JP2006087042A - Image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus capable of setting a region where a copy check pattern is not synthesized. <P>SOLUTION: The image processing apparatus for synthesizing a copy check pattern on a document to be processed accepts designation of at least one region on the document, and controls so that the copy check pattern may not be synthesized inside the designated region. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that performs a composition process of a copy check pattern.

With the spread of information processing devices in recent years, it has become possible to easily print electronically generated documents. Under these circumstances, as a pattern for restraining copying for a relatively highly confidential document, a technique related to composite printing of a restraining pattern for synthesizing and printing a pattern appearing at the time of copying has been developed (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-197297 A

  However, the above-described conventional composite check pattern copy prints a copy check pattern on the entire surface of the document. For this reason, there has been a demand that a copy check pattern should not be combined with a part of a document, such as a line drawing or a photographic image that requires fine expression.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of setting an area in which a copy check pattern is not synthesized.

  The present invention for solving the problems of the above-described conventional example is an image processing apparatus for synthesizing a copy check image on a document to be processed, and means for accepting designation of at least one area on the document And a means for controlling the copy check pattern not to be synthesized within the designated area.

  In addition, the present invention for solving the problems of the conventional example is an image processing apparatus for synthesizing a copy check image on a document to be processed, in which a text is selected from among image elements included in the document. It is characterized by including means for specifying an area other than an image as a non-text area and means for controlling so that a copy check image is not combined with the specified non-text area.

  In these, the means for calculating the amount related to the area where the copy check pattern is combined on the document, and the area where the copy check pattern is combined is less than a predetermined value based on the calculated amount. In some cases, it is preferable to include means for notifying warning information.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method for synthesizing a copy check image on a document to be processed, wherein at least one area on the document is specified, and the copy check is placed inside the specified area. It is characterized by controlling so that the pattern is not synthesized.

  Furthermore, another aspect of the present invention is an image processing program for causing a computer to execute a composition process of a copy check image for a document to be processed, the procedure for specifying at least one area on the document, And a procedure for causing a computer to execute a control for preventing a copy check pattern from being synthesized within the specified area.

  A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an operation unit 13, a display unit 14, and a communication unit 15, and serves as an image forming apparatus. Connected to the printer 2.

  The control unit 11 can be configured using a CPU or the like. The control unit 11 operates according to a program stored in the storage unit 12. In the present embodiment, a process of accepting designation of at least one area on the document and a process of controlling so that a copy check pattern is not synthesized within the designated area are executed. The specific processing contents of the control unit 11 will be described in detail later.

  The storage unit 12 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a hard disk. The storage unit 12 stores a program executed by the control unit 11. The storage unit 12 also operates as a work memory that holds various data necessary for processing performed by the control unit 11.

  The operation unit 13 is a mouse, a keyboard, or the like, and accepts a user's instruction operation and outputs the contents to the control unit 11. The display unit 14 is a display, for example, and presents information according to an instruction input from the control unit 11.

  The communication unit 15 is, for example, a network card, and transmits data to a designated destination according to an instruction input from the control unit 11. Further, the communication unit 15 receives data coming from outside (for example, the printer 2) via the network and outputs the data to the control unit 11.

  The printer 2 is connected to the image processing apparatus 1 via a network, and forms an image on a sheet as a recording medium based on the image data received from the image processing apparatus 1.

  Here, the specific content of the process by the control part 11 is demonstrated. When the control unit 11 receives an instruction to form an image of a document, the control unit 11 determines whether to synthesize a copy check pattern. This determination is made based on, for example, whether or not an instruction to synthesize a copy check pattern is included in the document in advance. When compositing a copy check pattern, an image of each page of the document is presented, and designation of an area where no copy check pattern is combined is accepted for each page. Specifically, the page image is displayed on the display unit 14. Then, for example, a rectangular area is designated on the displayed page image using a pointing device such as a mouse.

  In addition, for example, when additional image data (for example, annotation information in PDF (Portable Document Format) or the like) is displayed in association with a document, this image data portion may be designated.

  The control unit 11 stores information (coordinate information) for specifying the designated area in the storage unit 12. For example, in the case of a rectangular area, this coordinate information is expressed as a set of the upper left coordinate value and the lower right coordinate value. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 11 stores this coordinate information (C) in the storage unit 12 in association with information (A) for specifying the document and information (B) for specifying the page of the document.

