, different watermark information for each page range is embedded with different input means. A method can be selected. In FIG. 7, when the radio button 701 “all” is selected, when the watermark information input method 704 is touched (selected) next, a dialog box 705 describing the input method is displayed immediately next to 704. When the input method is touched (selected), the screen is switched to a screen corresponding to each input method described above, and watermark information is input. When the desired watermark information is input by a desired input method, a start button 501 is selected to sequentially read a plurality of documents on the feeder, and the watermark information previously input and stored in the RAM 210 is inserted into the watermark information. It is embedded in all pages by the device and stored in the image memory 207.

  Next, referring to the timing chart of FIG. 12, a case where different watermark information is to be embedded by designating a page range among a plurality of documents will be described. First, in step S1201, it is selected whether to embed watermark information. As described above, FIG. 5 shows the state of the touch panel display 308 at this time. If it is not necessary to embed the watermark information, the start button 501 is selected and the process proceeds to step S1207 to perform printing as it is. If it is necessary to embed watermark information, the watermark information input button 502 is selected to proceed to step S1202. When the document is placed on the document table in step S1202, the touch panel display 308 is displayed as shown in FIG. 6, and the watermark information is input after selecting a desired input method as described above (step S1203). ). In step S1203, when the watermark information has been input, the start button 501 is selected to scan the document, and the watermark information inserter 208 embeds the watermark information in the scanned image (step S1206). The image in which the watermark information is embedded in step S1206 is transmitted to the printer unit 217 in step S1207.

  If a plurality of documents are placed on the feeder of the scanner device in step S1202, the touch panel display 308 is displayed as shown in FIG. 7 as described above. If it is desired to embed the same digital watermark information in all of a plurality of documents in step S1204, the same watermark information can be embedded in all pages by selecting the radio button 701 and the watermark information input method 704 in FIG. Also, when it is desired to embed different watermark information by specifying a page range among a plurality of originals (for example, watermark information A is provided for pages 0-10 of 30 originals, and watermark information B is provided for pages 10-20. When the watermark information is not inserted into pages 20-30, etc., the radio button 702 “page designation” is selected, and the page number for each piece of watermark information is designated in the page designation dialog box 703. In this embodiment, four print ranges can be specified, but it goes without saying that more than that can be specified. Similarly, the watermark information input method 704 is selected for each print range designated in the page designation dialog box, and desired watermark information is inputted. Step S1204 is repeated until the input of watermark information in each page range is completed. In step S1205, when the input of watermark information in all the page ranges is completed, the start button 501 is selected to start reading the document. Thereafter, in step S1206, the watermark information inserter 208 embeds different watermark information for each page range specified in step S1204 from the read image to form an image. In step S 1207, the image data is sent to the printer unit 217 and output to various external devices connected to the I / F unit 211. As the external device, for example, an Internet terminal to which an Internet address is specified from the touch panel display 308, an external hard disk used as an external storage unit of the image processing apparatus, a modem, or a telephone line is transmitted by facsimile. Including the destination facsimile machine.

A technique for embedding watermark information will be briefly described. The present invention can selectively utilize these known techniques. For example, in color image data composed of a plurality of components, image dots are represented so that additional information is represented for one component (Y component of four color components of Y, M, C, and K) that is difficult for human eyes to identify. There is a method of changing the position (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-301380). In addition, in color image data composed of a plurality of components, a large number of images are represented so that additional information is expressed for one component (Y component of four color components of Y, M, C, and K) that is difficult for human eyes to identify. There is a method for modulating the density of a value image (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-244389). The present invention uses these watermark techniques to add watermark information captured using any of a plurality of methods to input image data.
Needless to say, the present invention includes not only the configuration of the image processing apparatus but also a processing method having each operation step of the apparatus.

  In addition, even if the present invention is applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, interface device, reader, printer, etc.), an apparatus (for example, a copier, a facsimile machine, etc.) composed of a single device. ). Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for implementing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the storage medium. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, or the like is used. be able to.

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) operating on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.

  Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

It is the schematic which shows an example of the input technique of watermark information. It is a figure which shows the mode of the process of the image signal in the signal processing part of the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a cross-sectional block diagram of the image scanner part 300 of the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 2 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of a printer unit 218 of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the selection screen regarding the input of watermark information. It is a figure which shows an example of the selection screen regarding the input of watermark information. It is a figure which shows an example of the selection screen regarding the input of watermark information. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation screen regarding the input of watermark information. It is a figure which shows an example of the input screen of watermark information. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen which prompts input of watermark information. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen which selects watermark information. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the operation | movement which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

201 CCD
202 Analog signal processing circuit 203 A / D conversion 204 Shading correction 205 Line delay 206 Input masking 207 Image memory 208 Watermark information inserter 209 CPU
210 RAM
211 I / F section 212 LOG conversion 213 Line delay memory 214 Masking UCR
215 Scaling 216 Output filter 217 Printer 301 Platen glass 302 Document 303 Illumination lamps 304 to 306 Mirror 307 Lens 308 Touch panel display 309 Motor 310 First mirror unit 311 Second mirror unit 401 Polygon mirror 402 to 404 Mirror 405 Developer 406 Resist Roller 407 to 408 Transfer belt 409 Fixing device 410 Photosensitive drum 411 Manual feed tray 412 to 413 Sheet cassette

Claims (12)

Image data generating means for generating image data of a plurality of pages;
Input means for inputting predetermined additional information by the second input method different from the first input method or the first input method;
Designating means for designating the first input method or the second input method for each of the plurality of pages of image data;
Based on the designation by the designation means, the predetermined additional information input by the first input method or the second input method is added to each of the plurality of pages of image data so that it is difficult to be recognized by human eyes. And an additional means for performing the processing.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation unit generates the image data of the plurality of pages by reading a plurality of documents with a scanner including a feeder.   The designation means designates the first input method or the second input method for each page designation, whereby the first input method or the second input method is performed for each of the plurality of pages of image data. 2. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein an input method is designated.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the additional information input by the first input method and the additional information input by the second input method are different additional information.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first input method is an input method using a scanner.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first input method is an input method using a storage medium that magnetically stores information.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first input method is an input method using a storage medium that optically stores information.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first input method is an input method using a touch panel display.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first input method is an input method using a keyboard.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the designation unit performs designation by receiving input from a touch panel display or an operation unit key. An image data generation process for generating image data of a plurality of pages;
A second input step of inputting predetermined additional information by the first input method or a second input method different from the first input method;
A designation step of designating the first input method or the second input method for each of the plurality of pages of image data;
Based on the designation by the designation means, the predetermined additional information input by the first input method or the second input means is added to each of the plurality of pages of image data so that it is difficult for human eyes to identify. An image processing method.   A program for realizing the image processing method according to claim 11.

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