  Then, the control unit 11 generates image data (basic image data) of a copy check pattern with the size of the printable area of the document page. Since the process for generating the copy check pattern image data is the same as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  Next, the coordinate information associated with the information for specifying each page is read from the storage unit 12 in order from the first page of the document to be formed. If there is coordinate information associated with the information specifying the page, the copy check pattern in the area indicated by the coordinate information is removed from the basic image data. As a result, a copy check pattern image to be synthesized for each page is generated.

  Then, an instruction to synthesize a copy check pattern image to be combined with each page is added to the data of each page of the document. Then, the document data after the additional recording is output to the printer 2. The copy check pattern is not combined in the designated area.

  In this example, the copy check pattern image data to be combined for each page is generated. Instead, for each page, an area defined by the coordinate information associated with the information for specifying the page. And mask information set to different values for the other areas may be generated. In this case, each page of document data includes an instruction to synthesize basic image data using corresponding mask information.

  That is, in the present embodiment, control is performed when a region (P1, P2 (hereinafter referred to as region P) including both) is designated on the image data for one page shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3B, the unit 11 generates a copy check pattern excluding a portion corresponding to the area (P) corresponding to the page of FIG. Then, an instruction for synthesizing the copy check pattern image of FIG. 3B is output to the printer 2 on the page of FIG. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3C, the copy check pattern is not synthesized inside the designated area (P), and the copy check pattern is synthesized outside the designated area (P). An image will be formed.

  In another example of the present embodiment, a mask image (FIG. 3D) relating to the area (P) of the page shown in FIG. Then, by using this mask image, the basic image data is synthesized on a part of the page of FIG. 3A (in the example of FIG. 3 in an area corresponding to the portion of the mask image that is the “black” pixel). To do. This also forms the image shown in FIG.

  Further, in the processing of the control unit 11 according to the present embodiment, for example, when an area is specified, an amount related to the area of a portion outside the specified area (area where the copy check pattern is synthesized) is calculated, and this amount is calculated. Based on the above, when the area where the copy check pattern is combined is less than a predetermined value, the warning information may be displayed on the display unit 14 to be notified and the processing relating to image formation may be stopped.

  That is, according to the present embodiment, by enlarging the area where the copy check pattern is not synthesized, the copy check pattern can be prevented from being substantially combined, and may be used for illegal purposes. If the area where the copy check pattern is combined is less than a predetermined value, a warning is given.

  Here, the amount related to the area of the region where the copy check pattern is synthesized is calculated as follows. That is, the area of one page of the document is obtained from the paper size and the area of the printable area, and the sum of the areas of the areas designated in the page is calculated for each page. Then, for each page, the sum of the areas is subtracted from the area for one page. Thereby, the area itself of the area where the copy check pattern is synthesized can be calculated as an amount related to the area of the area where the copy check pattern is synthesized.

  In addition, here, an area where the copy check pattern is not synthesized is specified by the user's instruction operation, but an area where the copy check pattern is not synthesized may be specified. That is, the image processing apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention has the same configuration as that according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. Different.

  In the present embodiment, the control unit 11 specifies a region other than the text image as a non-text region from among the image elements included in the document subjected to the formation process, and this specified non-text Control is performed so that a copy check image is not combined with the area.

  Specifically, in this embodiment, when the control unit 11 receives a document image formation instruction, the control unit 11 determines whether or not to synthesize a copy check pattern. Image data (basic image data) of a copy check pattern is generated with the size of the printable area of the page.

  The control unit 11 first identifies a portion (non-text region) other than the text image from the image of each page of the document. Specifically, the control unit 11 performs a process of analyzing the layout on the image of each page, and specifies an area where the character images are arranged (that is, a text area). Since this layout analysis process is a process widely known as a process for OCR (optical character recognition), detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  Next, the control unit 11 specifies a portion outside the specified text area as a non-text area in the page image, and generates a mask image for instructing not to synthesize a copy check pattern in the shape of the non-text area. To do. This process is performed for each page, and an instruction to synthesize basic image data using the corresponding mask information is included in each page of the document data and output to the printer 2.

  When the document to be processed is described in a predetermined image generation language such as PDF (Portable Document Format), for example, the control unit 11 of the present embodiment refers to this description and reads the non-text. An area may be specified. Specifically, in the case of PDF, each image element such as a text region, line drawing, and photographic image includes a command sequence for generating each image in units called objects. Refer to this command sequence. Among the objects, those whose ratio of commands for arranging character images to all commands included in the objects is less than a predetermined ratio are specified as non-text areas. In PDF, each object includes information (boundary information) that defines a rectangular area that includes an image generated by a command in the object. Therefore, the control unit 11 stores the boundary information of the object corresponding to the non-text area in the storage unit 12 for each page.

  Next, the boundary information associated with the information for specifying each page is read from the storage unit 12 in order from the first page of the document that is the object of the formation process. If there is boundary information associated with the information specifying the page, the copy check pattern in the area indicated by the boundary information is removed from the basic image data. As a result, a copy check pattern image to be synthesized for each page is generated. Then, an instruction to synthesize a copy check pattern image to be combined with each page is added to the data of each page of the document. Then, the document data after the additional recording is output to the printer 2. The copy check pattern is not combined in the designated area.

  Further, as in the example already described, instead of the method of generating the image data of the copy check pattern to be synthesized for each page, each page is defined by the boundary information associated with the information for specifying the page. Mask information that is set to different values for the region to be processed and the region that is not to be generated may be generated. Each page of the document data includes an instruction to synthesize the basic image data using the corresponding mask information, and outputs it to the printer 2.

  According to this embodiment, control is performed so that a copy check pattern is not combined with the non-text area of each page.

  Also in the present embodiment, the amount related to the area of the text region portion (the region where the copy check pattern is combined) is calculated, and based on this amount, the area where the copy check pattern is combined is less than a predetermined value. In this case, the warning information may be displayed on the display unit 14 and notified, and the processing related to image formation may be stopped.

  Specifically, the area for one page of the document is obtained from the paper size and the area of the printable area, and the sum of the areas of the non-text areas in the page is calculated for each page. Then, for each page, the sum of the areas is subtracted from the area for one page. Thereby, the area itself of the area where the copy check pattern is synthesized can be calculated as an amount related to the area of the area where the copy check pattern is synthesized. When the document is described in PDF or the like, the area of the text area in each page can be directly calculated from the boundary information of the object in the text area. It is good also as a quantity regarding the area of the area | region where a copy check pattern is synthesize | combined by calculating.

  Furthermore, in the second embodiment, for example, for each page, a page image, a frame line (R) that emphasizes a region based on boundary information of a non-text region, and a check box ( Q) and other button interfaces are displayed (FIG. 4), and even if it is a non-text area, if there is a portion where a copy check pattern can be synthesized, the user can select that portion by the button interface. You may instruct.

  In this case, if there is a non-text area designated by the user, control is performed so that a copy check pattern is synthesized in the designated non-text area. That is, when generating image data of a copy check pattern for each page, image data including a copy check pattern is also generated inside the designated non-text area. Similarly, when generating a mask image, a mask image is generated instructing the copy check pattern to be synthesized within the designated non-text area.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration and a connection example of an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the holding example of coordinate information. It is explanatory drawing showing the process of the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of the interface screen which the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention presents.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus, 2 Printer, 11 Control part, 12 Storage part, 13 Operation part, 14 Display part, 15 Communication part.

Claims (5)

An image processing apparatus that combines a copy check image with a document to be processed,
Means for accepting designation of at least one region on the document;
Means for controlling the copy check pattern not to be combined within the designated area;
An image processing apparatus comprising: An image processing apparatus that combines a copy check image with a document to be processed,
Means for identifying a region other than a text image as a non-text region from among image elements included in the document;
Means for controlling a copy check image not to be combined with the identified non-text region;
An image processing apparatus comprising: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
Means for calculating an amount related to an area where a copy check pattern is synthesized on the document;
Means for notifying warning information when an area where the copy check pattern is combined is less than a predetermined value based on the calculated amount;
An image processing apparatus comprising: An image processing method for combining a copy check image with a document to be processed,
Identifying at least one area on the document;
Control so that no copy check pattern is synthesized within the specified area.
An image processing method. An image processing program for causing a computer to execute a composition process of a copy check image for a document to be processed,
Identifying at least one region on the document;
A procedure for controlling the copy check pattern not to be combined within the specified area;
An image processing program for causing a computer to execute.

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